What are the most effective ways to build camaraderie among team members during a team building session?

Rather than having dedicated team building meetings, design every meeting to achieve team building so that it becomes part of the company’s culture and operating DNA. Every time we come together to solve a problem, we are team building. Every time we come together to brainstorm, we are team building. Every time we participate in a retrospective, we are team building. When our meetings have “team building” as part of our design principles, they become powerfully engaging and inspiring ways of interacting.

In working with well over 100+ companies, I can tell you that 99% do teambuilding wrong. It's not just about going out, having cocktails and spending time together. If you want to truly build camaraderie and trust within your team, you need to be extremely intentional about getting to know each other on a very personal level. You need to know the ins and outs of how your teammates think and what makes them tick. What they value and what's important to them. Their fears, goals and dreams. How they were raised and their influences along the way. Essentially, their stories. Once you get to the deep depths of who your teammates really are, you'll have rock solid vulnerability-based trust, which is what all great teams are built upon.

I like to take advantage of the downtime. For example, if the team happens to be in-person and can take a coffee break at a local cafe, that can be such an authentic way to build connection and true relationships between people. Camaraderie comes from providing people with opportunities to see one another as a whole person—not just a co-worker.

One thing I have started adding in is asking team members what they are hoping to get out of the session as well. It’s great that I have goals and outcomes, but way easier to get the team on board if those are also in alignment with what they are looking for — and gives me insight into their perceived areas of strengths and areas for improvement.

I find that setting the goal for the day helps people to understand how their sharing will have an impact, and then to share openly. Rules of play always help to. For example; the goal of today's session is to get a clear picture of what we're doing really well, and to build a strategy for the year ahead on what we should -stop -start-continue If we all share our highlights and our hurdles we will have a broader picture of where we are, where we'd like to be, and how we might get there together. Today we'll use miro so we can all reflect on the work, and I'll send an action plan out in 30 days based off today's insights. This is a place today where we can be candid and constructive, to make sure we're building the right things, together.

An option I use often: start the session by quickly creating two lines of team members facing each other. Give them 3-5 minutes to catch up with the person across from them. This gets everyone talking at the onset of the meeting. Energy and noise levels get elevated. It sets a nice vibe. Sometimes I offer a topic to explore together for a second round. It is a great kickstart to an excellent session.

Setting ground rules, so issues are attacked instead of people. It also brings fairness into play. It makes the team bond quickly and the team quickly becomes effective and resourceful

In small group settings, I’ll begin with a brief round robin of ‘What are you thankful for today?’ Participants immediately feel uplifted, and it is effective in learning what each person values. In large group settings, with lots of team members who don’t work together regularly, I’ve had great success with ‘Get to Know You Bingo.’ Gather facts in advance (someone who grew up in Montana, someone who is en expert in sales tax, etc), print up bingo cards, set them free for 10 minutes, then watch them connect as they find others with whom they share something in common or a resource for the next time they get a sales tax question.

In my team-building activities, I use rock and roll as my platform. Music is the universal language and everyone has some sort of emotional connection to it. My keynotes are based on the success strategies of rock stars, so I ask the question if there was one rock star they could be for a day, dead or alive, who would it be? Then I have them all stand up one at a time and ask them how they would introduce themselves as that person to a perfect stranger. It immediately breaks down barriers and creates a bond and connection with everyone almost immediately.

Take care ! One of the worst activities I took part in was 'guess the baby photo' - someone had no photos as they were adopted and someone else had lost a baby ! However , asking people to bring an object that is meaningful to them and share what they feel comfortable enough to with the team - can be a game changer. A great facilitator will start this off with a personal story to model self compassion and a brilliant leader will share with vulnerability.

Enlist your team in crafting the team building event and activities. Use anonymous surveys for initial questions, then delegate the coordination to your team. This lets you overcome inclusion blindspots while flexing your delegation skills. Teammates will be more engaged if they own it.

One of the most important pieces to remember is that you can’t force it. The team will gel over time. You cannot decide when that is. You can only decide how to facilitate the process. There are tons of activities that you can do to grow the camaraderie and mutual support. When you are choosing those activities, try to determine the goal of the session(s) first. Are you trying to help them relate on a personal level? Are you focusing on how they accomplish work as a team? Are you trying for both? Knowing your goal for the session will help you find the best activities to have them team participate in. Remember that there needs to be engagement from the entire team. That’s your biggest role here. Guide the session and get everyone involved

Activities should be pivotal in shaping the overall individual hence achieving team spirt and ultimately the GOAL. It is essential to do SWOT analysis backed by TOWS matrix inorder to find the strength of one individual and help other individual's weakness, which in turn will help contribute to the overall team.

