Run Brain Run Blog

Team building that doesn't work

gary@runbrainrun.com (Gary Corbin) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:14:54 +0000

A survey of office workers in Great Britain revealed that participants in many kinds of team building exercises just doesn't work.

The article states that "workers feel that some organised team-building activities can be a waste of time, and at worst, are toe-curlingly embarrassing."

Not all team building efforts, mind you. But certainly the "awkward and silly team-building activities, including enduring bikini-clad 'bed baths' and massages from colleagues, holding lingerie parties, and eating crickets as part of a 'bush tucker trial' style event."

So-called "trust-building" exercises, introduced into environments where the very foundation of trust - good communication, mutual awareness and respect - was lacking are doomed to failure. The article notes: "[A]drenaline experiences like speed-boating and bungee jumping are considered the least effective team-building activities, followed by trust exercises such as being blindfolded and led by colleagues."

Instead, employees suggested that outings that improved communication worked best. Things that enabled staff to get to know each other and work as teams. Charity work, for example.

We're glad to know that we've been doing it right all these years. Or at least, that British workers agree with us.

A secret stash of team builders

gary@runbrainrun.com (Gary Corbin) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:18:57 +0000

When recruiting young new Team Players, where should you look? Business school grads? Championship athletic teams? Military academies?

While those sources will no doubt produce some top-quality team players, you also want to keep your eyes open to what you might consider as Unlikely Sources.

We've had unusually high success, for example, recruiting folks with theater background: actors, musicians, techs, the works.

"What?" you may be asking yourself. "Flaky theater people? Egotistical divas? You mean, *those* people?"

Not so fast, bub. Yes, the theater does attract its share of folks who think they should be rewarded for their unrecognized brilliance, regardless of whether or not they actually show up for work. But then, so does every other industry.

A recent blog posting by a professor of theater enumerates many advantages that theater majors bring to the game, including:

Ability to learn very quickly
Ability to juggle a large number and variety of simultaneous tasks
Discipline and dedication - they show up, prepared, for an impossible schedule of rehearsals and performances
Willingness to perform now for deferred reward
Broad vision - ability to see the big picture
Good oral communication skills
Good problem solving skills
An all-for-one, one-for-all attitude, without which the show would never go on

And many more. (See the full article here.)

Having just participated in a major city-wide theater arts project that saw over 100 new works produced in just 10 days, I can vouch for the hard work, dedication, creativity and vision of theater arts people.

Where's your secret stash of team builder?

What "they" say

gary@runbrainrun.com (Gary Corbin) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 15:44:47 +0000

An ad currently running on TV features Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow quoting his doubters, saying things like:

"They said I couldn't be a high school quarterback."
"They said I couldn't win a Heisman [Trophy]."
"They said I couldn't win a National Championship."
"They said I couldn't play in the [National Football] League."

At the end of the ad, Tebow smiles at the camera and says, "Thanks."

Because of course, he's done all of those things. And he's surprised a lot of people with his success.

Tebow also gets ridiculed for his limitations: he can't pass well, his statistics are awful, etc. etc.

Yet when he leads the team, they win games. Lots of games.

Tebow is the first to give credit to his teammates. He points to the same terrible numbers, the same limitations pointed out by his critics. He shrugs and says, obviously, it was the whole team that won. Not just him.

Forget what "they" say.

Just lead your team the best way you know how. And you'll win.

Honoring Dr. King

gary@runbrainrun.com (Gary Corbin) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 15:00:00 +0000

Many of you are reading this blog on your day off, enjoying the Martin Luther King holiday.

Many relish the opportunity to relax on a Monday, already missing the easy Christmas-to-New-Year's schedule when the phones go quiet and fewer meetings interrupt our workday. But let's not forget why we celebrate this day, and what it means for your team.

Dr. Martin Luther King, a man of incredible vision and courage, stood - and marched - for equal rights and justice, demanding that our nation fulfill its promise of opportunity for all and reward for merit rather than heritage. He made the ultimate sacrifice for something that many of us today take as a given.

Because of his vision and courage, we are far more apt today to reward, promote, and recognize our fellow team members based on their contribution rather than on our own prejudices. That makes our teams stronger, our companies stronger, our communities, our world.

