How Can Team Building Help Us?
We’re all aware of team building, and many of us have been dragged out on various team building days: some of which might have been fun and highly effective, whilst others might have been boring, embarrassing and a complete waste of time.
But what is the point of it all? Here we take a quick look at this all important question.
Where Did It Start?
Corporate team building started to really emerge in the 1970s, but it wasn’t until the 1990s that the concept exploded into the wider consciousness of the corporate world.
It is now widely recognised as an effective method for creating and maintain successful teams in the workplace.
Corporate Teambuilding
A Majority of companies from medium sized and upwards use corporate team building activities on a regular basis today as part of their staff development. It is in these sessions that groups can forget the daily drudgery and hierarchy to come together, step outside of their comfort zone and work together to achieve a common goal.
The reason this is so important is that a work group is made up of individual people with contrasting personalities and needs. Often these can be at odds with one another in a group, but also each individual’s understanding of each situation can differ so bringing people together to recognise this can save a lot of trouble in the workplace.
Teambuilding Theory
One of the most common team building theories is that of Dr R Meredith Belbin.
Belbin devised a questionnaire which illustrated the different personality types of workers.
Belbin decided that there were eight types of worker in the 1970s and a ninth type has been added since then.
An example of a Belbin type is an ‘Implementer’. Their strengths are to be practical, reliable, and efficient.
Crucially the Belbin theory gives each type ‘allowable weaknesses’, which in the case of the ‘Implementer’ include being somewhat inflexible and slow to respond to new possibilities.
So Implementers are very important in the planning stage to ensure a practical, workable strategy that is carried out efficiently. And understanding one another’s strengths is a key feature of a successful team.
It’s a waste of time passing a task to a person who doesn’t have the skill set to carry out that task. The result will always be a poor performance and diminished morale for all involved.
Strength Deployment Inventory
This is another useful tool for managing teams.
Here, this simple method divides people into three colours.
Green types are detailed. They understand the way things work and enjoy working with data.
Blue types are relationship focused and appear very sociable and considerate.
Red types appear aggressive, goal orientated and enjoy confrontation.
Strength Development Inventory (SDI) helps us identify personality types and then we can see the how each employee might affect others. Red can easily upset people. Greens might be viewed as boring or geeky. Blues can seem weak and flaky.
This system helps delegates quickly understand each other and helps people consider how their actions will affect others in their group. This can also be extended to their social circles and families to help avoid conflict.
These systems are great for focussing on very specific aspects of the working environment and the rock band based Rock & Roll Experience is a perfect vehicle with which to do that.
But sometimes the aim of the session is simply to have a blast together away from the normal working stress, and nothing does that better than getting up on stage and rocking out. So the Rock & Roll Experience can really deliver on both fronts.
Conclusion
As Plato stated 200 years ago, ‘You can learn more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation’.
A day away from the workplace can really deliver effective team building results. Our Rock & Roll Experience can be brought to you at your workplace, in a hotel or meeting room anywhere else, or even in a famous music venue in your area.
Having an exciting day, bonding and engaging in a new challenging activity leaves lifelong memories and recharges a work team.
Get in touch to see how we can help your team today.