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a sign of the times
Spring 2011
Steven DeFelice
Director of Sales
and Marketing,
Hyatt Regency Tamaya
Resort & Spa, located in
New Mexico, between
Albuquerque and Santa Fe. STAFF REDUCTIONS, pay cuts, budget bludgeoning, increased work loads, you know the story. So where is the joy in ACME, Inc. these days? A lot of it, ironically, can be found in team building. In fact an argument could be made that the need for team building events and exercises is now, more than ever. In what is currently perceived to be a struggling if not stagnant economy in some quarters, employee and, yes, even management morale can be counted among the collateral damage. A valued natural element of team building is that it can tap into some of our earliest feelings of fun, excitement and socialization, echoing back to when we were kids. Indeed some of the early team building exercises and events included puzzles, board games, magic tricks, and other fundamentals employing creativity and imagination, including such ubiquitous toys as Legos and Erector sets. During these early social interactions, natural leaders tended to emerge along with others who displayed cooperation and ingenuity, or lack thereof. Personalities began to become apparent and heretofore hidden traits, bubbled to the surface, all in a very organic way. Today’s corporate team building events, exercises and activities provide many of these same benefits and values with regard to stimulating motivation, improving communication, building trust and fostering a better understanding of and appreciation for colleagues. Communication is, and has always been, an essential component of successful teamwork and is especially important in times of economic uncertainty and workplace reorganization and restructuring. Informed employees whether in the corner offices or on the shop floor, feel more confident, secure and empowered if they feel they are being kept in the loop. Empowered teams historically generate the best results, as they are functioning as a group in a culture of inclusion where there is encouragement to look out for each other and to succeed and enjoy themselves while doing it. This can move mountains. At its core, the essence of teambuilding is the empowerment of people. It is more about attitude and behavior toward staff, up and down the line, than process and tools. Do your homework and choose wisely the types of events and activities that best suit your goals and needs…and budget. More than ever, team building has to be value conscious, cost efficient, effective and memorable. You’ll want your participants talking at the water cooler with new purpose, focus, and appreciation for their colleagues and speculating on where and how much fun the next one will be. |
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