When team building goes bad

[Jacob]

What's the team building though? Just sounds like friends hanging out on the company dime.

That seems pretty team-building to me.

[crazy canuck]

The "fun" team building events are usually something where you don't want those that aren't interested anyway. What's the point of taking someone to a kart racing event if they don't want to attend?

And based on the way Mrs. CC does it if you make it appealing enough they will come even if its not mandatory.

Not sure what the point of mandatory team building no wants to attend would be.  Other than to provide a ready source of willing witnesses in future litigation against the organization. 

[Zanza]

The "fun" team building events are usually something where you don't want those that aren't interested anyway. What's the point of taking someone to a kart racing event if they don't want to attend?

What's the team building though? Just sounds like friends hanging out on the company dime.

The event I organized had a first day with three topics: a Q&A session about current mood and issues in our department, then an external trainer on work-life balance and finally a light-hearted self-acted play on compliance. Afterwards we had a barbecue and beer. The next day we went to a race track and had that kart racing event. So the team-building aspect is about socializing with other people in the department that may not have much to do with you in the daily work routine. As you may know, Germans are pretty formal in their social interactions. After our last team-building event, I am finally on a first name basis with everybody in my department, so it worked for me.

[garbon]

What's the team building though? Just sounds like friends hanging out on the company dime.

That seems pretty team-building to me.

But it is the sort of teambuilding that doesn't really require company to sponsor, no?

[Admiral Yi]

I wouldn't spend my own time with the losers I work with.

[garbon]

The "fun" team building events are usually something where you don't want those that aren't interested anyway. What's the point of taking someone to a kart racing event if they don't want to attend?

What's the team building though? Just sounds like friends hanging out on the company dime.

The event I organized had a first day with three topics: a Q&A session about current mood and issues in our department, then an external trainer on work-life balance and finally a light-hearted self-acted play on compliance. Afterwards we had a barbecue and beer. The next day we went to a race track and had that kart racing event. So the team-building aspect is about socializing with other people in the department that may not have much to do with you in the daily work routine. As you may know, Germans are pretty formal in their social interactions. After our last team-building event, I am finally on a first name basis with everybody in my department, so it worked for me.

I see. So I need to imagine some awkward sorts who would only interact if given a forum to do so? No real value judgment on "awkward" in this instance.

Also, I might just be boisterous as I speak all the time to people who I don't actually work with...and I'm not really even at work to make friends.

[garbon]

I wouldn't spend my own time with the losers I work with.

In what Zanza's describing, they are spending their own time with co-workers, right?

[Zanza]

I see. So I need to imagine some awkward sorts who would only interact if given a forum to do so? No real value judgment on "awkward" in this instance.

Also, I might just be boisterous as I speak all the time to people who I don't actually work with...and I'm not really even at work to make friends.

Yes and no. You don't need to be awkward not to interact with everybody you work with. German workdays are short, we work and live in different places and may only occasionally have professional interactions. People do socialize outside of these events, but typically only with a small subset of their department. And there are always new people and this is a good chance to get to know them.

I wouldn't spend my own time with the losers I work with.

In what Zanza's describing, they are spending their own time with co-workers, right?

Partly. The first day with its activities was worktime, but obviously the drinking and eating in the evening are on your own time. The fun part with kart racing was also on worktime as the company allows one day for that per year.

[The Brain]

The Swedish model generally follows what Zanza describes. Except people being formal of course. Everyone is on first name basis in Swedish companies.

[Valmy]

Yeah but Swedish last names are firstnameson anyway.

[CountDeMoney]

It left Seeds and derspiess bleeding so that's enough for me.

Oh please.  I shit Sally Forth for breakfast.

[garbon]

That seems neither here nor there.

[Ideologue]

Cunty Cathy doesn't give a shit about the devolution of the American employment model into a disposable service industry.  Working poors is other people.

Just for that you get a Cathy comic.

Why the fuck would Cathy want to live till 75?

[Ed Anger]

I bet her Dildo has worn down a couple of inches by now. Poor Cathy.

[Scipio]

When I worked at the best independent bookstore in America, Square Books (TM), we had team building exercises that included balls-out rockabilly music, heavy drinking, poetry slams, and hanging out with Barry Hannah, Jim Harrison, Richard Ford, George Plimpton, and Archie Manning. Mostly I shelved books, then got blitzed and danced the night away. John Grisham was a fucking stiff, btw. A great bookseller and signer, but never hung out with the plebs.

The best team-building is working overtime and then getting drunk with the boss afterwards. That shit is like solid gold. There are people I worked with there that if I were in jail in Mexico they would bail me out, no questions asked, and I haven't talked to them in fifteen years.

I remember the night a guy died in the store due to anaphylactic shock from the dinner he had eaten earlier that night. Desperately tragic, nice young guy, just married to his lovely young wife. The boss gave us a week off, paid, even though all of us working that night were part time status, and never grilled us on what happened. I was managing that night. I still remember it as the first time that someone trusted me on a life and death matter. My boss and I agreed on almost nothing; but over the  thirty months that I worked for him, I earned his trut, and that was without stupid trust falls or other bullshit.

'Murica.