What is Teambuilding?

In the early days, 'Team Building' has been recognised by many companies as an important factor in its growth, yet the term 'team building' can sometimes seem rather nebulous - people often know that they need it, but aren't quite sure what it is.

'Team Building' is the process of enabling that group of people to work together to reach their goal. It is therefore vital for any organisation to pursue further. Great teambuilding sessions are a combination of sensational adventures, the right tools, and amazing facilitators that can bring out the most with your team.

Why is it Important?

Your staff is your greatest asset. Keeping them and getting the best from them is what drives a successful business. Making sure that your team integrates and communicates well is a very important aspect of any organisation. They must have the right attitude and a grasp of the culture in which your organisation operates and thrives.

Benefits of Teambuilding

Team building programmes are probably the most beneficial way of reinforcing corporate culture and bringing the workforce together. A well thought out, structured programme will be both constructive and effective as it will:

• Prevent fieldworkers from feeling isolated
• Help people be solution orientated as a team
• Act as an incentive to make them feel valued & to foster company loyalty

Remember, a well knit team will be happier, more communicative and therefore more productive. Team building exercises, activities and games are a great way to create a space for individuals to discuss issues within their team without being confrontational, looking to:

• Improve Communication & to Break Down Barriers
• Help Your Group Dynamics Awareness
• Establish or Re-establish Trust
• Produce Greater Problem Solving Techniques
• Uncover Communication Gaps in Your Tea

The Right Stuff

New employee orientations, celebratory functions and seasonal gatherings all benefit from a great team building programme to kick it all off. We believe that some of the greatest insights into teamwork are discovered far away from computers, desks, and telephones.

Our Teambuilding programmes actively engage participants in unforgettable experiences that challenge them in exciting ways. With vast years of experiences, we have developed a broad range of team building programs that spark creative energy, foster innovation, and build camaraderie.

What is Challenge Course?

A Challenge Course is a series of individual and group physical challenges that require a combination of teamwork skills and individual commitment. The use of Challenge Courses has spread from the military based centers of the early days, to a broad range of educational, recreational, and therapeutic organisations and institutions. Many camps, colleges, and even resorts now offer Challenge Courses as part of their added curriculum either for leadership training, orientation programme, adventure, or just for fun. The recent trend is in professional and corporate training. Teambuilding needs, communication issues, creative problem solving, risk taking strategies, stress reduction techniques, and many other professional development themes have been addresses through Experiential Learning approaches, which often use the Challenge Course as a training tool.

C. C. & You

When it comes to meeting and conquering the negativity in your life, here is a key question: what can you do today, that will make a difference? What can you do during economic chaos? What can you do when everything has gone wrong? What can you do?

The broad answer is that you can do the most remarkable things, no matter what happens. People can do incredible things, unbelievable things, despite the most impossible or disastrous circumstances.

Here is why humans can do remarkable things: because they are remarkable. Humans are different than any other creation. Humans can turn nothing into something, pennies into fortune, and disaster into success. Try reaching down inside of yourself; you'll come up with some more of those remarkable human gifts. They're there, waiting to be discovered and employed.

With those gifts, you can change anything for yourself that you wish to change. Challenge Courses can help you to seek that desire for change. It would change your perceptive and to achieve more. It would seek and remove the obstacle that prevents you from moving ahead, leading to having a better work force, sound and healthy financial statements, and bringing out the leader in you.

If there is one thing to get excited about, it's your ability to make yourself do the necessary things, to get a desired result, to turn the negative into success. That's true excitement.

So why Play?

Its Involving

The best way to learn new skills is through action - actually doing things. Research shows that people who just sit and listen retain only 20% of what they hear. But participants involved in active learning (doing a real job, a simulation, a dramatic presentation, etc.) retain 90% of the information. Playing a team building game, participating in a simulation, and role playing all deeply involve the participants in active learning.

Its Low Risk

Play offers participants a safe environment in which to explore risk, try new ideas and make mistakes without the threat of termination or castigation. We can all learn a lot by making mistakes. While inventing the light bulb, Edison discovered over 1,800 ways not to build one. Columbus was looking for India when he found America. Each of these mistakes had valuable lessons and benefits attached to it.

