The Benefits of a Team Building Event or Away Days
The Benefits of a Team Building Event or Away Days
In the workplace you are so busy doing what you do, perhaps fire fighting or barely keeping the work down to a manageable level. You don not have time to learn about other people, you don't have time to find out what skills they have, it may be that you could do what you do normally, better; you could do your job more effectively if you had certain input from other people or maybe if you even swap roles within the team.
Team building allows time out to specifically develop team skills, team building with opportunities to demonstrate and develop new skills. Getting the team together to go ten pin bowling, kart racing etc is team building, but team building by chance. A team building event with a specific purpose or outcome has more benefits to individuals, the team and the company.
What long-term benefits are there to good team dynamics and will improvements be apparent?
The cost of recruiting and training new staff is an expensive and time consuming business. Good team dynamics means a contented workforce who will stay loyal to the company.
Success breeds success – An effective team means committed team members who won’t want to let the team down – this leads to increased productivity and increased profit. Corporations must move on and change with the times to remain competitive, and the management of change is not one of the easiest tasks. But successful team members have a positive attitude toward change and are willing to accept and allow change to occur as needed in order to accomplish desired results.
Effective teams have a well-defined purpose or vision of what the team will accomplish. It is a very powerful force for the team leader and members. Goals are aligned with the team purpose, and team members are empowered to accomplish the goals. This process leads to a high level of team productivity and achievement of the corporate strategy. If you look at an efficient company you will find effective teams working there.
Is team building beneficial just to high level management or would you recommend it to all levels within a company?
In larger companies teams tend to exist at three levels within organisations. They are:
Strategic Teams - Directors
• Who decide the strategy for the company
• Develop key policies and appoint people to the top jobs.
Management Teams - Managers
• They take the broad objectives and policies set by the strategic team and translate them into action programs
• Their task is control and co-ordinate.
Work Teams - Workers
• Their task is to get the job done.
So each team has a different set of tasks and requires specialist team-building tactics for their task. It is essential that team building takes place at all levels and all teams should be working in the same direction i.e. towards achieving the corporate strategy.
What can team building do for a Small to Medium business?
Small to medium size business’s do not have the luxury of the 3 team levels. Their Strategic team and Management team are often one team and the Work Teams are the second level.
With a smaller work force to choose from, team members often have to perform more than one function. Therefore selecting the team and developing it are just as important, if not more so for small to medium size companies.
Companies often look for the ‘best person for the job’ no matter what the task to be undertaken. They seek out the person who is the best qualified, with the most talent and best track record. But individual star players don’t always achieve the best results, and teams of star players can prove a disaster if they don’t blend together as a team. Simply picking ‘the best’ does not in itself guarantee success.
That’s where an understanding of Dr Meredith Belbin Team Roles is helpful. Finding and fitting together the right people to create an effective working team is one of the most difficult challenges we face. Everyone must be able to make the best contribution as an individual whilst still performing together. Also, smaller companies do not have the expertise such as a training department to organise the training needs of the team.
A team building event allows for a person who specialises in team building to help the company develop their team. A team building event also provides the opportunity for a team to focus on how they perform as individuals and as a team in the safe environment away from the pressures of the workplace.
What companies would your recommend team building to?
If a company is starting up or expanding they all will benefit from an understanding of the Belbin team roles; Belbin is particularly useful when recruiting new team players. Those companies who’s directors or managers have not been on a recent teambuilding event will benefit and I am sure they will want their staff to attend.
Companies already working with efficient teams will still benefit. The business world is very competitive and companies have to continually look at ways of improving themselves. I am always mindful that “you don’t know what you don’t know”. This is another area where companies benefit by someone outside the company looking at the teams and their development.
We provide teambuilding events that give team members the opportunity to discover more about themselves and their team and to focus on the corporate strategy. Teambuilding does not have to be that expensive and as Ben Franklin stated “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”
How can a company work out whether they need to improve their interpersonal relationships or not?
Feedback from customers, both internal and external, should include a measure for interpersonal relationships. An appraisal system and exit interviews (that is interviews with staff members who are leaving the company) should also pick up the signs. However, if a company has effective teams, the feedback will come quickly from the members who will be constantly seeking ways to develop areas for individuals and the team.
Can corporate away day’s assist with other issues such as stress management?
We have fun teambuilding days which are great for helping to release some of the symptoms of stress, but if delegates are going back to the same working conditions that caused the stress the symptoms will return.
This is why it is important to identify the causes and deal with those. We find that by bringing staff away from the workplace and creating a comfortable environment, people are more prepared to discuss their concerns. Suitable changes can then be made in the workplace.
