Team Building and Workplace Communication For SUCCESS

The Home Team

Especially during tough times, young people need to know they can talk freely with someone they trust to really listen – someone who they feel is “on their team.” Trust and security are created through acceptance, traditions, sharing, and a sense of belonging. At SuperCamp, our campers open up so freely and talk so deeply in our programs because we create this environment. Everything we do is on purpose.

We’ve learned that there’s also an element of timing. Young people don’t open up and share their feelings until they’re ready. Nobody walks in on the first day of our programs and starts talking about emotions. When something traumatic and life changing has occurred, a teen may not be ready to talk just because somebody is ready to listen. They share when they decide the time is right. It’s our job to do what we can to help them get ready for that time. For a while maybe the only thing we can offer is, “I’m here if you want to talk about it.”

When the time is right, it helps to begin a conversation about a serious event with a few open-ended questions. Here’s one that helps a lot: “What questions do you have about what happened?” Some parents have said that once their teens had a chance to ask questions, get a little bit of perspective, and come to a better understanding of the event, they were okay.

Here’s a phrase that comes in handy: “Tell me more.” This statement is powerful because it shows interest and asks for more information in an open-ended way. A simple “tell me more” can help get the conversation flowing. Let’s say a teen is having trouble adjusting to his parents’ divorce now that his mom lives five hundred miles away. His dad asks what that experience is like for him, and he responds with, “Stinks.”

Okay. Tell me more.”

After a moment, when he’s convinced Dad really does want to hear more, he might begin to fill in more details.

Talking it out is a terrific way to begin separating from the event and sorting through feelings. But it’s not the only way to get there. Campers spend time writing their thoughts and feelings in journals during our program. Something about expressing themselves with the written word helps process things on a much deeper level. In the privacy of their journals they’re free to let it rip. They can write anything, say it any way they want, and it’s all completely private. It’s a great way to let off emotional steam.

Particularly for visual learners, drawing a picture of feelings can also help. Drawing is liberating. It taps into creativity. It helps them get a new perspective. They’re free to express themselves any way they want: with colors, shapes, objects, animals, people – anything goes.

They also find it helpful to write a short story about the event. SuperCamp educator Michael Grinder says it sometimes helps people to talk about themselves in third person to avoid identifying themselves with the situation: “When Melodie was fourteen years old, she moved from the school she loved to a new school where she didn’t know anybody… “

Some have found that it helps a lot to write a letter to the person involved in the incident – whether they send it or not. Just being able to address the person directly gets the feelings moving. That’s a large part of why the parent talk helps. Even if – especially if – the person has passed on, the letter is a chance to express everything that remains to be said: “Dear Dad, there are a lot of things I wish I had told you before you went away… .” Since the letter doesn’t have to be sent, they don’t have to hold anything back.

Your Character – The Secret Element Of Effective Team Building

Team Building is about character – yours!  The plethora of information disseminated throughout the western world provides a smorgasbord of choices for business.

Theories are fine but I have found the practicalities another issue and so will you!

Team building takes work but the results are worth it. The essential ingredient is time and patience.

If you really want to build a team that will achieve outstanding results you can.

The Hype

Over the years team work has been the flavor of the day with many businesses spending considerable money in trying to achieve a positive and harmonious team structure.

Some have found the results they looked for but many have not. Consultants would have you believe that if you follow a set of principles or guidelines then it will all work out. Not so as you cannot put all human beings in a box and expect likeminded consistency.

Why?

Team building has a number of foundation building blocks that are essential for a team to function.

Commitment of the Manager or Owner

Some managers and owners get excited about team possibilities only to weary over time where the pressures of business and day to day life grind them down.

Your commitment by way of your action and time are critical to your team’s success.

Time

It takes time to build teams. Trust and respect need to be earnt and there are no short cuts. Make a decision to pay the cost and demonstrate your commitment.

Patience

Life sometimes throws us a curve ball and not all of our plans go according to the script.

Make a commitment to be patient and as long as you see incremental progress realize progress is progress.

Celebrate Success and do not condemn failures

Learn to celebrate your successes as a team as you go along and learn from failure. Failure is a fantastic teacher if you look at it that way. If you own the business or are a manager realize that you are particularly under scrutiny of your team more so when failure occurs.

