Large Group Team Building Questions
Some might argue against teambuilding for a large group.
And some say team building is for intimate work groups who need to improve their communication, problem solving and project management skills, 10 to 12 people, maximum. That is true, but so is the fact that there are different purposes for teambuilding. And some of those may be different, but just as valid for a group of 500, 1000 or even more.
There are different purposes for teambuilding
For example, Are you trying to convey a singular vision? Perhaps you’re trying to create networking opportunities for a larger group of employees to connect. Maybe you’re conveying a common purpose and allowing people to see their connection to the whole.
Different objectives are going to require different activities. And especially at a conference or meeting, large group team building can be very effective in creating shared experiences and comradery.
Plus, remember that you’re going to activate the brain when you’re having fun and boost memory and retention for conference learning. So when you’re thinking about teambuilding for a large group, remember to ask yourself questions about the objectives for the event in the context of the meeting overall as well as the organization.
What do you want participants to leave the event thinking, doing and believing?
Does Size Really Matter?
If you have a large group event in mind, one key element you want to have in place is an experienced facilitator who can manage the dynamics of a large group team building.
Because, with so many people involved, it takes mad skills to get and keep everyone’s attention to deliver instructions and keep the program moving forward and on time. The energy of the group can easily overtake even otherwise excellent professionals. Don’t overlook this significant expertise when planning your teambuilding event.
So, when it comes to selecting your program, yes, size does have an impact. Some events that work for much smaller events can be scaled for larger groups while others just don’t translate well. At all. Or you can scale some options, but only so far.
Besides the obvious difference in numbers of participants, you need more materials, more staff, more space, more time. Lots more to manage. Make sure you know the difference, otherwise partner with someone who does.
How some Large Groups Have Reached their Goals
Just within the last six weeks, we had the opportunity to work with a group of over 1,500 participants and another, less than half that size, a mere 700 people.
– The first team was all about the fun: sales professionals eager to compete with other regions. In this scenario, a series of head to head games paired with activity stations in a rotation format work extremely well. Playful shared memories were a key outcome for their large group team building.
– For the group of 700, coming together as a unified organization was the focus. Their event was all about making a difference in the local community to show the power of collaboration. The organization had a super tight conference schedule, but clear goals. The bicycle build left everyone involved seeing the huge impact the company could have. Especially when they were focused on a single objective.
When you’re ready to explore teambuilding options for your large group, click here. #teambuildingforall
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In business since 2002, PlayWorks Group is an award-winning team building events firm serving North America and the Caribbean.