MARCH 1995
VOL. 9 NO.2
" Meetings Reach New
Heights"
by Judy Williams
So you say morale is low and productivity decreasing.
Have you tried swinging from the trees together?
You could put your group around a table and talk
to them all day about teamwork. Or you could have
them duke it out in a sumo wrestling ring. Believe
it or not, the latter happens all the time.
Since the late 1980s, the means by which companies
set out to boost morale and accomplish goals have
taken a unique path. Corporations of every size
are trying to promote teamwork by providing interactive,
enjoyable team-building exercises (also known as
experiential training). The "corporate retreat" has
also evolved, with team building as one of its
most popular extensions...
...Many experts and meeting planners now agree
that team-building activities are often a more
effective meeting or training method than indoor
meetings or classroom training-and team building
can offer the added benefit of enhanced cooperation
back at the office...
...Let's Get Physical or Not
Inarguably, some level of physical activity plays
an important role in many team-building exercises.
Team-building games are usually very physical and
fun," said John Wilkinson, president and owner
of Total Rebound Interactive Games in Napa, Calif. "People
are more active these days, and instead of standing
back and watching, they want to be a part of the
entertainment." Wilkinson's company specializes
in interactive games, including human bowling,
Velcro wall-jumping (made famous by David Letterman
on his late-night show), the human sling shot and
a myriad of other games. About 90 percent of Total
Rebound's customers are corporations. If you want
to bond, but some members of your group can't or
won't join in wall-jumping or other physical activities,
there are many other options. For example, Murder
on the Menu of Oakland, Calif., prepares and customizes "thinking" team-building
activities and dinners, often in conjunction with
a murder-mystery theme...
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