If you want full value for team building events, it pays to review several important factors before planning the event. Team building can add value to your organisation, but only if the activities fit the team's needs.

We've noticed over the past few months a resurgence of interest in team building. Most development activities, in time of constraint, tend to be given a lower priority. However, team building seems to suffer more than most. This may be because there's a perception by some that team building activities are frivolous; a few days away in a nice resort playing games, climbing cliffs, or falling back into each other's arms. And in some cases there is more than a little truth in this view.

However we shouldn't tar all team building activities with the same brush. If the event matches the needs of the team, then it will result in a return on your investment. Here's a few guidelines to ensure value-added team building.

Two Questions
Integration Level
Whenever I discuss team building with a client, I start with two basic questions. The first is to gauge the level of team integration. A fully integrated team is one where each member's success is dependent on each other member's performance. An example of a highly integrated team can be seen in a manufacturing setting, in which supply chain, R & D, product development, manufacturing, quality control, and warehouse/logistics all have to work in concert. And of course each of the support functions such as HR, IT and Finance must fully support the operating units. If one function doesn't do its job, or the interface between departments isn't working, then the team suffers. At the other extreme, a non-integrated team is one in which the departments are more or less autonomous. I have, for example, conducted team building with team members who have little in common other than the fact they all report to the same person and meet once a month to discuss corporate topics of common interest.

This level of team integration will provide the first clue regarding the type of team building that best suits. As a general guideline, for integrated teams, the focus is on, not only the relationships between individual team members, but on the interactions and interfaces between their departments. For non-integrated teams, there is a far greater focus on individual relationships and the effectiveness of the monthly meeting. The former is, of course, a far more complex and challenging situation.

Current Team State:
The second question focuses on the team's current level of performance. If a team is working effectively, then team building activities should be very different than those recommended for dysfunctional teams. Functional teams will focus more on how to make a positive situation better. This is a fairly easy and usually trouble free task. The greater challenge comes with dysfunctional teams. Members of such teams are quite often reluctant to get involved, have given up, or give personal grudges a higher priority than team work. There aren't any easy answers to this one. A couple of brief pointers though; have a skilled, objective facilitator, and attempt to get all team members onside before holding a team session.

Two Activity Types
When you have an idea of team needs, you can then go on to decide which team activities will achieve your objectives. There are literally hundreds if not thousands of team activities that have filled many books, but you can classify most of them in one of two ways.

Analyze and Action Plan:
This approach is more common with teams in the dysfunctional category, because it focuses on analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of the team. The team building session can then focus on leveraging the strengths and improving weak areas. There are several ways to conduct the analysis. The most effective is to meet each team member individually before the session to get their views. You can also do a simple e-survey before the session. In some cases the analysis is done at the session, but this takes valuable team time, can become acrimonious in a dysfunctional team, and sometimes isn't an accurate reflection of what really goes on within the team.

Building Team Cohesiveness:
This approach is by far the most common and probably most responsible for the bad reputation earned by some team building sessions. It focuses solely on activities that build team cohesiveness, rather than focusing on the specific needs of the team. Its primary benefit comes from the fact that the team works through a difficult experience together and succeeds as a team. The more challenging the experience, the more pronounced the success, and the greater the cohesiveness built. Such experiences include physical challenges, board games, intellectual games and just about any activity that an enterprising consultant can think of. There's no doubt all of these approaches can be effective cohesiveness builders. If the team does overcomes a difficult challenge then cohesiveness will build. However, keep in mind that this difficult challenge can be a difficult business challenge. It needn't be a game or an outdoor adventure or any activity that may be viewed as frivolous. Some of the most successful team building experiences I've led have been a management team solving an extremely difficult business problem, or developing an innovative strategy. Maybe not as much fun as climbing a mountain, but a double dip payoff of a more cohesive team and a business problem solved.

In summary, do some analysis before the event. Look at the level of integration and team effectiveness. Both of these factors will guide you in the right direction. Then carefully choose team building activities. If you want to improve a wide range of team factors, then choose the analyze/ action plan approach. If all you're after is increased cohesiveness, then go with that approach (note: of course you can combine the two.) Set realistic expectations. No team building activity will perform miracles, but with effective planning it can add value and also look like it's adding value.

For more information contact Bob Power