Does Team-Building Matter?

It's a Saturday morning and Robert is preparing to leave his home to attend a mandated team-building exercise at a location noted for its remote but picturesque view. In the back of his mind, he wonders why his company continues to waste money and resources on team-building activities that few at his company take seriously or benefit from.

What is the importance of Team-Building?

Have you ever been a part of a team-building exercise or activity you wish you weren't?

What role, if any, did Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion play in your team-building experience?

Did you gain any new insights or learn anything about your organization, team, or participants you didn't already know?

Did you learn anything about yourself?

What role should team-building play in leadership development?

How do you apply team-building concepts to your professional or personal life?

Have you ever discussed, engaged in, or reviewed any psychological safety and emotional intelligence insights during any team-building experience or activities you were a part of?

"There Is No I In Team"

Where have you heard that one? This often-quoted mantra has historically been used to emphasize the need for one to give up their own selfish or personal goals or directions for the benefits of the team, the group, or others. But, in reality, there will always be an "I" in team, namely, you.

If you are an individual that has been tasked with joining a team, working with a team, performing with a team, or even leading a team, the idea or act of "team-building" can take on various levels, frameworks, and mindsets as well as trigger apprehension, dread, confusion, and frustration.

Unfortunately, for many of us, team-building activities are usually forced interactions that while designed to create a connection, unity of purpose, or bond between participants, it often ends up becoming an artificial , temporary, and unsustainable effort characterized by scenarios and activities that have more to do with a race to produce results or outcomes than an actual building up of staff or individual relationships and skill sets . This activity ,in theory, should incubate ,and hopefully reinforce positive impacts like developmental and relational advancements among participants.

What's Missing?

Having been a part of many team-building activities and efforts in the past, I can honestly say, that while most were fun and engaging, the learning, applications, and relationship building that occurred during these activities were rarely carried over or were sustained by myself or the rest of the staff on a daily basis.

Unfortunately, many in management and leadership see team-building as a luxury item and not necessary to the overall health, comfort, and success of the workplace environment or company.

Thus, most of their team-building exercises are intentionally or unintentionally delivered and portrayed as company or organizational special events that their employees don't take seriously. The disconnect is further compounded by a lack of implementation or adaptation to company culture of any of the positive by-products, if any, of their team-building activities.

True team- building is not just an exercise, but a framework that is designed to create a mindset, will, and motivation in its participants to connect with each other in a way that increases productivity, communication, and unity of purpose which should ultimately create a more positive workplace and organizational culture.

What's missing from many companies and organizations that initiate, or lead team-building activities are the hard and honest conversations around psychological safety, culture, race, diversity, emotional intelligence, and values.

Do you think any of these subject matters impact the successful operation of a business, school, organization or governmental entity?

Team-Building and Leadership

True leaders or leadership understand that building a strong team requires an authentic and serious investment in the health and well-being of the people they lead or direct.

Furthermore, true leaders know that Team-building does not effectively take place without Relationship -building first.

The mistake by poor leadership and management is that they think team-building, and its effectiveness operates separately from every aspect of company or organizational dysfunction.

Imagine going into an office every day where no one speaks to you or treat you as if you are invisible. Then those same people are required to be part of a team-building exercise with you.

How much real, meaningful, and honest engagement do you think would take place in this scenario?

The first job of any true leader or leadership team in any team-building endeavor must be about creating an atmosphere where all feel comfortable, respected, acknowledged, and appreciated.

Team-building without an Emphasis on DEI is fraudulent and a waste of time as well as money.

Whatever your views on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, one cannot escape the fact that our Workforce, our Military our Organizations, our Schools, and our Businesses cannot operate at their highest efficiency and effectiveness without the combined efforts of all kinds of people from all walks of life.

How can companies and organizations conduct authentic or legitimate team-building activities or exercises for a diverse workforce without including Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion frameworks, support, and advocacy?

Companies like Target, Walmart, Lowe's, Ford, Coors, Toyota have decided to play into the misguided, racist, and misunderstood hysteria around DEI. Even the NFL (National Football League) has removed "End Racism" from the end zones of the field for this year's Superbowl to appease those with racist agendas and ideologies .

So under this climate, can we assume most organizations , schools, and companies will no longer have serious or authentic team-building activities for any of their diverse workforce. Welcome to the world of the ridiculous.

Women, the elderly, the disabled, veterans, minorities, and the LGBTQ community are all beneficiaries of DEI initiatives, but many with racist political and societal agendas only seem to want to demonize minorities (particularly Black and Brown people of color) and blame them at every turn whenever there is a disaster or problem impacting our country or society.

As we celebrate Black History month, it is important to understand that no matter how others want to divide us, we are all linked to each other. We are all on the same team whether we like it or not. We are all in the same boat, which will sink if we don't pull together.

The ultimate team- building activity starts with calling out and challenging those who want to divide us with hate and suspicion while encouraging all to respect and embrace the history and humanity of all of us.

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