You may hear the phrase fun corporate events and think it’s an oxymoron. But fun and corporate events doesn’t have to be an oxymoron. While it can be a challenge to find a program that delivers content and fun they are out there. Why should you care? Because there’s real value in sharing fun experience with your colleagues.
There’s lots of stuff you can fake in life. But fun is a feeling that’s either there or it’s not. When you take part in a genuinely entertaining and enjoyable activity you’ll be engaged. You’ll be interacting naturally, without forcing it. That’s fun.
Believe it or not, you’ll get ROI from the time and resources you put into creating a successful event. The ROI comes from the increased engagement, improved communication and the relationship building that occurs when groups of people spend genuinely enjoyable time together.
I’ll tell you what’s not fun. Being part of an activity that’s supposed to be great and just ends up being forced. Even though I facilitate lots of team building programs, I can definitely relate to being part of an uncomfortable program that doesn’t succeed.
While I spend a lot of time on stage and in front of groups, I’m still an introvert. I don’t like being forced into a situation or activity with the hope that it’s fun or cool. Almost everyone of my clients shares the same hesitancy I do. So finding programs that work is really important to me.
When you take part in a genuinely fun activity you’ll be guided and invited, not pulled or forced. There’s an important distinction between the two approaches.
How To Look For Fun Corporate Events
There are lots of great event ideas out there. But before you start searching for one specific program you need to understand how to search. If you don’t ask the right questions, you won’t get the answers you need to find a good match for your company’s event. Here are steps to get you started.
- Find a great event facilitator – someone who understands how to relate to your team. Take time to speak with your potential event leader and ask him or her exactly how they begin. Is there conversation, invitation, warm-up? Do they know how to lead, rather than to pull?
- Find someone who cares – someone who wants to know your goals for your program, who isn’t just phoning it in. Have they sent you a questionnaire? Have they asked questions about the make-up of your team, your hopes and your fears? This is important stuff!
- Find someone you’re comfortable with – If you’re not at ease during an initial phone conversation, you probably won’t be at ease as your being led through an interactive program. Challenge is great and I’m all for that. A little bit of fear and challenge helps us grow and bond. But there has to be trust and a high level of professionalism with and by the person who’s leading you through your program.
- Take time – time to ask questions, check references and get confident with whoever you hire before you begin. It’s your right to do this and this will help ensure that you reach your goals.
- Is there potential for fun? I believe there’s potential for fun in almost anything. If you’re engaged in an activity, sharing quality time and being challenged a bit, you’ll most likely have fun. That’s why the above list is so important. Go through the steps above before you get locked into the idea of one specific activity.
A Few Of My Favorites
My favorite phrase of all is, “This is more fun that I thought it would be!” I delight in hearing this and luckily, I get to hear it every time I lead clients through one of my own fun corporate events.
My company uses music, story and song to create interactive song sessions. We call it Team Building Through Song® but we really encompass more than that.
Among the things we do are on-your-feet musical keynote presentations in which large groups experience uninhibited creative brainstorming, music video events, small group songwriting, musical improv sessions and more.
When you have opportunity to tell your own story and sing your own song it’s empowering. You’ll better appreciate what makes your company special. But none of this would matter if the process wasn’t entertaining. Through a step-by-step process that develops naturally, without being forced; you and your entire group will share real moments, real music and real fun.
Another corporate event that’s really fun and quite meaningful is using Lego blocks to build metaphors for your organization’s story or goals or history. The first time I took part in a Lego corporate event I was really skeptical. I thought the program would be childish and lacking in depth.
I learned two important things from taking part. There’s lots of depth when you’re being led by a great facilitator. Working with blocks while working with your colleagues is genuinely fun. After a few minutes of building with Legos you’ll be back in the here-and-now state you experienced often as a child. In that hear and now state you can easily focus. You’ll be more open to hearing what others say as you build your dream world together.
With the Lego program the thing I feared most about it, the childishness, became it’s strongest attribute. And there’s plenty of depth since you’ll be using lego builds as metaphor for where you’ve been, where you are and where you’re headed.
Both songwriting programs and Lego programs share a vital element and that’s enjoyment. These are seriously fun corporate events. Part of the power of both these experiences is the surprise everyone shares as groups move from skepticism, to being in the moment, to smiles and laughter.
When you take time to find a great team building program for your group you’ll find yourself in a new environment with your peers; one of heightened listening, reduced skepticism and greater inclusion. Think of the benefits.
Imagine how much better your workforce could be with that energy rippling through it!