| There is no school like the old school. And good old | | | | unlikely to happen at the bar, unless your team gets |
| school styled team building is when the boss takes | | | | to win at darts against the forces of evil (talk about |
| the team out for beers. It's tried and true, but is it | | | | "old school"), who happen to have chosen the same |
| really effective? | | | | bar for their teambuilding. |
| Consider that a good team building experience should: | | | | Beer gets a 3 on trust building. Generally, no direct |
| 1) Provide a shared experience | | | | trust building is going on here. But, it still gets a 3 |
| 2) Promote disclosure among participants | | | | because we can put a checkmark in the 'promotes |
| 3) Level the playing field between colleagues | | | | disclosure' box and as we've said, that's a foundation |
| 4) Build trust | | | | step to building trust. |
| 5) Increase self-awareness | | | | 5. Drinking beer increases self-awareness |
| Let's break it down and see if old-school team | | | | A good teambuilding experience includes time set |
| building works. How does drinking beer with a team | | | | aside for structured introspection, where participants |
| of colleagues score on these five teambuilding | | | | have a chance to debrief their reactions to the |
| elements? We'll rate on a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high). | | | | experience and think about their reactions, their |
| 1) Drinking beer provides a shared experience. | | | | communication and their effect on others. |
| In its extreme, a shared experience is the Sgt. Hulka | | | | Other than the slovenly cab ride home and taking |
| boot camp phenomenon. Put people through an | | | | your tie or earrings off in front of the bathroom |
| activity where they have an intense experience | | | | vanityÉnot much. Drinking beer gets a 1 on |
| (even a bad one), and it usually builds camaraderie | | | | self-awareness. |
| over the long term. It's the common bond of | | | | Total score: Drinking Beer scores a 25 out of 50 on |
| accomplishment, a common goal and shared | | | | our teambuilding scale. Significant, but not a homerun. |
| memories. | | | | But let's look at that score from a glass half-full |
| We'd give beer a 5 out of 10 on this one. Sometimes | | | | perspective. Armed with this awareness about what |
| the challenges around the experience aren't very | | | | makes a good teambuilding experience, and knowing |
| challenging, and the whole beery evening can be | | | | that a simple trip to the local watering hole can get |
| forgettable. Other times stories are exchanged, bar | | | | you halfway there, it can't be thattough to come up |
| games are played, and the evening leaves everyone | | | | with a plan for a potentially great teambuilding |
| more relaxed, and aware of some different things | | | | experience. |
| that are happening in the lives of their colleagues. | | | | When most people think of a team building |
| 2) Drinking beer promotes disclosure. | | | | experience, it usually involves some increased |
| Disclosure builds trust. Trust builds team. Why? When | | | | component of physical risk; the much cliched trust |
| you tell me something about yourself, you are | | | | fall, a ropes course, a scavenger hunt, or a mock |
| making an investment in me, inus. You grant me the | | | | Olympics. Hidden talents emerge, the hierarchy can |
| honor of trusting me with that information. Second, | | | | shift, and if it's set up correctly and well debriefed, |
| your disclosure may reveal some talent about | | | | self-awareness is boosted. We help each other |
| yourself that I'm not aware of; a talent that might | | | | through this challenge, and we all have a good laugh |
| one day provide me with some comfort when the | | | | and feel good about being supported and supporting |
| time comes for me to choose whether I can rely on | | | | our colleagues. A physical team challenge gets people |
| you or not. For example, a manager finds out his | | | | out of their heads, and out of the hierarchy - |
| new analyst is also an amateur thespian. She may | | | | especially if it's professionally facilitated like the |
| then be more comfortable when the analyst has to | | | | Outward Bound adventures - and can be the right call |
| make an important investor presentation during her | | | | to help a groups improve their team performance. |
| vacation week. | | | | There are risks. |
| Beer gets a 9 out of 10 on disclosure. Although, beer | | | | What's the Down Side? (besides a great name for a |
| can prompt the disclosure of wrong information, | | | | bar) |
| especially if one drinks toomuch, the pub loosens the | | | | One drawback is that it's too far removed from the |
| environment and allows for some history on each of | | | | work environment, and without facilitated dialog, the |
| us to be passed around. The environment promotes | | | | potential learning never surfaces. A second problem is |
| disclosure. The purpose of being at a bar is to | | | | that someone gets hurt. As quick as it takes to get |
| socialize. Mostly, this is a good thing. | | | | poked in the eye or sprain an ankle, the benefit from |
| 3. Drinking beer levels the playing field. | | | | the experience can be undone. |
| The hierarchy of the office needs to be set aside as | | | | The truth is you can build a sense of team around |
| much as it can for hidden talents and skills to come | | | | any type of content. Make a wish about what your |
| out, and for mutual respect and relationships to grow. | | | | team could do better, and turn that wish into a |
| Everybody has to feel like they can contribute to | | | | team-building, skill-building event. Instead of mountain |
| whatever is happening. If we all feel like we have to | | | | climbing, make the focus overcoming obstacles using |
| do what the boss says, period, then the playing field | | | | new problem solving skills. Instead of cooking, make |
| isn't level. | | | | the content a recipe for listening and giving feedback. |
| Beer gets a 7 on this one. Once you're in the bar, the | | | | Instead of wine tasting: a meeting on how to |
| hierarchy gets all turned around. Yes, you'll probably | | | | cultivate an environment that values innovation. |
| still laugh at the boss's jokes, but the leader of the | | | | Instead of a scavenger hunt, a public speaking |
| experience is more likely to be the most engaging | | | | session on finding ways to give clear and effective |
| member of the team, or the best darts player, or | | | | presentations. It's all about layering : being deliberate |
| the funniest. The downside? Some people don't like | | | | about achieving multiple objectives when your team |
| bars or pubs, so some members of the team might | | | | is face to face. |
| not participate at all. (Actually the Down Side is not a | | | | Build team and at the same time build durable skills; |
| bad name for a pub, is it?) | | | | skills that are useful professionally and personally, and |
| 4. Drinking beer builds trust. | | | | lay the groundwork for your team to communicate |
| A good experience forces us to rely on others to | | | | and work more effectively together. |
| succeed, and requires different skills than are | | | | And then, celebrate with a beer, because it sure |
| necessarily required to do our day-to-day jobs. This is | | | | beats a poke in the eye. |
