A vitally important skill for managers is communication. Developing this will make a big difference to how successful you are. Even though sometimes managers are required to impart vital information, the way he or she communicates it, as well as everyday abilities to get on well with their team members, can make or break the potential to perform. By taking steps to change attitudes and behaviors around methods of communication, a manager can get more, much more, from the people around them.

Using great delving questions can get to the bottom of many challenging issues for managers. If progress is being held back because of some problem with processes for example, getting to the bottom of them might be critical for success and above all profitability. Utilizing excellent communication skills to present facts and show team members what’s going on and what isn’t, may well be the way forward. A really good manager will more than adequately demonstrate this capability.

Of course, the ability to get a special message across is very valuable, in all sorts of circumstances. What must be remembered is that such occasions are probably relatively rare. In the day-job, interpersonal understanding is far more important, so the ability to communicate one-on-one with all sorts of people is a skill worth having. Rapport building comes from listening effectively, so that people really feel you are interested and understand them as individuals too. It does involve some investment of time…and it’s time spent that is well worth it.

Typically common and damaging effects of poor communication skills are how misunderstandings develop. These can drive employees mad and managers to the edge of despair, especially when actions don’t happen as they should. If a manager doesn’t clearly understand the needs of the audience they are speaking with, then their efforts may well be in vain. Taking the time to ascertain whether those listening are ‘getting it’, will create instant feedback so that whatever is being said can be adapted ‘on-the-fly’.

When your people have come up with a problem, you might have felt that you understood all it’s complex twists and turns. Trust me; you are not the only one to misinterpret what you thought you understood - it’s so easy! When people are given a problem, they divert their attention towards finding a solution to it and in doing so they fail to understand the various aspects that the particular issue involves. By listening very carefully to the problem, by paying close attention to the detail and asking incisive questions, you will ensure there is little home for misunderstanding. This is a really effective way of getting into a problem and resolving it.

Being able to appreciate information for what it is, requires a special capacity within any manager. Time, ‘busyness’ and all the other demands on time, means that a manager has to be pretty smart to make quick judgments based on limited information. In those cases it’s a good idea to make sure that actions are not taken in haste, but considered carefully when the time is available to make the nest decision possible.

When working with teams, what you say and what they hear is even more important to get right. If one person gets the wrong end of the stick, then quite soon you will end up with confusion, frustration and possibly even internal strife amongst the team. Clarity is vital here. Taking the time when you brief a whole team, to recognize that they will all receive messages in very different ways (and accommodating this), will be well worth the effort in the long run. Including two-way communication with each and every member of the team fosters team spirit and collaboration.

It’s important from the outset that you have ensured there are adequate facilities for any occasions where good communication is important to you. This can be done well in advance for major events. Even when you are holding regular weekly or monthly meetings, by ensuring that you have the appropriate resources in place will not only mean that your message gets across, but also how well your people feel that they are being treated.

By making sure that you really understand that communication skills are your first , middle and last amazing tool in your kit when you are managing a team of people, however large or small, you will enjoy major benefits. Get this right and you will have results to be totally proud of. This is your moment, so make a real go of it!

Team building exercises serve to bring together a working community, improve relations and generally facilitate a happier office environment once everyone is back at work. The types of activities chosen for these corporate bonding events vary greatly, and often seem to reflect a psychological need for battle and challenge between co-workers. Personally, I would have bet my last fiver that creating tensions between workers would stir up any underlying tensions, and maybe end in a non-planned boxing event at one of these team building retreats.

It seems that this is definitely not the case. These days are well organised, and are structured to encourage participation and the formation of bonds based on simple psychological functioning of certain areas of the brain. For those that are holding inter-office grudges, it actually functions well as a way of releasing tensions if the source of your aggravation is on another team, or by negating the stress if you are forced to work together.

