Choosing The Most Effective Team Building Program
Author: Chris Gill
It is well known that a company's productivity and profitability are affected by internal communication and employee relations. There are team building consulting companies available to determine which exercises are most effective in a given situation. The most effective team building program is one that focuses on current communication issues and challenge employees physically and mentally. There are team building games that suit many different organizational needs and preferences.
When morale is low in an office, it has far-reaching negative influences on the health, happiness, and productivity of employees. They feel less motivated to work and they are not loyal to the goals or the interests of the company. When this happens, it threatens the security of these positions as well as the bottom line. Games and exercises in team building are proven to help boost morale and in many offices that suffer from this problem.
One of the team development themes is health and wellness. Employees are encouraged to relax and unwind together, which is a complete change from the stressful life they live together in the workplace. This type of team building program will provide participants with the resources necessary to deal with stress in a healthy way. Employees are encouraged to apply the skills learned during the program to their daily lives. This will improve the way employees deal with stress individually as well as in a team situation when they return to the office.
One of the specific team building games that is used to improve communication is the scavenger hunt. This is an exercise in which teams use their critical thinking skills to find items and ultimately cross the finish line. In order to be successful, team members must effectively communication with each other. If they do not, they could all end up coming back with the same thing. Obviously, this is not the desired result.
Dragon Boats is the name of one of the most popular team building exercises. It teaches employees to work toward a common goal. The ultimate team building program, Dragon Boats promotes physical and mental group work in a fun and exciting atmosphere. This team building program will let the employees understand that working together makes the entire process go much easier. It is often said that two heads think better than one. When the entire team is functioning as a single unit, results will surely be better.
Another variation of games used for team building is Olympic style activities. The large group is broken down into two teams that play against each other for the gold medal. This teaches participants teamwork as well as good sportsmanship. Employees who participate in this exercise are challenged physically by the demands of the game. They are also challenged mentally by thinking of ways to work together to win the medal as a team.
There is a team building program to fit any company's goals and interests. If morale is down in the office or communication is suffering, business owners should consider team building exercises that will foster constructive relationships. Increased and improved interaction among the staff will ultimately have a positive influence on productivity and ultimately raise the bottom line of any company big or small.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/team-building-articles/choosing-the-most-effective-team-building-program-3607299.html
About the AuthorThe Xpeerience Group is a Toronto team development group specializing in corporate team building activities and practical skills. To inquire about the Xpeerience Group's services email: info@xpeeriencegroup.com
More Resources
Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting
More Team Building Information:
Related Articles
Leadership, Genuine, Meaningful and Productive
One of the best lessons I have learned is the impact and importance of leadership. It is so easy to identify dysfunctional leadership in a company (or of a governmental entity!).
How to Align Your Team through Change
Eight Principles for Purposeful AlignmentEffective teamwork requires individual members of the team to be connected by, and aligned to a common purpose, values and sense of identity. Sometimes individuals can drift away from the team as a result of the mental limitations they create about their work and role.
Feedback - Confirming the Good News
The feedback I'm talking about here isn't some sort offormalised appraisal that takes place with your team membersevery month, or every six months or once a year. Thisfeedback happens continually and it happens when you see orhear something you want to give feedback on.
Collaboration Software - Building an Office Without Walls
The rise of the internet has given businesses a new way to think and function on both the individual level and as a whole. Today if you are in a business that doesn't have or use the internet, then you are giving up valuable advertising and productivity.
What Every Manager, Parent, and Teacher Should Know About How to Unify Employees, Families, & Youth
Project Head Start has been successful not only for the youthful students, but for the teachers, supporting staff, and families as well. My first job while still in college was as a Teacher's Assistant during the summer of 1968.
Teamwork in the Workplace: A Definition
A tight knit team is a group of competent individuals who care deeply about each other. They are fiercely committed to their mission, and are highly motivated to combing their energy and expertise to achieve a common objective.
Team Communication Critical To Success
I'm often asked, "Why is my team always fighting fires instead of preparing for changes?" Finding the answer may take some digging. Here are a few possibilities.
Empower Your Trainees
One of the most memorable quotes that I heard from a trainer came from a man I knew named Rizal:"As trainees, you are supposed to interrupt me if you don't understand something. You are supposed to ask questions.
Dealing with Difficult People: Ten Ways to Improve Your Communications Success
Have you noticed that some people seem to stop listening even before you start talking? Do you avoid approaching some people unless you absolutely have too? Improve your chance for conversational success by considering the following ten factors before starting your next conversation.1.
Dealing with People that Drive You Crazy!
We all know someone who just drives us batty. Perhaps theperson is too noisy, too borish, or too flashy.
Characteristics of High Performance Teams
Abstract: Based on significant research, Entelechy has defined characteristics of effective teams.Entelechy reviewed over 50 studies on high performance teams and compiled a list of high performance team characteristics.
Mastermind Team: Do You Have One?
The key to life is to be around the people who will empower you to reach the next level in life! In order to exceed your present reach, you need to be around people who will help you stretch a little farther. The secret to a productive mastermind team is for you to surround yourself with people who you can always learn from.
General Patton and Leadership
No figure in history is like General Patton. He was colorful, hard core and got the job done.
Aligning Corporate Teams
Picture yourself entering a corporate meeting, team meeting, or business meeting. There you are sitting in the room, while someone in the "expert" or "boss" chair speaks to you or at you.
What College Taught Me About Teamwork Training
I declared a Communications Major two years into school, after discovering that it was a subject in which I had sincere interest. Now that I have graduated from college, I look back at the myriad of group projects and interactions that I had with the fellow students.
How the P.R.I.D.E. Team Changed my Call Center
Several years ago I took an assignment as a Manager in an outsourcing Call Center. Shortly after I started it became clear that several areas within the department needed improvement; absenteeism was high (19%), call takers lacked the enthusiasm about the programs to deliver quality customer service and seemed unconnected to the goals and metrics.
Do You Want to Get Others to Improve Their Performance? Then Expect the Best
Recently I decided to stretch my athletic abilities and add a running program to my regular exercise routine. Although I had tried to run in the past, my level of success was pretty pathetic.
How To Help A Sick Team Become Healthy
Team Building Question:A team is full of animosity, pretended interpersonal relationship, fear of bosses, mistrust and endless infighting what can I do as a team building facilitator?The Team Doc Says:Well, you've got your work cut out for you. Plan on this being a long term intervention.
Team Journaling
The very effective tool of keeping a journal can be used in your workplace as well as at home. It is a powerful tool that can enhance our lives and support our personal and work well-being.
Leading To A Preferred Future
Last month's edition of Footprints and Monuments illustrated a parallel between leadership in the face of disaster and the voyage of the Apollo 13. As you will remember, an explosion on board forced the crew to circle the moon without ever landing on their prized target.