Posts for tag: Team Building

The History of Team Buildin

The theories behind team building could be much older than originally thought.  In fact, Plato may have been the first ever team building expert!

Is team building over 2000 years old?

For some years we’ve been saying “teams that play together, work together” and it seems that although team building is thought to be a comparatively new addition to business training Plato, one of the world’s most influential philosophers, had a similar view over 2000 years ago; “You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation” Plato

So we’d encourage you to make time to play with your colleagues this week, take a ball to the park, eat ice cream in the afternoon or play darts at lunchtime – whatever you think would be fun.  We spend most of our waking lives with our colleagues so let’s enjoy it.

What is the difference between Team Building and Team Development?

What is team building?

The phrase team building has risen in prominence in recent years as employers realised the value of a happy workforce where, despite their differences, team members are able to get along.  For many, team building is simply about getting away from the office for a celebratory meal, drink or day out and there is some value in this.  It creates a social context and allows colleagues space to become friends.

What is team development?

In the same way that a builder differs from a developer in the property world, team development is similar but distinctly different.  Builders will turn up and build a wall, whereas a developer sees the potential for that wall to become a terrace of houses.  Team development is a process in which a team takes time to explore its potential – how it can become greater than it’s been before….

A day in the life of an event manager

From protecting the event equipment from monkeys to facilitating a team-building programme for 140 managers, event management can require a lot of different skills. Here we share an example of what a day in the life of an event manager might look like, based on an event we ran in the Caribbean a few years ago.

Getting to the Caribbean

Trying to explain to the curious staff at the Virgin check-in desk quite why we needed two aluminium pyramids, 65 hoola-hoops and 140 white baseball caps was the easy part… Managing to make 200 lengths of rope, 35 pencil cases, staff uniforms, assorted event equipment and a bundle of paperwork meet the strict baggage restrictions was not so easy.

The look on the honeymooners’  and holiday makers’  faces as we struggled across the terminal with our  peculiar luggage was priceless at 5am in the morning. Little did we know what lay ahead; we faced a 9 hour flight sitting with the Barmy Army England cricket supporters also on their way to the Caribbean. Let’s just say we got no sleep whatsoever!…

Does “team building” work?

This is a common question people ask, and some are sceptical of the positive impacts of team building days and events. The impacts of a team day will depend very much on what the activity is, and it is important to remember that team building isn’t just about getting the team together.

Examples of bad team building scenarios

Paintballing

For example, sales executive Paul Garvey claimed that the most insightful team-building exercise he ever participated in involved paintball, which in no way helped to resolve the relationship issues back at the office. Speaking of his former company, he said that colleagues would poach each other’s deals while their manager played favourites. Someone decided a paintball exercise would help. It didn’t, and merely reinforced the divisions and favouritism already present.

Role playing

Another instance of completely inappropriate team building involved the team from a contractor on an Apollo space project. They were asked by their HR department to participate in a role-playing exercise where they had to return safely from the North Pole. Their day-to-day job involved helping astronauts return safely from space. What additional insights into teamwork did HR think this role play could teach them?…

Enjoy The Great Outdoors this Spring

Spring is well and truly upon us, with the sunnier and warmer days making their way in, now is the perfect time to take advantage of outdoor team building activities. There are plenty of benefits to being in the great outdoors too…

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The 5 Ps of Team Away Days

The season for team away days is nearly upon us. Here are a few tips to ensure your next day out of the office is a success….

4 Ways to Make Zoom Calls More Engaging

Zoom calls can be tiring, and we have all had plenty of them over the past year and a bit. Whilst they can drag on, they are incredibly useful and if used correctly can increase camaraderie within a team and increase the overall quality of communication.

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How changing your routine can re-energise you

Always eat the same food?  Go to the same shop? – why not renergise yourself by doing it differently ….

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Nurturing your organisation’s most valuable resource

During such times as a pandemic, and indeed during any crisis, it is vital for organisations to optimise their resources. And surely any organisation’s most valuable resource is its staff?

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5 Ways to Resurrect your 2020 Conference

Is there a nagging feeling in your gut that this year, more than any other it’s important to get staff and leaders together?

Do you feel it is time to share the strategy which has changed so much? Is there a need to generate a sense of one organisation, separated by distance but united in purpose? Do your people deserve to be recognised for going the extra mile whilst stuck at home?

Some have simply cancelled their plans but in doing so will fail to give their business the shot in the arm it so desperately needs. Braver leaders are taking a bolder route, exploring new ways of communicating the mission and preparing now for the approaching moment when we can meet face to face. Here are five ways to reengage a large cohort without compromising health.

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