| There are many benefits to offering team
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| | debriefing, application exercises, and a
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| building sessions and corporate retreats.
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| | presentation by a member of the senior
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| At the end of a particularly successful
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| | management team in half a day. Let me
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| corporate retreat that I recently
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| | stress this in bold. A half day
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| facilitated, I overheard employees making
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| | simulation with adequate time for
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| comments the following comments:"It's
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| | debriefing and business application
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| because of sessions like this that this
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| | exercises is just not doable. The only
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| is one of the best places to work.""This
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| | way that it can work is if the simulation
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| company must really value its employees
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| | or activity is very simple or short and
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| to invest so much time and money in
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| | you have one very clear and specific
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| us."Here are some tips to help you ensure
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| | objective or core message that you want
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| that your next team building session or
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| | to convey. Of course, you can always find
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| executive retreat is just as
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| | team building companies that will take
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| successful.Clarify Your ObjectivesBefore
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| | your money and promise you the moon
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| you plan your team building session or
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| | within a half day or even 2 hour time
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| corporate retreat, it is important to be
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| | frame. Buyer beware. You have been
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| clear about your objectives. Far too
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| | warned. Of course, if your goal is
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| often, companies end up disappointed in
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| | strictly recreational, that is doable in
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| the results because expectations were not
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| | half a day or two hours.When determining
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| clearly identified and articulated.
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| | an appropriate time frame, consider if
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| Ideally, outcomes should pinpoint the
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| | there are items other than team building
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| desired impact on the business and be
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| | that you need to include in your agenda.
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| stated in measurable terms.
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| | A number of the companies with which we
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| Unfortunately, many organizations treat
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| | work have included vendor and client
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| team building as a discretionary event
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| | presentations, departmental
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| and don't attempt to link it to the needs
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| | presentations, and presentations about
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| of the business:Examples of Team Building
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| | plans for the upcoming year into their
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| Objectives
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| | corporate retreats and team building
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| Improve customer satisfaction by 15%
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| | sessions. The key is to determine the
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| Improve employee satisfaction by 10%
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| | content THEN select the appropriate time
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| Reduce churn by 5%
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| | frame, not the reverse. So, what are some
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| Improve the closing ratio of the sales
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| | realistic time frames and formats for
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| team by 12%
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| | team building. Here are some ideas:Half
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| Even "softer" outcomes like these could
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| | Day Team Building Format1 Hour -
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| be stated in measurable terms if one
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| | Preparation/ Briefing Session Including
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| takes the time to think through the
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| | Senior Management Presentation
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| specific impact on the business:
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| | 1 Hour - Mini-Simulation or Recreational
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| Forge stronger alliances between
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| | Activity
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| geographically dispersed teams
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| | 1/2 Hour - Debriefing Preparation
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| Fine-tune your marketing and sales
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| | Exercise
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| strategy
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| | 1/2 Hour - Debriefing Panels
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| Reduce friction and "turf wars" between
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| | 1/2 Hour - Preparation for Application
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| organizational levels and departments.
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| | Exercise
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| Improve communication between teams and
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| | 1/2 Hour - Breakout Group Presentations
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| departments
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| | ( Maximum 2 - 3 Groups - 10 - 15 minutes
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| Improve your decision making process
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| | each)TOTAL = 4 Hours1 Day Team Building
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| Identify strategies to reduce red tape
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| | Format1 Hour - Preparation/ Briefing
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| and duplication of effort
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| | Session Including Senior Management
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| Brainstorm and generate new strategies
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| | Presentation
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| to resolve business issues and overcome
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| | 3 Hours - Simulation
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| challenges
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| | 1 Hour - Lunch
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| Manage projects more effectively even
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| | 1/2 Hour - Debriefing Preparation
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| within tight time frames
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| | Exercise
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| Planning Considerations for Team
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| | 1/2 Hour - Debriefing Panels
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| BuildingOnce you are clear about your
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| | 1 Hour - Preparation for Application
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| objectives, it is important to determine:
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| | Exercise
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|
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| | 1 Hour - Breakout Group Presentations (
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| number of participants
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| | Maximum 4 - 5 Groups - 10 - 15 minutes
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| positions and levels of participants in
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| | each)
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| organization
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| | 1/2 Hour - Breaks
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| physical disabilities and constraints
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| | 1 Hour - Recreational Activity
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| budget
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| | (Optional)
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| time frame
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| | 1 Hour - Evening BBQ (Optional)TOTAL = 8
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| If you are using an external team
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| | 1/2 - 10 HoursThese formats are very
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| building consultant for your corporate
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| | basic. You will get feedback from some
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| retreat, identify a clear decision making
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| | team members that they felt rushed during
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| process and decision making criteria.
