Corporate Spirit Australia

c o r p o r a t e s p i r i t

a u s t r a l i a

The spirit of a good company is its people

Team Spirit

The team approach in organisations today represents a movement away from the traditional top-down, boss-centered, decision-making culture to a bottom-up, employee-centered culture of true empowerment.

Without professional guidance, most teams will never reach their full potential.

Teams are expected to produce results, but performance is hindered when team members don't work together well. A successful team is one where team members:

· Have a common purpose and goals
· Trust each other
· Clarify roles
· Communicate openly and effectively
· Accept and understand team member diversity

Establishing the right environment for organisational and personal balance is critical for creativity, productivity, work quality and job satisfaction. Teams need to be supported through creating measures of success, setting clear expectations, valuing quality and service, attention to detail and valuing team recommendation and rewarding team performance. Teams that work together will out-perform groups that are merely together working.

To create a high performance team-based structure, organisations must invest in training and team development for skills such as problem-solving, managing conflict, giving and receiving feedback, effective communication, decision-making, effectively setting goals and running productive meetings.

Corporate Spirit Australia programs promote team-building and development skills, so that teams become more viable and productive organisational entities. Our innovative Team Development program encourages self-directed work groups, creates an atmosphere of learning with a focus on the human element.

This is a program of discovery and skill development, where the experience creates the foundational skills necessary for your staff to be contributing members of an energetic and resilient team. The program transforms the way a team communicates, makes decisions, recognises conflicts and solves problems. Experience-based training activities transfer the learning into both the mind and the body. Participants learn to question habitual ways of addressing issues and experiment with new approaches. The experience creates a common bond that establishes a foundation of trust and commitment among team members. It also develops awareness of what each individual brings to the team and sheds light on how those unique qualities affect the dynamics of the team. The program explores the elements of choice, goal setting, communication and supportive team relationships.

The short term commitment to this excellent program will produce long-term gains in effectiveness and efficiency.

An example of a recent Team Building retreat

Corporate Spirit Australia recently developed and facilitated a team-focussed 2-day retreat where the client's objective was to promote 'Team Spirit' through a fun program which still emphasised agreed learning outcomes through simulating the working environment.

The first day was dedicated to encouraging team cohesion through a highly enjoyable, fun program of challenging activities, requiring both physical and mental acumen. Observation, mental sharpness and team co-operation were much more important than physical aptitude. Leaders and those more introverted, were each on the same level when it came to completing the set challenges, as only by working together could the challenges be completed successfully. All activities were designed to encourage participation and not make anyone feel uncomfortable or embarrassed.
A treasure hunt was organised for the afternoon where each team was challenged to score maximum points by answering questions, overcoming obstacles, solving dilemnas, finding clues and taking photographs with digital cameras provided to each team. Prizes were awarded to teams for creative effort and teamwork.
The evening program continued on with the theme of encouraging interaction. Commencing with a local wine tasting, teams together during the day, found themselves as part of new groups over dinner. A well-known special guest (see below) highlighted the teamwork theme by recounting his own experiences of overcoming adversity through the support of others. A silent auction was also conducted raising money for charity.
The second day was focussed on managing stress. The day began with a choice of a morning walk or Tai Chi class, followed by a Stress and Wellness Trivia quiz. All participants then took part in a 'Make your own Stress Ball' activity, designed to encourage creativity, and to be kept as a momento of the retreat long after it is over.

The retreat was specifically designed for this particular client and Corporate Spirit Australia would be delighted to discuss your specific needs so we can design a program which precisely fits your needs and budget.

For more information on this program please contact lawrence@corporatespiritaustralia.com
Office Telephone/Fax +61 3 9842 5545 or contact Lawrence directly on mobile +61 (0)418 105 563

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