If you’re thinking of planning a team building event, your first stop should be a team building consultant. Why? It’s simple: you know your team better than anyone, but a team building consultant knows how to bring your team together. If you’ve never worked with a consultant before, you’re in luck; good ones are out there. Here are a few qualities to look for in a great team building consultant and how to find the right one for your team. Qualities to Look For Sometimes, you need the counsel of others. The trick, of course, is accepting the counsel of others. Your team, like many teams in the world, is jaded by memories of awkward team-building exercises. They’re also more likely to clam… Read more »

When many employees hear the word “team building,” they immediately flinch and think back on years of incredibly awkward icebreakers in school. But small group team building offers the opportunity to maximize your team’s performance and make work-life better.  Team programs teach your employees to empathize with each other and build trust. Of course, it helps to have the right team building for small groups. Here are five team activities that will help you better connect with your colleagues.  1. Two Truths and a Lie For a simple old standby activity that’s always fun and very effective, you can rely on a tried-and-true classic, two truths and a lie. The game is exactly what it sounds like. Have every team member write… Read more »

Team building has a bit of a bad reputation. It’s long been tied up with dull company picnics and tiresome icebreakers. This is a shame, because team building success actually makes all the difference in whether or not your company is a success. Don’t believe it? Here are six reasons why team building is critical to a successful work environment. 1. Get to Know Each Other One of the biggest benefits of team building is that it gives your employees the chance to get to know each other outside of work. After all, working in adjacent cubicles for 40 hours a week is one thing. Talking casually in a non-work setting is something else entirely. People like to feel connected,… Read more »

Business is hectic and conference agenda time is scarce. I get it. That’s why, from time to time, we’re asked to lead team building during breakfast. It can be a great solution to accomplish a lot within a given time frame. Many companies are aware of the possibility of including team building in a lunch or dinner event. And while breakfast is often overlooked, nothing pairs better with that first cup of coffee than an opportunity to make connections, engage and have fun. Team building during breakfast is a grrrrrreat way to start the day. So if you’re organizing a company-wide conference, or simply planning to treat your colleagues to something special to kick off their day, consider a team… Read more »

  More and more these days we’re facilitating team building for remote teams. We’re seeing groups with team members who perform the same job, based in multiple geographic areas. And we’re seeing groups with team members who work remotely from home while covering a specific territory. Most of the programs my company leads are face to face; when remote teams gather together. But we’re also beginning to address the need for remote team building activities, a/k/a virtual team building. Honestly, I still like face to face programs the best. There’s nothing like being in the same room with your colleagues when it comes to trust building and sharing best practices. That being said, remote teams need activities that will help… Read more »

Whether you’re based in the Windy City or coming here for a meeting, you won’t be disappointed by the variety and quality of Chicago team building activities to choose from. Some of the most intelligent, creative and entrepreneurial minds in the world flock to Chicago to start tech companies, work at medical centers, restaurants, theaters and more. This is just the place to get the creative juices flowing, build morale, and increase engagement. Informal Outings For Your Team Simply enjoying Chicago together can have real value. The benefits might not be as immediate or recognizable as a professionally facilitated team program, but you can build trust and camaraderie by simply spending quality time together out of your work space. This… Read more »

  Is team building worth it? There are so many negative cliches about team programs that it’s hard to initiate an activity with a positive attitude from your colleagues. And even though I’m a professional team building facilitator, I get that! As a member of a community organization, I recently participated in a team building program. Leading up to the event, I found that even I was making wisecracks; wondering what kind of potentially uncomfortable activity I’d be forced to participate in. I was pleasantly surprised to take part in a program that was really fun and brought us all closer together. When done properly team building is worth it. And there is need. The Need For Team Building Every… Read more »

I know I’m biased since team building is what I do for a living, but I truly believe that team programs should be at the top of every company’s priority list. I think my bias is warranted because I’ve seen tangible results; with improved communication among teams and the power that comes when co-workers have fun together. But, I get it – life is busy and work is even busier. So it’s hard to find time for team building. Wouldn’t it be great if you could plan a team building lunch? Team building during lunch is a great solution because it fits into a set time limit and it can be DIY or professionally facilitated. And very importantly, everybody gets to… Read more »