When you are trying to decide upon a team building activity or agenda for your group, how can you maximize success? First of all, if you have a committee or third party planner who is trying to gather information on team building options, please make sure they can fairly represent the people who will actually be participating in the team building activity. It is not uncommon for several unfortunate things to happen right from the get-go:

1. The committee is made up of a group of people who find certain activities very appealing, but the people who will be participating would not. As an example, we once were contacted by a group that loved the idea of paintball or something very physical like a high ropes course. However, the people who were actually going to be participating were not at all comfortable with this type of activity.

2. The committee members are not on the same page. One person contacts one team building companiy with one agenda in mind. Another member contacts another team building company-- with different objectives in mind. This is not fair to the team building companies, nor is it fair to the actual participants. All proposals should be based on the same set of facts and information. Committee members need to agree upon this before calling vendors and asking for proposals.

3. The meeting planner is not familiar with the group profile at all. This makes it difficult to get a good proposal, because the activity needs to appeal and be appropriate for the group and the objectives of the activity. Just throwing everything up on a wall and seeing what sticks is the worst way to find the right activity.

NEXT-- look for innovation and creativity in the team building provider and their events. Everyone has done some version of a scavenger hunt or boat/raft building, etc., etc. What is new and different? Look for a range of options that are unique. And look for a provider who is creative, flexible and can customize an activity for your company or client. Can the team building company create something totally new, just for you-- or is it always the same list of options they offer everyone? 

Interaction and engagement are key components. Is the activity something that will engage everyone all the time? --Or is it something where people will be watching or waiting for a turn? Worse, is it something where people might not feel needed; it is easy to opt out-- and go off and check their emails? Great team building should engage everyone on the team-- at least 90% of the time.

It should be memorable and meaningful. The last thing you want to hear after a team building event is over is that it was a "waste of time." People need to come away feeling that they had fun, that they got to know their team members better and that the activity helped them to bond in ways that other things (like going to a baseball game together) never will. If you asked a team building company to provide some serious learning component, then you should feel like they delivered it, and the activity illustrated exactly what they had promised it would.

Lastly, competent, skilled facilitators can make or break a team building event. Many of these activities are competitions, and groups can be very competitive and even emotional. If you do not have skilled, experienced, upbeat professionals facilitating the event, it can all break down very unexpectedly. Many of our clients request specific facilitators on our staff year after year, because they are so good and have excellent people skills. They get to know and trust them. Just because an activity looks great on paper does not guarantee success.

In summary: 1. Make sure those selecting the event or program are knowledgeable about the participants and represent their interests and abilities. 2. Look for a company that is innovative and creative. 3. The activity should maximize interaction and engagement. 4. The activity should be memorable and meaningful. 5. Have competent, skilled facilitators. Paying attention to these five areas will help to insure an event that people will enjoy and talk about for years to come.   

Everyone wants to know what the perfect activity is for "building trust." Trust me, falling into your co-workers' arms is not going to do it. Though you may trust them to catch you, would you trust them with a project at work that is important to you? How do you build trust. Like everything else, it starts with honest introspection and communication. It will never be a quick fix with an exercise, but here are some ways to start the ball rolling...

1. Start by assuming "trust." Many of us want others to prove they are trustworthy, and that takes time. Why not start from a position that assumes at least some level of trust, until proven otherwise? Afterall, the people on your team volunteered, were selected or hired because they presumably have something to add. Excluding them or not trusting them from the get-go only works to undermine your team rather than help it succeed.

2. Get to know each other. This seems like a simple idea, but most teams and companies under-value it. It is human nature to trust people we know, and be somewhat skeptical of people we are not familiar with and/or who outwardly seem different. There are many ways of getting to know each other, but if you are serious about building trust, you should consider exercises that truly reveal something about the team members. Here are a couple examples:

 A. Six Degrees of Separation. In this exercise, one person starts talking about themselves personally and professionally. As soon as any other team member hears something that they have in common with the speaker, that person raises their hand and starts talking about him or herself. That person's starting point should be the item or incident they share in common witht the original speaker. This continues until everyone has spoken.

