Summer is here and I know for a fact that most companies conduct their human resources development activities at this time of the year.

I got an email from Anna (a high school friend) asking other friends and me for team building ideas. In short a really good team building activity. I guess this is for their annual corporate team building. She mentioned that it should be one that is aside from anything involving heights and ropes. I replied that I know a team building activity that involves bikinis and beach to which she replied; "That is very interesting to know. Bikini will be what we wear underneath and beaches will be the venue. Ha ha, how much? Free goodies enough?"

I was sweet-talked to it so I had no choice but to ask for more details. I was informed that the said team building activity would be sometime in April. I asked for specific team competencies she wants them to enhance, the goals she would like the team to achieve and who are the participants. Anna replied, "Communication and synergy, I guess. We don’t really have a team yet; we just have a "group" thrown in with each other assigned to the same department. Everybody works on their own and makes rules of their own; it’s the culture of the boss."

There are many team building activities out there that anyone can think of. Watch reality shows (Extra Challenge, The Apprentice, Amazing Race, and yes even the pathetic Pinoy Big Brother) and you could get a lot of ideas. For all we know, the activities of the shows were conceptualized by trainers and consultants using SLEs (structured learning experiences) and training icebreakers. Team building is fun and very effective if the participants are committed. The goals and objectives of the entire exercise should be well set and the facilitator must conduct a good great debriefing session afterwards otherwise the activity will just be a corporate outing disguised as an expensive training program.

And yes, a team more than just a group of people. A team is a group of committed interacting individuals sharing a common goal and the responsibility for achieving it. Team building is not just a buzzword, a catch phrase or a training fad. Team building is an intervention specifically designed to improve a company's organizational effectiveness. Team building is also a skill and any skill must be practiced to be mastered. A team building activity is an excellent way of boosting corporate staff morale and improving group dynamics and communication. Team building is exciting and challenging and has almost unlimited possibilities because human potential is almost unlimited.

Bikini and beach for a team building activity. It would be inexpensive and lots of fun!

You could buy books on team building and other office productivity tools here: