Incorporating Team Building Into Your meetings & Events

​“None of us is as smart as all of us.”- Ken Blanchard

Simple words with a lot of weight. 

Team building is one of the most important investments you can make for your employees. Not only does it build trust and increase motivation, but it also encourages communication, mitigates conflict, and increases collaboration and creativity.

At Maritime Conference Center (MCC), we have witnessed many organizations incorporate team-building activities into their meetings and events. Here are just a few examples of what we have seen over the years.

Group Exercise
A group exercise to start or end the day may help get your participants moving and focused. Physical exercise is known to be a great stress reliever. Some examples may be yoga or meditation, stretching, walking/running, and even an instructor-led Zumba class. Adding a short self-defense class would provide attendees with life skills while getting them moving!  At MCC, we have plenty of open space around our campus for your attendees to engage in these activities. We’ve also seen groups participate in chanting or singing during a brief walk to increase energy levels and break up the day in between conference sessions and lectures.

Friendly Competition
Team building activities often include friendly competitions. It’s important to keep things light and fun, while allowing your team to bond and interact in ways they might not otherwise have the opportunity to do. One of the more popular team building exercises is to create a scavenger hunt for your group.  Snakes is another fun game that also helps build trust and encourages team bonding. Tug-of-war or various types of races or obstacle courses are popular as well, and MCC offers a game room with ping-pong, pool and shuffleboard. An additional option is to hire our skilled MITAGS Academic Team to create a unique simulator-based team building activity where your small group gets to experience navigating on the virtual bridge of a tanker ship or tugboat.  

Problem Solving
The ability to work as a team to solve problems in the work place is very important. You can encourage and help your team develop their problem-solving skills during your event through several activities.

The Great Egg Drop is popular and involves creativity and problem solving, as each group must build an egg package that can sustain an eight-foot drop. Similarly, why not get creative, break up into teams, make boats out of specific supplies, and then “sail” them across the pool to see which team’s boat actually floats? Brainteasers and puzzles are a great way to get people to open up with one another and work together as well.

MCC also collaborates with Terrapin Adventures. Known for “aerial adventures” because of their ropes course located approximately 20 minutes from MCC in Historic Savage Mill, Terrapin Adventures will also travel to you.  Inviting Terrapin Adventures to MCC will allow their expert staff to create a customized team-building program that stimulates creative problem solving skills, fosters connections and builds trust and collaboration among your team.

Charitable Giving
Another big hit at many meetings and events is incorporating some kind of charitable activity or volunteer opportunity. It could be as simple as arriving to the meeting with canned goods or unwrapped gifts, especially around the holidays, or perhaps it involves teaming up with an organization like Habitat for Humanity or volunteering at the BWI USO lounge (an MCC supported organization).  Another option is to incorporate volunteering into breaks by having areas setup where participants can stuff bags or make something creative in an art area, etc. to support the charity of choice, all while interacting and talking with others. This, too, is a nice way to break up the day, all while giving back.
 
General Appreciation & Networking
Showing general appreciation and allowing your teams to network and mingle in a fun way can boost morale and encourage team bonding. Perhaps a visit from the Kona Ice Truck would provide a cool treat outside on a beautiful, warm day, or adding a fun backdrop and props for pictures is always a lot of fun. Capitalize on MCC’s maritime atmosphere by adding a cocktail hour with appetizers in the MCC’s Memorabilia Room, which is filled with maritime artifacts and treasure. MCC will also work with you to create an outdoor barbecue with lawn games or perhaps even a crab feast. Another client favorite is to turn our auditorium into a theater for live entertainment, or to watch a movie on the giant screen.  Then, add a themed snack station in the centralized break area complete with popcorn, snacks and drinks for the show!    

Incorporating team-building activities into your meetings and events is a great way to build trust and increase motivation among attendees. Utilizing these activities to engage your team increases interaction and encourages creativity, leading to amazing outcomes and fresh ideas for your organization. Maritime Conference Center offers plenty of indoor and outdoor space, as well as local partnerships, to accommodate these activities. Ask our professional Sales or Conference Managers how we can help incorporate team building into your next meeting at Maritime Conference Center!