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| | some of the exercises. Be prepared for
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| Ideally, you should be in a position to
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| | this and don't blame the facilitator. An
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| make a decision no more than 2 weeks
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| | evening BBQ or dinner buys you a bit
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| after contacting prospective vendors. You
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| | more time and ends the session on a high
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| should allow at least a month, preferably
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| | note.Here is a better format that can
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| 2 months for adequate planning of your
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| | include an overnight stay at your
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| session. It amazes me how often we are
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| | location or a briefing a week before your
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| contacted with companies who want to pull
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| | team building session:Pre-Briefing + 1
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| together a complex team building session
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| | Day Team FormatEvening
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| in a two week or less than one week time
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| | 1 Hour - Pre-briefing for Simulation
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| frame.Select the Right Locations for Team
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| | Team Leaders
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| Building and Corporate RetreatsYour
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| | Dinner - 1 Hour
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| choice of location can make or break your
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| | 1 Hour - Preparation/ Briefing Session
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| team building session or corporate
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| | Including Senior Management Presentation
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| retreat. Let your objectives and theme
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| | 1 Hour - Simulation
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| drive the location selection decision and
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| | Flexible - Team Recreational Activity or
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| not vice versa. I recall a time when a
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| | Competition Related to Simulation Theme
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| prospective client had blown most of the
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| | Day 2
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| budget on a high end conference facility.
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| | 3 Hours - Simulation (Continued)
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| The result? There was little left in the
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| | 1/2 Hour - Debriefing Preparation
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| budget for a facilitator.Determine if you
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| | Exercise
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| will require assistance with location
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| | 1 Hour - Lunch
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| scouting and be fair about it. An
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| | 1/2 Hour - Debriefing Preparation
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| experienced team building firm should be
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| | Exercise
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| able to help you find a location to fit
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| | 1 Hour - Debriefing Panels
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| your budget. However, it does take time
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| | 1 Hour - Preparation for Application
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| to call around, check availability and
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| | Exercise
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| come up with just the right fit. For
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| | 1 Hour - Breakout Group Presentations (
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| foreign locations, long distance charges
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| | Maximum 4 - 5 Groups - 10 - 15 minutes
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| are often incurred. It is not kosher to
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| | each)
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| expect consultants to do your location
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| | 1/2 Hour - BreaksIf you want to lengthen
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| scouting for free. It is also not
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| | the time for the simulation or give
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| appropriate to do the event on your own
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| | people more time to prepare for their
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| and use the location suggested by a team
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| | business application exercises, devote
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| building service provider.If your budget
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| | more time for outdoor recreational
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| is limited, scout around. You may be able
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| | activities, vendor, client or
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| to find some unique and cost effective
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| | departmental presentations, or other
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| locations for your events. You can
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| | agenda items, we suggest a 2 1/2 - 3
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| stretch your budget by using summer camps
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| | day format. Remember, the briefing
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| during off-peak season, amusement parks,
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| | session can be done in advance and you
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| acting studios. the catering department
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| | can cut your session down to 2 - 2 1/2
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| of community colleges to save on the cost
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| | daysSelect Your TeamsThere are a number
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| of refreshments, movie theatres, camp
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| | of factors that you should take into
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| sites, and conservation areas. 3 looking
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| | account when you select your teams.
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| to save money on location, it is
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| | Ensure that you:
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| important to book your session WELL in
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| |
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| advance.....3 - 4 months in advance. To
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| | mix departments
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| book a group camp site and shelter, you
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| | mix geographical regions
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| would need a 5 - 6 month lead time.Select
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| | mix organizational levels
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| Your ThemeOne of the best strategies for
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| | form team based on learning styles
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| "spicing up" your team building sessions
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| | give team members who don't get along
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| and corporate retreats is to come up with
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| | with each other an opportunity to work
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| a theme. Based on your theme, you can
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| | together
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| select an appropriate venue, energizers,
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| | give the newer or more junior members of
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| session starters, music, video clips,
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| | your team an opportunity to serve as team
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| graphics for slides and handouts, and
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| | leaders
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| menu items. The key is to let your
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| | Analyze your group and assess their
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| objectives and content drive the theme.
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| | learning styles so that you can make
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| To come up with your theme, create a mind
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| | decisions about team composition and a
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| map. Put your content and topics in the
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| | number of other key elements for your
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| centre and come up with as many themes as
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| | session.Team Building: The Bottom
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| possible that relate to your topics. If
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| | LineTeam building sessions and corporate
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| you want to fine-tune your sales and
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| | retreats can be rewarding experiences
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| marketing strategy or prepare your team
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| | that pull your team together and bring
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| for "uncharted territory" and change, a
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| | you closer to achieving your goals and
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| Survivor team building sessions would be
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| | objectives. Careful attention to planning
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| the most appropriate choice. If you want
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| | can help you avoid a session that people
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| to hone project management and leadership
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| | perceive as "a waste of time" and ensure
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| skills or help them improve their
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| | that you get the results that you
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| effectiveness in pulling projects
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| | desire.© 2006 Executive Oasis
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| together within tight time frames, a team
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| | International - All Rights ReservedAnne
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| building session based on the TV show the
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| | Thornley-Brown is the founder and
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| Apprentice would be a perfect fit. If
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| | President of Executive Oasis
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| your team needs to improve its ability to
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| | International, a Toronto based firm that
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| cope with a fast paced environment, a
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| | helps executive teams in Canada, Jamaica,
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| surprisingly affordable polo team
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| | Asia, and Dubai design strategies to
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| building sessions would fit the bill.Set
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| | survive, thrive and grow in our turbulent
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| a Realistic Time FrameSometimes,
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| | economy. Their services include
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| companies are totally unrealistic about
| |
| | executive retreats, meeting facilitation,
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| the time frame for a retreat. It is
| |
| | executive team building, and executive
|
| surprising how many people think that
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| | coaching.
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| they can do a full blown simulation with
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| |
|
