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