January 15–21, 2008 Business in Vancouver 29ADVERTISING FEATURE

FOCUSONSUCCESS2008

Create a high-performing teamPinnacle Pursuits provides unique learning

solutions that achieve results for organizations

■ A D V E R T O R I A L P R O F I L E

W hen a group of Pfizer sales executives from

across North America met in Vancouver recently, they found themselves exchang-ing their pharmaceutical cases for handheld GPS devices. They were divided into teams and dispatched to Robson Street, Granville Island, English Bay and Stanley Park.

But they weren’t looking for their newest drug dis-covery. Instead, they were looking for a way to build relationships and collabo-ration with team mem-bers and further develop creative decision-making techniques. Equipped with X-marks-the-spot maps, a driver and a handful of mystery challenges, team members had to discover their final geo-cache loca-tions then share what they learned with the other teams. The GPS Adventure Challenge was instrumen-tal in helping the partici-pants establish a common language around how and when decisions are made in a team environment.

It was a pretty typical day in the office for Jonathan Wi l l cocks , p re s iden t and founder of Pinnacle Pursuits, who organized the GPS event. For more than a decade, Pinnacle Pursuits has provided solutions to improve individual and team performance within organizations. Its services range from half-day work-shops that build capacities in areas such as communi-cation, decision-making, conflict resolution, group dynamics and leadership, to customized team-build-ing programs, adventure-

based events and execu-tive retreats.

“Pinnacle Pursuits is all about helping people dis-cover their potential both as leaders and members of a team,” Willcocks said.

It’s a long way from Willcocks’ early work as a life skills counselor at a wilderness boot camp for young offenders. Instead of working with youth at risk, today he works with execu-tives, managers and staff around the world. But the lessons he learned about changing behaviour and attitude remain as con-stant today as they did back then.

For Willcocks, making

positive changes is about learning and action—reflecting on how you respond to people and situ-ations and then applying what you learn by making an action-plan and com-mitting to it. A CEO of a local commercial contract-ing business contacted Willcocks following a suc-cessful teambuilding event with Pinnacle Pursuits. He commented that, ‘you cre-ated a fun and welcoming environment to begin with, and finished with a mean-ingful de-brief. I liked how you included exercises that required the teams to put our company values into action and then later reflect

on what they learned and share their personal com-mitments for future appli-cations.’

Wi l l cock s , a 2008 Business in Vancouver 40 Under 40 winner, said his company’s solutions are founded on the principles of experiential learning—an action-based approach that focuses on learning by doing. Participants are given the opportunity to engage in creative activities designed to be analogous to their working, learning and living situations.

By exploring attitudes and motivation, Pinnacle Pursuits adds meaning to both work and life experi-ences.

“When you add mean-ing and purpose to any experience, people become motivated about them-selves and their jobs,” said Willcocks. “You get results for the company, for the corporate culture and for the greater good. It’s syn-ergistic when you combine people, passion and perfor-mance.”

It sure worked for a large restaurant chain. Pinnacle Pursuits worked with the chain to bring out the natu-ral competencies of workers while improving the corpo-rate structure so it revolved around people. Willcocks found himself in the corpo-rate head office a year after his work there ended and was greeted warmly by one of the participants.

“She said ‘I can’t thank you enough. What we learned continues to impact us everyday.’”

This type of reaction is pretty standard for Pinnacle Pursuits, and

likely explains why most of the company’s business comes from client referrals. Moving forward, Willcocks and his team of coaches, facilitators, management consultants and adven-ture experts want to help more companies deal with the significant challenge of recruiting and retaining employees.

“It’s a challenging job market for finding out-standing employees that you can keep for the long term,” said Willcocks. “Research indicates that employee training and d ev e l o pm en t , t e a m -building activities and leadership training fos-ter employee retention, improve group dynamics and increase productivity. Pinnacle Pursuits believes that people development is the core asset of any suc-cessful business, especially now.”

It seems that the busi-ness world agrees. In the last year, more than half of Pinnacle Pursuits’ cli-ents made mention of staff development as a key strategy for retaining staff. The company has worked with multi-national orga-nizations like the Young Presidents’ Organization, PepsiCo and McDonalds, yet its services remain accessible for small and medium-sized local busi-nesses.

Pinnacle Pursuits has of fered i t s programs throughout Canada, the United States, Mexico, Europe and Asia. But no matter how far afield the company travels, it still maintains a firm attach-ment to the community

where Willcocks got his footings: working with youth. This has now become a large part of Pinnacle Pursuits’ social responsibility mandate. The company works with schools throughout B.C. as well as youth organiza-tions around the world.

“We get youth to think about their futures and develop a better sense of self-worth and compassion for others, and feel like they have a unique talent,” said Willcocks. “We challenge them to push themselves and to develop a greater understanding of environ-mental awareness and cul-tural diversity. We take the well-developed programs and theories behind our corporate programs and give schools and commu-nity organizations with limited financial capacity a chance to access these learning experiences.”

P i n n a c l e P u r s u i t s started small but is grow-ing exponentially. New staff, a higher saturation of the local market and an extended global reach all work collectively to make the company a vanguard in the leadership develop-ment arena. At its founda-tion is Willcocks, whose own well-developed lead-ership skills set the pace.

“Leadership is about walking the talk, communi-cating with respect, setting goals and staying dynamic while constantly learn-ing. We are not all born as expert leaders; however, with the right training, we can greatly enhance our natural ability to inspire and lead both ourselves and others,” he said.

■ Workshops ■ Customized Team-Building Programs ■ Consulting

■ Adventure-Based Events ■ Executive and Leadership Retreats

OPTIMIZE YOUR TEAMPinnacle Pursuits is your source for solution-focused people development strategies.

Jonathan Willcocks, BIV Forty under 40 2007 winner

Call today to speak to a Pinnacle Expert 604.876.7535 105-2780 East Broadway, Vancouver, BC V5M 1Y8 www.PinnaclePursuits.com

P E O P L E . P A S S I O N . P E R F O R M A N C E .