6 essential elements in team building

Probably you have already seen or even experienced some of the activities used in team building. They are not always as successful as you might think…

Here are some ‘interesting’ and funny team building experiences:

“I work in Japan, and my worst team-building exercise has been taking a bath with my boss and supervisors, although only of the same gender. It’s called ‘naked relationships’ and is thought to build trust. After showering and washing your hair in a group facility, you sit in the bath (which is a natural hot spring) together and talk and bond. The idea is that when you are naked, everyone is equal and you will feel free to discuss things and joke about things that you wouldn’t in the office setting.”

“I once had to sit through two hours of a team-building exercise that first involved us all sitting cross-legged on the floor, holding hands with our eyes closed, while the leader described us flying over the ocean into the “temple of the dolphin.” She got very vivid in her description of this imaginary place. It was incredibly difficult not to laugh. After we opened our eyes, we had to watch videos of dolphins and point out the leadership skills they were demonstrating. I am not joking. We did that for well over an hour.”

“We had to take a big gulp of soda, and spit the soda into a partner’s mouth! It was incredibly disgusting. I have no idea who thought that was a good idea, and who approved it. Some of the guys got into it, but most everyone declined.”

Resource: https://bit.ly/1mp3URl

Although we had some good laughs, we feel sorry for those who have experienced team building gone bad on their own skin. Except for being embarrassing and boring, such team building exercises don’t deliver results that are valuable in the work environment.

Modern companies search for team building events that are entertaining, not extreme, and have an educational value. So every activity must have a purpose related to the actual work environment of the team. Actually that is what every team building event should look like anyway, don’t you think? Read below what the six essentials are to make sure your team has a great experience.

It is possible for these companies to find what they are looking for. There are ways to improve essential skills for teams such as communication, leadership, and problem solving which are fun and interesting for all participants.

Here are 6 essential elements to look for in team building:

1. Fun engaging event + coaching

A team exists only when every individual is involved. In order to make a team building event work, every team member must be engaged in the actual event.

2. Tailor made programs

If every individual is unique and benefits from a customized approach, imagine what the impact of a tailor made program will do for your team

3. Appropriate activities

If you want to achieve engagement of all participants, the activities as well as the facilitation must fit to the team, the goals of the event and the needs of all individuals. A well designed program for the team building event is half the work needed for a successful execution.

4. Success experience

The team participating in an event must experience success in order to grow. Competitive elements often incorporated in team building actually destroy the success experience for the team as a whole. If competitive spirit is needed for the team, always make sure an external competitor takes on that responsibility.

5. Continuous development

In marketing you learn to plan campaigns so they enhance each other, a single marketing activity is considered a waste of resources. The same can be said for team building, which is an ongoing process and therefore needs ongoing attention.

6. Achieving desired outcomes

Every team has specific needs and the most suitable outcomes must be paired with the right program for a team building event. Depending on the development phase a team is in, the specific communication patterns and the demands on the team, the focus of the team building event must be adjusted in order to get the best value out of the event.

What are some of your past experiences in team building?