Category Archives: organizational development

Jan 13

Corporate Politics: 10 Sure-Fire Strategies to Reduce Turf Wars and Power Struggles

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In large corporations, corporate politics (with its accompanying turf wars and power struggles) seems to be inevitable. These dynamics are not limited to large profit-making corporations. Unfortunately, I don’t have a magic bullet that will eliminate turf wars but I do have some ideas about what is behind some of the in-fighting and a few ideas for leadership practices that can reduce it. The following suggestions will help executives and senior team leaders avoid practices that foster a climate of fear, insecurity and mistrust that fuels in-fighting.

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Jan 08

Team Building in Japan

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From traditional to modern, Japan offers: – a wide variety of possibilities for team building themes – many options for recreational activities and excursions to flesh out your theme – the facilities to pull off a team building retreat, business meeting or conference flawlessly Throughout the year, there’s an opportunity to incorporate some really interesting Japanese cultural experiences into your retreat. To help your company “stay ahead of the curve”, field trips and factory tours to uncover ultra-modern new technology can also be built into your agenda. You can also have an opportunity to round out your agenda with keynote speakers and panels can focusing Japanese business practices, Kaizen, TQM, or Six Sigma.

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Jan 08

Team Building in Dubai

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Recently, there have been a number of articles in Middle Eastern publications highlighting the importance of team building for companies in the United Arab Emirates and other GCC countries. Facilitated team building can make a significant contribution to corporate performance. Team building is relatively new in GCC countries. This is the perfect opportunity to emulate best practices and learn from the mistakes of companies in other countries.

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Jan 08

The Height of Stupidity in Team Building

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Adrenaline junkies in some executive suites combined with an “anything a group does together is team building” mentality is leading to some dangerous pseudo team building practices. Come check out the videos and see what some companies are doing in the name of team building. What will it take for common sense to prevail and companies return to a bottom line oriented team building?

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Jan 08

Music Team Building: Is it “Real” Team Building?

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There are a variety of programs for teams that use music. Some are effective and some aren’t. Simply bringing a group of people together to have fun with music definitely requires teamwork….but it isn’t team building without adding some important ingredients.

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Jan 08

Corporate Culture – What is it and how do you “read” it?

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Corporate culture is a collection of the values and the myriad written and unwritten rules, expected behaviour and norms that govern interaction and decision making within an organization”. Think of it as the dos and don’ts that determine what behaviour gets rewarded and what gets punished in an organization. Corporate culture is powerful. Savvy executives know how to shape and harness it to ensure that it is a constructive force that facilitates the achievement of corporate goals. One thing is certain, if senior management does not take steps to shape corporate culture, it will deteriorate.

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Jan 08

1-Day Team Building Pitfalls

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Is it possible to deliver effective team building in one day? The short answer to that question is no. It is impossible to deliver a fully fleshed out team building simulation with all of the ingredients required for a fully effective team building initiative. Something has to give. What steps can be taken to deliver effective team building despite shorter and shorter lead times for planning and increasingly condensed timeframes for delivery? Here are few ideas.

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Jan 08

Team Building – Simple vs Complex Models

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Is there is danger in the use of simple team building tools and models? There is definitely a risk in selecting the simple rather than the complex. Some individuals dismiss simplicity as fluff and perceive it as an indicator of a lack of depth and bench strength on the part of a consultant. This can undermine credibility if a new client is left asking “Is that all there is?”. While I agree that there is a place for complex models, they are often used inappropriately. Here is what I mean. If teams and organizations are avoiding the discipline of rigourous analysis and opting for obvious solutions that fail to create breakthroughs, it is time to go deeper. By contrast, in the midst of turbulence, it’s important to simplify rather than complicate an intricate or emotionally charged situation. It’s time to apply the brakes, slow things down and give team members a chance to develop a clearer picture of the dynamics at play. Why complicate a situation that is already too complicated to the point of creating tension and friction?

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Jan 08

Luxury Desert Team Building in Dubai

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Whether you’re looking for a fresh experience to help your team generate breakthrough solutions or you just want to reward your team, look no further than a luxury desert team building retreat in Dubai. Stay at a luxury Bedouin camp, enjoy 5 star cuisine, gp sandboarding, have fun with dune buggies, and enjoy an outdoor cooking challenge. I just got back from Dubai and I captured some of these experiences in photos and videos. Enjoy!

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Jan 08

Team Building: Cutting it Short – What’s up with That?

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With increasing frequency, there is pressure to cut team building short on the last day. Suddenly there is pressure to wrap things up shortly, end the session early to let people go back to the resort early or have more free time for shopping. Cutting short the debiefing will guarantee that the analytical learners never have an opportunity to tie up loose ends. I have some ideas about why this is taking place but I want to hear from blog visitors first. Any comments that would shed light on some of these dynamics and propose solutions would be great.

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