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An opportunity that increases engagement and improves teamwork

by Andrew Fieldhous, BIZ Events

BIZ Events is the representative of the largest teambuilding license in the world, in the Arab Emirates. Catalyst Teambuilding is represented in Romania by UNIVERSUM Events.

Plato said that “You can learn more about a person in an hour of playing than in a year of conversations”. The reason why I chose to start with this quote is because Platon emphasizes the importance of games, especially the “serious” ones, and how important and useful they are when we talk about employee engagement and the development of teamwork in an organization.

What do we mean by “serious games”? I think it is important to establish a limit between sports games, purely fun games and the ones we are talking about. There is certainly a purpose behind the sports games, but the ones we are referring to are those which, although they have fun elements, have the objectives of developing skills and learning opportunities. The attribute of “serious” does not necessarily mean that the entire content of the activity is serious, only that the approach is based on the engagement of people and the increase of teamwork.

It is clear that teamwork is what every organization wants; above all man needs socialization, to work with other people and to interact with others. Teams as composition can be diverse and like any other skill, teamwork can be learned and developed precisely so that the teams become better and better at what they do and to bring results.

One of my biggest passions is this ability to work in a team; I have always been a “team player”, since I was a child and played in the school sports teams until I became the Commercial Director of the teambuilding division of Biz-Group. Over the years, I have noticed how teamwork-based activities have grown, evolved and become a valuable tool in the modern world.

Ever since we started running teambuilding activities and business simulation programs in the United Arab Emirates, we have noticed a massive increase in the number of clients who choose these programs. In 2010, we organized approximately 175 teambuilding activities where 14,000 people participated. In 2014, these numbers reached 360 activities with 32,000 participants. As part of the Catalyst Global Network, I can say that the other 32 partner companies also achieved a similar growth.

Why have these activities become popular? Here are some reasons:

Evolution – the times when a team building meant a few planks, strings and barrels and a team that had to cross an imaginary river are gone. The increase in needs led to much softer, more “wow” requests. This resulted in much more innovative, creative and engaging experiences that bring a memorable impact. Lines like “I did this, what else?” from customers have inspired companies to create creative and improved activities. This factor together with an industry in which the competition is increased raised the level of expectations. People have become more attentive to details, more experienced and have higher expectations, therefore the activities created must rise and exceed these expectations.

(For example, the team building activity Orchestrate – turn a Team into an Orchestra in two hours. Don’t you believe me? Look here< /a>.)

Communication – MIT’s Human Dynamics Laboratory conducted a study that shows that, with great consistency, communication within teams is the most important indicator of a team’s success. So much so that it is as significant as the other factors – intelligence, personality, talent. Spending time developing your communication skills with your colleagues in a team building activity is far more valuable than working alone. Companies began to place even more value on improving communication.

Practice makes perfect – most companies use examples of people with unique experiences in sports or the military for inspiration. In both fields, teams spend 90% of their time training, and only 10% doing the respective activity, in business things happen the other way around. More and more often, people realize that team building activities such as business simulations are an opportunity for practice, even if they are for a short period of time.

Make mistakes in a safe environment – we all agree that we learn from experiences – “what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger”. The same applies to employees who have the opportunity to work in a safe environment, where the implications of the actions and their results are not so severe. A team building activity gives you the opportunity to experiment, try new ideas and test. Even if errors happen, they can bring valuable lessons in the debriefing session.

Technology – the evolution of technology has also brought impact in the corporate events industry, adding many elements to offer. Internet access, smartphones, easy-to-use applications, even drone technology; all these have created a creative environment that offers many valuable experiences for people’s engagement, things that were not possible a few years ago.

Gamification – goes hand in hand with technology. It involves using game mechanics and thinking to learn, engage and entertain participants to solve certain challenges. In business, it has implications beyond the boundaries of the game, becoming an increasingly popular tool in the team activities we propose.

Undoubtedly, there is an increase in demand for learning-based activities due to the reasons outlined above. Science validates these activities and the impact they have on improving teamwork. Not just doing something as a team matters; a lot of time is wasted in inefficient, boring or even unfavorable experiences. Teams should look for the right opportunities that match the desired objectives. These opportunities are right here; they are extremely valuable and it is worth investing the right resources to get the desired results.

Article translated from Capital Business.[:en]

O oportunitate care creste engagementul si imbunatateste lucrul in echipa

de Andrew Fieldhous, BIZ Events

BIZ Events este reprezentatul celei mai mari licente de teambuilding din lume, in Emiratele Arabe. Catalyst Teambuilding este reprezentata in Romania de catre UNIVERSUM Events.

Platon spunea ca “Poti afla mai multe despre o persoana intr-o ora de joc decat intr-un an de conversatii”. Motivul pentru care am ales sa incep cu acest citat este pentru ca Platon subliniaza importanta jocurilor, in mod special a celor “serioase”, si cat de importante si utile sunt atunci cand vorbim de engagementul angajatilor si dezvoltarea lucrului in echipa intr-o organizatie.

Ce vrem sa spunem prin “jocuri serioase”? Cred ca este important sa stabilim o limita intre jocurile sportive, jocurile pur distractive si cele despre care vorbim noi. Cu siguranta exista un scop si in spatele jocurilor sportive, dar la cele la care ne referim noi sunt cele care, desi au si elemente fun, au obiective de dezvoltare a abilitatilor si oportunitati de invatare. Atributul de “serios” nu inseamna neaparat ca intregul continut al activitatii este serios, doar ca abordarea  se bazeaza pe engagementul oamenilor si cresterea lucrului in echipa.

