Traditional "team building" activities like escape rooms, trust falls, or cooking challenges are fun, no doubt. But here's the real question: What are they actually building?
Don’t get us wrong—fun is an essential ingredient of a strong team. However, if your team struggles with cohesion and is divided into sub-groups, how does a painting and dinner session fix that? If there are performance issues, will playing laser tag improve your results? And if your team is burnt out, will a day of kayaking really solve the problem?
Many companies combine team meetings with work-focused sessions—discussing performance, reviews, and future planning—with fun activities they label "team building." But for some team members, these meetings can be stressful, especially when they require pre-work like presentations or preparation. And they personally get very little back.
When companies reach out to us at Team Academy, they often ask for a team-building session. But when we dig deeper and ask, "What does your team really need?" the core issue is almost always the same: “We need to work better together to achieve greater results.” And when we dig even further into what "better" means, we often discover that the team is not engaged, they’re struggling to achieve results, or they are experiencing conflict.
It’s not just about having fun, hitting KPIs, or following processes.
At the heart of every team’s success is human connection. People don’t just sell products, complete projects, or build new ideas. First and foremost, they interact with other people.
Performance doesn’t start with how well you do your tasks; it begins with how well you communicate, how you listen, and how much empathy, belonging, and trust exists within the group.
And let’s be honest—organizing a team meeting can be a real challenge for managers and leaders. You’re trying to make it valuable, ensure everyone engages, and balance the serious work with some fun. That’s why the agenda often ends up being the same as the last one, with a group dinner added in. But what if, instead of focusing on what you need to cover, you asked, “What impact will this experience have? What new skills will my team take home? What does the team truly need?”
Many managers overlook that managing a team is not just about managing individuals through one-on-ones; it’s about leveraging those individuals’ abilities to create something bigger: a cohesive, aware, and high-performing team.
That’s why we believe in Team Experience, our structured framework for a full day (or more) of team growth. Here, it’s not about individual development; it’s about the team evolving together.
No prior preparation is required from participants. Instead, we focus on working hard to improve team dynamics, soft skills, and mental well-being.
It’s a space dedicated solely to the team, where problems are addressed head-on and the foundations for solutions are built.
Thanks to our experience and training, we also provide valuable feedback and recommendations to managers and leaders for long-term team development.
What does "working better together" mean to you and your team? Share your thoughts in the comments!
If you’re a manager or leader with an upcoming team meeting or kick-off, and you know that another performance review followed by a fun dinner won’t bring the improvements you need, reach out to us. We are here to help!
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