August 10, 2015 at 1:23 pm
jckfla (8/10/2015)
Steve Jones - SSC Editor (8/7/2015)
Brian J. Parker (8/7/2015)
I'm really curious to follow this for ideas. My company takes team building seriously and I recognize its importance... but I'm also a serious introvert and generally hate spending time with groups of more than two or three people. I don't even like activities with large groups of close friends; co-workers don't stand a chance. Maybe there are ways to build a team that aren't big organized outings?A few things that have worked well and aren't hard:
- movie at a close theater.
- mini golf
-
One thing I'll mention: I'm not a big fan of huge crowds either at social events. But, I managed to deal with it by finding a co-worker or two off somewhere away from the main stuff and talk with them for a while. Me and a couple of the guys from our software systems department got together and threw frisbee and then some others came along and joined and others dropped out.
My biggest suggestion would be hanging out with a co-worker or two that you enjoy talking with, whether it's about work or anything else. Go to a diner, pub, coffee shop, a public park...etc etc etc.
As for what your department/organization could do...well...I'd say probably they'd have to do it by project groups rather than department staff or something to help build things without needing to organize massive groups.
Typically when we've done stuff like this, it's groups of 2-3 that chat and hang out within the larger group. There's a hope that everyone will meet different people and spend some time with the across months and new events, but no effort to force (or enforce) this.
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August 10, 2015 at 3:00 pm
Steve Jones - SSC Editor (8/10/2015)
jckfla (8/10/2015)
Steve Jones - SSC Editor (8/7/2015)
Brian J. Parker (8/7/2015)
I'm really curious to follow this for ideas. My company takes team building seriously and I recognize its importance... but I'm also a serious introvert and generally hate spending time with groups of more than two or three people. I don't even like activities with large groups of close friends; co-workers don't stand a chance. Maybe there are ways to build a team that aren't big organized outings?A few things that have worked well and aren't hard:
- movie at a close theater.
- mini golf
-
One thing I'll mention: I'm not a big fan of huge crowds either at social events. But, I managed to deal with it by finding a co-worker or two off somewhere away from the main stuff and talk with them for a while. Me and a couple of the guys from our software systems department got together and threw frisbee and then some others came along and joined and others dropped out.
My biggest suggestion would be hanging out with a co-worker or two that you enjoy talking with, whether it's about work or anything else. Go to a diner, pub, coffee shop, a public park...etc etc etc.
As for what your department/organization could do...well...I'd say probably they'd have to do it by project groups rather than department staff or something to help build things without needing to organize massive groups.
Typically when we've done stuff like this, it's groups of 2-3 that chat and hang out within the larger group. There's a hope that everyone will meet different people and spend some time with the across months and new events, but no effort to force (or enforce) this.
Yeah. As one who doesn't like to be told who should be my friends should be or who I should be associating with, that kinda thing is best for me.
At the job I'm at now, everyone is really nice. I probably wouldn't hang out with 2 in my department when it comes to "going out on the town", because they don't drink and I don't want them in a funny-feeling situation. Now if it was a meal or something, it'd be cool. We did a department lunch the other day. Restaurant food wasn't anything impressive, but we had a good time.
When I worked at one place about 5 years ago, the other senior programmer there and I became good friends. I still go up and go drinking with him and his wife, attend their birthdays when I can, etc. He and I clicked right away because we're both computer nerds...and we're both big guys...he's 6'4 and I'm about 6'6"...plus we're both goofballs.
I am cool to everyone I work with. But, I hate having people pushed on me or being made to hang out with others. When you let your team naturally mend, I feel it really is the best way to go about it. Usually, people in the team get each other to hang out eventually and all the bonding and cohesiveness happens best that way.
August 11, 2015 at 8:14 am
Wayne West (8/10/2015)
Rod at work (8/10/2015)
... It might just be because money in state government is always short. Many things like training will never be paid for. And you know what will freeze over before anyone goes to any conference to learn anything new or learn from colleagues in other agencies or companies. The only exception is if it is local and totally free.I'm sure you can relate, Wayne.