The way these psychological systems work are not dissimilar to the instinctive behaviour witnessed during times of social stress, such as conflict. The part of the brain responsible for such emotional responses is called the amygdale and it rests in the temporal lobe of the brain forming part of the limbic system. It’s primary role is in the response to fear and aggression. The activity in this area of the brain is greatly increased during times of threat and interestingly during bonding attempts.

Studies of this part of the brain have yielded results that show the amygdala is activated when it comes to a sense of belonging, forming a team and having a goal, such as in the activity of team building events. This can be equated to the same processes involved during bullying. When a group gather in a common cause to inflict negativity on a victim, there is a greater chance that a person will choose to join the side of the majority due to the chemical activity in the brain and the chemical rewards that come from such a response. Some people are obviously not wired in this way, and their response system delivers chemical rewards based on altruistic motives.

These psychological responses can be exercised safely in the controlled and friendly environment of a team building day out, and research shows that these activities could be beneficial for many industries where workers do not have an opportunity to express themselves with each other out of work hours. Many offices and factories often have groups of people that will meet socially, but the interaction from these meetings are limited. It is quite likely that the groups that form will retain their dynamic keep themselves separate from other groups that have formed between workers.

This can be likened to the formation of gangs; and although office workers don’t tend to have a tattoo to show their allegiance to a group of workmates, divisions are clear between groups. By enrolling all of the members of staff on a team building corporate day out, there is a forced interaction that brings about positive results, and can add to the dynamics back at the workplace. By encouraging interaction between already established groups, new workers and employees at various levels of management, there is a chance for new networks and friendships to form.

For some this will show as a emerging with a more positive attitude, for others, the ability to demonstrate leadership skills. This is not only a chance for workers to have fun, it is a social event that can influence the opinions within an office environment based on a wider view of what those brain chemicals display as personality!

Dominic Donaldson is an expert in the team building industry.
Find out more about team building and choose from a wide variety of activities to suit a corporate day out at Accolade Corporate Events.

Do you feel that your employees need to learn to operate better as a team? Perhaps you feel that it will make all the difference in your bottom line. With corporate teamwork classes you will be able to bring your employees closer together as a team. Fortunately, there are several options that are available not only for length of a teamwork class but also for the theme you may want to try.

With themes offered the corporate teamwork retreats or classes will indeed keep your employees entertained and they will grow closer through different activities that will be offered during the class or retreat. Certain activities may be designed to strengthen particular skills as well. For example, you may be striving for better communication, greater speed or building responsibility. If you spend the time looking for appropriate activities, you can definitely find something that will cater to your needs.

In addition to different kinds of goals that you try to accomplish, there are different time-frames to choose from. For businesses who don’t want to miss too much of their normal work day, there are even short half day classes. This allows low stress team building to take place without needing to sacrifice a lot of time. There are also many different activities to choose from. For example, one of these half day or full day classes is the build a bike workshop. Your employees must work together to build a bicycle the correct way. Even though it doesn’t sound like much, it will bring your workers closer and show them how much they can accomplish when working as a team.

Another offer is the gumshoe class, here your team will work together to solve a crime of some type. This is a great way to have each and every employee rely on the others and work in perfect harmony to finish the task. Plus it would be fun for your employees so that it doesn’t even seem like work at all.

When an employee is out of the office and in a different setting they will usually open up a bit more, at work they may be mild mannered, but when out of work they may talk your ear off. This is just the difference between their true personality and their work personality. When removed from the office environment though, most employees tend to open up to all the others around them. This will allow not only a closeness that was not there before but also a teamwork that can come about by knowing each other a bit better.

So if you feel that your employees need some corporate teamwork help look into even a half day workshop, you will be surprised on how much good it does!

Watson Adventures (http://www.watsonadventures.com/washington_dc.html) offers fun, short team building in D.C. and other large cities like New York and Chicago. Families, businesses, and friends have all enjoyed their entertaining scavenger hunts. The author, Art Gib, is a freelance writer.

Thinking of a way to build teamwork among your employees? You should consider some leadership training and some classes that are built specifically for businesses and their employees. These programs are said to bring your employees closer together and will reduce resentment through the ranks of your organization.

