CUK October 2013

Team Building Do’s and Don’ts

Issue

06

Manchester Marriott Victoria & Albert Hotel Mix historical charm, celebrity glamour and business practicality and get one of Manchester’s most famous institutions.

The Hotel sits proudly on the banks of the River Irwell and offers a relaxed, almost homely atmosphere which is perfect for meetings and conferences.

The Victoria and Albert features • Two main meeting rooms and conference facilities for up to 240 delegates.

• Full air-conditioning with a business centre equipped with the latest technology • The Hotel has 100 car park spaces available*.

• Free access to Banantynes health Club

Click here to visit the website

For conference enquiries call 0161 832 1188 or email events@thevandamanchester.co.uk *Charges apply

Inside this Issue...

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OP TIPS FOR TEAM T BUILDING SUCCESS C HANGE YOUR WORLD

12. T EAM BUILDING GONE WRONG 14. F IVE IDEAS TO GET IT RIGHT 16. Q &A WITH THE EXPERTS

Editor’s Letter Hello, and welcome to the October edition of our newsletter.

You may remember that a few months ago one of our newsletters focussed on the ConferenceGroup team, featuring Q&A’s with them. In my experience of running a diverse range of businesses the team around me has been vital in building (and maintaining) a successful company.

I also know from personal experience that sometimes it can be easy to get drawn into the day-to-day running of a business and all of the tasks it involves; which is why a quick getaway from the office with your employees can do your company the world of good!

It is this mood that sets the tone of this newsletter – whether it be a conference or a team building exercise, sometimes it’s nice for everyone

to escape the office for the day to somewhere new, where they can relax and enjoy themselves, without the day-to-day mundanities hanging over them. In this issue, we’ve provided you with plenty of tips to ensure your team building event is a success; a few ‘team building gone wrong’ anecdotes and five ideas for new and exciting team building activities.

We hope this newsletter will leave you feeling inspired and ready to organise your own team building event that will not only benefit your company; but will give your employees a fun day out! Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you need any help finding a suitable venue or if you have any comments, questions or ideas.

Simon Thompson, Managing Director simon@conferencesgroup.com

Top Tips for Team Building Success Trends show that conferences and meetings are becoming more centred on participation and less based on traditional ‘lecture’ style.

What better way of delivering results and encouraging participation than in a tight and active team? To help you achieve this, you will find some top tips for building a strong, cohesive and driven team before, during and after an event over the next few pages.

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MARVELOUS MONDAYS & FABULOUS FRIDAYS 20% discount on Monday & Friday Bookings Book any meeting for a Monday or Friday and you will receive a 20% discount off the Meeting Room cost or our Day Delegate Rate!

Located in the heart of Birmingham city centre, we offer 9 versatile meeting rooms with a capacity ranging between 2-200 delegates.

For more information contact the Bookings Team on 0121 236 2317 or email enquiries@theprioryrooms.co.uk For further details about our hire packages visit the website www.theprioryrooms.co.uk Standard Terms & Conditions Apply

Planning Before any effective team building event can get underway, it is essential to go back to basics: step back and define what sort of team you aim to build and what goals you hope to achieve. Once these parameters are in place, it’s time to ensure each team member has a crystal clear understanding of what’s expected of them. Explain the sort of team you seek to build and why such a team is necessary. This way participants will understand why they are being brought together, how their personal work slots into the wider context of the organisation’s strategic plan and vision and why teamwork is crucial to realise this vision.

At the event Setting a positive tone from the word ‘go’ is a foolproof way of enthusing team members and inspiring them to cooperate. Call it ‘playful professionalism.’ One way to pitch this is opening the meeting with something upbeat or funny that will appeal to the whole group – 6

be careful not to sideline anyone.

For instance, get individuals to think up comical consequences to address latecomers such as doing three pushups or tap dancing.

Before the day gets in full swing, a savvy leader will write down those team objectives we talked about in the ‘planning’ process clearly so as to drum home the aims of the meeting. Not to forget: even if goals have been set, they are redundant without belief and commitment from your staff. Stress the reasons behind your objectives – consider using true stories to make a convincing point - and make individuals feel like an integral part of a wider picture.

The result: the team is united in faith for a common goal.

Throughout the day, it is advisable to keep the team on track through continuous review and evaluation. Recognising individuals, congratulating them on their contribution and enticing them with rewards each time a milestone is reached ensure that team members feel valued. What’s more, if an

individual feels their contribution has enhanced the team’s overall performance, they will develop a strong sense of belonging to the group and will be motivated to go the extra mile.