What other issues can they assist with?
One day I will count the number of issues that we include in our teambuilding events, but there are so many activities that cater for the different needs of our clients.
It is vital that the organizer of a team building event has a clear idea of what they want to achieve from the event and after the event check to see if this has been achieved. As a provider of team building events we gain much satisfaction when clients come back to us to organise another team event for them – this means that we have both gained from the event.
The Benefits of a Team Building Event or Away Days - To learn more about this author, visit Michael Miles's Website.
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What are the benefits of a Team Building Event?
In the workplace you are so busy doing what you do, perhaps fire fighting or barely keeping the work down to a manageable level. You don not have time to learn about other people, you don't have time to find out what skills they have, it may be that you could do what you do normally, better; you could do your job more effectively if you had certain input from other people or maybe if you even swap roles within the team.
Team building allows time out to specifically develop team skills, team building with opportunities to demonstrate and develop new skills. Getting the team together to go ten pin bowling, kart racing etc is team building, but team building by chance. A team building event with a specific purpose or outcome has more benefits to individuals, the team and the company.
What long-term benefits are there to good team dynamics and will improvements be apparent?
The cost of recruiting and training new staff is an expensive and time consuming business. Good team dynamics means a contented workforce who will stay loyal to the company.
Success breeds success – An effective team means committed team members who won’t want to let the team down – this leads to increased productivity and increased profit. Corporations must move on and change with the times to remain competitive, and the management of change is not one of the easiest tasks. But successful team members have a positive attitude toward change and are willing to accept and allow change to occur as needed in order to accomplish desired results.
Effective teams have a well-defined purpose or vision of what the team will accomplish. It is a very powerful force for the team leader and members. Goals are aligned with the team purpose, and team members are empowered to accomplish the goals. This process leads to a high level of team productivity and achievement of the corporate strategy. If you look at an efficient company you will find effective teams working there.
Is team building beneficial just to high level management or would you recommend it to all levels within a company?
In larger companies teams tend to exist at three levels within organisations. They are:
Strategic Teams - Directors
• Who decide the strategy for the company
• Develop key policies and appoint people to the top jobs.
Management Teams - Managers
• They take the broad objectives and policies set by the strategic team and translate them into action programs
• Their task is control and co-ordinate.
Work Teams - Workers
• Their task is to get the job done.
So each team has a different set of tasks and requires specialist team-building tactics for their task. It is essential that team building takes place at all levels and all teams should be working in the same direction i.e. towards achieving the corporate strategy.
What can team building do for a Small to Medium business?
Small to medium size business’s do not have the luxury of the 3 team levels. Their Strategic team and Management team are often one team and the Work Teams are the second level.
With a smaller work force to choose from, team members often have to perform more than one function. Therefore selecting the team and developing it are just as important, if not more so for small to medium size companies.
Companies often look for the ‘best person for the job’ no matter what the task to be undertaken. They seek out the person who is the best qualified, with the most talent and best track record. But individual star players don’t always achieve the best results, and teams of star players can prove a disaster if they don’t blend together as a team. Simply picking ‘the best’ does not in itself guarantee success.
That’s where an understanding of Dr Meredith Belbin Team Roles is helpful. Finding and fitting together the right people to create an effective working team is one of the most difficult challenges we face. Everyone must be able to make the best contribution as an individual whilst still performing together. Also, smaller companies do not have the expertise such as a training department to organise the training needs of the team.
A team building event allows for a person who specialises in team building to help the company develop their team. A team building event also provides the opportunity for a team to focus on how they perform as individuals and as a team in the safe environment away from the pressures of the workplace.
What companies would your recommend team building to?
If a company is starting up or expanding they all will benefit from an understanding of the Belbin team roles; Belbin is particularly useful when recruiting new team players. Those companies who’s directors or managers have not been on a recent teambuilding event will benefit and I am sure they will want their staff to attend.
Companies already working with efficient teams will still benefit. The business world is very competitive and companies have to continually look at ways of improving themselves. I am always mindful that “you don’t know what you don’t know”. This is another area where companies benefit by someone outside the company looking at the teams and their development.
We provide teambuilding events that give team members the opportunity to discover more about themselves and their team and to focus on the corporate strategy. Teambuilding does not have to be that expensive and as Ben Franklin stated “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”
How can a company work out whether they need to improve their interpersonal relationships or not?
