TSM - Team building (II)

If the first part of the article was focused on defining the 7 steps that need to be followed when a team-building is organized, the second part will be oriented on creating a clear understanding of the importance and benefits of a team building program, but also the types of team building activities. As you are already used to, in this number there will also be practical exercises that can be used in creating a team.

From my previous experience, most of the team-buildings are organized when the conflict has already arisen. The team-building is seen as a solution in over-passing all the problems, but, the reasons that could conduct to organizing a team-building should be more various:

• Encourage team work before the conflict appears between team members;
• Encourage positive competition between team members and support the multiple points of view that are expressed, because it can generate constructive ideas for the projects;
• Acquire knowledge and develop abilities about the rest of the team members, for a better splitting of responsibilities and tasks and for a better understanding of each role in the team;
• Understand the process of task delegation for an efficient work within the team.

Time	15 minutes/ group Total:
Activity name	The shield
Teams	The group is slit in small teams of 2 persons
Localization	Indoor / outdoor
Materials	A4 paper with instructions Pens
Objectives	Get to know each other
Descriere	Participants split in groups of 2 persons and discuss the 4 questions. The outcome should be a drawing that highlights the most representative things for the other person. The drawings will be presented to the rest of the team.
Description	Each participant receives an A4 paper with all the questions

Team building activities could also be very diverse:

• Learning through play - carrying out activities and solving tasks by playing, the participants derive conclusions that will lead to learning and understanding the application of effective communication within the team and creating team cohesion by winning the confidence of the other team members;
• Organizing events with different topics - Organization of thematic events that encourage teamwork. A good example is sports competitions in which team members learn how to compete with each other for a better understanding of positive competition. Other events may be the ones that involve all company employees, and the best known example is the Christmas parties.
• Social events are another way to create team cohesion. Informal environments are beneficial for the team members to get to know each other. As mentioned in the previous article, the better people are acquainted on a personal level, the conflict resolution process can be more efficient.

Time	15 minutes planning time 30 minute building the bridge 15 minute debriefing Total: 60 minutes
Activity name	The bridge
Teams	4 teams (10 members/ team - maximum)
Localization	Indoor / outdoor
Materials	Flipchart/ Cardboard A4 papers Scotch, scissors, string Plastic
Objectives	Team collaboration; Planning activities; Transmitting information.
Description	Instructions: This is a team game Purpose: each team has to build with the necessary materials half of the bridge who needs to fit with the other part of the bridge. Rules: 1. Appoint a representative who will communicate with the other team. The representatives will establish meetings with the help of the trainers. The purpose of the meeting is to define the strategy of building the bridge so that there is compatibility between the bridges. 2. Each representative will take an A4 paper and will transmit the information that he/she receives from the trainer. 3. The representatives will transmit the information to the teams using words, not the A4 paper. 4. At the end of the construction, unite the bridges. 5. The bridge has to be so strong as to support a mug with water.   Conclusions: This is a game that encourages team collaboration. The success of a good collaboration is to transmit the information received as clearly as possible through the team representatives. Besides this, there is the need of involvement of each team member for accomplishing this task. In order to achieve the final objective, there are some stages: - Planning the activities: how the materials are used, the bridge design, the splitting of tasks, who is responsible of what, communication, collaboration; - The actual construction, the implementation of the plan and the execution;   Each stage is dependent of the success of the communication between the representatives and between the representatives and the teams.
Necessary	Each team representative will receive the instruction on an A4 paper.

After reading this article, the benefits of team-building programs are more than intuitive:

• Increased efficiency of teamwork;
• Knowledge of team members on personal and professional level by putting them in different situations;
• Increased confidence in team members;
• Develop a sense of membership;
• Acquisition or improvement of skills and knowledge;
• Create a pleasant environment within the team;
• Motivate team members and increased self-esteem;

I believe that you are convinced of the positive impact of team-building activities on the efficiency of teamwork, therefore I encourage you to invest human and financial resources to organize such team building activities more often.

Success !