Your reaction to change and failure will ultimately determine the amount of buy in you achieve from your team.

Learn to Delegate

As business owners we are sometimes afraid to delegate. Start with small things and as your team gets confidence and does the right thing increase the responsibility.

Be quick to learn

Be quick to learn from each other. The most unlikely team member may be sitting on the very solution you have been looking for in your business.

Listen

Many managers and employees are terrible listeners. Learn to hear what people are really saying and don’t devalue their contributions.

Encouragement

It has been reported that children need 7 compliments to counteract 1 negative statement.

How much more important then is it to encourage your team. Anyone can condemn however a good manager and team member knows how to give genuine encouragement. Show genuine interest.

An Example

Before starting Biz Momentum I once took over an organisation that was almost beyond repair. By applying these principals by listening and resourcing employees I took the company from a damaging loss to a substantial profit within 1 year. This was a complex business with complex people and serious mistrust issues.

The cost to me was emotional commitment to change and to listen – it worked.

There is a price to pay for success and no short-cuts. The effort you put in will determine the results.

Visit www.biz-momentum.com for more information.

You can do it – apply some of these principles and you will achieve results.

Don’t adopt a herd mentality and be a follower. Pay the price be a pioneer, a trail blazer and show some character – its worth it. Nothing worth having is gained or appreciated by little effort.

Shift Happens and leadership, trust, and communication are more important than ever, but if your organization is like many today, the intense focus on cost-containment and fears about the economy dominate the conversation. See if this thought-provoking video resonates with what it’s like in your company. (created by Team Builders Plus)

Team Building In The Outdoors

Team building means different things to different people, ranging from a fun experience to serious intentions of behavioral change. According to its official definition, team building refers to the process of establishing and developing a greater sense of collaboration and trust between team members. A variety of organizations, companies, schools and other institutions have decided to invest in team building by participating in interactive exercises, team assessment techniques and group discussions that enable people to cultivate this greater sense of teamwork.

Among the contexts of team building is that of sport clubs and work organizations. But what one should examine further is the need for team building. As modern trends show, societies and cultures have been dynamically interacting with each other and thus constructing a shared system of beliefs and values. Anticipating this development, different organizations and stakeholders have begun investing in their people by introducing them to the notion of team building and productive exchange. Greatly influenced by contemporary networks, this shift has resulted in a communications revolution and the creation of a truly global market system. Consequently, the new types of labor and the increased level of specialization required has caused individuals to be able and willing to relocate with much greater ease than in the past and to continue being productive in their new environment; whether that is a city or another country. But changing jobs and joining new groups is never easy and people need time to adjust and explore their new surroundings. Human beings still possess the necessary survival instinct and are always ready to try and overcome obstacles and differences if they are provided with the necessary tools. Willing individuals can surpass behavior patterns and cultural differences and understand the big picture that the path towards efficient and effective teams is not to have team members being indifferent to one another, but to understand and accept that the existing variations are what make a team be unique.

Team building has developed into a science greatly used by the contemporary business world. Its main ingredients, the actual participants’ vision, mission, goals and objectives, along with their training and personalities, can greatly influence a team’s performance level and are reflected in a team’s output. Thus, management teams around the globe have studied, researched, and in most instances requested from their employees to participate in role playing games, team building exercises and similar programs. From an outdoor journey involving activities and challenges interspersed with inspirational sceneries, to individual high impact outdoor challenges between teams, outdoor activities and development exercises are used to increase the bonding among participants and to build the needed amount of team trust. Outdoor team building events are designed by adventure guides, activities professionals, and sports experts, to assist individuals surpass personal differences and become part of an organism as their new team members’ role specifies.

Alan Trust gives probably the best team talk in the world

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Focusing On Team Health and Wellness In The New Year

With the new year come the resolutions to be more mentally and emotionally fit. Knowing that many of their workers have this goal in mind for 2011, companies are doing their part to promote team health and wellness. Some elect to do it within their four walls, while others feel that now is the perfect time to get the group out of town to engage in some team building. A corporate wellness retreat is an ideal way to start the new year off on the right foot.

In recent years, more and more studies reveal that team health and wellness is key to the success of any corporate workgroup. When workers feel better, they perform better, both at home and at the office. They are more engaged, productive, and willing to go the extra mile. Each of us knows from our own personal experience how much more we get done when we feel physically and mentally fit. Finding the time to get to this point is what presents an issue and that is where experiential events companies enter.

