Planning a Team Building Event - Help is as close Saying I love Team Building

Managers and experts agree that the workplace is the concept, corporate team building activities are an important part of the development team. In fact, the meeting planner is often overwhelmed by the wide range of team building ideas to choose from. Without understanding the specific team building goals of their group, it becomes virtually impossible to create a successful event.

Let's say we take the parallel cases of Steve and Sally. Steve and Sally were both assigned the same task in different departments: find a team-building activities for the afternoon that fits their budget. Each manager has added the only other status "should be fun."

But once Steve and Sally began to dig into the options they realized that their groups could do it all by shooting paintballs at each other, do a scavenger hunt, solve crimes, scaling walls and climbing ropes courses, kayaking or canoeing, horseback riding or cooking a four-course meal. How do we decide?

Steve, hoping to make a choice that would please his boss, he thought, because his manager was like golf, and because the golf course has a nice restaurant, this would make a trip good afternoon. His group could play a few holes, have dinner and award a trophy to the winning team.

Sally realized that with so many choices it needed more information. He downloaded a resource guide planner at http://www.iloveteambuilding.com team building. This guide has helped clarify the objectives of his group. He returned to his manager, with some basic questions:

"What is the number one reason we are holding a session of team building?"

"There are other reasons?"

"Those who participate in this session of team building?

"What we want to get out?"

"What we like about our last session of team building and what did not work?"

These questions have a more detailed feedback from Sally. Sally manager Sarah reflects that the department has recently experienced a stressful period in which everyone had been working long hours. Inter-office tensions mounted and while he had pulled through okay, he felt that some 'easy camaraderie of the group had been compromised under the pressure. The number of Sarah a target for this activity is that everyone, including herself, could have a friendly competition that got people excited and joking again.

As Sarah thought some more, 'he added it would be nice if they could do something around making strategic decisions based on the tight time constraints. "I wish we could do an activity that could allow us to practice that without taking away the fun," he said, "And Sally, please let us out of office because we were stuck inside for what feels like forever."

Sally also learned that their latest team-building activities, a game of laser tag, was high on energy but low on real team spirit and specific learning takeaway. While there were teams, was in reality an activity "all-out-for-itself". Some colleagues had loved him, but others had left early because they were not fit or fast enough to win.

Now Sally has had a number of objectives to work when you consider the ideas of team building. This was her list:

Main Objectives

1) An activity that first of all brings back some fun and relaxation in our group, after a stressful period

2) An activity that is competitive and fun

3) An activity that would ideally give our group an opportunity to practice making choices under pressure

Additional parameters to consider:

1) a group activity that includes everyone, including our manager

2) a group activity that each is able to do physically

3) a group activity that gets everyone out of office

With these objectives, Sally found it much easier to sift through and delete the team building activities that do not meet their needs.

What he found was a treasure hunting company. There were different levels of activity - everything from answering general knowledge questions based on visiting certain parts of the city to work together to create human sculptures and write a poem about their experience. It reminded her a little 'of the popular TV show "The Amazing Race", but was right in his hometown and had other elements that have made it appropriate for a corporate event team building.

How did Steve and Sally go to events?

Steve happy event, his manager on a personal level, but expressed disappointment that "not everyone seemed to be in it." All enjoyed a nice dinner and the trophy went to gamers in the office. When I returned to work, nothing was learned from coach Steve could be applied in their daily tasks. The memory of the event faded and all went on as before.

Group of Sally, the other took the treasure hunt before he started, doing stupid names for their groups assigned as "Mistress Melinda and her Malevolent Minions" and "Baldy and Dudes cubicle". When they arrived at the event, the chief treasure hunt presented with a list of activities and mandatory checkpoints, it was just like being in a reality show. The leaders also noted that they would not be able to finish everything in time - would have to make strategic choices based on what each group thought would bring them the most points. They were off!

After the event was complete, the leaders took time to examine the experience of making tough decisions under the constraints of time. Group members shared their experiences and compare notes. Now everyone has had the same reference event when similar situations arose in the workplace. Groups then had the opportunity to submit their on-the-fly poetry, lots of laughter. Discover the winning team was highly anticipated and has been the subject of much good-natured razzing. The treasure hunt game of team building was not only a success with the group, but had achieved all the objectives of the team building of Sally in an afternoon.

Being responsible for the creation of significant events in the group and the fun is not easy. With time to think beyond the first blush of "team building" as a goal and deepen our understanding of what your team wants and needs from a team building game, you can get good reviews, and tangible results grateful pat on the back of your head.

For assistance in planning your next team building event, building a team without the help of planners is available for download at www.iloveteambuilding.com.

Andrew Long (2006) Andrew Long is the founder and President of Critical Pathfinders Adventure Training Inc. and Scavenger Hunt Anywhere www.criticalpathfinders.com www.scavengerhuntanywhere.com...