When John Dunne wrote the phrase, “No man is an island,” he might as well have been writing about the work ethic of corporate organizations today.

Because the days when the focus was exclusively on the individual and personal goals in the workplace are long gone. Today, no matter how small the company, the emphasis is on all members working closely together. And, for that, you need a lot of ideas for team building, teaching your members how to communicate and interact well together, working collectively towards the same goals. After all, a company can only be truly successful when the people are motivated and come together as a team.

History of Team Building

McDougall (1920) is reputed to have been the founder of team building, when he stated that there were five different conditions necessary for a highly productive group, although other prominent people, such as Sigmund Freud, have also recognized the benefits of teamwork. .

However, it was not until the early 1980s that companies in the United States began to seriously introduce a teamwork system into their companies.

This method of working collectively towards and achieving required goals has now been recognized globally, as numerous consulting firms have been established, the purpose of which is to advise organizations and corporations on the best way for that particular firm to build their team, along with ideas and activities to improve team performance.

Team Building Consultants

Teambuilding consulting firms possess the knowledge, experience, and tools necessary to advise corporations, first in building a team, and then in getting the best out of that team.

They will discuss the specific goals of your organization with you, taking into account issues such as the needs of your team, their ages, and the size of the group.

They will then introduce you to team building ideas and activities to improve things like communication, motivation, goal setting, problem solving, decision making, and confidence building. It is also important for staff to explore their own strengths and weaknesses and learn to self-regulate.

All of this should result in not only highly improved team productivity, but also a more pleasant work environment, making that particular company a more pleasant place for staff to spend their work day.

Team Building Activities

So what kinds of activities will consultants suggest to help bring out the best in your team?

Team building ideas vary considerably, depending on what type of organization it is. Because building an effective team is not only essential in the business world, it is also highly required by other organizations, such as sports teams, youth groups, and cultural groups.

Activities vary greatly, from outdoor activities, both physically demanding and less physically challenging, to group bonding sessions or behavior-based activities designed to improve group functioning.

At the end of the day, whatever type of organization you have, a well-managed team will result not only in success, but also in its members being more motivated and working confidently toward their collective goals.