One of these companies, based in Toronto, Canada, is called Xpeerience Group. By offering team health and wellness retreat packages, it caters to the corporate set from a different angle. The focus is on improving productivity through a focus on nutrition and stress reduction. Through team building exercises and activities, workers become more relaxed while improving their relationships with each other outside of the work environment, whether at the group’s facilities or another offsite location.

Sometimes, getting out of the office makes a world of difference. By engaging in offsite team health and wellness events, workers remove themselves from the daily routines of checking emails, talking on the phone, and attending meetings. They focus on themselves and engage in positive team building, rather than worrying about everyone else and partaking in activities like impromptu complaint sessions that can be detrimental to the team.

Trust and relationship building are among the activities for team building included in these retreats. Participants also engage in yoga, shiatsu, tai chi, reflexology, naturopathy, meditation, and relaxation. In addition to a session of each of these, they participate in topical seminars so they can learn more about the techniques and continue the practices when they arrive home. The hope is that they will employ the learned behavior whenever they feel stress building.

Also included in the team health and wellness packages are nutrition seminars. Participants learn about how to cook and eat healthy and they engage in some healthy eating during the group breakfast, lunch, and dinner sessions. Groups can select from either one or two day packages, with meals included on both days. 

The common goal of team health and wellness retreats is to improve mental and physical well-being. Through activities for team building, seminars and sessions regarding various relaxation techniques, and nutritional seminars, participants improve their own lives and bond with their co-workers. They will return to the office with less stress and improved communication, ready to tackle 2011.

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Godannar, Mission 4 – Two’s a Combat Team, Three’s a Crowd

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Why Do Teams FAAIL?

Have you ever wondered why some teams are successful and others are not?  As there are ingredients to create the perfect storm, there are ingredients to a highly functioning team.  Patrick Lencioni, in his book The Five Dysfunctions of a Team outlines in detail why teams fail.  Today we will discuss the dysfunctions as well as ways to overcome them.

Why do Teams FAAIL?

Fear of Conflict – We often times hide our true thoughts and feelings to keep harmony on the team.  No one will voice their opinions or question shaky opinions.
Avoidance of Accountability – How many of us have worked on teams where no one wanted to work or take responsibility for a task.  Some team members will even shirk their responsibility.
Absence of Trust – Any time new teams are formed the individual team members want to get a feel for their teammates.  New teams are a breeding ground for trust issues.  Often times individuals have to prove themselves.  This is true in the forming stage of any team.  The members want to know what you add to the team.
Inattention to Results – The sole purpose of any team is to produce.  Remember the old saying “I can do bad by myself” no one wants to be a part of a losing team.  Some team members are on board for the status of being on the team.
Lack of Commitment – We have all been a party to teams that just cannot get it together.  Decisions are made only to have them later changed.  No one seems to want any sort of agreement nor will anyone commit to a common vision.

So, how do we make our teams successful?  Practical Applications:

One way to overcome fear of conflict is to confront any issues head-on.  Conflict and the storming stage are par for the course with any team.  Conflict is healthy as long as the team doesn’t stay there.
As a leader one must be candid with team members who avoid accountability.  The leader must work to get their buy-in.  It is important to invest in these members and learn their motivation for being part of the team.
Trust can be garnered on any team as long as the leader and members do not mind being vulnerable.  When leading teams where trust is an issue one must be able to admit mistakes and be vulnerable first.  The team needs to know that you are just like them.  The leader can not be afraid to ask for help.
Results can be achieved by helping the team get rid of individual behavior.  The leader must be intimate with the goal of the team and keep the team from getting distracted.
How do you ensure commitment?  Be certain that the purpose and objectives of the team are clearly defined.  The team must be aligned around common objectives.  People enjoy working toward a clearly defined objective.

Great teams are not built over night.  Identify the dysfunctions that plague your team and use the practical applications to overcome them.  Soon you will be on your way to a highly performing and highly effective team.

Works Cited: Lencioni, P. (2002). The five dysfunctions fo a team. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Channel 5 -Bennie Drummond, Otto Burgher, and Margaret Holden.. A news team together since 1925, winners of over 340 local emmy awards, a team you trust

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