Don’t Create Team Building Horror Stories
Yes, there are BAD team building events out there (We’re not one!)
Team building has become a buzzword in corporate culture, often eliciting groans and eye-rolls from employees. As someone who's built a career around creating meaningful team experiences, I often feel like I'm fighting an uphill battle against the reputation of "team building" – it's almost like being a used car salesman in the corporate space. A few bad apples have indeed spoiled the bunch, leaving many professionals wary of any activity labeled as "team building."
The Horror Stories: Allison Green's Slate article, "The Corporate Habit Everyone Hates More Than Any Other," sheds light on some truly appalling team building experiences. Let's look at a few examples that make us cringe:
The Mountain Abandonment: Imagine being left stranded on a 14,000+ foot mountain during a "Hiking Retreat," while the rest of your team descends without you. Talk about being left high and dry!
The Trauma Sharing Circle: Picture sitting in a dark room for three hours, taking turns sharing traumatic life events, complete with tears and raw emotions. An event so distressing that it becomes a traumatic experience in itself.
The Soda Spit Swap: And the winner for the most cringe-worthy activity goes to... "We had to take a big gulp of soda and spit the soda into a partner's mouth!" I'm not sure whether to laugh or gag.
These stories highlight a fundamental misunderstanding of what team building should be about: fostering connection, communication, and collaboration in a safe, respectful environment.
The LEGO Serious Play Difference: At IN8 Create, we've taken a radically different approach with our LEGO Serious Play sessions. Here's how our methodology stands in stark contrast to these horror stories:
Safe and Inclusive: Unlike the mountain retreat disaster, our sessions are accessible to all team members, regardless of physical ability or comfort level. Everyone participates on equal footing.
Creative and Engaging: LEGO bricks provide a hands-on, creative outlet that engages both mind and hands. It's fun without being forced or awkward.
Metaphorical and Deep: The LEGO models serve as metaphors for complex ideas, allowing teams to tackle challenging topics in a non-threatening way.
The Key to Successful Team Building: The critical factor in any team building activity is understanding and respecting the needs and boundaries of your team. Before planning any event, consider these steps:
Survey your team anonymously about their preferences and comfort levels.
Ensure activities are inclusive and accessible to all team members.
Focus on exercises that build skills relevant to your work environment.
Prioritize psychological safety and respect for personal boundaries.
Choose facilitators or companies with a track record of positive experiences.
While team building horror stories abound, it's important to remember that effective, enjoyable, and meaningful team experiences are possible. At IN8 Create, we're committed to changing the narrative around team building, one LEGO brick at a time. By focusing on creativity, respect, and shared vision, we're helping teams build stronger connections – without the need for mountain treks, trauma circles, or soda swapping.
Understanding the complexity of team communication is half the battle. Solving it is the other half. Let us help your team navigate these complexities with our LEGO-based sessions on communication, collaboration, and connection. Contact us today to learn more and see how we can transform your team's communication dynamics. Let's build a better team together!
We have facilitators in New York, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Tampa Bay, Chicago, San Diego, Dallas, and more! We also travel!
