It’s been a week since we returned from Mosiro Kajiado, host of the 2022 Rhino Charge. Our teams are already preparing for the next series of events: a migration camp in the Mara, the world-famous Lewa marathon, a bush wedding in the Taita Hills, and a couple of expos within Nairobi. As we close one event many more await.
The details of winding down an event are as crucial as the ones for setting up. The difference is that we have a bit more time on our side when we wind down – we’re not fighting against the clock. A schedule is still required and a plan to demobilize resources based on priorities and criticality. Sometimes the priorities are driven by the next event or someone’s expertise is in demand elsewhere. Other times, priorities are driven by costs. This year it was a combination of many things and our plans had to change after the truck that turned on its side.
On the evening before Charge day, we were discussing the winding down plan. Before prize-giving had even begun our first truck had departed for Nairobi, and another 2 followed that evening. Our entire team was back in Nairobi by Tuesday evening. Monday night brought rain and we held our breath until we knew every vehicle was on the tarmac in Ntulele.
It has become custom in our internal communications, and it’s not something we have formalized yet, that before departing any site for any event pictures are shared of what it looks like. From the images shared from the RC venue, you would not have known that there was a bar in the area. Give it 2 weeks and the grass under where the HQ tent was will be sprouting fresh and happy. The zebras were back on the airstrip by Monday and a cobra had shown it was back in camp by Sunday night. Balance was returning very quickly.
As I write I’m on a plane. While I’m in the sky the mammoth task of cleaning all the equipment is underway. We probably brought back a couple of tons of dust. Our effluent treatment plant will need some cleaning of its own! Did you know we continuously treat and recycle 5,000 liters of water which is used to clean all our equipment? We’ve done it for 10 years as another small contribution to the environment.
Next week my mind moves to manufacture as I attend the world’s largest expo for technical textiles. All our major supply chain partners gather once every few years to discuss industry trends and show off innovations – textiles that are made from recycled plastic bottles are starting to become commercially viable.
We speak about meticulous planning and the devil being in the details of the Rhino Charge. I spoke about leadership and how a team needs multiple skills to realize a project which has the complexities and uncertainties of the Rhino Charge. Every year we have new employees attend to build up their exposure and experience so that when we return to the multiple projects we are managing on our manufacturing side, it’s no longer daunting. They get to appreciate that multiple skills and multiple people take charge of a team to deliver. That one boss isn’t the way of the world. A team working together has always been a fun way to deliver. And I do hope that Walter and I no longer need to finish our sentences to know what the other is saying, at some point very soon our entire team will understand mid-sentence!
Go through the journey with us as we succeed, fail, and learn new lessons in the Rhino Charge 2022 behind the scenes with Tarpo –
