Values-Based Business Teambuilding

When people must work together with colleagues within their own group or with people from other functions, teamwork is a necessity. A prior history in team sports or other collaborative activities such as a school play, musical orchestra productions, etc. may favorably dispose people to the ideals of teamwork and remind them of some of the practices such as focusing on a common goal, supporting or backing each other up, or rapid communication for real time coordination. Much of this is forgotten or lost sight of in the more complex context of business and the self promotion and individual achievement orientation fostered by organizational politics and standard reward and advancement systems.

Courses on teamwork can serve as a reminder in the classroom of the virtues of team play, positive spirit and fun. However, unless these team skills and practices are integrated into everyday business activities, they remain just “practice.” Further, the fun, play, energy and spirit of teamwork often disappears in the drone of everyday business and real time pressures. Business-based teambuilding involves integrating teamwork practices and business activities so that over time team play becomes the norm for group discussion, business planning and problem solving.

Since values represent our core beliefs and higher aspirations, a meaningful focus on them can re-create the spirit and positive field from which they were derived. Values-based Teambuilding involves exploring some of the values which inspire teamwork, and thereby bringing their spirit into the present business discussion. We may ask people to engage in a brief (or not so brief) appreciative inquiry or recollection of experiences of seamless cooperation, deep respect, or rock solid trust. As their stories are shared, a feeling of team, group cohesion and joyful interplay emerges, bringing life and depth to the conversation about how the group can better “play team” in various specific business contexts.

Values-Based Business Teambuilding is the practice of integrating the life and spirit and practices of Teamwork into the very substance of everyday business activity.