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Meetings have the capacity to be soul-crushing events or very lively, team-building exercises if they are properly planned. Meetings that are about creative problem solving can be broken up into two stages with a break in the middle.
The first stage is one where all ideas are accepted and negativity is simply not allowed. This promotes better idea sharing and creates a more open atmosphere that allows others to build off of ideas that may or may not be practical. The second meeting is one where negativity and even constructive criticism still need to take a back seat to the priority of choosing the most reasonable plan. Emotional investment in ideas should be distributed due to the very nature of the first meeting, and thus nobody should be championing a cause to further their own ends.
Another idea would be to give people special seats on corners when they are ‘idea’ people. The seats are honorary positions that change whenever a new idea comes up that is useful. Some meeting planners have special incentives ready for whoever spends the most time in one of these chairs, such as a covered parking spot for a period of time.
By following the aforementioned ideas and/or being a little creative, it is possible to create strong incentives without having to actually spend any money. Furthermore, productivity gains from smart meeting planning can be phenomenal and almost impossible to put a price tag on.
Icebreakers are a fun way to get people talking and interacting at the beginning of a meeting, team building experience or conference. Whether you are planning a group cruise as a team building trip for a staff that regularly works together or a conference with folks who have never met each other, icebreakers are a great way to get things going. Since cruise ships provide a unique environment in their own right, it can be even more enjoyable to employ unique icebreakers that are far removed from the ordinary choices of name games and activities of that ilk.
Icebreakers for group cruises can easily take place in a meeting room, just as they would on land; however, sending your attendees off on a trek around the ship will help them become familiar with the layout, meet some of the crew and create a fun cruise atmosphere right from the beginning. And, all of this can take place while they are getting to know their fellow participants and working together as a team. One ideal option that provides all of these benefits is a scavenger hunt. Scavenger hunts do not require tons of materials or time to plan and are simple to implement. All that is required is a list of items to give to each team and a conversation with the appropriate crew members to make sure they know what is going on.
You simply send each team off in search of cruise-related items, such as drink umbrellas, something that has the cruise line’s logo on it, a napkin from the buffet or other similar trinkets. Providing the winning team with a prize that is also related to the cruise, such as an onboard activity or shore excursion will increase the fun even more.
Team building is important for any company and is one of the best ways to ensure that you have a cohesive team that knows how to work together to meet company goals and create a productive, effective work environment. While it is important for staff members who work together in close proximity each day to get along well and know each other’s strengths, team building is particularly important for companies that operate from a number of sites. If these sites are located in different areas of the country or state, this becomes even more crucial for your success.
Large corporations with multiple sites can benefit from quarterly or annual team building experiences that take place in a central location. While bringing thousands of employees together in one location may not be a viable option for all companies, hosting a centrally located retreat that groups together staff members in each geographical location is an effective option that will prove beneficial to the overall health of your company. Firms with numerous staff members scattered around the country or around the globe may also want to consider virtual team building experiences using video conferencing technologies.
Of course, for small and mid-sized companies, in-person team building experiences will always be the most effective option and can even include simple exercises that are incorporated into regularly scheduled meetings or events.
When you are looking for destination options for your next incentive travel program, you may want to consider adventure travel. Adventure travel has taken the travel industry by storm and is a hot trend among families, couples, groups of friends and companies looking for exciting team building, incentive travel or executive retreat options.
Examples of adventure travel include:
• Mountain climbing • Rock climbing • Trekking across the desert on camels • Cave exploration • SCUBA diving • Going on a safari • Spending a week or a weekend at a dude ranch • Storm chasing • Backpacking • Camping • Exploring ancient ruins in a rainforest
There are many reasons to consider adventure travel for your incentive travel winners, including offering a unique vacation experience that they may never otherwise have the chance to experience. One additional reason why more companies are opting for adventure travel is that most options include an underlying team building component. This makes this type of travel beneficial to both the employees and the company overall, making it a more enticing option.