Este clar ca lucrul in echipa este ceea ce isi doreste fiecare organizatie; inainte de toate omul are nevoie de socializare, sa lucreze alaturi de alti oameni si sa interactioneze cu ceilalti. Echipele ca si compozitie pot fi diverse si ca orice alta abilitate, lucrul in echipa se poate invata si dezvolta intocmai pentru ca echipele sa devina din ce in ce mai bune in ceea ce fac si pentru a aduce rezultate.

Una dintre cele mai mari pasiuni ale mele este aceasta abilitate, de a lucra in echipa; intotdeauna am fost un “team player”, inca de cand eram copil si jucam in echipele sportive ale scolii pana cand am devenit Director Comercial al diviziei de teambuilding din Biz-Group. Pe parcusul anilor, am observat cum activitatile bazate pe lucrul in echipa au crescut, evoluat si au devenit un instrument valoros in lumea moderna.

Inca de cand am inceput sa rulam activitati de teambuilding si programe de simulari de business in Emiratele Arabe Unite, am observat o crestere masiva a numarului de clienti care aleg aceste programe. In 2010, am organizat aproximativ 175 de activitati de teambuilding unde au participat 14000 de oameni. In 2014, aceste numere au atins 360 de activitati cu 32000 de participanti. Ca parte componenta din Catalyst Global Network, pot spune ca o crestere asemanatoare au obtinut si celelalte 32 de companii partenere.

De ce au devenit aceste activitati populare? Iata cateva motive:

Evolutia – vremurile in care un teambuilding insemna cateva scanduri, sfori si butoaie si o echipa care trebuia sa traverseze un rau imaginar sunt vremuri apuse. Cresterea nevoilor a dus la cereri mult mai softisitcate, mai “wow”. Din acest lucru au rezultat experiente mult mai inovative, creative si antrenante care aduc un impact memorabil. Replici precum “Am facut asta, altceva?” din partea clientilor au inspirat companiile sa creeze activitati creative si imbunatatite. Acest factor impreuna cu o industrie in care competitia este crescuta au ridicat gradul asteptarilor. Oamenii au devenit mai atenti la detalii, mai experimentati si au asteptari mai ridicate, de aceea activitatile create trebuie sa se ridice si sa depaseasca aceste asteptari.

(De exemplu, activitatea de teambuilding Orchestrate – transforma o Echipa intr-o Orchestra in doua ore. Nu ma crezi? Priveste aici.)

Comunicarea – MIT’s Human Dynamics Laboratory au realizat un studiu care arata ca, printr-o mare consecventa, comunicarea  in cadrul echipelor este cel mai important indicator al succesului unei echipe. Atat de mult incat este la fel de semnificativa precum ceilalti factori – inteligenta, personalitatea, talentul. Petrecand timp dezvoltandu-ti abilitatile de comunicare alaturi de colegii tai intr-o activitate de teambuilding este de departe mai de valoare decat lucrul de unul singur. Companiile au inceput sa puna si mai multa valoare pe imbunatatirea comunicarii.

Practica, mama perfectiunii – cele mai multe companii folosesc exemple de persoane cu experiente unice din domeniul sportului sau militar pentru inspiratie. In ambele domenii, echipele petrec 90% din timpul lor pentru antrenamente, si doar 10% facand activitatea respectiva, in business lucrurile se intampla invers. Tot mai des, oamenii realizeaza ca activitatile de teambuilding de tipul simularilor de business sunt o oportunitate de practica, chiar daca sunt pe o perioada scurta de timp.

Greseste intr-un mediu sigur – cu totii suntem de acord ca invatam din experiente – “ce nu te omoara, te face mai puternic”. Acelasi lucru se aplica si in cazul angajatilor care au posibilitatea sa lucreze intr-un mediu sigur, in care implicatiile actiunilor si rezultatele lor nu sunt atat de severe. O activitate de teambuilding iti ofera posibilitatea sa experimentezi, sa incerci idei noi si sa testezi. Chiar daca ajung sa se intample erori, acestea pot aduce invataminte valoroase in sesiunea de debriefing.

Tehnologia – evolutia tehnologiei a adus impact si in industria evenimentelor corporate, adaugand multe elemente de oferit. Accesul la Internet, smartphone-urile, aplicatii usor de folosit, chiar si tehnologia dronelor; toate acestea au creat un mediu creativ ce ofera multe experiente valoroase pentru engagementul oamenilor, lucruri ce nu erau posibile cu cativa ani in urma.

Gamification – merge mana in mana cu tehnologia. Acesta presupune folosirea mecanicii si gandirii din jocuri pentru a invata, implica si distra participantii pentru a rezolva anumite provocari. In business, are implicari dincolo de granitele jocului, ajungand sa fie un instrument din ce in ce mai popular in activitatile de echipa pe care le propunem.

Fara indoiala, exista o crestere a cererii pentru activitatile bazate pe invatare datorita motivelor mai sus subliniate. Stiinta valideaza aceste activitati si impactul pe care il au in imbunatatirea lucrului in echipa. Nu doar facand ceva ca si echipa conteaza; se pierde mult timp in experiente ineficiente, plictisitoare sau chiar cu impact nefavorabil. Echipele ar trebui sa caute oportunitatile potrivite, care se potrivesc obiectivelor dorite. Aceste oportunitati sunt chiar aici; sunt extrem de valoroase si merita investit resursele potrivite pentru a avea rezultatele dorite.

Articol tradus din Capital Business.[:]