When you decide to invest in team building activities, you typically do so for one primary reason: you want your team to get better at problem-solving TOGETHER.

When things are going well, problem-solving together is easy.

But when things aren’t going well, problem-solving together can look very different.

· Things are taken much more personally, which clouds objectivity.

· People may feel like their positions or authority are in jeopardy, so they turn dictatorial.

· Territorialism takes over, and usually open-minded team members may shut down and reject input from others.

Typical team building activities may provide opportunities where people can laugh and enjoy each other’s company, going offsite and taking a break from the usual environment. And there is nothing wrong with that. These types of events every once in a while are great fun.

But if these activities don’t achieve your primary objective, with your team getting better at problem-solving TOGETHER through good AND bad times, was your investment worth it?

The best way to build teams is to develop emotional connections that go far beyond occasional offsite adventures. It’s important to laugh and have fun too…but I think we all desire a much different, deeper outcome.