Education through Leadership

Benefits of Team Building

The term “team building” has become a buzzword in recent years, and has many connotations. In terms of corporate development, team-building exercises are important not for the immediate experience of the activities performed by the team, but also for the group skills, communication and bonding that result. The activity be it an obstacle course or the Chocolate Challenge is merely the means to the end: a high-impact learning experience. Team-building programs provide realistic experiences that empower individuals to contribute to common goals. The success of most organizations depends on the ability of individuals to build effective teams.

The main goals of team-building are to improve productivity and motivation. Taking employees out of the office helps groups break down political and personal barriers, eliminate distractions, and have fun. The benefits of team-building programs are so significant that many corporations have incorporated team-building strategies into their standard training curriculum.

Some of these benefits include:

1. Improves morale and leadership skills
2. Finds the barriers that thwart creativity
3. Clearly defines objectives and goals
4. Improves processes and procedures
5. Improves organizational productivity
6. Identifies a team’s strengths and weaknesses
7. Improves the ability to problem solve

Taps into hidden potential
Once you decide to participate in a team-building program, the question becomes: where shall we go? In Lands End, Lake District, not far from London, there is an organization called Fresh Tracks that runs team building programs and builds custom activities for employee teams from large organizations. In the hustle and bustle of the corporate world, where turnover and attrition levels are skyrocketing, there are good reasons for companies to plan team-building programs.

Activities in these programs are designed to motivate people to pool their talents and perform at their best individually and as team players. Team members discover that diversity is their greatest asset and trust, cooperation and effective communication are the key to a team’s success. Structured activities not only encourage individual development, but bring all members together for a common cause.

Team-building programs provide upbeat and powerful team experiences allowing companies to compete effectively by enabling staff at all corporate levels to work as true team players.

Author: Dan Collns is from Fresh Tracks who are experts in running team building activities and events.