Spotlight on Team Building
Last night we made chili at the Inverness Hotel…along with 65 other people. We played games, sang songs and ate great food. Some even drank some beer. It was such a fun evening. People laughing and talking to each other…moving around at a quick pace trying to outsmart their opponents …win the most money…cook the best chili… and just enjoy the evening and all the people.
Believe it or not, this was a corporate team building event. I know that people often cringe at the word team building…but not last night. They were enthusiastic participants…anxious to get started…excited to jump in and have fun. And they did.
This was the second group from the same company to do this team building event. The reason we were there was because the first group had such a great time that they booked us for four additional chili cook-offs. The buzz about this event built excitement even before we started.
So what’s the point?
The point is that it is important to schedule some time during your meetings or training events to let your attendees just let go and have fun… productive fun…but fun.
What can this type of team building evening accomplish? Lots of things!
Builds Relationships: It builds relationships by presenting a level playing field for your employees. There’s less pressure…more fun. They can be themselves and show the talents and abilities they don’t have the opportunity to show at work. The idea is to then transfer these behaviors to the workplace…being yourself…feeling equal…knowing your capabilities…seeing your coworkers in a new light thus creating a place where people can do their best for themselves and their company.
Promotes Sharing and Collaboration: In order to accomplish the goals of any team building event, people must work together…share their skills and talents …communicate their ideas…use their creativity and then put all of this into practice. This selfless collaboration of talent and ideas offers a larger opportunity to create a better product…in this case, the chili. If they collaborate in the workplace, the same thing will happen.
Improves Communication: It is much easier to communicate with people with whom you have something in common. While participating in this event, participants have fun and share common experiences. They now have a place from which to start talking that is not work related, but people related.
Nonthreatening: It is easier to do anything when you feel safe. And in this fun environment, people will feel more at ease talking, working, playing, yes, communicating with their fellow participants. If this can happen away from the office, it can happen at the office making your workplace more productive and energized.
Successful team building events bring value to your company. Let us know about events that have been successful for you. We’d love to share them.
Or if you need help with your next event, call us.
