How the Perfectly Planned Team Building Event Supercharges Your Company
How the Perfectly Planned Team Building Event Supercharges Your Company
If you’re an event planner, you already know that there’s a LOT more to your job than picking a venue or getting opinions on a team building activity. Those are certainly good things to do, but the perfect event isn’t ‘just’ an activity; it’s an experience that meaningfully adds to your teammates’ relationships with each other. Providing an opportunity for coworkers to connect outside the office is a great way to strengthen working relationships.
Which kinds of team building events have the best chance of creating this experience, though? What elements should event planners bear in mind as they create these opportunities? Here’s a quick rundown of some helpful themes to consider when planning the perfect event!
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The Six Cs of Team Building
You’ve probably seen six-C frameworks before; they are used to cover a myriad of topics, such as leadership, motivation, and decision making. When it comes to planning a great event, the six Cs of team building cannot be beat! These six Cs will help you craft a meaningful experience for your team that not only enhances relationships but creates lasting memories.
- Communication – The sky’s the limit for all of us when it comes to learning, and maintaining, great communication skills. A properly planned event can put the chance for practicing communication front and center, giving your team an exciting and novel way to become more cohesive outside of a work environment.
- Camaraderie – Everyone prefers to have coworkers they like, right? Building that rapport is one of the reasons why event planners like you are so important; you can create an event that’s fun in itself, yes, but participants can also take that meaningfully improved connection back to their daily work.
- Commitment – A great team activity requires everyone’s active participation in order to succeed. This approach can help reinforce that instinct in a workplace setting, while also providing a fun and fresh context to group effort.
- Confidence – Everyone has their insecurities about what they’re good at (or not), and a team activity presents an opportunity to learn a new skill or hone an existing one in a collaborative, fun environment. An event that builds confidence can leave everyone feeling more capable; who knows what talents people will discover about themselves!
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- Coachability – The right event provides leaders a chance to see how coachable their team is and how different team members respond to feedback. Depending on the type and structure of the event, it’s also a handy way to see how people respond to different communication styles and what types of feedback works best.
- Celebration – One of the biggest causes of burnout is never taking time to celebrate wins. This is arguably one of event planning’s most important functions: creating an opportunity for everyone to feel celebrated, appreciated and take the time to enjoy the win.
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Turning the Six Cs into A Great Event
So, now that we’ve gone over some elements that make any event both fun and impactful, it’s time to go back to some of the questions we touched on at the very beginning: venues, activities, and the like. Knowing which elements to include in an event is one thing, but how can event planners pick an activity or a setting that really maximizes those six Cs? What kinds of events best lend themselves to this approach?
Well, starting with a birds-eye view, an event that can create a memorable experience while also strengthening team bonds is an activity that presents a single destination for everyone to work toward. Some great ideas include things like cooking classes, craft night, or karaoke. The list is as endless as your imagination.
Competitive events are fun too. Hands-on cooking competitions are designed to boost bonding, communication, and camaraderie—all while having a blast in the kitchen. Other competitive events, such as pickle-ball, Topgolf, or even axe throwing provide excellent bonding opportunities. Together, you strategize and innovate. You will be amazed at the rapport developed and what is accomplished when working as a team.
Next, find something that gives people a chance to learn new things. That idea might make some teammates a bit anxious, but finding a fun and relaxed setting for that learning ends up winning everyone over. It’s also a chance to see how people learn new things, as well as how they respond to instruction.
What’s Next?
As you plan your next event, remember that the key to success lies in choosing activities and settings that embody the Six Cs. Whether it’s a hands-on cooking class, a craft night, or a competitive game of pickle-ball, the goal is to create an experience that fosters teamwork, learning, and genuine connections. By thoughtfully selecting elements that encourage collaboration and fun, you’ll ensure that your event not only meets but exceeds expectations, leaving lasting memories and stronger bonds among participants.
