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The Industrial Revolution brought with it great changes in the nature of work. As innovative industrial technology and new methods of production made work more efficient, the worker's tasks became increasingly specialized and impersonal, reducing interaction among co-workers. Success in business, if it is to be sustained, demands effective human collaboration.
Since the time of the Industrial Revolution, there have been continued evolutions to the world of business. Work conditions for the modern employee are more and more specialized, restricted, and detached. In spite of the fact of modern technology's ability to maximize human productivity, continuing success in business will require more human interaction and cooperation.
For effective communication, people need not necessarily be in the same place, though there is nothing to replace personal physical interaction for building good relationships and team bonding. Humans become more than just mere impersonal names on email distribution lists. They become a team which is working towards achieving a common goal in the work place. Employees become more active and cohesive to accomplish shared goals.
In an increasingly competitive business world where successful companies must be nimble, creative, and good at collaboration in order to take advantage of rapidly changing market conditions, smart businesses should utilize internal and external team building opportunities. Until people feel comfortable working together to solve shared problems, companies will be ineffective, lethargic, and unwieldy as everyone pulls and pushes in different directions to accomplish different ends.
When a company grows larger and even more complex, they look for external direction from known successful organizations. them have look for direction, and managerial experience from the military, and some settlers in history. They thought that the people who faced logistical and physical challenges as a team formed bonds and trusted one another more quickly. Therefore being able to develop their problem solving abilities as a team. In a team setting people have more success and are highly motivated towards their goals.
The business world has taken examples from these models to promote team building opportunities. Covered wagon building and driving is one of these entertaining methods. Groups of 8-12 people are formed to complete a series of group tasks with themes from the trials of the Old West.
Every team should design and build a closed wagon as specified in the technical specification. All the teams can buy the necessary supplies required to build the wagon from the budget allotted to them. They also work together to create there own team flag and camp song. Once the teams have completed constructing there wagon they should compete in a race using it.
Throughout this event, team members must practice communicating, decision-making, exercising leadership, and working in tandem. They practice problem solving in a group setting. People get a fun opportunity to develop trust in their teammates as they define roles and responsibilities to accomplish group challenges. The accompanying adrenaline rush from this activity's speed and novelty is also chemically conducive to feelings of group camaraderie.
The benefit of team building activities is a more cohesive group of workers. During the activities, people are pushed out of their comfort zone and helped to push past limiting fears and mental barriers. In a safe environment, coworkers work together to become a cohesive team that is innovative and highly successful. Team building exercises can bond people in a company across departments. These exercises can also build links between a business and its partners and vendors. The skills developed in team building exercises overflow to the work environment making employees feel motivated and secure in group endeavors to reach shared goals.
Daiv Russell is a management and marketing consultant with Envision Consulting in Tampa, Florida. Find more Team Building Ideas, techniques, and exercises or learn more about finding the root cause of your organization's teamwork issues.
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