Category Archives: Blog

Is Teambuilding a Waste of Money?

Recently I came across this very interesting and challenging article in the Harvard Business Review, titled: Stop Wasting Money on Team Building by Carlos Valdes-Dapena In a nutshell, the author argues that most corporate teambuiilding is a waste of time.  He refers to bowling, ropes courses, and the like, and…

Teamwork vs. Teaming

Did you know there is a difference between “teamwork” and “teaming”?    I didn’t either until I watched a great TED talk by Amy Edmondson, which you can watch here.   It’s called “How to Turn A Group of Strangers into a team”.   Edmondson suggests that teamwork is what sports teams…

“Incredible” Teamwork

“Incredible” Teambuilding   The summer movie season is upon us, and the first big blockbuster has landed: The Incredibles 2. Although I enjoyed the new film in a lot of ways, I2 has nothing on its predecessor, The Incredibles (2004). The sequel was a perfectly swell action film, albeit a…

The Four Traits of Warrior Teamwork

The Four Traits of Warrior Teamwork If you had to pick four traits for your work team to embody, what would they be?  Collaboration, perhaps?  Cooperation? Communication?  Surprisingly, when Steve Kerr addressed his group of 14 men before a morning meeting, he omitted many of the traditional team characteristics, instead asking his group to…

  My Communication Style–and a Boat Crash in Costa Rica   A wise man once told me, “You are you wherever you go.” Little did I know how true that might be– until disaster struck. It’s 2001, a warm muggy day in southwest Costa Rica. My travel partner, Donna, and…

Teamwork and the Golden State Warriors

Love this article about teamwork and the Golden State Warriors. My own thoughts: It’s so easy for people to lose their engagement when a member of a team. It’s up to the leader/coach to get everyone involved, and to build the sense of “ownership”. A leader’s job is *not* to…

Outdoor Team-Building Activities Should Focus On Character, Not Competition

It seems like there’s one in every group:  The go-getter who absolutely has to win in every situation, and at all costs.  In many cases, especially in areas of business where winning can make the difference, this can be an admirable trait.  But that’s not always the case, especially when in comes to…

How to Make the Most of Activities for Team Building

Whether you’re talking about activities for team building or any sort of in-office collaborative work, few things can be more damaging to group interactions than a toxic personality.  You know the sort of people: Constantly self-aggrandizing. Always finger-pointing to dodge blame. Endlessly negative towards the contributions of others. Full of…

Choosing the Right Company for Your Corporate Team-Building Events

There are plenty of companies offering corporate team-building events these days, too many to count.  All of them make huge promises, but it can be difficult to tell which ones can really deliver.  And this is a big deal since they don’t just cost money, but you’re potentially putting your lives in…

The Best of Intentions

Have you ever heard co-workers engaged in a conflict exclaim, “I didn’t mean it that way”? “Intentions” play a crucial part in dust ups like this. Nine times out ten, you didn’t mean to hurt someone — in fact, you were trying to help them!  So why does it always…