The Team Building Blog

Fresh Tracks uses the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) to develop teams but what is it? For this months video blog Vancover Film School have produced a very simple explanation.

Wikipedia explains that Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) assessment is a psychometric questionnaire designed to measure psychological preferences in how people perceive the world and make decisions.  These preferences were extrapolated from the typological theories originated by Carl Gustav Jung, as published in his 1921 book Psychological Types (English edition, 1923).  Read the rest of this entry »

It can take several days for your team to really get back into the full swing of things after the Christmas break so it’s imperative that you are already thinking of novel employee motivation ideas to kick start 2010.

January is a great time to motivate the workforce

Although the right attitude, application and work ethic are important throughout the year, we’ve assembled some employee motivational events that will inspire and invigorate your personnel during a gloomy January. Read the rest of this entry »

The recession may not be officially over yet but most managers appreciate that Christmas needn’t be cancelled again this year.

Be creative this Christmas

Boozy parties are probably not the best way to mark the end of a tough year but that doesn’t mean there’s not value in gathering everyone together.

As we enter an era when return on investment is at the forefront of our minds the annual celebration needs to deliver more than just a few laughs and sore heads the next day.

So, while everyone is together in celabratory mood here are a few suggestions that will turn a turkey dinner into a turning point: Read the rest of this entry »

It’s always gratifying to be asked back and repeat business is the best measure of a job well done.  So we are very chuffed to be back on Channel 4’s Paul O’Grady show at 5pm today.

We're back on Channel 4 with Paul O'Grady on 22nd Sept

This time we have created an exercise that will have X Factor runners up JLS competing against Paul & Co to see which group can perform best as a team under pressure.  In a matter of minutes the two teams will have to first understand the task, before coming up with a plan that will utilise their strengths and earn them maximum points.

Being an entertainment show today’s challenge will involve lots of water and a fair amount of chaos but the essence is the same as in any other sports or business team – Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance.

Do tune in to Channel 4 at 5pm tonight but if you can’t get to a television do come back to the blog in a couple of days or follow us using your RSS feed because we’ll upload a video of the team building activity!

So far this year I’ve spent more hours than I care to remember trying to calm the nerves of fraught conference organisers.  Often days before the event has even started.

A great team performing under the pressure of live TV

Today I spent the afternoon on the set of a live TV show.  With just two hours to air the production team managed to deal with numerous unforeseen crises calmly and confidently.

Much has been written about stress and its impact on individuals but this afternoon’s experience got me thinking about team stress.

It’s surprising how often we allow anxiety to build from within our teams, limiting productivity, stifling creativity and eradicating the fun from work. Read the rest of this entry »

As the hit BBC series builds towards the final, I find myself in a cluster of  Derbyshire holiday cottages with a team of bright young managers about to discover more about their management style through the medium of cooking.

The original team building activity

This group have given up two days of their hectic schedules to invest time in getting to know each other better and to take time out as a team.  By combining proven tools such as the psychometric Strengths Deployment Inventory along with team exercises the group will begin to bond as friends rather than colleagues.

Eating together is probably the original team building activity and when those around the table have all contributed to the feast, each mouthful is all the more satisfying.  All too often we separate our behaviour at work from our behaviour with friends more than is necessary.  Given we spend up to 60% of our waking lives with our work colleagues shouldn’t we make time to build friendships.  After all these are the people that influence our health, wealth and happiness more than any other.

As I write today I’m being pitched and rolled aboard a Stena Line ferry travelling from the Hook of Holland to Harwich.

Team building in Europe is only 24 hours away.

Below me a truck full of team building equipment is hopefully well secured to the deck.  Despite the high seas I’m excited to be part of a new chapter in the life of Fresh Tracks as we increase our overseas team building offering.  On many occasions in the past we’ve jumped on planes to deliver keynote talks and team building sessions at conferences and on occasions we’ve freighted equipment ahead of us. Read the rest of this entry »

A nuclear submarine provided an unusual venue for business leaders to work with their colleagues on their team skills. 

A submarine offers an unusual venue for teambuilding

A team of business leaders were given permission to witness officers and ratings participating in damage control exercises on board the nuclear submarines HMS Sceptre and HMS Victorious before being put through their paces themselves. The team, which included business leaders from the local area, got a rare glimpse of the challenges of life at HM Naval Base Clyde, home to the UK’s strategic nuclear deterrent.

Using footage from Jamie Oliver’s school dinners programme accompanied by memorable team games and activities, we take groups through a process where they learn to embrace change rather than fear it. Consequently the process of change runs more smoothly with majority buy in eliminating the all too common threat of sabotage from within. For more information or a meeting to discuss this workshop contact Dan Collins on t: 01920 822 220.