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, exitingMore Team Building Information:
Related Articles
Virtual Team Work
At a time when many companies are scaling down their marketing budgets, big design firms are finding it harder to win new clients and projects. Things maybe tough for the larger design firms, but the situation could be ideal for freelancers and other smaller boutique operations that can operate virtually.
Feedback For Learning Can Turn Your Team Into Winners
Feedback:Most experts agree both types; constructive and positive feedback are beneficial and important to performance improvement. However, the way the feedback and timing of it are crucially factors.
Putting Your Expert Team Together
As a freelance writer myself, I know how important it is to have, and keep track of, experts to interview. Here are a few ideas on the topic: I always emphasize to clients and seminar participants how important it is to start and maintain a "Team 100" list -- people to support you in whatever you are doing.
Motivate People with Feedback
Someone once said - "Feedback is the breakfast ofchampions." Personally, I think that pancakes, crispy baconand maple syrup are the breakfast of champions.
The 3 Secrets of Team Motivation
Are workers telling the truth when they say they are ill?This question was posed on the Money Programme on BBCTelevision in December 2004. British Bosses are reportingthat more and more of their staff appear to be skiving offwith faked illnesses and many firms are taking new steps tocrack down on malingerers.
Build a Great Team - Ten Easy Ways to Start!
It's all about focusing on where the best value in using time lies. Who is the leader of the team and what is your best use of time.
Teams
For companies to be competitive, decisions have to be made faster than ever before, and expenses have to be lower. The hierarchical environment did not support fast decision making.
Working as a Winning Team
It's a great sunny day so it's time to get out and enjoy the weather. Many of us would like to, but we have projects due, tasks that need to be done, people that we need to see, and money that needs to be made.
Team Work
There's nothing that matches the power of teamwork to accomplish amazing results beyond your wildest goals and aspirations. Teamwork evokes unflagging spirit, selflessness and dedication.
Effective Team Building Part 1 - Another Brick in the Wall!
The first in a series of articles giving a slightly different viewpoint on effective team building, condensed from an original seminar presented by the author, John Roberts. John is a Freelance Training Consultant and director of JayrConsulting Ltd.
Raising Issues In Your Group or Offline
In a recent group coaching session, a client mentioned that he thought his monthly meetings with his peers were dysfunctional. He felt they achieved "false closure" on key decisions - they'd discuss an issue, not make a clear decision, and move on, all acting as if they were clear.
Building Your Dream Marketing Team
The Fantasy: Your marketing budget is packed to the brim with money to help build your dream marketing team. You hire nothing short of the best and life is good.
Franchisee Relations and Team Work
Franchisees of a particular franchise must get along in order for the team to hyperspace the competition. Recently our company; Franchising.
3 Steps To Successfully Build A Team In Any Program
Any x by y matrix plan has one big risk..
If You Can't See It, They Won't Do It
Recently, while developing a customer service program, I asked my client to provide me with detailed descriptions of behaviors he wanted his team members to engage in. He called me back a short time later and told me that his department heads were having a difficult time with the assignment.
Top 7 Ways to Motivate Your Team
1. Involve them.
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.
Aligning Teams with Organizational Goals
Teams don't have to be aligned with the goals of the organization. Teams can work on what they believe to be the right things.
Workplace Fitness: Tongue-In-Cheek
According to the Oxford Dictionary of Current English, to speak with one's tongue in one's cheek is to speak insincerely or ironically. This phrase dates back to 1748 when it was cool to show disdain or disrespect for someone by putting your tongue inside your cheek to make it stick out.
How To Lead Your Team To Success
Today, most of us have been involved in a team project, either as the leader or a contributor. The team concept, if structured properly, can be a very successful option for any company or organization.