Before Your Next Team Building.... READ THIS.

Where team building is concerned, most organizations read from the same script and it goes something like this. There is friction in the office. Silos emerging, and traces of toxicity are beginning to show up. Gossip is rampant and trust levels are low. Efficiency in delivery is either getting affected or will soon begin to get affected. What does HR do? The same thing they have always done which is to plan a team building session. They have done the same thing every year and every year they still end up with the same issues but nothing will stop that team building from happening.

So, they begin to plan and they go off to some far away place and play games. The games vary depending on the creativity of the person conducting the team building exercise. Note that this person conducting the exercise is not someone who understands the business in any way. Mostly he is someone who is athletic and has a proper understanding of outdoor games and so people do indeed have a great time. Lots of sweat, noise, fun and laughter and at the end of the day, everyone agrees that they had a great time.

Then comes crunch time. They all get back to the office and the memories of the away event linger for a few days. Then, a very simple occurrence in the office takes the organization back to its former settings. The silos regroup and the problems that precipitated the need for team building have shown up again. What does HR do, wait for the next team building. This cycle continues over and over again and yet different results are expected.

But seriously, what did we expect? It's like when two people are at each other's necks and then you ask them to just be friends and play a game of hoops without getting to the roots of their problems. It is such a useless exercise yet many organizations would rather spend so much money on it than get to the roots. I guess they are drawn by the fun element and probably because they need to check it off their to-do list that they have done a team building session.

If the way to build teams is by going to do something physically exerting that will cause people to bond together then how do you build a football team? The very nature of their work is physical. How do they build their teams? Will the football team go away for a team building somewhere? If sports teams like football teams and pit stop teams (these are the guys that actually have the word team built into their very definition) do not need physical activity to build the team then we need to understudy them more.

You will notice that these teams are built around a common purpose and goal. They are built from a deep understanding of interdependence. They realize that each person plays a different role and for the whole to succeed there must be a smooth flow between the components. If Peter and John work together and Peter does not see how Johns success will enhance his success as Peter then nothing can make Peter and John a team.

Teams are built around purpose. The strongest teams are built around a deep understanding of interdependence. They are built around a common goal. If you are in the soccer team and you know that when Peter has the ball and he sees you have the advantage to score, he will pass to you - now that is a team. In a team, no one is trying to sabotage the other and no one is trying to outshine the other. That is what we want in our organizations and this does not come by the traditional team building exercises that we have. In fact things can get worse after the team building if Peter and John already had their issues in the office and then Peters team trashed Johns team in the team building activities. You will be surprised how that team building exercise becomes the catalyst for more division when they get back to the office.

So, how do you build a team? First define it. The kind of team that is required must be built into the culture of the organization and as such the formation of the team will be a natural process and not a forced friendship. If we want a fun team, it must be built into the culture. If we want a selfless team, it must be built into the culture. Only when we have built these into the culture can the company away fun times make lasting sense. When each member of the team knows deep down inside them that when they need the other member to be there for them they will be there - only then can you say that you have a team. And guess what? They do not have to be friends!

With the right culture, even when new people come in, the power of the culture will dictate their behavior. If no one ever gossips to a new person about another person there is no way they will have the liberty to gossip. IF exclusionist behavior is not tolerated from the top, it can never thrive below.

So, before you plan your next team building remember that without the right culture, the demons you left in the office when you went away will be waiting for you when you get back. Only the right culture can exorcise organizational demons of division.