Peter Drucker eloquently defined the difference between managers and leaders: “Management is doing things the right way, and leadership is doing the right things.” The truth is leaders innovatively observe all facets of business, searching for possible ways of growth and development, with their main focus being on their team. Leaders are not necessarily on the highest positions in the company – usually, they are tucked away somewhere lower on the hierarchy ladder, unaware of their possibilities and qualities.
Furthermore, everyday work routine can impact the leader’s skills and capabilities, hiding them in plain sight. That’s why a continuous effort in investing and improving your employee’s abilities is necessary. What are some ways to get familiar with your employee’s potential strengths, weaknesses, and roles they could have in a team? One of the answers is via team building.
It’s not a secret that one company’s success is portrayed through its relationship with its employees. If managers and leaders continually build strong teams and individuals inside them, chances for success in these teams are higher, and bonds between team members become stronger and more reliable.
The term “team building” is frequently heard in every business environment, but it seems that team members and their leaders neglect or misunderstand their benefits. Team building is beneficial not just for individual team members, but for companies as well, hence understanding and implementing core team building concepts is of crucial importance for the organization as a whole.
What is a team building, and why is it important?
It is correct to say that team building is a continuous process in which members of a specific team participate together in various, carefully-designed activities, with the primary goal of building a cohesive and well-connected team. This process requires continuous effort isn’t surprising, since relationships between team members require constant work and effort.
Just like in every other aspect of a business, employee’s interpersonal relationships and their skills require work and effort, which is the main reason why team buildings are considered an essential part of successful management.
With a wide variety of possible team building activities, from simple trust games designed to improve teamwork and interpersonal understanding within a group of individuals, to in-depth planned, multi-day events that contain various activities requiring a high level of cooperation between team members, as well as showcasing critical thinking and innovative approach as a group. Regardless of which particular activity you choose, the goal must be clear – building a stronger team, ready to overcome daily challenges upon returning to the office.
The list of team-building benefits is quite long: it can build up bonds and relations within the team, improve communication, and enhance team members’ various skills and competencies… Of course, these benefits will be achieved only when the team building is organized professionally, with the help of experts who will supervise the whole process and guide them in accomplishing their goals.
How can a team-building help you get to know your team members better?
As mentioned above, team building has a hugely positive impact on the team’s overall atmosphere and mutual relationships. However, one additional and possibly surprising benefit is that it helps team members uncover strengths and weaknesses they may be unaware of. When employees leave their usual working environment and get a chance to experience other roles in unfamiliar situations, they will show new skills that can be a valuable source of information for their team leaders.
Painting a clearer picture of what skills and abilities they have and the potential areas for future improvement. This statement is supported by Gallup’s research, according to which employees who use their perceived strengths in everyday’s work have shown productivity growth of almost 10%.
Besides discovering the strengths and weaknesses of team members, team buildings can help determine which team members possess leadership qualities. Team building activities empower team members to take over different roles (including leadership roles) under the supervision and in a controlled environment, in order to complete the given tasks. These situations will showcase “natural leaders” alongside their skills and abilities, ready to take the risk, make important decisions, and accomplish the goal for their team. One of the essential qualities of a good leader is their focus on team harmony, ensuring that every team member is suitable for their specific role.
How to recognize leaders through team building?
According to Forbes magazine, a team leader will display the following characteristics: gained trust from other team members and their managers, emotional resilience during stressful situations, excellent communication skills, and positive, motivational impact on the rest of the team.
During each specific team-building exercise, pay attention to the person who’ll take responsibility for the task realization, suggesting constructive, problem-solving ideas while at the same time motivating the rest of the team. Have in mind that determining the leader is just the first step of the process – for long-term results, it is necessary to continue with the development and improvement of their leadership skills.
It is important to mention that in designing an action-oriented team building, you should seek professional help. Supervision of a trained professional is the most critical item on your team building list, so make sure to have them navigate your team through this process. Their expertise in creating and going through a team-building will result in improved team motivation, a spike in inter-personal communication, and, as the name implies, build stronger team relations.
Outdoor activities are the ideal way to get to know your employees in a different, unfamiliar environment. You’ll be able to determine with greater confidence which team members possess strong leadership qualities. Our offer consists of different packages and activities, with every package tailored to bring out the maximum from your employees and uncover, through a strategical approach, the potential in future leaders of your company.
If you are searching for a team building partner that will help your employees grow and improve, read our detailed offer for team building activities on the following link. Offer your team moments to remember with EST Adventure!