6 ways to go beyond team building
When people hear that it’s time for an office team building activity, skepticism is usually one of the most common reactions. Ricky Gervais’ The Office has made it rather easy for us to envision an awkward sharing circle with your company’s version of David Brent, or an “uh-oh” moment when your colleague fails to catch your blindfolded boss as she crashes to the ground.
But a team activity doesn’t have to be like that. Nor does it have to be the opposite end of the spectrum, where you just go for the most vanilla social activity that you can think of to get everyone out of the office. Sure, bowling can be fun, but there’s only so many times you need to see how badly your workplace lacks coordination.
Luckily, there are also activities out there that encourage people to work together and take different roles much like they would in the workplace, but with fun being the main objective, rather than strictly ‘team-building’. We should know, because we sort of accidentally designed one…
Originally devised for locals to explore their city and its history, and for tourists ready for a more adventurous sightseeing experience, it turns out the 100 Point Challenge is also a great fit for work teams.
Over several years of development, the game now incorporates core workplace skills such as leadership, strategy, problem-solving, team-work, and creative thinking, but in our trademark understated style… Your workmates will practice all of these skills during the one 2.5 hour experience, but we guarantee you, no one will even notice.
For strategy, think games
Whether it be snake on your old Nokia 3310 or bridge at the country club, most gameplay incorporates strategic thinking, and most of the time without the need for a whiteboard or spider diagram.
For example, when you begin the 100 Point Challenge, you are given a map, 22 individual challenges, and a polaroid camera- your team then has 2 hours to find a series of locations around the city, with zero access to google maps. To be successful in the game, teams need to build an effective strategy from the outset, and try to figure out how to complete as many challenges as possible, whilst prioritising those with the maximum number of points, in the most efficient route.
A social game like the 100 Point Challenge is perfect to build workplace strategy skills- you have to take stock of your resources, finalise the overarching objective before breaking it down into steps, and importantly, interact with each other and the city, which means functioning as a team- listening and negotiating, while pooling your collective ideas and knowledge to build a plan with the maximum chance of winning, because, well, glory.
2. Leadership is all around
Let’s face it- everyone thinks they’re a leader and there’s a lot of different ways to lead. ‘Leadership’ is one of the buzziest words out there, and it means a lot of things- from ‘strong leadership’ to ‘leading from the back’.
To succeed in the 100 Point Challenge requires leadership, and people will normally take on different roles while working together. One person may be best-suited to navigating (but beware the volunteer!), while another could make the perfect team photographer. However, without one person stepping up to lead, direct and delegate, you end up with too many chiefs and waste valuable time… And in this day and age (and the 100 Point Challenge!) efficiency is king.
3. Dare to create
The ability to think creatively is important to any profession, and one of the aspects of the 100 Point Challenge that we have paid a lot of attention to is our creative challenges. One of the biggest barriers to fostering creative thinking in a workplace is making employees feel supported- creativity often means trying something new and perhaps a bit daring, which is not something you are likely to do if you don’t feel confident that even your most ‘out there’ ideas will be encouraged and considered.
We have tried to create a fun place to practice this skill in the 100 Point Challenge with tasks that focus on making something, or drawing something, usually with a novel or occasionally funny element. These tasks not only force improvisation and creative thinking, but usually result in a tactile outcome, which can be recognised and celebrated by other teams at the end of the challenge. And the method seems to work- teams have presented more ways to make the objects and complete the challenges than one could imagine.
4. Managing differences with a (pref. chocolate) carrot
Helping your team to learn to negotiate the inevitable differences in opinion that arise in any workplace can be as simple as dangling a big old reward at the end of a slightly pressurised experience. Pressure usually creates both tension and urgency, which has to be resolved if you want the cake and a team to eat it with, too.
With a variety of tasks to complete in the 100 Point Challenge, different challenges speak to different personalities. As the team explores the city together they can choose who leads which challenges, and take the game as seriously or lightheartedly as they’d collectively like to. With diversity an integral part of any high performing team, it’s a great opportunity for people to see the value of different skills and abilities in getting the job done. Plus, the winning team gets a prize, which is usually edible and always shareable.
5. Culture can be as simple as shared experience
While developing workplace skills are an important part of the 100 Point Challenge, we also think it is just as beneficial for teams to interact with colleagues in a new context. Playing the game together creates a fun, shared experience that can build meaning and be referred back to in the future. A focus on creating an analogue, experiential game increases the opportunity for teammates to remain present and engaged with one another, and our customisation options allow companies to emphasise particular aspects of company culture subtly through a shared adventure. This provides participants with a physical experience of what’s most important to the company culture, without the need for buzzy language or flashy slide-decks.
6. Team building for the skeptical
The thing is, even though these workplace skills are being practiced in the 100 Point Challenge, most people just come and play to have fun- to see and learn about the city via a bit of friendly competition, and hopefully take home a prize at the end. Without reflection, most people playing the 100 Point Challenge will not realise they have just participated in something that can be highly beneficial to team development- which is what we think is key to any successful team-building experience.