Selecting Team Building Activities: Maximizing the Benefits

Many managers are interested in realizing the benefits of team building, but aren’t sure where to start in selecting team building activities. Here are some questions to ask when selecting effective activities for your team:

  • Is there a clear learning point? Effective teambuilding activities are designed to highlight and develop specific elements of teamwork, such as communication, coordination, conflict management or leadership. Determine what element the teambuilding activity is trying to address – if you can’t, it’s just a game.
  • Will my team get that learning point? Some teams are better at applying teambuilding insights to the actual work than others. Honestly assess whether your team is ready to apply the lessons of teambuilding to its daily work, and think carefully about how you will describe the benefits of the teambuilding activity, so it’s not brushed off as a waste of time.
  • Can everyone participate? Does it simulate the workplace? Physical teambuilding is popular, because it takes teams out of their comfort zone. This works best when everyone is relatively physically even-matched and can contribute in ways that simulate work. Otherwise, less physically-adept team members may feel transported back to high-school gym, rather than feeling part of this team today. Teambuilding activities should echo the workplace, not highlight difference that don’t really matter to the work at hand.
  • How will the team meaningfully process the experience? Generally, the benefits of teambuilding aren’t realized through the activity itself – the benefits come in talking about and applying the experience afterwards. Do you have the skills to facilitate that debriefing? If not, can you access a trainer or facilitator who can? True teambuilding has a carefully constructed arc to align experience and learning – you need the right hand to guide that process.
  • Do you need teambuilding, or just a team break? Teambuilding is a structured and focused activity to develop team capability and skill. Sometimes, though, what you really need is a team social hour or after-work activity. This type of social break can help build team morale, without the learning point of formal teambuilding.

Choose a Seminar and Save $10

The Leadership Conference

2 Days Conference

  • CEU: 1.2
  • CPE: 12

Team Training - Virtual or In-person

Training image for The Leadership Conference

Styles & Strategies to Supervise Effectively

(275)

1 Day

  • CEU: 0.6
  • CPE: 6

Team Training - Virtual or In-person

Training image for Styles & Strategies to Supervise Effectively

Spark Innovation and Think Strategically

(155)

1 Day

  • CEU: 0.6
  • CPE: 6

Team Training - Virtual or In-person

Training image for Spark Innovation and Think Strategically

Leadership Skills

(46)

1 Day

  • CEU: 0.6

Team Training - Virtual or In-person

Training image for Leadership Skills

How to Manage Remote Employees

(53)

1 Day

  • CEU: 0.6
  • CPE: 6
  • HRCI: 5.5
  • PDC: 6

Team Training - Virtual or In-person

Training image for How to Manage Remote Employees

Transitioning to Supervisor

(3890)

1 Day

  • CEU: 0.6
  • CPE: 6

Virtual Seminars:

  • Sep 20

  • Sep 24

  • Sep 25

  • + 30 more dates

In-Person Events:

  • Oct 16, Atlanta, GA
  • Oct 17, Nashville, TN

  • + 4 more dates

Training image for Transitioning to Supervisor

How Managers Become Great Leaders

(876)

1 Day

  • CEU: 0.6
  • CPE: 6

Virtual Seminars:

  • Sep 20

  • Sep 26

  • Sep 27

  • + 20 more dates

Training image for How Managers Become Great Leaders

Overcoming Negativity

(527)

1 Day

  • CEU: 0.6

Virtual Seminars:

  • Sep 20

  • Sep 25

  • Sep 26

  • + 10 more dates

Training image for Overcoming Negativity

How to Improve Employee Accountability with Remote and In-Person Teams

(319)

1 Day

  • CEU: 0.6
  • CPE: 6

Virtual Seminars:

  • Sep 23

  • Sep 30

  • Oct 17

Training image for How to Improve Employee Accountability with Remote and In-Person Teams

How to Supervise Bad Attitudes and Negative Behaviors

(1926)

1 Day

  • CEU: 0.6
  • CPE: 6
  • HRCI: 5.5
  • PDC: 6

Virtual Seminars:

  • Sep 23

  • Oct 1

  • Oct 3

  • + 17 more dates

Training image for How to Supervise Bad Attitudes and Negative Behaviors

Leadership, Team-Building and Coaching Skills for Managers and Supervisors

(4400)

