Adventure Team Building
Experiential learning has long been proven to be the most effective method of learning next to teaching the material. Why not throw some adventure in?
‘Adventure’ is really just a term to suggest more physical activities that are outside of the norm of our daily lives. There is an incentive aspect of ‘adventure teambuilding’ that suggest that no ‘real’ work is getting done. Far from it. Many times, we need to step completely out of the box and experience something new to be innovative in our solutions, communication, trust, leadership and teamwork.
Before we get any further — this information is assuming you have a group of no more than 20 individuals. If you have more than that, you may want to look at our Executive Team Building as well, even if your group are not executives.
Why Adventure Team Building?
The ‘Adventure’ part of it is to help people get out of their own way and behave authentically with themselves and the group.
The programs are NOT about the fun, exhilarating impact of what the group does together.
It is about the process!
- How well did the group communicate?
- Does the group trust each other and themselves?
- What kind of leadership was there?
- Was the decision making effective?
- How well did the group problem solve and overcome obstacles?
During and after the adventure experience, we facilitate small group discussion and examine the process. I can talk about myself and my poor communication in the context of the adventure in ways I never could if we were talking about work.
And yet, the behaviors we exhibit in adventure team buiilding are identical to those at work!
Taking the learning and applying it to make changes at to work is what is most important. Otherwise, you are simply having a good time?
Can’t we accomplish this without adventure team building?
Yes, you can. The ‘adventure’ part serves several purposes:
- There is less resistance because it IS fun.
- Authentic behavior is easier to witness in people as they have to quickly react to situations without thinking.
- It is easier to create memorable moments that mimic work (crises).
- You create bonds with the people you are with that a typical workshop cannot possibly replicate.
Adventure Learning is a wonderful tool, but has a limited time and place to be effective. They simply do not want to waste a wonderful opportunity until the time is right.
But perhaps that time is right for you — right now!
The downside to Adventure Team Building?
- Done incorrectly and without process can be damaging. Be clear about what you are doing and if it is simply to have a good time, DO NOT call it team building. Call it a “team bonding session”.
- The cost — it can be more expensive than staying in a conference room in your office.
Examples of Adventure Team Building:
The Ultimate Hunt — Part Scavenger Hunt, part adventure race, part learning opportunity, The Ultimate Hunt is designed to challenge and inspire participants. Small teams will have to use all of their collective skills in problem solving, critical thinking, clear communication, collaboration and teamwork to be successful.
Team Sailing — Corporate sailing could quite possibly be the very best team building activity on earth. Sailing simulates our environment at work – constant changes and ‘unknowns’ are thrown at the group who must adapt to deal and deal with the situation.
Off Road Immersion — Fly into Reno, NV in the morning, while off-roading see wild Mustangs, 10,000 year-old Rock Art and visit historic Virginia city. All of this occurs during a single day while your group has a unique experience that directly applies to work. Literally everything is a metaphor for what happens in a typical day in the office.
Empower Me — Test your limitations with firewalking. An amazing catalyst for individuals to crystallize their own goals. Walking on 1200 degree coals is very real – as real as it gets. There is no faking it, there is no half-hearted ‘trys’. There is only room for commitment and complete focus.
Regardless of what you are looking for, we have the expertise to make it a completely unforgettable experience for everyone.
Contact us today to discuss what would benefit your group most.
