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| Team Building Information |
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Putting the I in Team
This sports cliche is a memorable phrase that reminds people that team success is more important than individual glory. In that sense it is wonderful and is as true for business teams as it is for sports teams. The phrase, however, overlooks the role of the individual in making the team stronger. To encourage team development, organizations use teambuilding events. Many of these events are based on forced interaction in a fun metaphorical environment - the 'shared experience'. Some examples of this are rope courses, rowing, paintball, and Monte Carlo nights. While these events are fun and may have some benefit, they do not necessarily teach the individual skills that lead to stronger teams. These skills are confidence, trust, and control-sharing. When developed, these skills allow the free flow of ideas and effective interactions that are the foundation of a strong team. Rather than a simple shared experience, the key to a good teambuilding event is teaching members these three core skills.
The second personal skill to develop is trust. Trust usually develops over time, but having the proper attitude of trust can help members bypass months and even years of 'getting to know each other.' The key to this attitude is opening up to others, not because you are confident in their abilities, but because you are confident in your own. This is where the first skill, confidence, becomes so important. The two main reasons I might not trust others are the fear of their doing something inadequate or unexpected, and the fear of their ignoring or criticizing my ideas. When I am confident in myself I know that no matter what surprises people throw at me I'll be able to handle them effectively. I will also not be bothered by other people's criticism. Therefore, my confidence allows me to take the chance to open up, contribute, and trust others.
The beauty of the three skills I have addressed is that if a company has two groups, both filled with members who possess these skills, then members can switch teams without a large loss in the team feel. Because all three of these skills are personal and individual, a new team will not need to go through a shared experience to trust each other and work together. They will naturally do it out of the gate. This article is not intended as an attack on traditional team building programs. Just keep in mind that, regardless of what the actual event is, if these three core skills are not being addressed, it is highly likely that the lessons taught at the event will have little impact in the workplace. Avish Parashar is a professional speaker who runs seminars on creativity, teamwork, productivity, leadership, and communication using the principles of improvisational comedy. Creativity e-book:
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