The following video shows a group engaged in a few activities available in the Adventure Team Challenge – a self-led, station-to-station, rotational team building event that is ideal for large groups whose goal is fun recreational team building. GO-Adventures will select activities that enhance communication, focus on problem-solving skills, and build trust between the members of the team. Following some of the more intense activities, there will be the opportunity for a short debrief to relate the lessons learned through the activity back to the job.

Here are a couple of activity descriptions to explain what you are seeing in the video:

Airlock
Time Frame: 25 minutes to complete the challenge

Introduction and Guidelines
Your entire team must work together to build a structure that will allow a ball to be rolled from one side of the blue nylon sheet to the other.

1. Only two participants can be inside the boundary at a time.
2. A participant must close his/her eyes and hold their breath for the entire time inside the boundary.  Once you run out of air, you must exit the boundary.
3. Teammates can give direction from outside the boundary, but cannot otherwise assist the participant who is doing the construction.
4. Once the bridge is complete, the team will roll the ball from one side to the other.
5. Be sure to completely dismantle the structure before moving on to your next activity.

Hint:
Plan ahead and remember that the more you hold your breath, the more difficult it becomes to complete this problem-solving activity.  Be sure that team members take turns!

Debrief:
What went well?
What could have been improved?
Who stepped up as a leader? What was it about their leadership style that made you want to follow that person?
How is “The Airlock” activity like working within your organization?
What can we take away from this activity about how to more effectively run projects and communicate with one another?

ColourBlind

• Have the group sit down and put on blindfolds.
• Explain the objective and rules of the activity – answer any questions.
• pass out items – I use 5 sets of 5 wooden toys, with 3 or 4 of them missing.
• Ask the group to pass each toy around the circle until every toy is handed out, and everyone has at least one toy.
• Remind the team that their goal is to identify each set of toys, how many toys are in each set, and which toys are missing from the sets.
• Chaos!
• Let the team go on without making a plan for a few minutes – experience the frustration and the confusion of not having a leader or a plan.
• If the team does not redirect their efforts towards selecting a leader and a plan, then give them a little prompt.
• Watch as things begin to fall into place, and the team begins to work together.
• Debrief – “What happened?” “Describe the process” “How is this like life?” etc.

For many groups, this activity erupts into a lengthy discussion about the challenges of working together, the need for strong leadership, and more.

Very powerful tool!

Here’s a picture from a recent ropes course program

We were called down to the National Mall to run a rotational team building program for 80 staff from the CGK Foundation.  The main goal of the program was to create a sense of unity among the interns and staff of this international organization through the use of a rotational-style of recreational team building event.

The Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation was established in 1980 by Charles G. Koch. The mission of the Foundation is “to advance social progress and well-being through the development, application, and dissemination of the Science of Liberty.”

• Recreational vs. Team Development – is your goal to make this a one-off, fun day out of the office, or are you looking to facilitate lasting change and commitment between the members of your team. Both goals can be valuable, but each requires a different level of facilitation, time investment and follow-up. Get clear on what your expectations are before you begin contacting team building service providers. This will help ensure that you are not being swayed into purchasing something that is not inline with your goals.
• Time Investment – if you only have 2 or 3 hours to commit for your team, then your goal should be a recreational teambuilder. Lasting change takes practice and 2 hours of focus is like cracking the window – you can get a little fresh air but not nearly as much as if you open the door (or knock down the walls!). The more time you can invest, the more likely you will be to see lasting change within your team.
• Facilitation Style and Experience – there are plenty of ‘team building’ companies that provide a ropes course experience, and the level of facilitator skill is one of the biggest factors in whether you should consider this a recreational or team development program. Proper sequencing, framing the activity and following up with a debrief that relates the experience back to ‘real life’ is the minimum that you should expect from a company that is selling ‘team development.’ Anything less is definitely a recreational experience.
• Budget – this is a tough one. You don’t always get what you pay for. Some companies charge very little for excellent programming, and other companies charge outrageous prices for mediocre programming. A good rule of thumb is to set your goals first, then contact a few vendors and find out what is offered. Make sure your goals will be met by whichever vendor you are contracting, and THEN discuss the price. If your goals are being met, then the price is worth it!
• Shop Local – there are a number of ‘national’ providers that offer team building in multiple states and countries. The reality is that most of these companies partner with local vendors or contract local facilitators to provide the actual programming. Naturally, this type of relationship with local providers has a price, and the big national company charges a price on top of that – which means you are essentially paying more for the same service you would receive if you went with the smaller local company. Sometimes it pays to dig a little deeper when searching for team building service providers.
• Preconceptions – so many clients come out to the ropes course with a preconceived notion of what the team building experience will be. Some participants bring wonderful memories of a ropes course activity that they enjoyed (“Do you have a zip line? I LOVE the zip line!”), while others might have a negative view of team building based on a poorly run program (“What a waste of time. Let’s skip the team building and head straight to the bar!”). Be sure to let participants know that this will be a unique experience, and what the goals are for the day, so that they are mentally prepared for what they will experience when they arrive.“You will get more out of the day if you are prepared to be open to the ropes course experience, and you leave your preconceived notions at the door.”

When it comes to ‘Return On Investment’, team building can be one of the most important yet relatively small investments that a company can make. If done right, team building endeavors can improve employee retention, increase company morale, increase innovation, and ultimately have a positive effect on the ‘bottom line.’ When planning for your event, knowing your goals and expected outcomes helps ensure that you are getting what you pay for.

Group A. The summer camp or youth programs group. This type of group is coming out to a ropes course for fun, recreational team building. With a goal of “fun team challenges” the youth programs group

Group B. The leadership group. This type of group is comprised of adults (18 and older) whose goal is either a recreational team challenge, or something a little more intense, with leadership, problem-solving and foundational trust being the main focus.

Most recently we installed a couple of new high elements on the course: The Leap of Faith, and The Six Ropes.

Standing on the 40 foot platform - getting ready to Leap!

The Leap of Faith requires the participant to climb up a ladder, then up a tree to stand on a 20 foot platform. If this is high enough, the participant may jump (or step – depending on your level of commitment) off and slowly lower to the ground. Or, if you are feeling a little more courageous, you may climb up to the 40 foot platform, and jump out to touch the tethered ball. Once again, you are caught on a rope, and lowered safely to the ground. The Leap of Faith is an individual challenge (no one is standing on the platform with you, telling you to jump) that can be designed as a team challenge – your team mates will put you into the full-body harness, belay you up the tree, and catch you on the rope. The Leap of Faith is one of the most emotionally challenging (think Fear Factor) activities on a ropes course.

The Six Ropes is a climbing element that is easily adaptable to offer a wide variety of low or high element options.  Having hung six white multiline ropes from the 30 foot element cable, the facilitator can easily create a classic high elements such as the Giant Ladder, or the Vertical Playpen, or a few new elements such as the Dumb Waiter and a virtual climbing wall.  Additionally, we can switch from a high element to a low element by simply moving a few of the white multiline ropes out of the way.  A few low element options include:  Swinging Tire Traverse, The Porthole, Spider’s Web, Swinging Log, or the Balance Beam.  With the incredible versatility of the Six Ropes activity area, I am thinking I will install a couple more of these elements in other places on the course!

Eriq installing the Six Ropes activity area

Installing the Giant Ladder

We at GO-AdventureSports have been listening.

We have gone through each of our team building options and tried to focus on and fine-tune the activities and programs that are most beneficial to our clients.  We want to make sure that we are giving you the highest return on your investment as well as giving you a program that will fit your goals and your budget.  Here are a few of the highlights:

The DIY Team Challenge was created for teams whose goals are recreational team building with a small budget.  The program works best with teams who already work well together or who are just coming together for the first time.  If you are adding a few staff and you want to achieve instant buy-in without the need for deeper team development, then the DIY Team Challenge is a great fit.  Getting ready to begin a new school year, and want an energizer?  DIY Team Challenge is the team building option that will fit the bill.