As a facilitator, there is a delicate balance to meet: direct the group but forget your ego. A key hint is not to become overly rule-bound; let the team use its initiative and follow the flow of the group, even if it goes off course. Welcome different viewpoints and pause often to allow participants to actively reflect and engage. On this thought, individuals are likely to be more receptive in an environment of openness, honesty, trust and respect.

Short team bonding exercises are an ideal way to build such an atmosphere as well as breaking up the day and building constructive working relationships. It’s worth stressing that such team bonding exercises should relate to a real problem whilst being fun and creative; team members will end an activity feeling at ease to share their ideas whilst also remembering the experience has a fundamentally serious purpose.

Meet in some of the most sought after spaces in East London Hackney Venues is a collection of some of the most sought-after spaces in east London.

These five fabulous venues feature • Two beautifully restored art-deco town halls • An eighteenth-century mansion house • A former water pumping station • A brand new, RIBA award-winning sporting centre.

Hackney Venues has a space to offer any event from conferences and product launches to receptions and dinners. The hire costs are considerably lower than those found in central London without comprising on style or service.

With space for up to 400 for a seated conference, 300 for a seated dinner or as small as 20 in a boardroom style for away days and VIP receptions, Hackney Venues has a venue for every kind of booking and the dedicated teams on site are ready to help plan and manage your event.

For more information please visit: www.hackneyvenues.com email: venuehire@hackney.gov.uk or call: 0208 356 5505

Ideas To make a day enjoyable and memorable, it’s beneficial to slip in perks or treats and to include high energy, challenging, innovative and, most of all, exciting team bonding exercises. Spice things up with a murder mystery for 60-90 minutes or a scavenger or treasure hunt to teach the group how to work together.

Equally, icebreakers and team energisers keep energy levels high.

Add something unexpected while the group gets to know each other: allow participants to think up a twist to their official title and put that on their name badge. For example, a receptionist could be ‘The Queen of First Impressions’ and a marketing manager ‘Chief Idea Officer.’ This lightens the mood, involves the whole group and instils each person with a sense of ownership for their role. On the topic of roles, swap jobs for a task, for example bringing in new leaders.

This helps team members understand what it is like to be in other peoples’ shoes.

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To improve communication, try back-to-back drawing. This involves dividing the group into pairs and instructing them to sit back-to-back.

One person in the pair is given a pencil and a pad of paper and the other a picture of a shape. Those with the picture describe the image without saying what the shape is and the other person must attempt to draw it. Once the artwork is complete, they should compare the original shape with the drawing. Get the pair to consider how well the first person described the shape, how well the second person interpreted the instructions and what obstacles they faced in communication.

To build trust, play ‘human spring.’ In this exercise, the team members stand face-to-face in pairs. They place their palms together like a double ‘hi-5’ and bend their elbows. Next the pairs gradually lean towards one another until they are supporting each other’s weight. To test them further, get the pairs to move their feet further away from one another until they rely

entirely on their partner to hold them.

Worth remembering: pair participants who might not usually socialise or work closely with one another to improve team dynamics.

Really, the possibilities for activities are endless and the more creative the better. Take advantage of the venue you’ve booked and optimise the space and facilities you’ve got.

Post Event Just because an event has reached close it is by no means over. You’ve worked this hard to create a positive, cooperative and enthusiastic team mentality. Continue the momentum after each team bonding exercise and after the meeting itself. This will ensure your successful, cohesive team continues to shine when you get back to the workplace.

One of Europe’s Leading Meeting & Banqueting Venues Situated directly opposite Hyde Park, Lancaster London is adjacent to Lancaster Gate tube station and minutes from the Heathrow Express.

The hotel offers; • 416 bedrooms and 22 suites all with a/c, flat-screen satellite TV and high speed internet.

• Spacious, elegant lounges, with two restaurants – including the renowned Nipa Thai restaurant.

• A brand-new, complimentary gym is exclusively available for guests

£11.5 MILLION REFURBISHMENT The conference rooms recently underwent an £11.5m refurbishment, and can cater for up to 3,000 people.

• The Nine Kings Suite can hold up to 1,200 guests for dinner, as well as 650 guests in the adjoining reception foyer.

• It is acknowledged as one of the finest venues in Europe for conventions, awards ceremonies, dinners and exhibitions.

• The Westbourne Suite accommodates up to 1,200 people in spacious comfort and elegant style.

• It is particularly suited to events involving elaborate technical presentations and is supported

by Lancaster London’s highly professional and experienced Meeting and Events team.

