Yawn... not team buil..lll..di..ng..again!
TEAMWORK and team building have today become such common terms that their very mention causes most people to groan and wish they were somewhere in Alaska! Like thousands of others, your organisation and internal teams are probably no different. You might have a team/s on hand that either quail or would rather die of boredom than hear the word `team work or team building.' So how do you undertake teambuilding that is sometimes necessary without eliciting a dismal response form your team members? Simple, do it in secret! Have a Sherlock Holmes or a Hercule Poirot stratagem in place. Let them not know that they're into some real team building activities so that they truly enjoy the process and actually bond better.
All that secrecy is necessary because... most employees have either already been through or heard too much about teamwork. They've become jaded and believe its just eyewash by the management to show it on paper that an employee welfare initiative has been implemented. Like a rather too jaded young tech lead once not so pleasantly retorted, `Well... what's new? Are we to run over ditches and roll in the mud again... Is it fun bonding?'
Because people are such social beings, they are unconsciously and sub-consciously geared to work in groups and amongst groups. It becomes a little difficult to convince them that they need to be taught the mechanics of working happily within their own groups.
Most employees are reluctant to participate because they fear they will be made to come out of their comfort zones and appear vulnerable before acquaintances, and at times virtual strangers, and therefore feel compelled to stay `bonded.' While the more cynical lot believe that these activities are just time wasters, `what's the big deal about them anyway?' Therefore a typically initiated team building exercise only appears to be a superficial reinforcement of what is already inherent.
It's important that the employer remember that he must actually enhance teamwork practices rather than `build or rebuild' his teams.' And when the employer/ management fails to deliver the needful or meet the hidden needs then the purpose of the whole exercise is lost and the effort is rendered wasteful.
Ways to integrate teamwork exercises on the sly!
The first and foremost thing to remember is to avoid constant, frequent and repetitive use of the words - teamwork and team building! Name your teamwork initiatives anything else - testing waters, skills recognition initiative, a break from monotony drive, anything but teamwork!
Integration and practice building exercises always work better if they are based on a substantial foundation. Typically these activities could be based on objectives, participation, contribution, responsibility and commitment.
Remember, unless it's an entirely new team that you're trying to integrate, an old, already established team will have already bonded well. So if you have an agenda of physically exerting exercises, ensure that they are intelligently designed to be mentally and emotionally invigorating. Never forget, you're attempting to integrate and not insult the intelligence of your team members.
Innovate. Think up team practice enhancing activities. These could be in integrating sub teams with core teams to ensure greater cross-functionalism. You could arrange for team knowledge and skill sharing exercises.
Encourage brainstorming sessions among inter and intra workgroups to improve work process. It works in a three-pronged way - encourages ideation and kills boredom, improves work-involvement and knits a team effectively.
Brief and periodic cross-functional stints during lean times or when there is a slump in regular work will provide employees the change and charge they need. But the stints must be made to sound attractive and ensure interaction between teams. In short, it's an effective way to breakdown popular and restrictive intra-team knowledge and attitudinal barriers.
There's one dreaded corporate bonding and training syndrome that most employees wish to steer clear of - The `we belong to a unit, a family.' There is a difference. You don't earn money at home for keeping your home in order, but get paid at the workplace for what you do. You're creating an irresolvable conflict in the employees' mind. Most corporates should be wise enough to realise not to play on such subliminal levels. Instead, motivating and helping the employee shed his inhibitions, open up, trust and be a willing team player should be the modus operandi of a team integration process. The `we' bonding effort works best when it appears to be less `binding'.
A hands-on workshop also provides opportunities for team building. You could instigate and propel the formation of hobby and interest forums like book clubs, groups for those interested in arts, science and technology, quizzes and so on.
These groups also build and enhance team practices at a more informal but effective level. It ensures that all participants get to express themselves and participate with greater freedom, verve and enthusiasm.
These external modes of self-expression often also show up at the work-level in the form of greater enthusiasm, liveliness and creativity.
Teamwork exercises if planned well and initiated without much fanfare and in a non-threatening manner can work wonders.
These processes when gradually integrated into the flow of everyday work will help employees across all strata accept it without much resistance. Your attempts have been successful when the team begins to shows signs of developing a well rounded `team personality', that enhance leadership skills, initiative, enthusiasm for work, accountability for products and smooth resolution of conflicts.
SAMYUKTA KODA
samyukta@cnkonline.com
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