| The idea of team building is never far from the | | | | work effectively. |
| surface in any environment where large numbers of | | | | One concept of team building is for a "team" to go |
| people must work together towards a common goal. | | | | away for a weekend and take part in exercises that |
| Sometimes maligned, sometimes praised as being | | | | will define who works well together, and allow |
| essential, the team building ethic is something that most | | | | members to get to know one another. Often derided |
| certainly seems to be here to stay, and will be | | | | as simply being opportunities to get out into the country |
| something we continue to hear a lot about. But for | | | | and get drunk, these weekends can work excellently |
| many people, the concept of team building is a fairly | | | | as a way of developing a team ethic. The exercises, |
| alien one. Many people have heard of it but do not | | | | as diverse as paintball shooting, archery and other |
| know exactly what it is. They may question whether it | | | | such outdoor pursuits as well as indoor elements |
| has any effect, or whether "team building" is simply a | | | | based on discussion and "sharing", allow an individual to |
| buzz phrase with no real meaning whatsoever. | | | | be seen in their best light as well as in their most |
| The concept as it is understood by most is that team | | | | human state. When individuals know each other, and |
| building is a way of bringing members of an | | | | know their best qualities, it allows them to hold together |
| organization together in such a way as to get to know | | | | as a team better than before. |
| one another better, to recognize each other's | | | | It must be said that team building has to be handled |
| strengths and weaknesses and ensure that everyone | | | | responsibly by all, as a badly developed team building |
| gets a fair say in a sector of the organization. The | | | | exercise can end up ostracizing people and thus |
| term carries echoes of sport, which is no accident. | | | | having the opposite effect from that which was |
| Any large or small group of individuals working | | | | intended. Team building is important. It can take place |
| towards the same goal can be compared to a | | | | within the office, on a weekend away, or during |
| sporting team. There are the members whose role is | | | | lunchtime - the key point is that it brings members of |
| to facilitate, and those whose role is to elaborate. | | | | the team together and allows them to get to know |
| Some people are best at delivering the ultimate result, | | | | one another better. As well as bringing an entire team |
| while others play a better role in the preparatory | | | | together, it can forge particularly close bonds between |
| element of the team. Each, however, is utterly | | | | two or three members of the team - bonds which can |
| essential to the way a team works. And it is only by | | | | help the team as a whole as well as benefiting the |
| learning about one another that a team can really | | | | individuals in a real, tangible way. |