As you determine which programs best fit your needs, you can choose from half day classes, full day classes or even an all out retreat. If you’re not sure which is right for your company you should watch your employees during a simple half day class to see how they respond to the investment and how much they improve.

For the half day and full day programs there are such things as build a bike workshop, rescue bear workshop, guys-n-dolls, create a team culture, dealing with personalities, gumshoe crew, and team fundamentals. These all are very creative ways to get your employees to work together as a team, and to have fun while doing so.

For two day programs you can choose from high precision teams, and team selling workshops that will be a bit more intense than the other classes.

Retreats are even more extensive. A few common themes include cowboy, colonial, and Yankee settings that draw on different kinds of history and culture. In addition to working on team building, the retreats are always designed to help people understand each other better, have a good time and problem solve. Exercises, events, and tasks all help unite team members as they spend time together and learn more about their similarities.

Outside team building activities have proved so effective that everyone from colleges, sports teams and businesses have started taking advantage of these programs. If you have the time, you might even be able to organize a few team building events yourself and save a little on the costs.

A team building workshop, no matter what the length, is a great idea to bring your staff closer together. With this fun time apart from the stress of the office, people will tend to open up more and share about themselves. This will allow others to see them as a more likeable person then the quiet individual who never talks at work. In fact you might be surprised about the things you learn about some of your employees at one of these workshops. So if you are striving to get your employees closer you need consider a retreat of some kind.

Some of the most effective and time-efficient team building in D.C. takes place during a Watson Adventures (http://www.watsonadventures.com/washington_dc.html) scavenger hunt. Your team will learn things they never knew about the city in which they work. The author, Art Gib, is a freelance writer.

From The Marina Village to The Holiday Inn in downtown San Diego there are thousands of Christmas or Holiday parties taking place every year in this beautiful county. The majority of the Christmas parties are for companies and corporations that are wanting to reward their employee’s in the holiday season, by having a nice get together with co-workers and spouses for some fine dining and dancing.

Having a Christmas party is easy, fun and most of all it is rewarding for everyone involved. You can easily plan your Holiday party and ensure that it is a success! There are some basic guidelines that will help you on your journey to planning the party they’ll talk about all year long.

First, you’ll have to pick a venue or banquet room within your budget. Do you want something extremely elegant and fancy, or do you want something a little more humble so you can spend the budget elsewhere? You’ll have to find something that fits your needs. An example would be if you are planning on having a photo slide show, will the room have a screen in it or will you have to rent one? You might want to find a banquet room that is centrally located or somewhere reasonable to get to for all of the employees or people coming to the party.

Second, you will need to find your entertainment. Having a magician is often a lot of fun and will create some laughter which usually helps in breaking the ice amongst employees. A professional emcee and DJ is also a very important aspect in planning a party as there will be someone there to make announcements and Emcee the party.

If you plan to have speeches or a slide show at the party, you will have a professional sound system with a microphone for announcements. This is essential in making the party seem as professional as your workplace. Remember that a nice toast either right when you walk in the door, or right before dinner, is essential to inviting your guests into a relaxed environment you are trying to create. Many people have a hard time enjoying themselves in the presence of co-workers so you should make it your goal to avoid this.

There are a handful of professional DJ companies that actually offer planning forms for your party, which will help in creating a time line or itinerary for your event. This way everyone is on the same page and the party follows some professional arrangement — this could be the difference in your co-workers going home early or sticking around and enjoying the food, drinks and entertainment you have provided them.

Lastly you will need to coordinate the events that will take place at the Holiday Party. Are you going to give away awards? When are you going to do this? Are you going to have the CEO come up and give a speech? A “white elephant” or “gift exchange” is also a very popular event to have at a Holiday party but if you do this remember you are going to need some additional time than the standard four hour package as this can sometimes take up to an entire hour if you have a decent number of guests.

