Hunger Games style Nerf battle in the office? Team building. Bringing a photographer in to shoot new profile photos? Team Building. Office trashcan hoops tournament? Yes, team building. I can make cleaning the storage closet a team building moment. Team building activities aren’t limited to facilitator led sessions. Embrace the idea that it doesn’t matter WHAT you do. It’s about reflecting on what happened while you were engaged.
Every team building event should add value to your organization. After the event you need to reflect on what happened during the activity. Can you recognize how it affects, helps, or changes how you do your job? My goal as a facilitator is to help groups find that meaning. Any facilitator will help find where you’ve increased communication, elevated engagement, strengthened relationships, or increased trust. Each of those benefits has a direct effect on productivity and profits. If you don’t have a facilitator handy, below are 3 easy questions that can help you find meaning in ANY activity. Going Bowling? Ask these questions. Volunteering at a shelter as a company? Ask these questions. Covering a coworker’s car with Post-its? Post on Instagram then ask these questions.
Before you unleash these on your group, consider how You would answer them. Ask your first question to the group then count silently and slowly to 10. The group will break and speak before you do. The hardest part is staying silent until they break. You can do it.
1. Why did we do this activity?
- This makes the group to consider the cause and effect of this outing. If you went bowling it wasn’t because you were dying to wear the shoes. Or because you really wanted to win a bowling match. What’s the greater truth to this action? Increased cameraderie? Building forearm muscles? Try to steer them away from catchall answers like “team building”.
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