Team Dynamics

Team play is a mean by which the dynamics of a group can be evaluated under controlled conditions. Every team develops a distinct personality of its own. How does this team function, produce, communicate and plan? How does this group make its decisions? What roles do the various members assume in different situations? How does the group adapt to change? All these questions and more can be examined in a play environment.

Self-Awareness

Just as a team can be evaluated in a controlled play environment, so can the individual members. Participants are given an opportunity to try new experiences and new ideas. This makes for moments of self-examination and awareness. It also gives team members an opportunity to view teammates in a new light. We hear it again and again: "I had no idea Harry was so creative!" or "Who knew Mary was that clever?" An increased awareness of ourselves, and of those around us, can only improve team effectiveness, opening up exciting new possibilities.

Value of the Team

Play is an excellent tool for convincing the skeptics of teamwork's value. Many workers are so competitive, or as inexperienced at working as part of a team, that they doubt the benefits of teamwork. This makes for hesitation in sharing information and responsibilities. Fun team exercises afford skeptics the opportunity to observe first-hand how two (or more) heads are better than one. They see that sharing information and responsibilities can bring amazing results. This group play also gives participants an opportunity to discover the value of diversity. The more diverse a group and the broader its knowledge base, the more successful it tends to be at solving problems or achieving goals.

Building Trust

Everyone in a group becomes more comfortable as members become more familiar with their teammates, sharpen their awareness of group dynamics, and begin to understand where they fit in. Allowing people to work together in a play environment builds trust within the team.

Pleasure

Studies have shown that there is a direct correlation between pleasure and productivity. Surprise! It makes perfect sense that pleasure would be a powerful motivator. The pleasure of learning through play can work wonders to revitalize a group and rebuild morale. Pleasure also effects participants' commitment to the exercises, helping them learn more and retain knowledge longer.

Specific Lessons

Each team bonding event offers its own lessons, skills and experiences for the participants. Some of these are group lessons. Others are more individually targeted. Many involve problem solving, while others tend to be more physical. Some are designed to enhance communication skills, while others focus on organisation.

Doubts?

How Challenging will it be?

Different aspects of our programmes challenge each participants in different ways. Our programmes are designed for people of average fitness; however, how well you prepare for course can greatly impact your success and enjoyment of the experience. Keep an open mind and be ready to embrace new experiences. Our friendly staff and representatives are always ready to answer any questions you may have, all you have to do is call or e-mail us

What Experience(s) do I need?

No experience is necessary. You do not have to be an athlete or an outdoor enthusiast to succeed. Our friendly staff and representatives can answer questions you have about what to expect. The best way to prepare yourself for our programmes is to commit yourself to giving your best effort. Once on our programmes, our friendly facilitators will address any concerns you have

Who are the Facilitators?

As leaders in the industry, our facilitators are accomplished experiential educators with extensive experience and training in technical and facilitation skills. Whether it's solving a task or facilitating a group discussion, our facilitators form the backbone and the heart of every programme. They are generally adventurous and compassionate people who have a full resume of teaching, counseling, outdoor and group leadership experiences

Will I be Safe?

Safety is of the utmost importance to us. We are proud of our safety record and we frequently review and refine our policies to maintain that record. It is important to recognize that there are real risks associated with participating in outdoor activities. Learning to manage those risks is part of every programme, and each participant is expected to play a role in their own safety by adhering to the rules, policies and procedures set up by our facilitators. Our risk management efforts include internal and external reviews of programmes and activities venue, facilitators with certification from various international governing bodies, annual facilitator assessments, training requirements and the development of comprehensive program plans. While we cannot completely eliminate risks, our focus on risk management allows participants to face challenges and to achieve success

Is it Engaging?

We keep participants engaged as much as possible. There is not a lot of down time. Our programmes and its activities are engaging and requires the participation of all participants.

"You learn more about a person in an hour of play than in a lifetime of conversation." - Plato