Yep, been there. I do have to say that I have gotten training while working for state/local gov't, a lot depends on how much the department director will fight for you. In the '90s I went to three local training opportunities (one conference and two or three vendor trainings) and two TechEds, plus a week in Atlanta training for a new programming system (which we abandoned a couple of years later). I was only supposed to go to one TechEd, but my boss got sick the day before he was supposed to leave for the New Orleans TechEd. I came back from lunch on a Friday and the assistant department administrator pounced on me as I came back in the office and said "So Wayne, what are you doing next week?" I replied, "Going to New Orleans?" Spent the rest of the afternoon going to get the expense check from my boss to get it reissued to me, changing the travel tickets, etc. My previous job I went to two ESRI classes plus PASS '08 in Seattle, but in my current job I doubt I'll see much in the way of training opportunities.
Oh how envious I am. I doubt seriously that they'll be any opportunities for me or anyone else to go to any training of conferences. I could possibly be wrong; I've only been in this job for a few months. But talking with everyone else here I've learned that no one has ever gone to any training or conference.
Kindest Regards, Rod Connect with me on LinkedIn.
August 11, 2015 at 9:00 am
I've had good team building experiences when they were not coordinated by management. If management does get involved, make it worth it. The worst thing, and I've seen this all over, is being asked for your input, giving it, then being told you're wrong. We did lunches with discussion with one group of 15 or so, and my manager came to be after a few of them and told me he was surprised to hear the conversations where people were doing things, but no one else in the group knew about them. As manager, he would hear individual accomplishments and just assume that knowledge was getting magically disseminated. Unfortunately, that revelation came too late, he did nothing and retired about 6 months after that.
August 11, 2015 at 9:32 am
The worst thing, and I've seen this all over, is being asked for your input, giving it, then being told you're wrong.
Welcome to the business world.
August 11, 2015 at 9:43 am
GoofyGuy (8/11/2015)
The worst thing, and I've seen this all over, is being asked for your input, giving it, then being told you're wrong.
Welcome to the business world.
I dropped out of "business" for a couple years, tried my hand to working with non-profits. No difference. It's people. What I'm saying is, if your profession is "management" that should require a skill of listening. If you don't have that skill, you're a bad manager, or at least you need to work at that skill. And yes, I read Dilbert, I realize by my definition, there is a lot of bad management.
August 11, 2015 at 10:13 am
WolforthJ (8/11/2015)
GoofyGuy (8/11/2015)
The worst thing, and I've seen this all over, is being asked for your input, giving it, then being told you're wrong.
Welcome to the business world.
I dropped out of "business" for a couple years, tried my hand to working with non-profits. No difference. It's people. What I'm saying is, if your profession is "management" that should require a skill of listening. If you don't have that skill, you're a bad manager, or at least you need to work at that skill. And yes, I read Dilbert, I realize by my definition, there is a lot of bad management.
At risk of sounding a bit like Mitt Romney, I would point out 'business' - whether private sector, public sector, or NGO - is comprised of people. Whilst I would agree listening is an essential skill (and not only for managers but for everyone), I've encountered a share of 'touchy-feely' managers who listened empathetically and made terrible decisions (or no decisions at all, with similar results).
A good manager is a 'package deal' - with many good qualities all rolled up into one person. And yes, sadly they're a bit too uncommon.
August 18, 2015 at 7:22 am
Things that don't work are those that you just sit and watch something, like a movie, play, and even sporting event. There is little interaction with your fellow team members. But when you participate together such as lawn bowling or even just eating out, you get to talk together. That seems to have a positive effect later at work.
August 18, 2015 at 9:39 am
... when you participate together such as lawn bowling or even just eating out, you get to talk together. That seems to have a positive effect later at work.
Or you detest them even more.
It really depends on the personalities involved.
The best one might do is simply to behave in as professional a manner as possible toward every colleague, betraying as little as possible any personal dislike.
March 7, 2016 at 6:37 am
I think that there is a huge difference between team building and cross-team building. In the former you are dealing with colleagues who generally know each other at least a little bit and the intention is to get to know each other better. Whereas cross-team building often is more about introductions of people who have never met or only briefly so.
Gaz
-- Stop your grinnin' and drop your linen...they're everywhere!!!
March 7, 2016 at 7:23 am
chill8 (8/7/2015)
At Ford in the group I am currently in we don't do any team building since the team is of a global nature. So it makes it hard to do this. Consider yourselves so lucky if you are able to team build at all!
Interesting. If you are referring to Ford Motor Company and you are on the North American SQL Server DBA team there are quarterly team building activities. Last December for the 4th quarter event the SQL, Oracle, and Security teams went bowling. The 3rd quarter event was miniature golf/go carts/bumper cars.
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