subject: Basic Teambuilding [print this page] Basic Teambuilding Basic Teambuilding
I personally define an effective, dynamic team as: "a united group of individuals joined together by trust and a common challenge that requires their best efforts to achieve common goals."
That last facet of the team, a challenge that calls for their highest quality, is absolutely essential but often missing in a team. Without such a challenge, your "team" might just be a group of people going through the motions.
One of the most enjoyable jobs I've had was cutting survey lines for mineral exploration in northern Canada. A group of us would be flown to a far off, unknown area, dropped off and left to fend for ourselves! In an instant, we knew in order to survive we had to gel immediately as a team. This was especially apparent when we were moving camps in 40 below weather conditions!
Before we even started the job we had to assemble an outhouse, clear an area for a tent, lay the floor, set up a stove, cut firewood, secure a watering hole and cut down straight trees for stringers. The necessity of teamwork continued into our job as well: finding the right location for starting a baseline, cutting lengths of section lines, cooking dinner, stoking the fire, and all other bush camp duties.
Our decision was made for us: be a team or don't survive. It was stipulated by the compelling challenge before us.
Does accomplishing your goals call for the use of a team? Does your survival and your people's rely on the formation of a team to get the job done?
If this isn't the case, aim higher! Though you may not be operating in a physically hostile environment, facing a unifying challenge is still possible.
I recently came across the vision statement of a little community financial institution: "To be the best provider of financial services and the best place to work in the communities we serve."
I was amazed! They've got it right!
If you think you can form a strong team without the ingredient of a clear and compelling challenge, you are sorely mistaken.To be blunt, the existence of the team is unimportant for the challenge itself forms the ONLY team building prerequisite.
