“Locker room” challenge aims to deepen employee’s client knowledge

Diversified Strategies Financial Services’ employees tested their client knowledge at the annual strategic “locker room” meeting held at a local restaurant in Virginia Beach, Va. Nov. 10.

The locker room is where employees gather to build camaraderie, review performance and discuss company strategy.

“It’s where we discuss what’s working and where we need to tweak to function better. I also like to make it fun time where we get to know one another better,” said Linda Carrington, chief executive officer and president, Diversified Strategies.

The team kicked off the meeting with a buffet breakfast, followed by a short time of sharing by each employee who took a few minutes to tell a little about themselves, their regular duties, goals for closing out the year and how they would rate their performance.

“I went first in order to set the tone,” Carrington said. “There are areas I want to do better in and I want to make myself accountable to the team, as well as make it okay for us to identify our areas for improvement.”

One by one, employees from accounting, payroll and business coaching took to the floor to open-up to their colleagues.

After a review of the planning calendar for the next year, an overview of new cybersecurity procedures to be implemented and other administrative announcements, the group broke into two teams made up of a mix of employees from different divisions of the company. The goal of the competition challenged employees to go beyond profit and loss numbers to really assess which team knew the most about the work and key goals of Diversified Strategies’ clients. Carrington selected 30 of its 72 clients and wrote their company names on slips of paper. Each team selected a slip of paper and, as a team, assembled as much information as possible about the company. The other team was able to steal the point if they were able to share more relevant information about the company. The teams won cash bonuses for each point they received.

“It is important for us to not just run the numbers for our clients, though that is very important, we need to get to know them -- what they do and what makes them unique,” Carrington said. “We’re not just their bookkeepers, but their financial partners to assist them in the growth of their businesses.”

Diversified Strategies incorporates quarterly sounding board sessions with a business coach to assist business owners in reflecting on the company’s quarterly performance, strategic goals, or any personal, organizational or leadership challenges to mindfully advance their businesses.

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Annual bookkeeping contracts include four free business coaching sessions.