Misunderstanding the intentions of team members is one of the biggest handicaps of teams. When intentions are not understood including that of the leader, team members won’t be as willing to share feelings, raise ideas and talk about concerns.
For those managers that are not, or maybe those that are – but would like to solve employee issues quickly – I suggest the following video from this funny Mad TV skit with Bob Newhart. If only it were so easy.
This team builder activity can be used with both small and large groups. Can also be used with new and seasoned teams. It is a good activity to open a meeting or as part of a team building event with teams.
Last night we went as a family to watch a Major League soccer game. The team we were cheering for won the game in the 93rd minute! It was a thriller. But what wasn’t so thrilling was the language used by the two “early twenty somethings” behind us. While no “F” bombs were dropped (thank goodness), the language that was used was offensive, and especially offensive to two parents trying to enjoy the game with their four little boys (ages 15, 12, 9 and 7). The offensive language fortunately stopped after both my wife and myself stared them down in disgust.
The other day I was asking my 12 year old son how basketball practice went (he is playing with a new year-round competitive team), and how he feels he is doing. He said, “Good.” That’s the typical answer I get from him, so I decided to dig a little deeper. I asked, “What does your coach say when you make a mistake?” His response was music to my ears, “He ask me if I know what I did wrong. I say yes, and that’s it.” I asked, “What happens if you make the same mistake again?” He said, “Then he helps me to get it right.”