B. The Best and Worst. This can be done anonymously or openly, depending upon the comfort level of team members and the leader. Each person has a piece of paper and a pen, and writes their own name at the BOTTOM of the sheet. These sheets are then passed clockwise around the table. For each paper, people are to write what the most positive trait or skill that person brings to the team. Then, they are to write what trait or skill the person could improve upon to help the team. This listing should be started at the top of the page, and each set of comments can be folded over so no one can be influenced by anyone elses comments. These sheets are finally given back to each person so they can read the comments of their team members. Each person should summarize what has been written, and may comment on the "suggestions for improvement." This is meant to be done in a very positive way. If you do not feel comfortable, then have a skilled facilitator administer this exercise. It allows people to see all of the many positive things they bring to the team and get a perspective on how they can help to improve the team's effectiveness.

Finally, the more interaction a team has, the better the trust level will become. So keeping people separated is never going to help the situation. Surprisingly, that is what a lot of teams do. Whatever the problems and dysfunctions, work together and work through it for a stronger team.    

Every business has a service or product to sell...and we buy services and products from other companies as well. So as savvy business people, we should be able to relate being on both sides of the "selling aisle." However, it is unfortunate how often business people forget the golden rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." I am not just referring to those who are rude to solicitors who phone, email or visit. I am thinking about companies who are actively seeking a particular service or product, call in sales people for a presentation and don't give enough information for a company to provide a good, relevant presentation. Being vague about your needs is not going to help a vendor and ultimately will undermine the purchaser themselves. The company representative who does not want to answer questions about their company, exactly what they are seeking, and their "vision" of what it should look like, accomplish, etc. is not an asset to the company at all. How can you expect a vendor to address your needs if you do not tell them what you needs are-- or provide any sort of history or information about who you are? You put both the vendor and yourself at a huge disadvantage.

Here's a very specific example: Some time ago we were contacted by a company to give them a proposal for activities for their meeting. The information they provided was very general except to say that they wanted to motivate their managers to "embrace their Mission Statement." As per our usual process, we asked a LOT of questions and we took a look at the company's website to get a better understanding of who they were. The answers to our questions were either deflected, vague or not answered at all. For instance, we asked what their criteria was for selecting a vendor/partner for the meeting and how they ranked the importance of the criteria. Their answer was that we did not need to know this, and it was "premature to discuss it." We asked who their clients and competitors were and got the same answer. In the end, we felt that it would not have been a good working relationship, because both parties need to communicate openly and honestly to get the product, service, results that we both want. Why be evasive and secretive about who you are and what you needs are??? The questions we asked were not product secrets or information that if "leaked" would cause a problem. These are questions that a vendor should ask of a prospect. The attitude and non-communicative stance they gave us was a serious "red flag." I am sure that you have all had customers that were difficult to communicate with, and finally you would rather just not have them as customers because of it.

This works both ways. So remember, the next time you are seeking the services or products from another business, be forthcoming about your needs, who you are, what your expectations are and what criteria you will use to select a vendor. This will only increase your chances of finding the best vendor and getting the best outcome all around.   

Some people experience a great deal of frustration with being on a team-- due to lack of direction, people not "getting along," weak leadership, inability to get anything done... and the list goes on. Can situations like this be remedied? According to Patrick Lencioni (The Five Dysfunctions of a Team), you first need to ask yourself if you really have a team at all. A team is a small group that has responsibility for achieving a set of common goals. And here is the hard part-- the members are people who can set aside their personal agendas and needs for the betterment of the team. If you cannot say this about your group, you do not have a "team;" and you will continue to be frustrated if they do not perceive any reason to change or become a real team. So, in this case, the short answer is "No, you can't fix it."

