Team Building: creativity, extreme and training
... Ready, Set, Go ... three green whistle up. We, the «middle managers», divided into teams, with shouts of joy ran through the woods to the cherished goal. Who forward. We are all participants of the training on team building. The first kilometer, second, third. And then the seventh-eighth. For example, I run bad. Foot can be many, but the bad run. Starts to lag ... and can not be separated team. Only together - to the finish. It was then that according to the organizers and should begin the most Building - mutual and all that. Teammates must in turn to carry me in his arms, to encourage, to help, so to speak, in word and deed. No matter what we have already surpassed all other teams. No matter what I have in my head is constantly spinning «now-drop-and-will-lie». Finally we have the whole team Reaches finish, and my teammates with a smile on his face telling everyone what I was done, I had a hard time, but I held on and so on ....
This is the ideal. In fact, it is sometimes a little differently. Even without considering the situation in which I really «down-and-lay» before the arrival of the doctor. In fact, I was terribly hurt that I was the brake. What to do? Well, not an athlete and all. The whole team - as the selection, just in the first place would come running if I did not. And the team, in general, shares this view, all of them - people ambitious, which is good for their work, but they do not like to lose. As a result, we were divided into «I» and «they», my credibility was seriously injured. It seems like no one even specifically not ridiculed, but very ashamed. And everyone sees it. What to do now, I do not know. May resign?
Of course, this extreme. But, nevertheless, at various forums periodically HR-slip mention of similar cases, such as «we all went to the training - one of our best managers something could not do - it all laughed - he left - what to do now.» How to eliminate the possibility of such a situation?
This is the professionalism of the organizers of the training to simulate this situation for the participants, in which all will be difficult, but all of which will emerge victorious. EVERYONE. Required. And say, «We did it.» This is the essence of the training on team building - not to find out who is the strongest of us, brave and hardy (this is so everyone knows), and let everyone show their best qualities and direct them towards a common goal.
To do this, all of the proposed objectives should be known by the participants feasible. Tasks can look like a very difficult and even impossible, but with the right approach, the balance of power, the use of all team members, they should not require participants to any special physical data.
It is important that jobs were several options - one more «sporty», the other - a more «intelligent». Run or think. This will always give an additional reason for analysis and discussion after the finish. To have the least physically prepared team has always had the chance.
Sami tasks should be diverse - this will prove himself to all team members. After all, someone who is afraid of heights might be nice multiplies in mind the three-digit number. And the one who runs poorly (like me) understands matters of tactics. And the task of the team - not to try to master the skills of each other, and learn to negotiate and maximize the overall potential.
Participation in the «extreme» test can not be forced. Everyone decides for himself, it is necessary to it or not. The task team and the instructor - to help overcome the test, if formed a «critical» situation where the party can not in principle anything to do with honor out of the situation.
Exercise does not have to be traumatic. Even indirectly. Most of the «extreme» exercise, among other things, much safer just running around in the woods.
It is often better to avoid direct competition between the teams during the training, and deliver a common task for all, so that each team has contributed to the overall victory.
While the correlation between the complexity and extreme exercise and «team-effect» no. Depending on the specific goals and collective action can be emphasized in one way or another, but the balance is always important - creativity (when you have to think a head), physical education (when it is necessary to do something with his hands) and extreme (when it is necessary to overcome yourself).
That's the whole secret.
Director of «Team Building Club»
Nikolay Zagrebel'nyi
For the magazine «Corporate rest and training»