and then you ask them to just be friends and play a game of hoops without getting to the roots of their problems. It is such a useless exercise, yet many organizations would rather spend so much money on it than get to the roots. I guess they are drawn by the fun element and probably because they need to check it off their to-do list that they have done a teambuilding session.
If the way to build teams is by going to do something physically exerting that will cause people to bond together, then how do you build a football team? The very nature of their work is physical. How do they build their teams? Will the football team go away for team building somewhere? If sports teams like football teams and pit stop teams( these are the guys that actually have the word " team " built into their very definition) do not need physical activity to build the team, then we need to understudy them more.
You will notice that these teams are built around a common purpose and goal. They are built from a deep understanding of interdependence. They realize that each person plays a different role, and for the whole to succeed, there must be a smooth flow between the components. If Peter and John work together, and Peter does not see how John ' s success will enhance his success as Peter, then nothing can make Peter and John a team.
Teams are built around purpose. The strongest teams are built around a deep understanding of interdependence. They are built around a common goal. If you are in the soccer team and know that when Peter has the ball and sees you have the advantage to score, he will pass it to you- that is a team. In a team, no one is trying to sabotage the other, and no one is trying to outshine the other. That is what we want in our organizations, and this
Before you plan your next team building, remember that without the right culture, the " demons " you left in the office when you went away will be waiting for you when you get back. Only the right culture can exorcise organizational demons of division.
does not come by the traditional teambuilding exercises that we keep having. In fact, things can get worse after the team building if Peter and John already had their issues in the office, and then Peter’ s team trashed John ' s team in the teambuilding activities. You will be surprised how that team-building exercise becomes the catalyst for more division when they get back to the office.
So, how do you build a team? First, define it. The kind of team that is required must be built into the culture of the organization, and as such, the formation of the team will be a natural process and not a forced friendship. If we want a fun team, it must be built into the culture. If we want a selfless team, it must be built into the culture. Only when we have built these into the culture can the company away fun times make lasting sense. When each member of the team knows deep down inside them that, when they need the other member to be there for them, they will be there- only then can you say that you have a team. And guess what? They do not have to be friends!
With the right culture, even when new people come in, the power of the culture will dictate their behaviour. If no one ever gossips to a new person about another person, there is no way they will have the liberty to gossip. If exclusionist behaviour is not tolerated from the top, it can never thrive below.
So, before you plan your next team building, remember that without the right culture, the " demons " you left in the office when you went away will be waiting for you when you get back. Only the right culture can exorcise organizational demons of division.
Going on these team-building exercises without paying attention to the operating environment is nothing but an exercise in futility. It is a waste of valuable resources and ensures that you will have to keep
repeating the process ever so often, as is the case with many organizations.
If we fix the environment, the environment will duly teach. It will instruct, and it will shape behaviour. This is why when walking down the hallway with friends and you are having a good laugh, the minute you see a sign indicating you are by the library, instinctively you will keep quiet. No one had to tell you, but your brain had made a connection between the library and silence.
Similarly, many years ago, when air travel out of Lagos was a nightmare, I remember being in line to board a flight. We were all standing in an orderly fashion, and then someone was taken to the front of the line. I noticed but kept quiet. And then it happened again, and again. I was so angry, but there was really nothing I could do, so I told myself the lie that they probably were not feeling too well, which is why they could not stand in line. You can imagine my shock on getting to London, standing in another line, and seeing the same people who could not stand in Lagos standing in a very orderly fashion. Why were they able to stand in one location and not able to stand in another? The environment- also known as culture.
Instead of trying to force people to live the values, create an environment that will bring out the values. And yes, it is as simple as that. Anyone who complicates the process of culture will have major challenges. Culture is nothing more than the environment that brings our objectives and values to life.
Dr. Wale Akinyemi is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of The Street Hub. You can commune with him on this or related matters via email at: Wale @ thestreethub. biz.