Looking podcast on retreat relationship building excercise

Gayle,

Are you referring to the "December 2005 Member-Only Podcast — The Meeting Introduction"?

[url]http://www.manager-tools.com/2005/12/december-2005-member-only-podcast/[...

Steve

[quote="gaylesf"]... teambuilding exercise that Mark highly recommended ...[/quote]

I don't think I'd characterize that as "teambuilding." I think Mark's real views on teambuilding exercises are [url=http://www.manager-tools.com/2007/05/team-building-101/]here[/url].

It's a great introductory technique, though. There is a danger, however, in the Something That No One Knows section. I've seen this technique used without clear instructions, and it can lead to what my wife calls "TMI moments."

(And I believe Steve has identified the correct 'cast.)

tc>

Gayle - speaking as a former training designer, you might consider using some "icebreakers" at the beginning of your sessions (use the Google, or look at books like "Games Trainers Play").

To be clear, "icebreakers" are NOT "teambuilding" (because teambuilding exercises don't work. They don't. They really, really, really don't.).

Icebreakers are just fun and short ways to bring people into the moment, and to help them focus - they're light, they're fun, and they're absolutely not designed to have BIG MEANING or BIG IMPLICATIONS when people return to work.

-Hugh

PS - Rather than looking at Mark's comments on Team Building, watch a couple of episodes of [i]"The Office."[/i] Their take on teambuilding is dead-on.

[quote="HMac"]... Rather than looking at Mark's comments on Team Building, watch a couple of episodes of [i]"The Office."[/i] Their take on teambuilding is dead-on.[/quote]

I think Mark has a more pragmatic view. He's perfectly willing to do a teambuilding exercise for you. You just need to give him a billion dollars. :-)

tc>

I'll do it for $100 million. That's 90% the M-T price.