The PORTABLE Team Challenge brings the team building to your location or to a park or retreat center near you.  The Portable Team Challenge is a facilitated team building experience – our expert facilitators will sequence activities that are not only fun and challenging, but relevant to your goals, needs and group dynamics.  Following most activities, your facilitator will lead the team in a debrief that relates the lessons learned in the activity back to the ‘real world’ of work dynamics and interpersonal relationships.

The ROPES Challenge combines the facilitated team building of the Portable Team Challenge (getting-to-know-you activities, problem-solving initiatives and trust-building exercises) with the individual challenge of the high elements (challenging climbing, traversing or leaping activities that take place up to 40 feet in the air) to create a uniquely powerful team building experience.  Although much of the actual team development takes place in the initial low elements, the accomplishment of the high element portion of the day is often the most memorable and individually satisfying component.

The NEXTeams Process begins where traditional team building programs end.  Designed for teams whose goal is to get to the root of organizational dysfunction and build a foundation of trust that will foster commitment, innovation and higher performance, the NEXTeams Process bridges the gap between team building and ‘teams working’.  NEXTeams is “The NEXT Step” in team development.  Check out our other professional facilitation services at The NEXTeams Companies website:  www.nexteams.com.

Learn more about our different Team Building options…

Adventure Team Challenge on the National Mall

GO-AdventureSports specializes in team building and adventure instruction for youth and adults.  Our program offerings include:

Team Building

• Portable Team Challenge – on-site or off-site activities that can either be recreational or goal-oriented. For businesses and governmental agencies interested in providing an environment that fosters communication and an opportunity that promotes positive change. We will help open the door – you will choose whether to walk through or not…

• Adventure Team Challenge – for large groups interested in a recreational team building program on a tight budget… Teams are given instruction booklets and sent through a rotation of different team building activities.

• ROPES Course – combining elements of the Portable Team Challenge with additional High Elements, the ROPES Course is a great way for groups to either work on specific goals, or simply enjoy a recreational team building program.

Boy Scouts in the 'Pancake Room'

Adventure Instruction

• Rock Climbing – top-roping courses teach the basics of the simplest and most popular form of rock climbing – knots, belaying, anchors, and movement.

• Mountain Biking – join our guide on some of the best trails in Maryland for this single-track mountain biking skill building instructional program.
• Wilderness Skills - learn valuable outdoor survival skills in this one or two-day program.  Popular topics include – fire-building, water, shelter, preparation and land navigation

• Caving Adventures – beginners and experts alike will be challenged as we explore the wild caves of West Virginia, where ancient stalactites and stalagmites add to the challenge and wonder of the narrow tunnels and wide open caverns.

• Adventure Weekend – a multi-day team building and instructional event for teams of up to 14 participants. Each day is packed with adventure training opportunities (choose from a combination of rock climbing, caving, mountain biking, canoeing, and via ferrata), and each experience requires significant commitment from the members of the group. Our team of expert guides will give you the skills you need to accomplish every challenge.

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What We’ve Been Working on for 2010…

NEXTeams - The NEXT Step in Team Development

In our continuing efforts to create engaging and relevant team building activities for our clients, we are launching NEXTeams Team Development – www.nexteams.com – which will focus on a long-view, goals-driven approach to team development and facilitation.  Combining experiential education and traditional team building activities with professional facilitation for meetings and strategic planning sessions, the NEXTeams Process of Team Development will start where other team building programs leave off.

A couple of cross-over events that will be shared by GO-AdventureSports and NEXTeams include:

• RACE Day Team Builder – An exciting and competitive event for smaller groups, RACE Day enhances teamwork through the creation of a Soapbox Derby Racer. Working in teams of 2 to 4 participants, your group will compete to build, brand and race their vehicle, producing their creation on time/under budget and, with a little luck, taking the trophy home!

• Team Project Events (TPEs) – An opportunity for groups and teams to participate in a combination of traditional team building activities and a community service project. Projects have included: Building a ropes course element at a local camp, fence building at a local community farm, and planning and running an adventure race at a local elementary school. How will you choose to “Pay it Forward?”

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