Did you know that bonding with a team releases oxytocin? Or that the ideal team size is between 5 and 9? Or that teams including a variety of ages outperform those with only younger members? There is an endless amount of facts to learn about teams and teamwork. But one of the most important things to learn is how to build up your team. Team building is a useful practice for honing the effectiveness of your team.
Trying out some common team building exercises can help you figure out what works best for your team. Here are some common exercises you might be interested in trying:
- Plan get-to-know-you luncheons for team members
- Implement problem-solving scenarios for the team to work out together
- Encourage team members to share ideas and feelings
- Facilitate communication
- Establish team values and goals
- Consistently evaluate team performance
- Generate a method for reaching a consensus on ideas
Team building is more than just trust falls and icebreakers. Identifying what methods have the most positive effects on your team is a good start toward fortifying your team’s performance and rapport.
