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10 INNOVATIVE IDEAS
FOR SUCCESSFUL TEAMBUILDING EVENTS
Teambuilding can give a powerful boost to the spirit and
effectiveness of any group. Well designed and delivered
teambuilding programs can lead to better understanding,
clearer alignment and much stronger motivation.
Organizing a "teambuilding event" is a big
responsibility. Use these ideas to make your event a
well-planned and memorable success.
1. Set the Tone With an Inspiring Theme:
Telegraph the tone and purpose of your event with a
theme that hits the mark. "The Third Annual Teambuilding
Program" is not going to excite many participants. Here
are examples of themes my recent clients have to
motivate and communicate their teams: "Rocket to the
Top, Together!" (for a software company seeking to
achieve dominant market share), "The
Winning Team" (for a financial services company seeking
to overcome competitors and economic adversity),
"Forging a New Alliance" (for a medical services group
managing a reorganization of roles and departments).
2. Prime the Pump for Full Participation:
Use internal communications to get everyone interested
and ready for the event. Use memos, bulletin boards,
posters and internal meetings to arouse people's
curiosity.
You might circulate a list of objectives and issues for
the meeting. You might conduct a survey prior to the
meeting, announcing actual results during the program.
You might task certain individuals with preparing a
business presentation, or selected teams with creating
and rehearsing an
entertainment item.
3. Conduct the Program Off-Site:
Major teambuilding programs are frequently conducted
"off-site". This allows participants to get away from
the workplace physically (minimizing disruptions) and
mentally (opening their thinking to new points of view).
4. Use a Mix of Energy, Enterprise and Entertainment:
Stimulate interest and get involvement by using a full
range of teambuilding activities. You may have "hard
work" sections with speeches about the future and
workshops on current business problems. You may have
"play hard" sections with team games and outdoor
challenges. You may include
social ingredients through mealtime activities, awards
and entertainment.
Be sure your range of activities are well-sequenced
throughout the day and evening. Be especially careful to
follow lunches with activity, and to end your program on
a note of confidence and commitment.
5. Allow Enough Time to Process, Discuss and Apply
Allow enough time between each activity for discussion,
learning and application back to the job. It's better to
have a full day with two teambuilding games and enough
time for discussion, than a "stuffed" day with three or
four games with little time for reflection.
6. Focus on New Actions with "More", "Less", "Start" and
"Stop":
During the program, have participants develop clear
answers to the following questions:
* "What do you want (the other person, department, etc.)
to do more of?"
* "What do you want (the other person, department, etc.)
to do less of?"
* "What do you want (the other person, department, etc.)
to start doing?"
* "What do you want (the other person, department, etc.)
to stop doing?"
Towards the end of the program, participants can make
another list of personal commitments:
* "What am I committed to do more of?"
* "What am I committed to do less of?"
* "What am I committed to start doing?"
* "What am I committed to stop doing?"
7. Use Photographs and Video to Extend the Program's
Impact:
Engage a photographer and/or videographer to document
your teambuilding program. Give copies of photographs to
participants after the event. Post the best photographs
on your bulletin boards, in the cafeteria, or publish
them in the company newsletter. If you put them up on
your company's World Wide Web site, then staff's family
members can log-in
and view them from home.
Have the videotape edited with music and some snappy
graphics. Show this short but entertaining vignette at
another company meeting, social gathering, dinner and
dance, etc.
8. Harness the Power of Peripheral Players:
When selecting participants for your program, be willing
to include those tangentially related to the core group.
Internal customers, suppliers, neighboring departments,
etc. can all yield a few participants who are "closely
related" to your core group.
These "peripheral players" will often add significant
value, perspective and insight to your program. They can
also help with communication back into the organization
after the event is over.
9. Get Personal:
Make sure everyone sees the link between "group
teambuilding" and "individual actions" on the job. Have
each person complete a commitment card, action planning
list, personal promise statement or some other vehicle
to ensure application of appropriate new behaviors.
Closing a teambuilding program by having everyone share
their list is a good way to gain buy-in from
individuals, and the entire group.
10. Reward the Organizers:
Planning and preparing a teambuilding program is a major
undertaking. Be sure to give recognition to those who
did the work "behind the scenes". A small but thoughtful
gift, given in front of everyone at the end of the
program, will be appreciated and remembered.
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- Ron's successful background includes high-impact special events at the
Rose Bowl, the Great Wall of China, St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow and on the Capitol
Mall in Washington DC. His unique approaches to leadership and learning have been featured
in LIFE Magazine, the New York Times and frequently on TV. A graduate of Brown University,
USA, Ron is certified in Applied Neuro-linguistics and is a professional member of the
National Speakers Association. For more information please visit his web site: http://www.ronkaufman.com/
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