General

The Medical Society of Virginia is an organization in Richmond, Virginia that supports Virginia physicians in the practice of medicine, regardless of specialty, level of experience, geography or practice setting. Their organization consists of two sides- the insurance agency side and the non-profit side that advocates for what matters most in medicine. 

The Medical Society of Virginia (we’ll call them MSV for short) is in the midst of strategic branding process and really wanted to have an opportunity for staff of all levels to look at the core values as an organization. Several of the senior leaders at MSV had used Signature Teambuilding in the past and noticed that the participants had a positive experience with the program. So Jenny Young, MSV’s Director of Membership, picked up the phone to call Greg at Signature Teambuilding. 

On that phone call, Jenny emphasized how important it was for everyone on the team to get acquainted with the new staff members. Putting anyone outside of their physical comfort zone was not an option for this team, so it became clear to Greg that Shifting Gears would be the right program to be able to focus on the core values of the company. After that first phone call with Greg, Jenny felt excited and confident about what was in store for the team at MSV.  

The day came and went, but not without a few epiphanies along the way. As an organization of about 40 that is split into two, the two teams didn’t really know each other that well. To get a gauge of the energy in the room, learning each other’s names was the first step. Throughout the day, Greg focused on their issue of communication through a series of activities that involved interacting with everyone on the team. Not knowing each other’s names was a thing of the past and meaningful interactions among colleagues were starting to occur. For Jenny personally, it got her thinking about how she showed up to each conversation throughout her day. 

There was a big awareness factor throughout the program, especially in regards to their workload and how busy everyone is throughout the day. The MSV team realized that they do need to get up out of their desks and make relationships with their colleagues throughout the entire organization. Shifting Gears helped them understand that everyone has different strengths, but there are many ways to find common ground! We are not all the same and that is ok. Show up to the table with what you’ve got, communicate, and relationships will blossom. 

We previously discussed some important factors to consider when choosing a team building outing. To be considered true team building, you should look for activities that are focused on the outcome and not the activity, are an investment in your team, and strive for inclusivity. But the considerations don’t stop there! Today we’re examining three additional, yet equally as important factors your desired activity should include. 

Competitive vs. Collaborative

All too often, we see company outings filled with competitive games and activities that divide groups into teams who then compete against one another. We’re all for a little friendly competition but when the purpose of team building is team unity how does promoting competition achieve this goal? At best, it names one side a “winner” and their menial success is quickly forgotten. At worst, it might heighten preexisting tensions between team members, driving a further wedge between them rather than building a bond. All of our experiences at Signature Teambuilding encourage collaboration so participants work together to achieve one unified goal. At the end of the day, what truly matters is that the ultimate goal was achieved together.

Outing vs. Training

Happy hours, mini golf, escape rooms- all fun time spent away from the office? Yes. Teaching anything of value to your team? No. Each experience at Signature Teambuilding teaches lessons that directly relate to improving workplace performance. One of our clients at Capital One mentioned their expectations were exceeded when we were able to relate the experience lessons directly back to Capital One competencies regarding collaboration and leadership. Team building shouldn’t simply be an afternoon away from work, but an enjoyable experience that ultimately results in the growth of your group.

Embarrassing and Silly vs. Smart and Purposeful 

This should go without saying, but the last thing you want is for your team outing to result in anyone’s embarrassment. A woman once told me a ghastly story about her experience with “team building”. Her company planned a trip to a water park and much to her dismay, requested everyone wear a bathing suit. Instead of contributing lasting lessons that would make her a more valuable team member, this only resulted in her hesitation and unwillingness to participate! Our experiences are designed with the purpose of providing valuable lessons that can be immediately applied in the workplace. Plus, we’ll never request you wear anything, but what you are most comfortable in. We know there is a lot to consider when choosing the right team building program so hopefully this provided an understanding of what to look for and what to stay away from. You’ll notice all our experiences check all the necessary boxes. If looking for the best experience for your team, the choice is easy: it’s Signature Teambuilding. 

When choosing a team building activity for their team, people have a tendency to focus on the easiest choice. Whether that’s the cheapest option, the closest distance, or the shortest amount of time away from the office, people are inclined to choose whatever is easiest. What they often don’t realize is that true team building provides certain qualities that outings masquerading as team building may not and you should make sure the activity you choose checks all the necessary boxes.

1. Activity Focused vs Outcome Focused

Is the focus on the activity itself or the outcome your team stands to gain? There are plenty of outings that allow your team to get away from the office, but what is your team taking away from these outings? Is it an afternoon of moaning about a manager or is it an instrumental experience that will build internal relationships and improve overall productivity? Each Signature Teambuilding experience is designed around the specific behaviors you can expect your team to gain whether these be collaboration, leadership, or innovation. So when choosing a team building activity, ask yourself, is this experience focused on the activity or the lasting outcome?

2. Expense vs Investment

Money is often a factor when choosing a team building experience and everyone likes to save a few bucks. It’s easy to focus on the price per participant and choose the most cost-effective option, but you’ll first want to ask yourself: Is this a one-time expense or an investment in our team’s future? You may have a coupon for an afternoon of mini-golf or a few free appetizers at a local restaurant, but neither of these activities contribute to the betterment of your group. Instead, consider investing in an experience that will provide your team with successful behaviors that will continuously improve operations.

