Ten innovative ideas for successful events for Team Building

Team building can give a powerful impulse to the spirit and effectiveness of any group. Well designed and delivered team building programs can bring your group to a better understanding, clearer alignment and the strongest motivation to work and succeed together.

Organise a team building event is a great responsibility. The next time he lands on the shoulders of responsibility, use these ten ideas to make your event a well-planned and memorable success.

1. Set the tone with an inspirational theme.

Telegraphed the tone and purpose of your event with a theme that hits home. 'The third annual program of team building' is not going to excite many participants.

Here are some examples of themes my clients have used to motivate and communicate with their teams: 'Rocket to the Top, together' (For a software company looking to achieve dominant market share), 'The winning team' (for a financial services group seeking to overcome competitors and economic adversity), 'forging a new alliance' (for a different group of medical management of a complete reorganization of roles and departments).

2. To prime the pump for full participation.

Use internal communication to all stakeholders and get ready for the event. Use the e-mail, printed memos, websites, message boards, posters and meetings to arouse people's curiosity, and circulate a list of objectives and issues for the meeting.

You can conduct a survey before the meeting and announce the results during the program. Individuals have essential business to prepare presentations. Create cross-functional teams to provide evening entertainment.

3. Conduct the program off-site.

The main team-building programs are often conducted off-site. This allows participants to move away from the workplace physically (minimizing disruptions) and mentally (opening their thinking to new points of view).

4. Use a mix of energy, business and entertainment.

Stimulate interest and involvement, using a full range of team building activities. You can have 'work hard' sections with speeches about the future and seminars on current business issues. You can have 'play hard' sections with team games outdoors or challenges. And you can include the sections with the social activities of the meals, prizes and evening entertainment.

Carefully sequence your activities during the day and evening. Be especially careful to follow lunches with some physical activity and to end the program with a strong note of confidence and commitment.

5. Allow sufficient time to develop, discuss and apply.

Leave a bit 'of time between each activity for discussion on new learning and the application to work. It 'better to have a full day with construction toys and the two teams enough time for discussion, one day' stuffed 'with three or four games, but little time for reflection.

6. Focus on new shares with 'more, less, start and stop'.

During the program, have participants develop clear answers to the following questions:

'What do you want (the other person, department, etc.) to do more?'

'What do you want (the other person, department, etc.) to do less?'

'What do you want (the other person, department, etc.) to start doing?'

'What do you want (the other person, department, etc.) to stop doing?'

Towards the end of the program, participants make a list of personal commitments:

'What am committed to do more?'

'What am committed to do less?'

'What am I committed to start doing?'

'What am I committed to stop doing?'

7. Use photos and video to extend the program's impact.

Engage a photographer to document the team building program. Give copies of special photographs to participants after the event. Post the best photographs on your bulletin boards, or publish them in the cafeteria in the company newsletter. Put them on the company's website so family and the team can be viewed from home.

If you record the video, the images were edited with music and colorful graphics. Show this funny cartoon once in a business meeting or social event.

8. Harness the power of the peripheral players.

When selecting participants for the program, be willing to include those related to, but not permanent members, the core assembly. Internal customers, suppliers and neighboring departments could provide some participants who are 'closely related' to your main group.

These 'peripheral players' can add significant value, perspective and vision to the program. They can also help with proper communication within and outside the organization after the event is over.

9. Get personal.

Make sure everyone sees the link between 'group team building' and 'individual action' on the job. Have each person complete a commitment card, action plan, personal promise statement or some other means to ensure that the application of appropriate new behaviors.

Closing a team building program having all parts in their list of commitments and action plans is a good way to get buy-in from individuals and unite the whole group.

10. Rewarding the organizers.

Planning and preparation of a program of team building is a large company. Be sure to give recognition to those who did the work 'behind the scenes'. A thoughtful gift, given in front of everyone at the end of the program, it will be appreciated and remembered .......