However, if you can bring the group together and get them to realize and embrace the benefits of being a real team, you might have a chance. What does this really mean? It means that the group cannot be individuals who report to one person-- and all do separate tasks without interdependence or mutual accountability. It means that they will need to make fundamental shift in the way they think about their group and their ability to interact with each other. This is a long term process, not a quick fix. Additionally, the directive to change needs to come from a position of authority or at least a group within the board that will start operating together along this process. If you are the President of a board and bring in an outside consultant to initiate this change, you cannot expect overnight success. You will need buy-in from the majority of team members, and that will mean, one-on-one conversations, small group meetings, a lot of communicating.

What are the benefits of being a real team? Greater productivity, greater success, shared rewards-- monetary and psychological. There is also the intangible of "sharing success with a team." Consider the great sports teams? Those players who won the ultimate team contest will never forget that moment-- and the journey to get there. And that success increases a team's drive for more success.  

I have been a member of a volunteer "board" (about 12 people) for over six years. They are not a team and will never be a team. Each person has a title: Membership Chair, Chairperson, Training Coordinator, Parade Chair, Secretary, etc., etc. In six years, they have never had "goals" to discuss, an agenda at any board meeting, meeting minutes for the board meeting, or anything that you would associate with being a "board of directors." The attitude seems to be "the less we have to do, the better," so they do nothing. That is not to say that as individuals they are lacking in willingness to "serve." And some positions do require more work than others. Even the Chairperson was elected on a "minimalist" platform. The governing body of this board does not allow it to be a real board either (I should mention that this is a civic organization that has its own, paid Board of Directors). It provides inconsistent leadership and direction. Sometimes it will have a representative at board meetings, and other times not-- and this in effect "freezes" the board from making any decisions or taking much action. Complacency has been a result --as well as lack of accountability throughout the membership. Since it is an all volunteer organization, there is no measure for success or failure. Frustrating, yes... but I also realized that there was no point in a single board member trying to change them. That directive has to come from the top, and it apparently will not.

So the final question is-- is it worth your time and effort to "change the tide" and make your group a real team? Depending upon your own commitment to the group and how important their mission is to you, you'll have your answer.            

Some people experience a great deal of frustration with being on a team-- due to lack of direction, people not "getting along," weak leadership, inability to get anything done... and the list goes on. Can situations like this be remedied? According to Patrick Lencioni (The Five Dysfunctions of a Team), you first need to ask yourself if you really have a team at all. A team is a small group that has responsibility for achieving a set of common goals. And here is the hard part-- the members are people who can set aside their personal agendas and needs for the betterment of the team. If you cannot say this about your group, you do not have a "team;" and you will continue to be frustrated if they do not perceive any reason to change or become a real team. So, in this case, the short answer is "No, you can't fix it."

However, if you can bring the group together and get them to realize and embrace the benefits of being a real team, you might have a chance. What does this really mean? It means that the group cannot be individuals who report to one person-- and all do separate tasks without interdependence or mutual accountability. It means that they will need to make fundamental shift in the way they think about their group and their ability to interact with each other. This is a long term process, not a quick fix. Additionally, the directive to change needs to come from a position of authority or at least a group within the board that will start operating together along this process. If you are the President of a board and bring in an outside consultant to initiate this change, you cannot expect overnight success. You will need buy-in from the majority of team members, and that will mean, one-on-one conversations, small group meetings, a lot of communicating.

What are the benefits of being a real team? Greater productivity, greater success, shared rewards-- monetary and psychological. There is also the intangible of "sharing success with a team." Consider the great sports teams? Those players who won the ultimate team contest will never forget that moment-- and the journey to get there. And that success increases a team's drive for more success.  

I have been a member of a volunteer "board" (about 12 people) for over six years. They are not a team and will never be a team. Each person has a title: Membership Chair, Chairperson, Training Coordinator, Parade Chair, Secretary, etc., etc. In six years, they have never had "goals" to discuss, an agenda at any board meeting, meeting minutes for the board meeting, or anything that you would associate with being a "board of directors." The attitude seems to be "the less we have to do, the better," so they do nothing. That is not to say that as individuals they are lacking in willingness to "serve." And some positions do require more work than others. Even the Chairperson was elected on a "minimalist" platform. The governing body of this board does not allow it to be a real board either (I should mention that this is a civic organization that has its own, paid Board of Directors). It provides inconsistent leadership and direction. Sometimes it will have a representative at board meetings, and other times not-- and this in effect "freezes" the board from making any decisions or taking much action. Complacency has been a result --as well as lack of accountability throughout the membership. Since it is an all volunteer organization, there is no measure for success or failure. Frustrating, yes... but I also realized that there was no point in a single board member trying to change them. That directive has to come from the top, and it apparently will not.