1 Day

  • CEU: 0.6
  • CPE: 6
  • HRCI: 5.5
  • PDC: 6

Virtual Seminars:

  • Sep 24

  • Sep 25

  • Sep 27

  • + 29 more dates

In-Person Events:

  • Nov 4, Orlando, FL
  • Nov 5, Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • + 9 more dates

Training image for Leadership, Team-Building and Coaching Skills for Managers and Supervisors

Facilities Management - A 2-Day Comprehensive Course

(461)

2 Days

  • CEU: 1.2
  • CPE: 12

Virtual Seminars:

  • Sep 24-25

  • Sep 25-26

  • Sep 30-1

  • + 14 more dates

Training image for Facilities Management - A 2-Day Comprehensive Course

Management & Leadership Skills for New Managers and Supervisors (2-Day)

(888)

2 Days

  • CEU: 1.2
  • CPE: 12

Virtual Seminars:

  • Sep 24-25

  • Sep 25-26

  • Sep 26-27

  • + 17 more dates

In-Person Events:

  • Sep 23-24, Austin, TX
  • Sep 25-26, Houston, TX

  • + 8 more dates

Training image for Management & Leadership Skills for New Managers and Supervisors (2-Day)

How to Supervise People

(2147)

1 Day

  • CEU: 0.6
  • CPE: 6
  • PDC: 6

Virtual Seminars:

  • Sep 24

  • Oct 2

  • Oct 10

  • + 16 more dates

Training image for How to Supervise People

The Indispensable Office Manager

(276)

1 Day

  • CEU: 0.6
  • CPE: 6

Virtual Seminars:

  • Sep 24

  • Oct 1

  • Oct 9

  • + 4 more dates

Training image for The Indispensable Office Manager

Criticism & Discipline Skills for Managers and Supervisors

(1597)

1 Day

  • CEU: 0.6
  • CPE: 6
  • HRCI: 5.5
  • PDC: 6

Virtual Seminars:

  • Sep 25

  • Oct 1

  • Oct 2

  • + 8 more dates

Training image for Criticism & Discipline Skills for Managers and Supervisors

Be the Manager Your Employees Want to Follow

(773)

1 Day

  • CEU: 0.6
  • CPE: 6
  • PDC: 6

Virtual Seminars:

  • Sep 25

  • Dec 3

  • Dec 11

  • + 1 more dates

Training image for Be the Manager Your Employees Want to Follow

Leadership & Management Skills for Women

(2228)

1 Day

  • CEU: 0.6
  • CPE: 6

Virtual Seminar:

  • Sep 26

Training image for Leadership & Management Skills for Women

A Crash Course for the First-Time Manager or Supervisor

(2332)

1 Day

  • CEU: 0.6
  • CPE: 6
  • HRCI: 5.5
  • PDC: 6

Virtual Seminars:

  • Sep 27

  • Oct 3

  • Oct 8

  • + 12 more dates

In-Person Events:

  • Nov 6, Nashville, TN
  • Nov 7, Atlanta, GA

  • + 5 more dates

Training image for A Crash Course for the First-Time Manager or Supervisor

How to Bargain & Negotiate with Vendors and Suppliers

(241)

1 Day

  • CEU: 0.6
  • CPE: 6
  • HRCI: 5.5

Virtual Seminars:

  • Nov 4

  • Nov 5

  • Nov 15

  • + 1 more dates

Training image for How to Bargain & Negotiate with Vendors and Suppliers

Managing with Assertive Confidence

(643)

1 Day

  • CEU: 0.6
  • CPE: 6

Virtual Seminars:

  • Dec 3

  • Dec 12

  • Dec 18

Training image for Managing with Assertive Confidence

The Management Conference

(404)

2 Days

  • CEU: 1.2
  • CPE: 12

Virtual Seminars:

  • Dec 5-6

  • Dec 10-11

  • Dec 16-17

Training image for The Management Conference

Related content

National Ice Cream Day: Celebration Tips

Setting the Tone or Setting the Direction?

You Owe It to Yourself to Take that “Leap of Faith”

A Guide to Burnout for Friends and Supervisors

Best Practices for Employee Recognition

The Business Ethics of Black Lives Matter