Physical activities are a good way to mobilize your team. You can explore other options such as "escape rooms", "mystery solving games" that will provoke your team to work together in order to know "who did it" or to "escape the room". This will also help you assess how your team behaves and handle the pressure.

Rotate who leads the team building activities. It doesn't always have to be the senior staff or HR person. Even when I am hired as a consultant to facilitate a process, I recruit members of the team to engage in co-facilitation of a team building activity or similar activity. It promotes inclusivity and engagement by ensuring everyone has a chance to contribute and develop their leadership skills. This approach also reduces hierarchies, encourages collaboration, and builds trust. Lastly, different leads will bring variety and fresh ideas into the activities - really increasing the F.U.N.

Be aware of what your team likes. What will get them engaged and even pumped to get into a state to fix things. In the past I have played great teamworking skill challenges and this gets people curious and open. This is the atmosphere that people need to get creative in

Activities as educational and also meaning into them that show a Got it not only as winning but the purposes behind that is the well rounded activities plannng!

In my experience, it's incredibly important to start a team building session with some form of sharing or check in. You can kick off with a simple prompt. ("How are you doing right now?") or work-focused ("What was a win for you over the past week?"), but make room for each person to quickly respond. Research shows when people participate within the first few minutes of a meeting, they're more likely to chime in later on. It's important to break into smaller groups like duos or triads. Some people, especially introverts, find it easier to share in a 1:1 setting. Give duos 5-10 minutes to discuss, and then can have each group share out with the larger team. This gives each person a chance to be heard before the events begun.

I like immersive experiences- adventures, fun, shared laughter, shared personal stories etc. for team building exercises. We do quarterly off-site excursions with our small team of 10. They have been great for building camaraderie.

At the beginning of any activity, it is crucial to consider the varying expectations and concerns of all participants in order to create an inclusive and comfortable environment. Establishing group agreements can help foster a safe space and encourage participants to push beyond their comfort zones.

I’m reluctant to use the term “team-building” due to unfortunate association with off-site recreational approaches. Lots of “ra-ra” and even a temporary “esprit de corps” but the feel-good factor quickly fades and nothing changes when faced with realities back at work. The rules and tasks of engagement at work are different. How people interact during a game may not transfer to how they work together. Focus on the real work of the team: goals, daily interactions around tasks. Who does what, how, when, with whom and why, can create many problems. A crucial step is for the team to understand how they are currently functioning and what is getting in the way pf peak performance in the real world.

Depending on the goal of the session, we like to start by crowdsourcing the right content to get juices flowing. Does the team need to think bigger while getting to know each other? Having them share the one campaign/project/event they dream of working on or the one big thing they'd do if they were not resource-constrained allows them to start with big picture thinking and begin by pushing past boundaries.

Don't be shy about starting with a human (even goofy) opener. No matter the 'level' of participants, or 'seriousness' of the topic at hand, it is invaluable to build human connection first. A few favorites are favorite ice cream, best childhood toy, which actor would play you in your biopic, etc.

Meaningful means different things to different people. So I always try to have alternative options for distinct personalities. 1. Silent sharing, for those more who are introverted or do not like to expose themselves. For example, drawing whatever they want to share (e.g. current emotions or desired future state). 2. Peer sharing, for those who appreciate deep connections. For example, buddying people who do not know each other, in a comfortable setting (e.g. garden). 3. Group sharing, for those who build energy from interacting with lots of people. For example, taking a group round with 2/3 personal questions (e.g. hobbies, pets). You can even have them all at the same time, and let people choose in which they want to participate.

There should be no holding or watering down of the real issues. A faciltation style can involve all and let everyone feel engaged and have their opinion listened too and aired. In such sessions I think it's OK to let out the real emotions but the facilitator should professionally control things. If things get heated a break snd water always works and we'll as team members sitting down.

Setting clear guidelines on the role the feedback plays helps as some employees may be hesitant to speak up. Once that trust is established, you get more constructive feedback from all involved and helps move towards the goal while incorporating a well-rounded perspective into the solutions identified.

In my experience setting a foundation of all team meetings to be a safe space for open honesty and vulnerability to create a high level of trust.

I have found great value in starting with a circle - no desks or tables between and then having a moment to connect in silence. Then offer to begin the session with a check-in that is from head and heart. From that point people are a little more aware of each other than they were before. Once done, it can lead to the 'business' of the team building exercise.

Creating constructive sessions requires honest and authentic communication. People's intentions are usually good; however, the message delivered often differs from the message received. If I tell two people I'd like them to improve in a particular area, one person may receive this as an attack on their character and the other as welcomed feedback. Therefore, it's essential to instruct people on giving and receiving feedback. Once this is established, create a safe space to share personal stories, experiences, insights, etc., as a way for the group to align and develop meaningful connections.

