I don’t often like icebreakers for large groups. It’s really hard to find fun and effective activities that work with lots of people. In fact, I’d never thought much about trying to develop an effective large group session until a client asked me what I could do for a group of 1,700 people in about 45 minutes. That’s a really big group and the request was daunting. But I was intrigued. It seems there’s a real demand for compelling conference icebreakers and activities that can be scaled up for lots of participants. My Successful Musical Icebreaker I’m going to speak first from personal experience and offer broad advice along the way that you can use. I think the following story of how I created a cool… Read more »
The Magic of Team Building Exercises
Can team building exercises really be magical? Yes, I believe they can. And I’ve seen the magic happen. I’ve seen the cynical come in and leave reunited with belief in the mission. I’ve seen the disengaged come in and leave filled with motivation and enthusiasm. I’ve seen the out-of-focus come in and leave with goals and action steps. But is team building usually magical? Unfortunately, no. I stopped being surprised a long time ago by the negative reactions of people when they see team building on their agenda. Too often team building exercises make people feel like children. And not in a good childlike enthusiastic way. But rather in a uncomfortable, put on the spot, middle school way. Team building can and… Read more »
Ten Team Building Event Ideas
Great team building event ideas come in many different varieties. Don’t make the mistake of thinking there’s only one ideal team building event for your group. In fact, the most effective team building comes from a series of small and ongoing efforts that can positively impact your workplace. I’m in the business of delivering team building programs and corporate events, so of course I love it when clients reach out to me for professional help. But there are great things you can do without bringing in an external team building facilitator. To get you started, here are ten team building event ideas that are fun and productive. You can organize all of these yourself. 10 Fun & Effective Team Builders Picture… Read more »
Create a Conference Breakout that Wins Over the Audience
The image above is from a real conference breakout session. Notice the leader is not stuck in front of the room. She’s asking a question, smiling and looking at the audience. These people are not bored. As an introverted creative type, I’m partial to breakout sessions because I stay focused better in smaller breakouts as compared to the large conference sessions that include everyone. In a conference breakout there’s opportunity to focus on specific topics and to allow for in depth discussion with lots of interaction. With that great potential, you have responsibility as someone planning a session to find interesting topics, great facilitators and entertaining subject matter experts who will engage your attendees. Don’t make the mistake of thinking… Read more »
Top Five Team Building Activities for Large Groups
Here’s the deal with team building activities for large groups; they’re really hard to find. In fact, successful team large group team building is almost an oxymoron. Almost an oxymoron but not quite; and that’s the good news. So if you do need to find great programs for larger groups they are out there. The best programs are specifically designed to work well with big groups. They’re fun, inclusive, productive and surprisingly, they really do bring people together. I’ve seen groups of over 1,000 share experience that makes everyone feel closer, creating the same kind of energy and exchange of ideas you’d expect from small group team building. After I came up with the idea to write this blog, it actually took me a while… Read more »
Why a Musical Keynote Speaker Brings Both Creativity and ROI
There are several great reasons to choose a musical keynote when you’re planning a conference. Musical keynotes are entertaining. They bring energy and positive emotion to a conference. A musical presentation also makes a great statement – that this won’t be the same old boring conference. Additionally, a successful musical speaker will bring value through a relevant message and takeaways. Here is a real-world example of why this is the case: A few years back I appeared as a keynote speaker at an aerospace company’s annual meeting. This was the first time they’d ever hired a speaker who wasn’t in their industry. While I certainly wasn’t able to talk about technical matters related to this company’s work, I was able to provide content that motivated… Read more »
Successful Interactive Team Building Activities
Interactive team building activities are really the only type of team building you should consider. By design, any program for building or bringing your team together will be interactive. But of course, some are more successful than others. Are there common elements of good interactive team building activities? I’m glad I asked that question for you, ha ha. And yes there are. I’m going to provide you with guidance to help you plan for a fun and successful program with your team. Dogs And A Team Building Lesson That’s not some random dog picture above. It’s a picture of a successful interactive event. This event took place between these two dogs, Mavis and Aaliyah. The dog on the left is Mavis,… Read more »
What is the Purpose of Team Building?
What is the Purpose of Team Building? This is a big question with varied answers and some debate about purpose and value. I’m going to outline the purpose of team building here. But remember, you’ll only get value from a team building experience if it’s well executed. So after you establish the purpose for your program, make sure to take time to find a great program that matches your goals. The Stages Of A Team It’s important to understand who your team is and where you are in the stages of team development before you focus on the purpose of team building. There’s a classic outline of the basic stages of team development that I really like. Forming – The initial… Read more »
Corporate Team Building Ideas Employees Will Love
It can be hard to find corporate team building ideas your employees will love. Before I began facilitating my own team programs I always tried to steer clear of those organized activities that can be quite uncomfortable. Too often, when you announce that you’ve planned a team building event your employees reactions may be akin to something like, “Hey, wish I could make it, but I think I’m gonna go to the dentist that day”. It really is a challenge to find corporate team building ideas you’ll all love. But it can be done. Before I share some specific guidelines for you a reality check is in order. You’ll never find any one event that everyone of your employees will get… Read more »
Expert Tips for Planning a Team Building Event
The way you go about planning a team building event is the most important factor in determining your event’s success. There are many team building options out there and finding a great fit for your organization is vital. There are several key elements that go into finding a fit. Good preparation is necessary to come away from a team building program with a feeling of satisfaction. When I get an inquiry from a potential client, my first step is to ask lots of questions. I’m not so much about selling my program to every potential inquiry as I am about learning if a particular client will benefit and find success from my own team building program. Over the course of several years and many clients… Read more »
D.I.Y Everyday Teambuilding
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