You have probably read my previous blog posts about creating an experience for your event :o) And now you are thinking that planning an out of the ordinary teambuilding session during your next event is the way to go – that will definitely be something that leaves a lasting impression. And it can be! As long as you are aware of your target group and the purpose of your teambuilding session.
Teambuilding today is an area in constant development. Not more than a year or two ago, teambuilding often included activities that were a challenge to those suffering from vertigo or fear of water, or those who do not kayak or run a marathon each week. Activities where you zipline over a gorge, go swimming in the ocean in December, or follow a trail through the forest…while blindfolded!
However, I see a change in teambuilding trends, though I am sure that you can still buy a teambuilding session including kayaking or surviving in the arctic with nothing more than a sleeping bag and a lighter. In the future you will see the more ‘down to earth’ activities – a more positive form of teambuilding in my opinion.
By positive I mean the form of teambuilding that includes everybody, and where each person challenge their own limits but still somewhat within their comfort zone (or at least on the edge of it). The kind of teambuilding that violates no one’s personality.
In the future, teambuilding will be exactly what the word says: building a team! And for that you can do a walk’n’talk, escape from a Mystery Room, cook together, or play with Lego’s (not just for fun). No more kayaking or riding a unicycle down the Matterhorn. We want to get to know each other in a positive way, and there is nothing positive about getting to know Elisabeth while she is crying of fear of the zipline…not for you and not for Elisabeth!
The picture above shows the Boston skyline from the Harborwalk. The perfect place for a walk’n’talk.
Today, we are all busy revealing our inner potential during our spare time, be it through extreme sports or hobbies or exotic dishes at exotic destinations (I myself get my kicks at route 66…or anywhere else on the North American continent for that matter). We do not necessarily need this tendency to be part of our worklife too. We have enough pressure at work, trying to meet objectives and balance budgets.
So, my message today is: Slow down in the teambuilding situation – then you don’t lose your team on the way!
