As the old saying goes, there's no "I" in team, and at Graham & Associates, these are words we live by every day to produce great results for our clients. Working well together is a key ingredient for success at any organization, and something we value highly within our company.

Recently, the Graham & Associates employees took a field trip to a cooking class at Cavallo Point Lodge to pair team building with exceptional food and wine. As we walked into the Cavallo Point Cooking School's pristine kitchen and saw the beautiful fresh ingredients, we knew we had a job to do, and the best way to get that job done was the same way we handle any project—as a team.

As individuals, we all have unique strenghts. Some are better at chopping, some are better at marinating, some are better at baking, while others have instincts and vision for beautiful presentation. Whenever all of these abilities come together, there is an exciting outcome—in this case, a successful and delicious meal.

As we split into smaller groups, we were assigned to prepare different courses for an authentic Italian feast. One team prepared appetizers, one cooked the sauce, one broiled the main course, and one created dessert. Although some staff are veterans chefs and some are rookies, we all worked together, balancing each other's talents and weaknesses, stepping in to aid our teammates if they needed a helping hand.

Each dish had its unique flavor, created by each team, and the combination of dishes made for a tasty and satisfying dinner, demonstrating just how well we work together.

As we sat and enjoyed the fruits of our labor, we grew closer appreciating each person's contribution and realizing with the right materials, skill set, drive and team dynamics we can turn the simplest ingredients into a gratifying and memorable result.

Come visit us at www.graham-associates.com to learn how we can cook up a successful recipe for your communications program.