Team Building Requires Effort
Posted on January 21, 2011 by Guy Farmer, One of Thousands of Leadership Coaches on Noomii.
Many leaders and organizations think that team building is something that just happens after one activity. It takes more than that.
I talk with a lot of leaders who have a vague idea that they’re interested in team building and that it might benefit their workplace in some way but when it comes to actually getting an effective program going they sometimes feel like they’re sailing in uncharted waters.
This is perfectly normal. Our standard vision of team building is to get everyone together, have some fun and then move on. Some companies will learn how to label everyone with a color or personality type and then walk around pointing at people and saying they are a certain way.
Effective team building is some of those things but also so much more. It’s a way to get to know people, build trust, increase productivity, lead confidently, empathize with others and many other behaviors that greatly benefit our workplaces. Yet team building requires effort so that it really works. Here are some ideas to help you build a great team building program.
1. Commit to doing it for a year.
2. Get leadership involved.
3. Focus on team building activities that help people go deeper.
4. Don’t expect immediate results, team building is a long-term activity.
5. Set the example and practice the new behaviors you learn.
Team building starts or flounders with you. If you really want it to work then it’s helpful to commit to a long-term program that helps people practice how to really connect with each other. The end result will be a happier workplace where people enjoy working together. How will you get the process started?
Take care,
Guy
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