Our Blog

By Kriste

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my short time here at the firm, it’s that Joe and Abby are rock stars when it comes to planning and execution. It’s also a well-known fact that Joe can pretty much tell you the best restaurants and sights in any given city. Forget Fodor’s. When in doubt, just ask Joe.

True to form, our fearless leaders had a serious game plan for our day-and-a-half of team building in the Windy City. It started with a Cubs game, ended with a Chicago River Architecture Tour and included plenty of food, beverage and culture in between.

We learned a lot about the city and about each other. I learned, for example, that the Chicago Cubs have won every game that Abby Trotter has ever attended (note to self: Abby on team = big win). Her good luck carried through on this particular Team Hall Strategies trip to Wrigley Field.

The Cubs beat the Reds 5-2, and we’re pretty sure our heckling of Reds left-fielder Jonny Gomes played an important role. We were inspired by our consumption of Chicago dogs and a few cold beers. Boy is that Budweiser tasty on a perfectly warm day at the baseball field! Plus, we felt pretty good about supporting our client in such a demonstrable way. Now that’s what I call walking the walk, which is something we take pretty seriously in the hallowed halls of Hall Strategies.

Peter, our resident Public Works expert , taught me the phrase, “The solution to pollution is dilution,” as we learned about the reversing of the Chicago River and the damming of its entry into Lake Michigan. This led to a  conversation about Nashville’s main water feature, the mighty Cumberland River. Who knows more about city infrastructure and stormwater management than Peter Heidenreich? Not many. The man knows his (expletive deleted).

And don’t get Joe and Pete started about the machinations that have made Chicago’s core grow and thrive. Suffice it to say that its 129 TIF (Tax Increment Financing) districts have been a major economic development tool for the city and its neighborhoods. It’s a topic that makes Joe nearly break out in a Lee Elia rant.

Me, I was nearly brought to tears on the topic of the Sears Tower no longer being the Sears Tower. But, to progress we have to change, and ultimately it’s just part of the history and the fabric of a city, am I right?

Calesha kept us all on task, following our itinerary and keeping up with reservations, tickets and whatnot. Let’s hear it for organization! Which leads me to Jena, our newest member of the team. Belmont University graduated a good one, and boy were we lucky to get her! This lady is as organized and on task as they come… and as pleasant and fun as she is professional.

I wish I could say the same about some of the Chicago cabbies we encountered. They could use a lesson in good ole’ Southern hospitality. I mean, they are ambassadors for the city, are they not?

Perhaps Southwest airlines could teach them a thing or two about customer service and pleasantries. Which leads me to a good ending taken from the beginning of our trip.

Clarence, our flight attendant, keep us all in good spirits, but I was particularly fond of his joke as we were taxiing toward the runway at BNA.

“We apologize for the bumps,” Clarence said. “It’s not my fault. It’s not the pilot’s fault. It’s the asphalt.”

The moral of this story, I think, applies well to life and to business: Have a great team. Plan well. Follow your plan, but stay flexible. Learn as much as you can about the people, the places and the history of those you’re working with. Deliver good results. Leave ‘em laughing. And remember, it all starts with a good team.