Being the new kid on the block is as difficult in your adult life as it is in elementary school. The difference as an adult, though, is that there aren’t other adults concerned for your social well-being the same way that parents are for their children.
When the phrase “team building” comes to mind, it brings with it a picture of an operations department working on communication or a sales team building strategies and approaches. One avenue of team building that is often left out is that of corporate training. Here are the top three reasons you shouldn’t make the mistake […]
Once upon a time you were a little kid and you knew your mom, your dad, your siblings, your grandparents, your aunts, your uncles, and all of your little (and not-so-little) cousins. Fast-forward thirty years to your pending family reunion and you realize that not only do you not know everyone who is attending, but […]
There are a lot of ways to build a successful company, but if you’re looking for long-lasting achievement the key element is investing in your employees. For some businesses that means attractive salary packages or weekly outings or even regular team building events; however, the option that provides the greatest strengthening of the team as a whole is the team building retreat. You may be thinking “Why would I pay for a whole retreat when I could just throw in some team building to mix things up?” And you would have a point…if team building and team building retreats were the same thing, but the two serve very different purposes.
Can’t you just feel the inspiration? Imagine what a well planned corporate retreat can do for your company.
Team building activities target team growth, bonding, and strengths, but the point that they miss overall is how any of those impact the company. Team building retreats take that gap and run with it, placing the focus firmly on the business as a whole rather than its individual counterparts or departments. Since corporate retreats typically involve an entire company or a specific echelon within a company, the focus is on long-term planning and where we go from here. Offering a more specific structure that emphasizes company wins, losses, and goals, team building retreats present a new environment to showcase continuing company plans, removing the “bored” from the boardroom and leveling the playing field for all participants involved in the discussion.
While reinforcing the company’s direction may be a focus of a team building retreat, an added bonus is the ability to remove natural inhibitors caused by the day to day work environment. For instance, stand in a conference room, say the word “brainstorm” and you can practically feel the shudders from here. But stand in a glass-lined cabin in the north Georgia mountains and you might actually feel the inspiration swirl! In a new environment, employees will step out of the roles they have settled into and they will more willingly engage in a strategic brainstorming session that seeks out-of-the-box input from out-of-the-office minds.
Team building retreats are typically more structured than team building activities, but that doesn’t mean that the fun flies out of the window entirely! On the contrary, the entire goal of the retreat is to work hard during structured time and relax and enjoy one another’s company throughout the duration. With most retreats lasting between three and five days, this leads to at least one day of focus on community building through a chosen venue. The day will likely be planned out, but the lessons taken away from the day and the growth and rejuvenation participants feel will pay off in the long-run. Whether the day involves a hike or a ropes course; an escape game or a scavenger hunt, the day-off feel allows the socializing benefits inherent in traditional team building to shine through.
Whether you’re interested in strengthening bonds, breaking through “stuck” team dynamics, or simply hitting the refresh button for all involved parties, investing in a team building retreat in the right setting will reinvigorate the company team and refresh the company. This type of team building investment will reap long-term rewards when it is well planned and organized for strategic growth and building long-term relationships with employees.
Lessons in Teamwork
While watching a football game this weekend, I heard the announcer talking about a college team whose defense was stellar! They dominated in almost every phase of the game. This was in stark contrast to the offense which struggled. The announcers went on to discuss previous seasons where just the opposite was true. In the past two years, the offense carried the team, while the defense had difficulty stopping opponents.
The commentators spoke about the environment in the locker room after previous games. They said there were no blaming, or finger pointing and animosity between the offense and defense. There was only support and encouragement. They stated it was a true TEAM environment. The “elders” on the defense remembered what it was like when the shoe was on the other foot.
Sports are often used as a metaphor for the work environment. Even though this is just a game, in many ways it mimics the struggles of an office. Teams spend all week “working” to prepare for their opponents.
Imagine a cohesive and productive group of workers. A group that is supportive and encouraging of less talented, less experienced folks. Imagine a group that enjoys each other and wants to win as a team. Imagine a group that puts forth effort everyday and does so in an enjoyable way. Henry Ford said; “If everyone is moving forward together, than success takes care of itself”.