As mentioned above, if you have a planning form or itinerary that is decided on prior to the event there is nothing to worry about and the party should go as you have planned. Some companies even find that having Karaoke for your co-workers and friends is a great way to break the ice and ensure that they have a great time!

With this knowledge you should be able to throw a successful Christmas or Holiday party in San Diego County. Get started!

Matt Phipps is a San Diego Wedding DJ and is the owner operator of Choice Entertainment DJ Services. He makes his living working in Southern California and San Diego as a San Diego DJ

If there is one constant in business it is that everything changes. Your business success is based upon a total team effort. The District of Columbia is a hub of business and commerce and therefore the team building in DC you choose to strengthen your team is essential to your bottom line.

Team building is the same as family building. You need to gather your team together and project the vision of a successful business to each and every member of the team. This vision is one of a total effort housed out of the same end goal. In order to build your team for the most effective employee / business interaction, you need to focus on three key areas.

Team Building Basics

The basics of team building are communication, expectation and objectives. The communication a business has with their team keeps the trust and bond between team members optimal. With great communication comes a great business foundation.

The objectives and expectations are two team building processes that work hand in hand. The business needs to set objectives for the team and voice their expectations in regards to these objectives. A team will never be able to succeed if the objectives are given without a time line or end goal. These expectations need to be realistic and firm. Once you waiver on the expected date of completion or the expected outcome of the objectives, the team will feel as though the future goals will be just as lenient.

Team Building Recreation

Working together as a team to a successful end means celebrating as a team as well. Giving your team a recreational time to celebrate the fruit of their labors will boost morale and build trust between the team and the business. When a team member believes they are appreciated, they will bond even closer to the business goals and the team in general.

Open Clarification

One of the most important aspects of a successful team is communication. The team needs a clear list of contacts in order to keep these lines of communication open. The time spent waiting for a response to a problem with a project will force the team to work harder and increase stress levels as the end goal date quickly approaches. Communication needs to be clear, fast and to the point.

Your team is at the heart of your business. The most effective business plan and business model will fail if the team established is not behind the business 100 percent. Team building exercises will build your team from the inside out and boost your company’s profits and sales.

Looking for some exceptional activities for team building in DC? Visit Watson Adventures’ website (http://www.watsonadventures.com/washington_dc.html). They showcase all of Washington DC’s most popular attractions with creative and challenging clues. Art Gib is a freelance writer.

If you work in Washington DC or if you are leading a corporate team building retreat and you want to find somewhere fun to go where there are lots of team building opportunities, you should follow these tips to find fun team building exercises in DC.

Having a great sense of teamwork is so important for businesses. After all most people spend more time with their co-workers during the week than they do with their families. So having a strong sense of teamwork is essential, and there are lots of great ways to practice teambuilding in DC. No matter what activity you ultimately decide on to help you build your team’s confidence and trust, follow these tips to make them as strong as possible:

1. Set clear expectations — People perform the best in jobs where their job description and what is expected of them is crystal clear from the start. Outline the expectations that you have for each person and let them tell you their expectations for their jobs and their employers. Getting those expectations out on the table so that everyone knows what the other person expects is a great way to start team building in DC or anywhere else.

2. Stress communication — Team members need to be able to communicate clearly and effectively with one another. Any team building exercises that help teach people how to communicate more clearly and more effectively are a great way to work on teambuilding in DC.

3. Get creative — The best way to solve problems is to get creative. Team building exercises and retreats should help people develop creative problem-solving skills that can be used to help solve common problems so that the team won’t get frustrated and bogged down in small problems. When the group solves a problem as a team it can really give them a sense of community and teamwork.

4. Be a dependable leader — Every team needs a leader. A team leader should be the person that sets an example by communicating well, inspiring confidence, being someone that team members can come to with problems or for support, and a team leader should also find new and innovative ways to work on teambuilding at the home office so that employees are constantly finding new ways to improve their performance.

5. Set a clear mission — In order for a team to function effectively the entire team needs to know what their goals are. In sports the goal is to win the game and play well. In business the goals for the team need to be just as clear so that everyone on the team will know what they are working for.