Feedback from customers, both internal and external, should include a measure for interpersonal relationships. An appraisal system and exit interviews (that is interviews with staff members who are leaving the company) should also pick up the signs. However, if a company has effective teams, the feedback will come quickly from the members who will be constantly seeking ways to develop areas for individuals and the team.
Can corporate away day’s assist with other issues such as stress management?
We have fun teambuilding days which are great for helping to release some of the symptoms of stress, but if delegates are going back to the same working conditions that caused the stress the symptoms will return.
This is why it is important to identify the causes and deal with those. We find that by bringing staff away from the workplace and creating a comfortable environment, people are more prepared to discuss their concerns. Suitable changes can then be made in the workplace.
What other issues can they assist with?
One day I will count the number of issues that we include in our teambuilding events, but there are so many activities that cater for the different needs of our clients.
It is vital that the organizer of a team building event has a clear idea of what they want to achieve from the event and after the event check to see if this has been achieved. As a provider of team building events we gain much satisfaction when clients come back to us to organise another team event for them – this means that we have both gained from the event.
The Benefits of a Team Building Event or Away Days - To learn more about this author, visit Michael Miles's Website.
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Dianne CramptonDianne Crampton is an executive leadership coach, team consultant, author and president of TIGERS Success Series, Inc. Dianne has been helping CEO's and Executives connect their employees to their core values and goals for over 20 years using the trademarked TIGERS team culture process, which stands for trust, interdependence, genuineness, empathy, risk and success. To download a free white paper on behaviors that build strong teams and behaviors that will predictably tear them down go here. - Visit Dianne Crampton's Website |
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Michel NerayMichel Neray has over 25 years of experience as an award-winning copywriter, an Internet pioneer, a tradeshow pitchman and a senior sales and marketing executive. An online pioneer, he was one of the first marketing professionals to embrace the Internet by building websites as early as 1993. In 1994, Michel co-authored a book entitled "The Great Crossover: Personal Confidence in the Age of the Microchip", which made it to Jack Canfield's Achiever's Recommended Reading List. Michel founded Portfolios.com in 1995, the world's first online source directory for creative professionals and one of the first websites based on community generated content. Since creating The Essential Message in 2003, Michel has helped thousands of independent professionals and entrepreneurs as well as growing corporations find a better way to differentiate, position and brand themselves. In 2005, his chapter "Everything Starts With A Conversation" was selected as the lead for the book, "Sales Gurus Speak Out" and re-published in 2008 for 'Awakening The Workplace Volume 3'. He is also a co-author of "In the Company of Leaders" (2008) with 40 top North American leadership experts. - Visit Michel Neray's Website |
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Jay Kubassek(Jay's Full Bio: EvanCarmichael.com/jaykubassek) Jay Kubassek is a Canadian born entrepreneur, internet marketing genius, professional speaker, international real estate developer/investor, executive film producer, extreme sport enthusiast and a passionate supporter of several charities worldwide. In 2007, Jay's vision and dedication to help other entrepreneurs and business owners duplicate his marketing success led to the creation of his fourth company CarbonCopyPRO, an internet marketing firm already worth over 15 million dollars that has over 20 employees and contract workers with clients is 12 different countries. Jay resides in NYC with his girlfriend Jamie, three year old son Milo and dog Cooper. As executive producer he recently premiered his first film in the 2008 Cannes Film Festival. As an adventurist he is racing the 2008 Baja 1000 off-road race and is a member of the 2008 U.S. National Elephant Polo Team, The New York Blue who will be representing the US in the 2008 World Championships in Nepal. Visit Jay's Blog: www.JayKubassek.com - Visit Jay Kubassek's Website |
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 Michael Miles (Visit Michael's Website) Mick has over 30 years experience as a manager, trainer and consultant. Numerous training courses and studies have enabled him to qualify as a tutor and facilitator in personal development and management issues. He is a Home Office appointed Trainer of Trainers and a City and Guilds NVQ Assessor. He also holds a Management Diploma and a Postgraduate Certificate of Education by the University of East Anglia. Training with Dr. Richard Bandler and Dr. John Grinder the creators of Neuro Linguistic Programming, Michael Breen a leading expert and master trainer in NLP and Paul McKenna the world’s best known hypnotist, has qualified Mick as a practitioner of NLP. Delegates on all the courses that he delivers appreciate the benefits of this. His experience and creative thinking skills have also enabled him to design and deliver numerous core skills and management courses for large organisations. Since 1996 Mick has been the Managing Director of Elite Training European Ltd. You may have heard Mick on the radio or read about him in the press. He is often asked to give his opinion on the topics he teaches.
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