To book your meeting call the events team on 020 7 551 6195 or email events@lancasterlondon.com

Discover a Revolutionized Arrival Experience in Europe’s Largest Hotel Following a 6 million pound renovation that expanded the lobby space immensely and modernized the hotel’s entrance, Hilton London Metropole opens its doors to welcome you, your family, and your clients into a functional and stylish new space.

Innovative Lobby Design Narrative Hilton London Metropole earns the distinction as the first UK property to incorporate the Hilton Hotels & Resorts brand’s new innovative lobby design narrative, which provides smartly designed and functionally relevant lobby spaces, for guests and locals to work, socialize and enjoy.

Chic, Sophisticated Food & Beverage Offering With the hotel’s refurbishment comes the introduction of two chic and sophisticated food and beverage outlets, EDG Bar & Lounge and Whisky Lounge. Both outlets feature contemporary design elements and impressive menu options for the culinary or cocktail connoisseur.

Over 4,000 Square Meters of PillarFree Meeting Space As part of the hotel refurbishment, the mezzanine level meeting rooms have also been renovated. From the creation of an octagonal shaped meeting room, seating up to 18 10

delegates boardroom style with floor to ceiling windows on six-sides, to an additional mezzanine meeting room that can cater up to 40 delegates, the hotel now boasts over 4,100 square meters of pillar-free meeting space.

Hotel highlights include: • 10 minute walk to London’s Oxford Street and the world famous West End • 20 minute rail journey to Paddington Station from Heathrow Airport via the Heathrow Express • 42 conference and meeting rooms • 1,500 delegate theatre style conference suite • 1,000 guest banqueting & dining suite • Two 1,600 delegate grand conference suites • One hugely experienced and capable Conferencing & Banqueting guest Services team offering a full range of support including a dedicated reception for effortless Check-In and registration

Avner On general manager, Hilton London Metropole, said, “Hospitality requires constant innovation to be the best - this major renovation will further secure our position as one of Europe’s top conference and events hotels. “ The refurbishment will see relevant and inviting spaces that have been created for today’s busy travellers. The lobby design is visually appealing and dynamic, yet comfortable and intuitive, creating an inviting destination that seamlessly transitions from day to night, providing a social atmosphere where people come together to meet, relax, reflect, enjoy and work.”

For more information, visit www.hilton.com/londonmet or www.hiltonlondonmet.com/ transformation T: +44 (0) 2074022400 E: cbs.londonmet@hilton.com

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For more information, visit www.hilton.com/londonmet or www.hiltonlondonmet.com/transformation

T: +44 (0) 2074022400 E: cbs.londonmet@hilton.com

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Change Your World With a Meeting Room From experience we know that team building can receive mixed reactions but follow these tips and you can’t fail.

The trials and tribulations of team building

Making decisions at the point of most knowledge

I have certainly been on quite a few different team building events over the years. On them I have done everything from walking up Snowdon to participating in a team building event in which the facilitators tried to get colleagues to rub noses with each other to ‘break down inter-department barriers’.

The results of them have been pretty mixed, as you might imagine.

Generally, the point of team building activities is to a) improve team performance and b) be motivational.

The reality is, of course, mixed results.

Getting away from it all Regardless of the specific activities I have done on such events, the one, consistently positive aspect was getting away from the office and spending time with colleagues, away from the day to day pressure of office life. As a result when I had the opportunity to, I would take my team off site. However rather than hire (expensive) facilitators to organise games of Kabish Kaboo to ‘encourage creative thinking’ I would always favour focussing on the sessions that find solutions for the practical issues that affected us on a day to day basis.

Almost without exception, however, people do respond positively to be given the opportunity to shape decisions that affect them and influence their immediate working environment. Furthermore, unlike the rather short term benefits of a ‘team building session’, the benefits are long term and felt daily.

The focus of such sessions is facilitating decision making at the point of greatest knowledge. This will invariably be the people who are dealing with customers, systems and processes on a day to day basis.

They will have the most knowledge about how they can be improved and indeed what the real issues are.

Unlocking these improvements can have a big impact on your company’s performance.

Off site v at work It is not necessary to go off site to have these discussions, but it does help. Simply spending some time away from the work place has a positive effect in itself. Add into this the opportunity for the participants to make positive changes to the things that effect them on a daily basis and you create a winning formula.

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Change your world for £50 All you really need is somewhere to meet and this is where we can help. Conferences UK can help you book a quality meeting room from as little as £50. There is no need to hire expensive facilitators or equipment – simply set an agenda, plan the session and off you go. Spend the valuable time you have away from the office fixing the things that will make your business better or planning for the long term.

