Before we talk about team building, we must have a fair idea of the word "Team". Team is a collection of people, often from diverse but related groups, assigned to perform a well-defined function for an organization or a project.

From the word, team comes "Team building". Team building as the name so evidently suggests is the process of building an effective team. A team building exercise helps in making for a strong cohesive unit that has a common goal and purpose. It also involves coordinating the dynamics of the group to improve its efficiency. When you build a team, it is important to identify the strengths and weaknesses of each and every team member. This will enable you to assign tasks that they will be good at.

Team building is very important, as it has been seen that a team usually performs better than individuals. A group of people definitely has more energy than a single person. Team building is gaining prominence in organizations, as employees generally want to feel that they are empowered. In team building, cooperation is the key. Team members share knowledge to achieve objectives, and also develop strategy to solve the various challenges put forth. All in all it's about the overall commitment against the commitment of a single person.

You can build a highly successful team in various ways. To build a strong team, you first need a clear set of goals and objectives. This essentially means that there must be clarity of vision. All teams come with their share of expectations. Each member of the team must know what is expected out of him/her. Thirdly, the core competencies of each member must be established. Each one of us has one or more definite ability that we can put to good use. This enables the team to maximize its output. One of the most important advantages that come out of team building is that the members become more accountable for their activities.

An exercise in team building is not only explored by corporate organizations alone. Various educational institutes, self-help groups, social organizations, and many others are now giving team building their due attention. Team building can be fun and at times is also a part of various get-togethers. It gives couples, children, and people from all age groups to bond and gel together. This goes a long way in helping them in their daily lives. In today's world, with intense competition all round, it is very important to be a part of a team, whether at your workplace or any other place. It teaches you a whole lot of things. The most important advantage of team building is that it helps all the participants to voice their opinions as well as adjust with each other.

Team building is the absolute answer to individual failures. If you fail as an individual, try and succeed as team. To conclude, "Team building" is not just about getting a few individuals together on a common platform but is also about making them feel more confident about themselves.

John Tarr
©2007

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