Everyone gets excited when planning a fun team building event, but here are a few pitfalls we have noticed over the years. Paying attention to these can help to insure a successful event…

1. When selecting a venue, will the participants be comfortable? If people are too cold or too hot, they are not going to be happy and in a participative mood. You might like the idea of a beach, but if that venue is typically windy and cold, avoid it. Conversely, if holding an outdoor event in summer, check to make sure there is plenty of shade. Make sure restroom facilities are adequate and not too far away.

2. Make sure the activity is suitable for the venue and the group. You have to trust your team building provider to know. Don’t try and make them fit something that really doesn’t work well in the venue you have selected, or simply want to do an activity because it is appealing to a few members of your group.  Rely on your vendor to know what would work best.

3. Communication. If you have a person or team planning your offsite meeting and/or team building event, that person should be at the event. They have all the details. If that person(s) cannot be there, insure that all the details are given to someone who is going to be there. And that on-site person should have communications with the team building provider before the day of the event. There are too many surprises and things that get “fall through the cracks” when this does not happen.

4. Be responsive and timely with your communications. Don’t be silent. A team building provider asks questions in order to give you the best possible event. When they don’t hear from you or get answers, it’s like being kept in the dark— and then expected to provide a stellar event. Stay in touch. If you don’t have the answer, let them know and when to expect an answer. Please don’t “guess” and provide the wrong information. Double check all important facts a day or two before your event.

5. Attitude is everything. On rare occasion, we have seen people stress out so much over an event that they actually are causing failure. When you are positive and confident, that is seen by the participants and it carries over to their attitude about the activity. If you have planned and communicated well, there is very little to worry about. Don’t nitpick during the event. It doesn’t make you look good, it doesn’t help, and it is way too late at that point. You should have covered those details earlier. Relax. Even in the face of change and problems, keep moving forward calmly and with confidence.