Team building refers to a wide range of activities designed for improving team performance. Team building is pursued through a variety of practices, and can range from simple bonding exercises to complex simulations and multi-day team building retreats designed to develop a team. Team building exercises improve team productivity, motivate a team, help participants learn more about themselves and improve communication.
- Clearly communicate your expectations for the team’s performance and expected outcomes
- Involve team members in the decision making process
- Team interaction involves “soft” interpersonal skills including communication, negotiation, leadership, and motivation. Organize activities to help develop these skills in your team members.
- Set the culture where no new idea is de-valued so the new goal can be achieved.
- Understand what team members think about their own skills and what’s their feelings about others’ skills.
- Give team a problem in which the solution is not easily apparent or requires the team to come up with a creative solution
- Organize simple social activities – to encourage team members to spend time together
- People will start to move and work together when they are focused on their purpose and can see where they fit in with the purpose of the bigger picture.
- Always ask people “what do you think about it?” “how do you feel about it?”. Make them feel a part of the decision process.
- Reduce everyday distractions by holding team building sessions outside of the office.
- Find out exactly what team members are looking for to enhance their work and efforts before conducting team building exercises.
- Identify and work with online team building tools and resources you are all comfortable with. Online team building activities should not be substituted for offline exercises.
