Do you want to organize a corporate event that actually increases teamwork?
Here is an idea for a 2h activity:
1) Gather everyone in a large room with a supply of white poster boards
Here is an idea for a 2h activity:
1) Gather everyone in a large room with a supply of white poster boards
2) Anyone can grab a white poster board, pin it to the wall, & spend 20-60 mins talking about something business-related they care about
(eg, their function, a specific task, handling unsatisfied customers, cross-selling, anything as long as it's business related and apolitical)
(eg, their function, a specific task, handling unsatisfied customers, cross-selling, anything as long as it's business related and apolitical)
3) Those who don't grab a white poster board can just pick any "presenter" and listen to them, or go around spending a few minutes at each post until they find one that interests them, or even take a poster later.
4) I've seen a 2000-people org using it during their yearly meeting with about 160 attendees and it worked wonderfully.
Once employees learn what other employees care about, eg why legal really cares about X or why they need Y, many frictions disappear and teamwork emerges.
Once employees learn what other employees care about, eg why legal really cares about X or why they need Y, many frictions disappear and teamwork emerges.
5) Of course, we also want to avoid awkward situations where:
- too few people volunteer
- the volunteers are boring presenters
- the presentations are too "corporate" and not genuine or concrete enough
So, here are a few tips to avoid this
- too few people volunteer
- the volunteers are boring presenters
- the presentations are too "corporate" and not genuine or concrete enough
So, here are a few tips to avoid this
6) Before the event begins, make sure that you have at least 5 volunteers.
Do not "order people to volunteer"; instead, think about employees who are passionate about their job and talk to them beforehand, mentioning the event and asking them if they'd enjoy presenting
Do not "order people to volunteer"; instead, think about employees who are passionate about their job and talk to them beforehand, mentioning the event and asking them if they'd enjoy presenting
7) Also, set the right expectations that this shouldn't be a "corporate" presentation.
Instead, it's just people talking passionately and concretely about something they care about for a few minutes.
So that others can understand.
Instead, it's just people talking passionately and concretely about something they care about for a few minutes.
So that others can understand.
8) This is the most important point, and you should do it even if you don't plan to do the activity mentioned in this thread:
COACH YOUR PEOPLE TO SPEAK MORE CONCISELY AND CONCRETELY
Otherwise, team meetings will be boring, people will disengage, and everything will get worse.
COACH YOUR PEOPLE TO SPEAK MORE CONCISELY AND CONCRETELY
Otherwise, team meetings will be boring, people will disengage, and everything will get worse.
8b) To prevent that, coach your people to speak more concisely & concretely.
Whenever you see someone meandering, make a mental note. The following day, mention to them one-on-one you appreciated their intervention but it was too meandering and that caused people to lose focus.
Whenever you see someone meandering, make a mental note. The following day, mention to them one-on-one you appreciated their intervention but it was too meandering and that caused people to lose focus.
8c) Then, and this is key, ask them to repeat the point they made yesterday but more succinctly and/or more concretely.
If they do, great! Reinforce it's more clear & engaging now
If they are still too meandering, ask them to do it once more, maybe telling them what to take out
If they do, great! Reinforce it's more clear & engaging now
If they are still too meandering, ask them to do it once more, maybe telling them what to take out
9) This team activity works great for large team meetings (25+ people). Smaller teams might instead want to have volunteers present "serially" for 10m each.
It works great both in-person and remote. Again, if you take care of points 6 to 8 above.
It works great both in-person and remote. Again, if you take care of points 6 to 8 above.
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