Just because you might use a fun activity like a game in a teambuilding event does not necessarily mean that it is going to be practical or even enjoyable. Certain team building activities can in fact be a very bad idea, depending on your team’s circumstances. They may be too distracting and banal, even if they are enjoyable, or they might even appear to be insulting or ludicrous by team members. How can you make sure that your teambuilding activity is suitable for the situation?
Developing A Strategy Is The Key
Prior to planning anything, whether it be games, exercises or long boring talks, you have to become familiar with your aim (the purpose of the meeting and what you desire to impart to your team) as well as your individual team members. Certain games and activities are going to be very mismatched with your audience or even with your own company in fact.
After finding out the company or organisation’s requirements, and identifying a clear aim in mind, then you begin to determine what exercises would be the most suitable to utilize. After taking a thorough assessment of your directive (and your audience and company) you may begin to filter out the ideas that sound fun, but may prove to be rather futile, given the situation.
Ideally, each game or activity ought to be enjoyable (even serious presentations and workshops), informative (relating directly to a particular aspect of company issue), applicable (meaning it is information that employees can actually use), and ought to improve upon team members’ previous knowledge. If you are contemplating incorporating a sort of radical idea to prove a vital point, then why not seek the advice of others on the matter? Ask a manager or even your very own team members if they would rather try a team building game or would rather a more work-related activity like a workshop or a simple role-playing scenario.
Selecting Team Building Activities Wisely
A very typical mistake that is made is when team leaders organize teambuilding games when there is a definite issue with team confidence. Do not forget that certain games are meant to enhance team spirit, not build it from the ground up. Team leaders and psychologists are of the opinion that workshops and open discussions (where there is less overall competitiveness) allow for a more effective activity when a team is recovering from a dramatic loss of confidence.
Interestingly, executing productive working relationships, and enhancing team spirit, involves all of the same principles of being successful in every day life. There is a need to be compassionate, considerate of others, courageous and honest. These specific qualities are very much wanted and welcomed in the work place. Another crucial quality to improve on is communication. This is where teambuilding activities are really helpful.
A teambuilding activity is all about effective communication, whether you are planning a game, role-playing scenario or workshop format. Supposing that your team members all have great qualities and talents, certain effort put towards communication can prove to be very useful. Be sure all of your teambuilding activities are practical as well as enjoyable.