Strip things down to the most common, unified goal. Find the greatest common good and start there! Be aware of matters of style vs. substance. It's so intoxicating to focus on style--and while that does make a quality and/or 'more holistic' impact, it isn't the everything to hyper-focus on. Recognize your space, offer your opinion and wish, and let go when it serves the group best. Give feedback, and share the 'even better if...'. Retrospectives and lessons learned are magic. As all involved, "Did we do what we set out to achieve? What could we each have done to make this 'even better'/more mindful? This is the magic ingredient in continuous improvement for all, and in my view unifies people. We are all human; none of us has THE answer.

Celebrate for the efforts and reward for the results helps in building the psychological safety among teams. Catch your team members doing the right thing.

I love this idea as well....classical conditioning at it finest. Celebrating the big and small wins of your team is so important and comes easier when your team feels like a family at work. 2024 should be focused on celebrating the wins of your teams in and outside of the overall team goals. Allow your wins and compliments to flow over into the personal life of your team. Celebrate their children's win, their wedding anniversary's, and even continued education courses they may be taking. Your employees are expecting you to celebrate their work wins but now you can take your teams morale to the next level by making it personal!

When talking about Recognition, we often think about rewards. Did you know that recognition only takes about 1 to 2 minutes? Acknowledging a team member about an achievement and giving them recognition/credit is all it takes. Rewards should come once the overall performance is evaluated as it is a consequence of a good performance after achieving or overachieving the objectives.

I agree this is great, but more than the result of the team building I'd reward based either on process, so something like being involved or whatever you know can bring better results, or behavior/attitude/effort. Strict or too formal results can put unnecessary pressure in my experience, given that it's not really work either.

Simply telling people what you value about them - and doing so frequently - is immensely powerful, yet something we're not always accustomed to doing!

This is a great idea… depending on the folks you are acknowledging. Not everyone appreciates the experience of being singled out in these settings. Managers should be aware of the preferences of individual direct reports. Recognition is about the person receiving and should improve their overall experience with your organisation. My approach would be to always deliver positive feedback during a one-on-one. If I was hoping to make an announcement at an upcoming team meeting, I would share that information and ask if they are okay being recognised publicly for their contribution.

I’m all about recognizing team members for great work and the team for meeting or crushing goals. Doesn’t matter where you work, people appreciate recognition.

En este punto se debe decir la importancia del lider cercano, que tiene que estar para guiar, corregir y supervizar, y además tenemos que sumarle un punto que considero un elemento fundamental para impulsar internamente ese sentimiento de alegría personal que siente alguna persona cuando se le reconoce en publico o en privado el hecho de alcanzar algún logro, gestos tan sencillos como aplaudir cada avance significativo y reconocer cada esfuerzo ayuda a que cada miembro del equipo para poder desarrollar las actividades y llevarlas al punto deseado, esto incluso engloba cualquier situación profesional, académica o personal. Mientras más felicidad puedas trasmitir seguramente crearás un ambiente más positivo donde todos se benefician.

At this point we must say the importance of the close leader, who has to be there to guide, correct and supervise, and we also have to add a point that I consider a fundamental element to internally promote that feeling of personal joy that someone feels when they are publicly or privately recognizes the fact of achieving some achievement, gestures as simple as applauding each significant progress and recognizing each effort helps each member of the team to be able to develop the activities and take them to the desired point, this even encompasses any professional situation, academic or personal. The more happiness you can transmit, you will surely create a more positive environment where everyone benefits.

This for me is the most important aspect. Participants forget 90% of what they learn in a training room so getting them to use their new knowledge in terms of behaviour is the key and where the real focus needs to be.

I love the idea of keeping the momentum flowing. In my experience I have found not everyone will arrive to work everyday feeling like a 10 and that's okay. If you are the leader who has the energy to give to others it will help the team overall to focus in on helping the 6 and 7's feel like an 8 or 9, while also having understanding and compassion for the people who may feel like all they have to give energetically is a 3 or 4 that day. It's just like an emotional bank...the more positive energy you pour into your team the more positive energy you can expect back ....even when you least expect it :)

This is where I think narrative is important. Sustainability comes from engagement with a story that is meaningful to the participants.

Like most things… consistency builds culture too. Don’t over do it. Pick one or two things that your teams can connect around consistently and hold the space for it. Also no homework for it…design the place to be a container where everyone can come as they are.

By keeping the team building activity relevant to the workplace and by providing opportunities to anchor the team building experience back to real work settings, you increase the opportunity for people to transfer skills and learning into their everyday work.

A maioria dos projetos começa com muita energia. A regra é uma equipe entusiasmada e pronta para pôr a mão na massa. Com o tempo, a rotina toma conta e corremos o risco de esquecer o porquê de termos iniciado o projeto. Acredito que a parte mais difícil da jornada é o meio. O entusiasmo do lançamento já se desfez e a linha de chegada ainda não é visível. É aqui que precisamos de um sistema, reunir o time e ajustar o processo. Ouvir o que todos têm a dizer, refrescar as metas e indicadores e por fim visualizar mais uma vez a chegada.

