Team painting, graffiti, sculpting or music is a great way to open the mind and approach problem solving. It has to be done correctly though…
Creative events provide a great opportunity for teams to socialise, break down barriers and unleash their more extrovert personalities. By working together, teams are strengthened and become focussed on a single goal – a final piece of art, a sculpture made of ice or an elaborate song or dance.
As a HR Manager or Corporate Event Manager, there are 5 rules to follow to ensure all goes to plan!
THE 5 RULES
1. Align the activity with company or meeting objectives. Artistic activities may not seem productive or conducive to team development unless a correlation with professional goals is explained. The organiser should briefly outline what the teams are going to achieve and of course make sure the group knows what the final outcome will be – a picture representing a new idea, a sculpture incorporating the company logo or a song and dance showing off a new product line.
2. Help participants feel comfortable. This is a key element as it’s hard to be creative in a tense environment. What makes your team relax? Aperitif with wine and food or do they require a pre-event ice breaker exercise?
3. Think about the venue. Will your group work best in the office cafeteria they know so well or will they appreciate something unique? On the edge of a lake, up a mountain or in a historical castle? It pays to invest time and (where needed) money to ensure the venue in conducive to your goals.
4. Rely on professional expertise. By using trained facilitators and experts in the team building field, you will not only ensure that the day runs smoothly but also benefit from the facilitators skills in bringing the best out of your team and may help to encourage out-of-the-box thinking.
5. Ask for feedback. Not only from your team but from the professionals you have working for you too. Don’t forget they do this for a living and they see a LOT of interesting things and know what could be improved or what went exceptionally well.
Take their knowledge and use it on your next event!