If you decide to opt for adventure travel as a reward for your company’s incentive program, always keep in mind that it is extremely important to choose options where everyone can participate. Low-key adventure travel, such as whale watching or bird watching is not as physically demanding as other options and may be a good choice for some companies.
You are a corporate event planner that is darn good at your job and can put together a topnotch conference, team-building experience, executive retreat or upscale gala with one hand tied behind your back. But, what do you do when one of your best clients suddenly asks you to plan his wedding and you have no experience or connections in this niche? Before you start to panic, take a moment to consider the connections you already have and how you can use your corporate event and travel planning skills to plan a wedding that will impress your client and go off without a hitch.
The thought of finding an appropriate venue for the ceremony and reception, ordering floral arrangements, planning a menu, finding a wedding DJ and reserving accommodations for all of his out of town guests may not seem like a simple task, but with one simple decision you can make wedding planning a breeze, even if you have never planned this type of occasion before now.
By convincing your client that a luxury cruise is the answer to his wedding planning needs, you will slide right back into your comfort zone and will be well on your way to successfully including wedding planning into your current skill set. A cruise wedding is a convenient way to take care of catering, venues, accommodation, entertainment, flowers and décor in one simple step, and is a luxury option that will truly impress your client and make him think you put endless hours into getting everything just right.
To make your wedding cruise planning even easier, visit Seasite.com and use the convenient group cruise planning tools available. You just might find that it is time to add wedding planning to your list of offerings.
Are you looking for unique, affordable ways to motivate staff, award employees who met their sales goals, or encourage cohesion, communication and camaraderie among your team members? If so, you may have already discovered that many team building and employee incentive options are rather expensive and may not fit your budget. This is particularly true during the current economic crisis, which has forced more and more companies to get creative when searching for ways to reward or motivate their team as the funds for these types of activities shrink. And, as luck would have it, when team building and employee appreciation budgets are getting tighter due to dropping profits is exactly the time when you need your team to be more motivated and cohesive than ever.
Thankfully, there are plenty of affordable options available that will allow you to create an exciting team building experience or incentive for less than $200 per person.
Here are some examples:
• Organizing ride-alongs for employees to experience the exhilaration of a stock car racing around a track • Scheduling full- or half-day white water rafting trips • Arranging one- or two-day customized nature or outdoor adventure programs at a local wilderness area • Finding a local company that offers bungee jumping
When opting for adventure travel for team building, there are several factors to keep in mind. First and foremost, it is absolutely essential to choose an adventure travel option that is accessible to all of the members of your team. Differing levels of physical fitness, disabilities that may require accommodation, dietary restrictions and religious affiliations should all be considered when determining the type of adventure travel that is an appropriate choice and will meet your needs.
Since the point of this type of travel is to encourage your employees to work together and to build team spirit, it is exceedingly important that no one will feel left out or will have to decline the experience due to one of the abovementioned factors. While it is true that team building adventure travel should push employees to leave their comfort zones and for the team to find and rely on the different strengths each of member, there is a distinct difference between encouraging a loner to participate and putting someone in an extremely uncomfortable position that alienates them from the rest of the team due to physical characteristics, abilities or beliefs.
Considering these factors during the selection process will assist you in ensuring that you do not waste resources on an ineffective team building experience and will help you avoid the pitfall of setting your team up for failure, rather than success.
As a planner, you know how business conferences can help employees become more productive, more motivated, and more valuable to a company. However, meetings can also create a more well-rounded employee as well. Here are two ways you can help businesses improve their employees’ breadth of knowledge through conference and meeting attendance.
Technology Transfer
This term may be old, but it’s a good one. Transfer of information happens even between conference/meeting session. When people have to choose between two sessions that they are interested in, they often ask for materials or information from others who attended the one they missed. Offer to plan interim meeting sessions for technology transfer, even if they are only for an hour a day. Reserve a room just for that purpose and schedule nothing else during that time. Read the rest of this entry »
