Thinkings about Think Week 2024

By Sam Pinto, Associate Director

I’ve been at Agnostic for five years, and one of my favourite things about working here is our annual Think Week. It’s a unique opportunity for us to ground ourselves in our ethos: Better Thinking, Better Results.

Every October, we take a week to challenge our team to slow down, get out of our comfort zone, and build deeper connections with colleagues across the agency.

This year’s experiences were aligned with Agnostic’s core principles, empowering us to think in ways that bring value to our team and our clients.

Colourful Insights Discovery

A standout session was a workshop with Rachel Glover from STEM Consulting. We explored our behavioral preferences using the four color energies, which accurately reflected our personalities and helped us connect better with colleagues and clients. 

What was shocking was how unanimously accurate they were for everyone. We then learned how to embrace these energies and interact with others who might have different dominant colours. 

Challenging ourselves to be great

On Day two, we pushed ourselves physically, mentally, and emotionally. We had the option to choose from a range of different experiences: a tour of some of the most diverse food options in the city, a challenging escape room, or an interactive gaming facility, which put our minds and bodies to the test.

I chose an experience I’d never tried before but always wanted to: bouldering. And I definitely made the right call. There was so much satisfaction climbing to the top of a route and pushing myself to achieve new goals, even if those goals were relatively small. 

Unfortunately my arm muscles did not feel the same satisfaction the next day.

Keeping our ears to the ground

My favourite activity of the week was our media panel. Karon Liu, the Toronto Star’s Food Reporter, and Evelyn Kwong, Associate Director of Social at WIRED, came in to give us a glimpse of their journalistic world.

They spoke about how the landscape has evolved over the course of their careers, how they dig for stories, and the most effective ways for PR pros to work with them. 

A key takeaway for me: journalists always have their ear to the ground so they can tell stories that matter to their audience. It reinforced what we at Agnostic already know and do: the audience always needs to come first.

Reflecting on ideas

For me, the final day of Think Week was a time of mindfulness and reflection. Our group explored Riverdale Farm on Toronto’s east end. It was a part of the city I hadn’t spent a lot of time in. 

It was a perfect day for it – the sun was shining and coffee was in hand. We stepped away from our desks for a few hours and pondered the learnings from the week. It was a helpful reminder that I need to step away from my desk and take a walk more often if I want to be inspired.

Our team does our best work when we give ourselves the time to think and unlock its creativity. I’m grateful for our Think Week activities, and excited to see the amazing ideas that come out of it.