How to Create a Deeper Team Building Program
A lot of people in leadership positions believe that team building consists of an occasional event or activity, usually without the leader present, where people magically learn how to work well together and morale and motivation improves spontaneously. Far too often, team building is something that occurs only when things are already out of control and leadership is trying to find a quick fix instead of addressing the underlying issues that created the situation.
Effective team building is a process that requires careful structuring and ongoing attention and support. The reason why so many team building programs have no beneficial effects is that they are designed as superficial, one-time social gatherings that do nothing to change the thoughts and behaviors that divide people.
So, how do you implement a team building program that actually works? The following ideas will help you get started.
Think Long-Term
Brief events may, at best, help people get out of the workplace and mingle a bit but, then, they all go back to their jobs and do the exact same things that led to the current dysfunction. Short-term approaches don’t work because they don’t change thinking and behavior. The key to successful team building is to create a program that is ongoing and shows everyone how to interact and collaborate effectively. The mistake most people make is that they don’t seriously commit to keeping the process going, which leads to never addressing chronic problems and perpetuating the current situation.
Choose Your Methodology Wisely
Most team building is way too competitive or frivolous to have any impact on how individuals think and act on a daily basis. People just stay in the same cliques and do what they normally would because the event or activity does nothing to create any change and often is viewed as lip service or a waste of time. In order to get positive results, it’s vitally important to use a methodology that teaches people concrete skills to shift their thoughts and behaviors. It’s also advisable to be aware of why people think and behave the way they do and give them the tools they need to move in a more beneficial direction.
Start at the Top
In my experience, most team building problems are directly related to the person at the top. On more than a few occasions, I’ve seen leaders use team building as a way to shift blame away from the people in charge. I always recommend that team building include leadership from the very beginning, which shows that everyone is committed and believes in the process. Leaders set the example for the rest of the company or organization, without their participation you could have employees who are great at building teams but who are routinely sabotaged by someone in a position of authority who is clueless.
Train Facilitators
One of the best ways to make sure your team building efforts succeed is to train someone on your staff to be a facilitator who keeps the program going and teaches others how to do it as well. The goal is to propagate the knowledge throughout the organization until it becomes the new way of doing things in your workplace and everyone knows how to build and participate positively in teams. When you have a dedicated person on staff facilitating, managing, and supporting your team building efforts, you greatly increase the chances that the program will thrive.
Be Proactive Instead of Reactive
It’s difficult for most leaders to think proactively because the standard way of operating is to react to issues as they arise instead of planning to prevent them. Team building isn’t something you force upon people when everything is falling apart, it’s a process you put in place beforehand to help your staff deal with any challenge that comes their way. When you teach everyone in your workplace how to get along with each other and work well together, there’s nothing they can’t handle and you won’t be running around frantically putting out fires all day.
Imagine what your workplace would look like if you did all the things we’ve discussed. You’d be more productive and profitable because your people get along well and collaborate effectively.
Team building isn’t a difficult process, it just requires deliberate attention to make it more than a one-time, pointless happening. I had a client share that he used to think team building was about going outdoors and doing something competitive or physical but has since realized there is much more to it. He informed me that he and his staff still have occasional, light, fun activities and outings, but have also kept their more serious team building program going, which has gotten rid of negativity and helped everyone pull together to be more productive. He said profits have gone up and conflict has almost completely disappeared.
The key to creating an excellent team building program in your workplace is to think of it as valuable and indispensable. When you teach yourself and your people the core skills needed to work well together, you’ll all function at a much higher level and enjoy the rewards. You can start practicing advanced team building anytime you wish, all it takes is your commitment to implementing and supporting an ongoing program. You decide when you begin the process. Cheers, Guy.