| "We don't work together as a team!" | | | | strategic goals for the upcoming fiscal year, |
| complained Janet, a group manager for a large | | | | account planning for strategic customers, or |
| insurance company, to Larry, her human | | | | generating solution alternatives for a key |
| resources consultant. "Everyone just seems to | | | | business problem. If you make the goal of the |
| do their own thing, they don't share | | | | offsite "Team Building" then your team is |
| information, don't try to help each other, | | | | likely to look at the offsite as a waste of |
| and just don't seem to care about anyone | | | | time that will have no real business benefit. |
| else's problems. What we need is a team | | | | Do your team building under the guise of |
| building offsite!" Janet and Larry decided to | | | | solving a problem or defining the future. |
| put together a two-day offsite for the team | | | | |
| at a resort about two hours away from work. | | | | Make sure to provide lots of time for |
| Janet wanted immediate focus on the problem | | | | networking as well as time during the day and |
| so Larry worked double-time to put together | | | | night for snacks, beverages, and chit-chat. |
| the event to be held later in the month. | | | | Building relationships starts with getting to |
| Larry put together an agenda full of | | | | know people and that's what makes a team. |
| trust-building exercises, ice-breakers, and | | | | Also make sure there is time for networking |
| brainstorming sessions on how the team could | | | | and casual time for conversation. |
| work better together. | | | | |
| | | | Don't hold the offsite during a crunch period |
| Just about half of the people on Janet's team | | | | - When you do hold your offsite, you don't |
| had turned up on the first day of the | | | | want your team members to be checking email |
| offsite, because the others were busy with | | | | every five minutes or constantly leaving to |
| another important project that was to be | | | | make important calls. Do your best to hold an |
| finished by the end of the week. The team | | | | offsite during a "slow" time in your |
| members that had arrived participated in the | | | | business. As with most businesses, there will |
| team building exercises out of politeness and | | | | probably never be an optimal time to hold an |
| didn't appear to take any interest in them as | | | | offsite but do your best to avoid times when |
| they felt very soft and emotional. The event | | | | team members are already burning the midnight |
| didn't have a business program that was | | | | oil. |
| explicitly mentioned, as Janet intended the | | | | |
| offsite to focus on team building. Although | | | | Consider an overnight event. Some of the most |
| the thought provoking sittings were good | | | | productive offsite work can result when the |
| there were no concrete actions accomplished | | | | group eats together, relaxes over a couple of |
| for the team to carry through. Basically, the | | | | drinks, and talks late into the night |
| offsite was a hopeless faux pas, and was | | | | brainstorming about potential ideas or |
| heartily disapproved by the team. | | | | considering solutions to serious company |
| | | | problems. In these productive late night |
| You might think this is an exaggeration, but | | | | sessions, colleagues could engage in |
| for some people it resembles an offsite | | | | productive conversations and discuss new |
| they've been a part of. They can't get the | | | | ideas or organizational problems. Most |
| team focused on solving a problem, putting a | | | | importantly, however, colleagues are able to |
| strategy into focus or coming up with a new | | | | build rapport, which forms a strong |
| way of doing things. One of the best things | | | | foundation for excellent teamwork. |
| that can come from an offsite, though, is | | | | |
| team building. If you do it right, it can | | | | Put together a follow-up plan to continue the |
| bring minds together. If done wrong, people | | | | work from the offsite - One of the most |
| will feel their time is wasted which makes | | | | frustrating things I've experienced with |
| you look like a bad leader. | | | | offsites was the lack of a follow-up plan to |
| | | | implement some of the great ideas which came |
| What is the best way to host successful | | | | out of the offsite. Put together an |
| offsites that build rapport and facilitate | | | | actionable follow-up plan with tasks, dates, |
| team building? Here are a few basic | | | | and owners and you'll keep the excitement |
| suggestions: | | | | going out of the offsite and will get some of |
| | | | the great ideas implemented. Neglect putting |
| Have a clear purpose for the offsite - Define | | | | together a follow-up plan and you'll have an |
| some clear business reason for having the | | | | offsite that the team sees as a waste of |
| offsite. Consider things such as developing | | | | time. |