3. Exclusive vs Inclusive

Don’t risk losing group participation by choosing an activity that excludes certain members. Signature Teambuilding’s inclusive programs are designed to make sure everyone can participate regardless of skill level or ability. They’re conducted on a level playing field where participants are encouraged to show up as their most authentic selves. Is your desired team outing inclusive or does it risk excluding certain team members?

These are just a few important factors to consider when choosing a team building experience for your group. Don’t let the cheapest or simplest option beat out what will be a lasting, important experience for your group. Signature Teambuilding provides outcome-based learning through inclusive programs that contribute to the long-term growth of your team. When you look at our activities based on each of these factors, the choice becomes clear. 

Have you ever approached a new experience with hesitation, distrust, and a negative attitude? Been so skeptical that you refused to open your mind to the experience? Did you magically end up having a great time at said experience? I’m guessing not. When you have already decided that you aren’t going to like the new thing you try, chances are, you’ll be right.

Our minds are powerful tools that have the ability to make the absolute best (or absolute worst) of any given situation. At Signature Teambuilding, we can directly see the role attitude plays when it comes to someone’s participation with one of our programs. In fact, a specific story comes to mind:

A group of 15 arrived to our site, stepping off the van and excited to get started with the Signature Teambuilding program, with the exception of the last individual to exit the vehicle. We’ll call this gentleman Henry. Henry begrudgingly stepped out using his cane and said “I don’t want to be here, they made me come and I’m not doing anything.” Lifting his cane off the ground, he said, “See?  Where can I sit down?” Not wanting him to be excluded from the group, I pulled up a chair and said, “You can sit here and if at any time you find you would like to participate, you can join in.” He muttered something unpleasant under his breath as I shifted my focus to the willing participants.

The group and I carried on with the program and experience-based activities; people were having fun, learning and talking about how the lessons were relatable to their work. Occasionally, they would signal over to Henry and let him know he was welcome. This went on for a couple hours, inviting him over, but to no avail. Eventually, the group gave up asking him to join in, claiming, “he’s always like that.” However, as the afternoon carried on he drew his chair closer and began listen to the conversations following the activities. He was able to see that the activities were non-threatening, interesting and fun and slowly began to engage with the group.

Before we knew it, Henry was fully involved and not only was he fully participating, he was also doing more than he or anyone else thought he would do. It was truly an amazing transformation to witness! In our final reflection at the end of the day, Henry said the thing he learned about himself was that he was responsible for not having interactions with people. He spoke of declining activities with his children, not because he physically couldn’t, but because of his negative attitude. Not only was his attitude affecting his relationships at work, but it was also affecting his behavior towards his family! Before leaving that day, Henry made a commitment to change his attitude, keep an open mind and be willing to try new things and engage with people.  

I reconnected with Henry about six months later and he had fulfilled his promise to himself. He was happier at work and at home; he’d even started riding bikes with his kids! He credits us with helping him transform his life, but it was his willingness to shift his attitude that ultimately brought him lasting change. If you approach our activities with an open mind and a positive attitude, we believe you’ll leave the experience with successful behaviors to change your own life, both personally and professionally.

Before we begin a Signature Teambuilding activity, I often ask participants to line up on an imaginary line based on their inclination towards team building. To the left of the line are the people that would rather die than participate in team building and to the right of the line are the people that enjoy, even love, team building and are happy to be there. While lining up, people have to talk and share their reasoning for why they feel the way they do. I like this exercise because it encourages honesty about people’s past experiences. In my 30 years in the field, I have heard some horror stories about some team building experiences.

Team Building Horror Stories

1.  Our team actually got in a fight because they were so competitive.

2.  I was horrified to be seen in a bathing suit in front of my work mates.

3.  It was a waste of time. They should have put that money in my paycheck!

4.  The activities were so silly, they made me feel stupid.

5.  It was supposed to be team building but the same groups of people stayed together the whole time.

6.  That was nothing more than a day out of the office. I didn’t learn anything and now I am backed up at work.

While we can’t predict what you’ll gain from the experience, we can guarantee that you won’t feel exposed, silly, or that your time out of office was spent wasted. Our activities are fun, inclusive, and designed to get every individual team member interacting in a new and changing way.  It’s best to come with an open mind and an attitude that the experience will be completely different than anything you’ve tried before.

Everyone’s Tailored Approach

Once the group has finished lining up, my work is cut out for me. For the people that love team building, I need to make sure I meet what may be high expectations. For the people in the middle, I want to show them that team building can add real value and encourage them to re-think the way they lead and show up in a team environment. As for those people at the “I’d rather die” end of the line, I really hope I can change their view of team building by inviting them into the process, not forcing it, and creating A-HA moments they weren’t expecting. It helps to come in to the program with an open mind but that can be easier said than done, given how much past experiences weigh on our perspective.

Encouraging an Open Mind

When participating in one of our challenges, we encourage teams to forget what they’ve heard, seen, or imagined and come prepared to be transformed, both personally and professionally. The one thing we do want our participants to expect from Signature Teambuilding is lasting change if they continue to utilize the successful behaviors highlighted in each of our unique programs.