Several XMP team mates and their significant others hung out at a Texas Rangers game on Sunday afternoon. Our Hungarian operations manager had never been to a baseball game; plus it is the last two weeks of games in Globe Life Park. It was hot and our baseball team was stinky, but we ate peanuts and $1 ice creams together and got to connect outside of work.
This is one piece of team building that almost anyone can do. Plan something social, fun, and active outside of work at least once per quarter.
The other part of building team camaraderie is a little more challenging. Keeping with Daniel Coyle’s idea of ‘safe and connected’’ from last week’s blog, how can leaders in the SMB space facilitate connectedness? We are frequently shocked as we start working with teams how little they know about each other. Some have been together for more than a decade and know nothing of each other’s back stories, or what makes them tick.
Try this simple exercise at your next staff meeting (add about 2 minutes per person to the agenda). Have everyone answer these four questions. Leaders model a little vulnerability when you go first.
- Where did you grow up?
- How many siblings do you have?
- Where are you in the order?
- What is one challenge from your youth that shaped who you are today?
Tune in next week for more detailed team building work leaders must do to keep their teams performing on the #XtraMile.