I recently did a presentation on team-building events. I asked the audience at the beginning by show of hands if they loathed or loved team-building events. Of those who participated, there was a split of about 50-50 on either side. Team building events can be a polarizing topic with some people feeling like they are a waste of time and others swearing by their impact. I’ve found the key to driving value from team-building activities lies in the purpose and planning behind them.

Companies across the world spend billions of dollars each year on team-building events, attempting to bring their teams closer together. The problem is that these efforts are often met with eye rolls and resistance from a number of employees who immediately think of trust falls and cheesy icebreakers when they hear “team building”. On the other side, consider the US Army which places significant emphasis on the importance of team building. In an environment that can literally be life and death, they have found that creating closer connections not only improves the ability of teams to meet their goals and accomplish the “impossible”, it is also paramount in helping to build bonds that can mitigate post-traumatic stress and prevent suicide.

If we want to do the work of building trust and bringing our team members closer together, we need to understand why many team-building events fail. The first reason is that they are often forced. Assuming everyone wants to go out and play paintball for free with the resident pro in the office because he has a membership might not be very appealing to the team and fall flat. Instead, plan something that has a wider appeal to start, and don’t make it mandatory. Making events optional eliminates the people who don’t want to participate, who will ultimately be working against you if forced to join in. Start with the people that are all in, then you can address the resistors later.

The second reason team-building events fail is because there is no intention behind them. They are done out of obligation and haphazardly thrown together in the form of a company picnic or holiday party. If you want to do team building right, think about who needs to be there, the purpose behind it, and your ideal outcome. Then you can work backward to put thought and intention into figuring out the right activity, format, and way to get people excited about it.

Finally, team-building events fail because organizers don’t understand the current state of team camaraderie. No one wants to look silly, especially around people they don’t know very well. You must take time to understand where your team stands and plan an appropriate activity. If your team is fairly new or has been struggling to work together, you may have to start slow and work up to more intense events once safety and comfort have been established.

Remember not all team building needs to be in the form of an event or a company outing. You can take advantage of hidden opportunities throughout the day. A five-minute kickoff question to start a meeting, a quick stretch break during the day, or providing space for team members to eat lunch together can all make a big difference if done consistently over time. No matter how small, shared experiences create moments of belonging as well as offer opportunities to take our relationships to even greater levels of trust and intimacy.

What team-building event are you going to try with your team in the upcoming weeks? Share in the comments!