It's hard to imagine today that the conditions we take for granted were but a far-off dream in his day, as he said in his famous "I Have a Dream" speech: "I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."

It bears remembering.

Listen to Dr. King's speech here.

Champions and Winners

gary@runbrainrun.com (Gary Corbin) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 17:12:42 +0000

This evening, the Louisiana State University Bengal Tigers will face the University of Alabama Crimson Tide in the National Championship Football Game.

Full disclosure: I attended one of these two fine institutions and am rooting for my alma mater to win.

That aside, there interesting points to be made about this game and these teams:

Both of these teams have been here before.
And won.
And lost.
Each team believes they will win.
Success breeds success.

Both of these teams are lauded for their defense.
Pundits say, defense wins championships.
For once, the pundits are right.
Defense is a team game.

These teams have played each other before. Recently, in fact.
In that contest, the two teams played to a 6-6 tie in regulation.
The game was finally won in a hard-fought overtime.
It could have gone either way.
Both are willing to risk it all again.

One of these two teams will be crowned champion.
But both will be considered winners.

Because they believe they are winners.

What does your team believe?

What ethic do you create amongst your team?

Five "keepers" for team building in 2012

gary@runbrainrun.com (Gary Corbin) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 16:00:57 +0000

Here are five "keepers" that will help you build a better team in 2012:

Keep it about the people.

No matter what else you do, remember that your team consists of human beings with lives, loves, passions, wants, and basically a million things going on inside their brains. Notice what motivates them and makes them happy outside of work - and show that you notice. The more you make their job an integral part of what makes them happy, the more they'll want to contribute to the team's success.

Keep the communications open.

Be transparent. Secrets kill teams, openness bonds them. If your team feels they can't tell you when things go wrong, you won't know until it's too late. If your team feels you trust them, they'll trust you, and vice versa.

Keep your eyes on the prize.

Set goals and focus your team's work on those goals. People like being part of something larger. Don't overload your team with extraneous work that distracts from the team goals. Make sure that everyone's role is tied to the team's success - and that everyone knows it. If they don't understand how, show them.

Keep resources focused on needs.

Everyone understands that times are tight, but they'll understand it better if frugality is exercised at all levels of the organization. If team members see execs living fat while they have to sacrifice, the ol' team spirit will disappear in a hurry. Likewise, don't spend money unnecessarily or unwisely on them just to "show" that you're fair. For instance, while they will want and appreciate a team-building outing every so often, they won't want it to be so expensive that you can't afford the tools they need to do their job.

Keep it fun.

If it's fun to come to work, people will start earlier and stay later - and be more productive while they're there. One team I was on had daily "nerf basketball" games after lunch in the office. It got us laughing, got our juices flowing and got us working together at a time when most others were fighting the after-lunch carbo-loading fatigue.

Why so many Bowl games?

gary@runbrainrun.com (Gary Corbin) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 18:57:29 +0000

Tis "Bowl Season", which to those who don't follow college football means there are 35 post-season games scheduled among the 120 "FBS" teams (aka "the big schools"), 7 of which have already been played. 28 to go.

Some quick math reveals a fact not lost among the snarkiest of commentators: that means that 70 of the 120 teams - well over half - will participate in what used to be considered an elite honor, back in the days when all of the Bowl games could be watched on TV without overlap on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, and no risk of interfering with regular programming or, heaven forbid, a professional sports event.

Many people ask: Why are there so many Bowl games now? Do we really need them all?

The answer to the first question is fairly simple: supply and demand. Fans like watching their game on TV (demand), especially their local teams, and hate to see the season end, especially if their team had a good season. Sponsors are willing to pay advertising dollars to get the games on TV (supply). In the currently very healthy college football market, supply meets demand very efficiently.

So, do we need them?

Critics point out that the system enables teams with mediocre season records (say, 6 wins and 6 losses) to play in a "Bowl" game and even win a championship trophy. It demeans the value of Bowl games, they say.

Advocates reply: what's wrong with giving a team a chance to redeem itself with a final win against a team that is at least better than average (theoretically) and a trophy to show for it? Besides, it helps build excitement for the final Big Game.

Seems to us that having more chances to win Championships, with trophies and bragging rights to show for it, helps build teams.

Can't see how that could be a bad thing.

Ten points to consider about Team Gifts

gary@runbrainrun.com (Gary Corbin) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 17:13:29 +0000

At this time of year, many team leaders look for guidance and ideas for gifts to give their team members. This can be a bit of a mine field, for several reasons:

Determining an appropriate spending amount can be tricky. Too little and the manager can come off like a cheapskate. Too much and you can create embarrassment or discomfort.
What's appropriate? HR rules may restrict your choices (e.g. spending limits, "No alcohol," restricted themes, etc.)
What's fair? If you give everyone the same thing, you risk offending some and trivializing the gift (e.g., chocolates would be loved by some, loathed by diabetics or dieters). Giving different items to different employees can create jelousies. Also, what if you don't know them all well enough to give something personalized to each one?

Many managers find that a better solution is to give - or do - something that the whole team can enjoy together: the gift of a special team experience. While it may not result in people bringing home a tangible object as a gift, it has many other benefits:

Your team will have fun, fond memories to share for years to come. You'd be amazed at how conversations can go after a particularly fun event - and build into solid working relationships in the future.
You'll be recognized as an innovative boss with great ideas, having found and hosted a really fun team event.
For those who "have too much stuff," you avoid cluttering their lives (or cubicles) with more trinkets they won't use.
You avoid all of the problems noted above.
It can help bring the team together as a pleasant bonding experience. There's plenty of evidence supporting the notion that teams who play together, stay together, and work together more cohesively.
You can augment the experience with "take-away" gifts such as photos, videos, or prizes that augment and commemorate the positive memories.
If you add a community give-back or "CSR" element (corporate social responsibility) such as fund-raising for a favorite charity or creating care kits for soldiers stationed overseas, your event will give your team a sense of higher purpose and team pride for having made the world a better place.

Team gifts don't have to be difficult - nor expensive. Team building events can be an effective and economical way of giving back to your team - and the community. Find ideas on how to do that here.

Nine ways to motivate your team

gary@runbrainrun.com (Gary Corbin) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 17:16:58 +0000

Inc. Magazine published an insightful article this morning on motivating employees that merits notice and discussion.

The entire article is worth a good read. But here we discuss the highlights and some additional thoughts.

Their nine ways to motivate employees include:

#3. Make your ideas theirs. In other words, consult with employees rather than simply telling them what to do. After all, you hired them because they’re smart, hard-working, and know their stuff, right? Take advantage of that!

#5. Make everyone a leader. Give people opportunities to lead - and with that, opportunities to either succeed or fail (and learn from the experience). Again, you hired knowledgeable, smart, and capable people, right? Let them prove you right. The opportunities don’t have to be billion dollar ones. Start small and let them earn greater opportunities as they gain experience.

#7. Give recognition and small rewards. One of my favorite stories involves a manager who adopted a practice of always rewarding success immediately and tangibly. One day an employee surprised him with a major breakthrough. Unprepared, he searched his office for something, anything to give the employee. All he could find was his morning snack - a banana. The story spread like wildfire. Thereafter, employees competed ferociously to win the Banana Award.

#8. Throw company parties. As the article states, “[d]oing things as a group can go a long way... Don’t just wait until the holidays to do a company activity; organize events throughout the year to remind your staff that you’re all in it together.” We couldn’t agree more: companies that play together, earn more pay together.

For the other five ways, read the entire article here.

Team Building and Giving Back

gary@runbrainrun.com (Gary Corbin) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 21:01:47 +0000

When cold weather strikes, as it has in many parts of the country in recent days, it is well to remember those whose daily routine does not include the comforts of a well-heated, well-appointed office. Or even a cubicle. Or even a roof and walls.

The fact that there are people less fortunate should not stop you from making your team more effective, more bonded, or better communicators. The fact that some on your team are more aware of this fact than others should not stop you from emphasizing the great connections your team members have, nor from rewarding them with a fun holiday outing after a year of excellent effort.

But it might suggest that perhaps your holiday outing could take on a bit of a socially responsible air - allowing your fun and games to benefit the less fortunate, or those who are overseas, risking all and sacrificing greatly to keep us free and safe.

Give it some thought. We're happy to help, no matter which way you go.