When it comes to team building, it really pays to focus on what you do every day and week rather than what you might do as a one off or annual event. These events can offer an initial spark but what makes and breaks team culture is the conversations and interactions you're having every day. So there needs to be consistent time in the agenda to connect, share wins and appreciation and discuss wellbeing both as a group and on a 1-to-1 basis.

En la actualidad hay muchos estilos de seguimientos, sobre todo con la tecnología y los avances actuales, aun asi el rol de acercamiento del líder o las unidades responsables de control y supervision juegan un papel importante para quienes desarrollan las actividades, generan la expectativa que pueden contar con alguien si tienen alguna debilidad. Además queda claro que en los procesos de supervision se pueden detectar formas más efectivas de realizar alguna actividad, valorar si existe alguna delibidad técnica que tenga que ser reforzada por parte de la empresa, o conocer las fortaleza para repetirlas en el proceso siempre. Por eso las áreas de supervision, control de calidad y auditoría son unidades tan valoradas en las organizaciones.

Currently there are many styles of monitoring, especially with technology and current advances, even so the approach role of the leader or the units responsible for control and supervision play an important role for those who develop the activities, they generate the expectation that they can Count on someone if you have any weaknesses. Furthermore, it is clear that in the supervision processes it is possible to detect more effective ways of carrying out an activity, assess whether there is any technical weakness that has to be reinforced by the company, or know the strengths to always repeat them in the process. That is why the areas of supervision, quality control and auditing are such valued units in organizations.

We adopted a slogan of " we need to have an uncomfortable conversation" the rules of engagement is that it must be honest feedback, with decorum to develop the individual or to clarify perception, intent and fact. We have found that once it becomes a norm team members resolve more potential conflicts pro actively.

Get CREATIVE in a way that lets everyone (including the formal leader) be a LEARNER. Whether taking a pottery class or painting by number or building something out of paper mache, so many of us have forgotten the fundamental vale of play and being a novice. Team Building activities that reconnect teams to that innate joy of creating together, foster both a sense of community and collaboration. #getmessy #inclusiveteambuilding #workasplay #playaswork

I usually incorporate some sort of team diagnostic (I have a few up my sleeve) as a "way in" to deeper and more meaningful discussions. Instruments and diagnostics are not enough in themselves. People need to be better skilled in communicating and holding each other accountable. The aim is to develop the characteristics of effective work teams by learning and modelling them in workshops and individual coaching sessions. Discussions may focus on avoidance, defensiveness and /or insensitivity. Facilitators create a safe space for the team to "lean into the discomfort" It can be challenging, but the rewards are great. Work is more productive and collegial relationships are more enriching.

Never underestimate the power of enabling team members to be human beings and just sit and talk to each other at a human to human level.

I have found eye to eye open and straight communication helps unlock different views , observations adding to the team building. Genuine interest in communication amongst team adds value

People are more inclined to recall the meaningful interactions they had with people during group sessions than the details of the lessons taught; therefore, it's essential to design sessions that encourage people to share personal stories and heartfelt connections. Some of my fondest memories in these environments are how people supported me during a challenging process, and I've had the opportunity to do the same.

In my experience, it's incredibly important to start a team building session with some form of sharing or check in. You can kick off with a simple prompt. ("How are you doing right now?") or work-focused ("What was a win for you over the past week?"), but make room for each person to quickly respond. Research shows when people participate within the first few minutes of a meeting, they're more likely to chime in later on. It's important to break into smaller groups like duos or triads. Some people, especially introverts, find it easier to share in a 1:1 setting. Give duos 5-10 minutes to discuss, and then can have each group share out with the larger team. This gives each person a chance to be heard before the events begun.

Camaraderie is defined as "mutual trust and friendship among people who spend a lot of time together". Perhaps the simplest way is the most underrated quality: listening and self-awareness. What is it like being on the other side of you? Do you know who you are and what truly drives your behaviour? How can feeling safe link with feeling understood and "seen" or "heard". The following equation can sum up a lot in trust: intention does not equal experience. There are two or more sets of meaning making in shared interactions and relationships. How willing are you to understand your perspective is subjective and respect those of others?

Es fundamental compartir que la creatividad se potencia con el aburrimiento y que para que este se de a veces hay que llegar al límite. A mayor cantidad de voces, posturas y opiniones mayor expansiva será la propuesta por ejemplo de experiencia del usuario en un UX design. En lo personal he tenido muy buenos resultados cuando alguien que en apariencia estaba fuera de foco hacía una asociación libre con algún planteo de product design.