Looking for some exceptional activities for team building in DC? Visit Watson Adventures’ website (http://www.watsonadventures.com/washington_dc.html). They showcase all of Washington DC’s most popular attractions with creative and challenging clues. The author, Art Gib, is a freelance writer.

Thinking types make Decisions in a logical and analytical way. Before they commit to and support a Decision, everything about the subject has to be perfectly clear. They prefer to be objective and are somewhat detached, which tends to earn them the label of being impersonal. Thinkers weigh the pros and cons and take a step back to analyze the situation, logically and impersonally, asking themselves if this makes sense and what are the ramifications of the decision. Thinkers objectify the decision.

Feeling types are primarily concerned about the impact their Decisions will have on others. They are concerned with the human and interpersonal aspects and want to be sure the feelings and personal values of others are not in jeopardy. They use friendly persuasion as a tool to get their points across and they make concerted efforts to identify with other people. Feelers place themselves into a situation asking, How do I feel about this? How will it affect me and others? Is this the right thing to do? What are my personal values telling me to do? Feelers personalize the situation.

Thinking types are often impatient with Feeling types need to validate and support each other. Since Thinkers prefer to focus on tasks, the small talk and sharing of personal information in the work setting seems unnecessary or inappropriate to Thinking types. Feeling types enjoy these connections and are more comfortable working with others when trust has been established. They want to know co-workers on a personal level and are more interested in understanding one another. Feeling types offer supportive feedback that can be seen by the Thinking type as insincere and overdone. Feeling types can interpret the frank feedback given by Thinking types as abrupt and critical. Thinking types want to be acknowledged for their accomplishments and need less feedback while Feeling types want to be appreciated for their efforts and like feedback on a regular basis.

In the American population, 50 percent are Thinkers and 50 percent are Feelers. Of the Thinkers, about 65 percent are male, and of the Feelers, 65 percent are women.

Thinking Types in Communication:

Strengths - Does this make sense?
Calm, reasonable, under control
Provide honest and frank feedback
Analyze, evaluate and critique
Objective and principled

Communication Approach
Use logic and analysis to spot flaws
Want to know - why?
List and consider pros and cons
Trust competence and expertise

When Communicating with Thinkers
Be calm, objective and competent
Offer honest feedback and positive comments
Support opinions with logic and clear thinking
Accept critical feedback graciously

Feeling Types in Communication:

Strengths - Will this upset anyone?
Able to empathize and develop rapport
Appreciate others’ perspectives
Supportive, nurturing of others
Connect with and create harmony with others

Communication Approach
Focus on subjective beliefs and values
Share personal stories and examples
Want to get to know someone personally
Like collaboration and want to cooperate

When Communicating with Feelers
Listen first before evaluating and critiquing
Focus on people and find out what is valued
Acknowledge - do not analyze others’ values
Focus on creating win-win situations

Pamela Hollister, Author, INTJ, The PEOPLE Process
Understanding People is what it’s all about. Personality type training products everyone can use.
www.the
peopleprocess.com.com

Another fact I would like to share was that the honking of the geese we hear as they migrate is actually them encouraging each other to continue on. Okay, perhaps that could arguably be considered an opinion, but so what?!

It made me think of how we can emulate the compassionate and wise behaviour of the geese. It also reminded me of something I have always felt and that is being in the company of like-minded people elicits a sense of strength, purpose, and community.

So what can we learn from our fine feathered friends, the geese?

1. The ‘V’ formation adds the whole flock extra flying range.

Lesson: People who share a sense of community can help each other get where they are going more easily because they are travelling on the trust of one another.

2. When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of flying alone. It quickly moves back to take advantage of the lifting power of the birds in front.

Lesson: If we have as much sense as geese, we stay in formation with those headed where we want to go. We are willing to accept their help and give our help to others because we are travelling on the trust of one another.

3. When the lead goose tires, it drops back into the formation and another goose flies to the point position.

Lesson: It pays to take turns doing the hard tasks. We should respect and protect each other’s unique arrangement of skills, capabilities, talents and resources.