So the final question is-- is it worth your time and effort to "change the tide" and make your group a real team? Depending upon your own commitment to the group and how important their mission is to you, you'll have your answer.            

When you ask for a team building proposal from a number of companies, you are likely to see many of the same types of activities at very wide ranging prices. Why is this, and how should you think about it? Does more expensive mean higher quality? Here's the truth... team building companies, just like any other business organization will charge whatever they can. Most of their costs, aside from day-to-day office expenses are in human resources and producing and maintaining a certain amount of equipment for the events they provide.

Recently, we provided a 3-hour team building event to a group of 10 people. The price was $2,000. Our client said that we were the least expensive proposal they received by far. Two other companies quoted $3,000 and $4,000 for a similar programs, and another priced their "training program" at $5,000. If we are dealing with a small group of less than 15, those kinds of prices do not make sense. However, because we were relatively inexpensive, our client did wonder about the quality of our event. She was delightfully surprised at just how great it was.

You can certainly spend more and you can spend less...

1. Corporate Games puts most of its resources into designing the right activity in detail and providing expert facilitation and training. We work very closely with you to insure that the vision you have of the event and your goals are realized. This is an emphasis on SERVICE -more than purchasing impressive material items. And that allows us to be reasonably priced and a very high value.
2. You may certainly opt to spend more on “staging” (props/set-decoration) for the event if you choose. It helps to make an awesome first impression, and boosts the “Wow!’ factor.
3. Are you working with a company that actually provides the team building??? There are many companies that advertise "team building"-- but use another vendor to supply it. You could end up paying more, because now two companies need to be paid-- not just one.
4. Is there travel needed? Is the team building company you are considering a local firm? Travel costs can be huge.  
5. Does the cost include site rental fees or food and beverage? These are typically quoted in addition to the cost of the event (not included).
6. Is the event "high risk" and require onsite first aid services? Also a possible added cost.

The bottom line is this, when you are looking for a team building company and receive several proposals, find out how they price their events. Just ask. What are you getting for the money? AND- be honest about your budget if you have one.

Any activity or workshop can be made to look good on paper. How many times have you been duped by all those intriguing article titles on the cover of a magazine-- only to be disappointed time and again by the actual lack of content? A team building activity, workshop or meeting is only as good as the person or people facilitating it. They make all the difference in the world. It never ceases to amaze me how many people will contract for a team building activity without asking about who will be leading the event. Before your select a consultant or facilitator to lead your group, you should do the following:

1. Ask who is managing the event, what kind of experience the person has, and how long have they been doing this type of work.

2. Talk to (interview) the person who will be managing or facilitating -either on the phone or in person (which is even better). You will get a sense of their professionalism and energy level. Both of these are very important.

3. Take note of whether this person asks questions about your group and is truly interested in understanding your needs. A good facilitator will make sure to ask about your objectives so the program can be tailored to meet them. 

4. Be very wary of the facilitator that monopolizes your conversation during the interview and talks about him or herself incessantly or how wonderful the activity. A meeting facilitator is someone who moves the group along skilfully and encourages maximum interaction among participants. You do not want to hire someone who is only enthralled with their own persona and can't get enough of listening to their own voice. 

5. If you are doing serious team building and/or looking for someone to facilitate a difficult board meeting, ask for references and check them out. You are hiring someone to do a job-- treat it like that.   

I was recently interviewed for a magazine article on this subject. Below are the questions and my responses...

I was recently interviewed for a magazine article on this subject. Below are the questions and my responses...

I was recently interviewed for a magazine article on this subject. Below are the questions and my responses...