IMPETUS – A Blog Post

July 10, 2019

As part of Design Group’s people-centric culture, we regularly celebrate the achievements of our professionals and recognize our teams, as they are the core of who we are as a firm. Design Group’s India region held their annual event, IMPETUS, to celebrate our professionals.

Since its inception in the year 2008, IMPETUS has served as a special platform for recognizing professionals and teams for their exemplary work and contribution to the organization. Apart from the recognition, it also helps to discover unique talents outside of work, and unleash the hidden potential of our team members through a range of sports contests and cultural events, spread over more than a month.

Lisa Roberts, Design Group People Team Leader, visited India for the first time for IMPETUS 2018.

Impetus 20 ‘’It was my first trip to India, my first visit to Design Group’s Chennai office, and my first opportunity to experience the incredible event that is IMPETUS! Four teams, with names that aligned to our Rules of the Culture such as 'Empowered Energizers' and 'Accountability Accelerators' spent multiple weeks participating in athletic challenges and presentations to share with their colleagues."

Consisting of sporting contests, cultural events such as singing and dancing, creation of skits and short films, the event is one platform that enables Design Group’s professionals to tap into undiscovered talents and potential. "The fact that the Chennai team has fostered an environment where professionals push themselves out of their comfort zones and share their gifts in such a public setting is a true demonstration of our commitment to continuous learning and growth," said Lisa.

In the grand finale, multiple awards are presented to the winners of IMPETUS-related competitions. The awards also include work-based individual and team recognition. Of the four teams created for the purposes of IMPETUS, one of them is presented with the IMPETUS Winning Team Award.

Impetus 33 ‘’As the winning team rushed to the stage in excitement to receive their trophy, I was reminded of the value that Design Group places upon recognition,’’ stated Lisa.

She adds, ‘’Celebrating successes, both big and small, creates a workplace that allows our professionals to end each day feeling appreciated and fulfilled. The power of meaningful recognition cannot be underestimated, and my IMPETUS experience made it evident just how committed Design Group professionals are to the values of the firm.”

IMPETUS accentuates the importance of bringing the entire organization together - the experience of working with peers from other teams, and building relationships with people they otherwise would not have the opportunity to interact with.

Lisa concludes about IMPETUS, “Seeing the team in action demonstrated how deeply they care about fostering our culture and collaborating together as a team. I am grateful for the hospitality extended to me by the team, and for the chance to be part of such a meaningful event.’’

Lisa is the Executive Leader of the Design Group People Team . She is responsible for all People Team functions including Compensation, Payroll, Professional Development, Recruiting, and Employee Relations. She and her team are responsible for ensuring that all team members have a fulfilling professional experience at Design Group.

Prior to joining the firm in 2015, Lisa built her career in Leadership Development, and has a PhD, Industrial - Organizational Psychology from the University of Missouri - St. Louis, and BA in Psychology from Truman State University.