4. The geese flying in formation honk to encourage those up front to keep up with their speed.

Lesson: We need to make sure our honking is encouraging. In teams where there is encouragement, production (result) is much greater. Individual empowerment results from quality honking.

5. When a goose gets sick, two geese drop out of formation and follow it down to help and protect it.

Lesson: If we have as much sense as geese, we will stand by each other in difficult times as well as we are strong.

The most productive outcomes occur when each member helps out the other so that their combined efforts will create the best result because no one person had to do it all. This is similar to multi level marketing.

When we’re ‘in charge’, share the position, don’t get power hungry, and ask for input from others. When we are not ‘in charge’, offer to help, carry your own weight. In either case, say thanks to others involved. Cheer each other on when the going gets rough. Maybe if we offer encouragement right from the start, it may not even get rough!

If a friend ever gets frustrated, feels overwhelmed, and wants to quit, the best thing you can do for them is quality HONK!

Use these principles over and over again. It will not only lift your mood but help you to develop commitment to peak performance within yourself and within your teams.

Jackie Khor is a leader in Network Marketing. She is best known for her down-to-earth, no-nonsense training. Get your FREE newsletter at WorkAtHomeBusiness

Blog Attraction Marketing

Check out at Set up home business on the net

If you wish to play an office prank on your colleagues then just try walking into the office and mentioning in passing that there is a company team building event planned soon. The looks of horror will cascade around the office as your colleagues picture the trust falls and group chanting in a secluded field somewhere around Dorset.

Although his is an exaggeration, many employees are subjected each year to company team building events which include various hellish pursuits such as role plays and colleague bonding. In fact so many companies do it that it has developed into a multi-million pound industry catering for everything from a day out at the races to its a knockout family fun days.

In the midst of all the psychosomatic testing and complimentary Danish pastries lies some carefully over-complicated theories which this article intends to make a bit clearer. There are many different schools of thought however this article will use the definition that team building is the process of creating a collaborative enterprise that can perform or effect change.

We all function in groups, however what makes a group of people a team and furthermore, what makes a team good or bad? Have you ever been dragged into some makeshift and invasive psychometric testing asking the question, what possible use can this have? The answer is that the psychology of individuals in a group dictates how set group functions as a team.

A popular framework for this is the Sixteen Teamwork Complexes which is based on the psychoanalytical theories of the renowned Dr Karl Jung. The framework uses the Jungian theory of psychological types and facilitates the pre-emption of differences between the individuals personality, work persona and preferences.

The theory revolves around the overall team function relying on a balance of various roles. A fun game is to look around your office and guess which function your colleagues are performing. Are they a crusader or explorer, a scientist or an innovator? All these team functions can be underused or overused in the group dynamic creating a dysfunctional team.

Let us take for example a team role labelled coach. Then let us define this as one who assess other team members involvement in a task and to contemplate how to gain the teams involvement and commitment to a certain task. The underuse of this role will result in a team working as a group of individuals and the overuse will result in team members being fearful of disagreeing with each other, either way resulting in a dysfunctional team dynamic.

There are eight different psychological types and an underuse and overuse projection for each, creating the Sixteen Teamwork Complexes. The task is identifying who performs which role in the team and whether that individual is underusing or overusing that role. In order for this to be effective an overall team goal is essential.

We all joke about the office stickler, whose obtrusive lust for inflexible deadlines and documentation can become disruptive to your day, or the office whirlwind who disrupts the office doing everything at ludicrous-speed, well this framework identifies these overuses within a team with foresight to correcting and therefore streamlining the team dynamic.

There are many companies on the web who offer training and solutions to your team building issues. Much of the time it is members of senior management who are effecting the team dynamic with overuse of their team roles, so next time a team building event comes up do not role your eyes as it could make your office environment that much smoother to work in.

Shaun Parker is a leading team building consultant with comprehensive experience in management consultancy.