Tips on facilitation • Set a clear agenda and objectives • If you can, involve your team in setting this – there may be some problems you don’t even know about • Plan the session down to the last minute, but build in flexibility to re-allocate the amount of time you spend on each item • Remember to facilitate and not direct • Ensure that key points are recorded • Implement as much as you can from the meeting as soon as you can

mac birmingham is more than just a venue.

Located within leafy Cannon Hill Park, with views onto the lake, our competitively priced, thriving venue also boasts friendly and attentive staff, alongside state of the art facilities.

• Perfect venue for small meetings, large conferences, events and celebrations • Free WI FI and car parking available • Our unusual spaces include, dance, and media studios, gallery spaces, three theatres, music studios, a cinema and outdoor amphitheatre.

SPECIAL OFFER:

With creativity at the heart, mac birmingham can also accommodate staff away days, offering activities such as yoga, painting and pottery and as registered arts charity, your booking will contribute towards the sustainability of the arts.

Day Delegate Rate from £27.50 per person plus vat (£33.00 including vat)*

To find out more, or to book an exploratory visit, contact mac birmingham’s Events Team on:

0121 446 3250 or email hires@macarts.co.uk www.macarts.co.uk/hires

*Terms and Conditions apply

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Our meeting rooms and video conference facilities are of the highest quality and available to hire at highly competitive rates by the hour, half day and full day.

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Central London meeting rooms are located in Marble Arch, Piccadilly Circus, Oxford Street, Victoria, Holborn and Mayfair with fabulous views and natural daylight from all venues’. The locations is perfect for a variety of events, including business conferences, meetings, training and team building workshops.

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Focus on Video Conferencing ConferencesUK caught up with Seymour Blake of Central London Meeting Rooms to get Seymour’s thoughts on video conferencing.

ConfUK ‘Seymour, you have offered a Video Conferencing service for some time now, can you tell us what the main benefits are?’

Seymour Blake (SB) ‘We find that there are lots of benefits to video conferencing. They include saving time, reducing your carbon footprint and the ability to make decisions quicker. Overall though, a video conference can really save you money.’

ConfUK ‘In terms of cost savings, can you give us an idea of what the costs are?’

SB ‘We have a variety of different packages, to suit different budgets, but you can use our video conferencing facilities for as little as £95 for one hour.’

ConfUK ‘What type of organisations are using video conferencing?’

SB ‘Lots of different organisations and companies have used the service. I would say it is particularly good for legal depositions and international recruitment exercises.’

ConfUK ‘What advice would you give to someone who was considering using your video conferencing services?’

SB ‘It’s as easy as facing a 3 person panel face-to face! The technology is very user-friendly and helps relax the individual. We recently had a Japanese television company broadcast their show via our system to two other sites in Europe simultaneously!’

ConfUK ‘Any other updates that you want to share with us?’

SB We have the very latest Life-size video conference system in glorious HD which means crystal clear audio and visual technology in the heart of central London!

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Team Building Gone Wrong Whilst team building activities can be a great boost for company productivity and morale, beware the horror stories of team building gone wrong.

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When done correctly, team building activities can be a really useful experience to get employees to cooperate and work together to solve problems which ultimately, can help make a success of the company.

Of course, it’s not exactly unheard of that many employees dread these team building days – looming deadlines and the possibility of embarrassing yourself in front of your fellow colleagues with mindless ‘trust’ games (‘trust fall’ anyone?!) – can somewhat put a downer on the day.

But no matter how bad you think your previous experiences have been (or indeed, how you imagine your next team building event to be); you can rest assured that there will always be someone with a worse experience!

One well-known company decided the best way to see how their employees would cope under stress was to stage a fake hijack; so employed two men with masks and weapons to ‘seize’ the coach the company was on. Not only was this a tasteless (and quite shocking!) activity, but a passerby called the police – that must have taken a lot of explaining...

Another company’s idea of a team building activity was to make their staff walk over hot coals (the rationale for this is yet to be explained).

The question arises as to who was the most mindless: the company for thinking of this idea in the first place, or the employees, who continued to walk across the hot coals despite the fact previous employees had been sent to hospital as their burns were so bad!

Finally, no matter how embarrassing you may find team building activities, at least you can relax in the knowledge that your business won’t follow the idea of one Japanese company, whose idea of ‘team building’ was showering and bathing together (albeit single sex) naked, as it was thought to build trust and encourage bonding, as without clothes, everyone is supposedly equal.

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5 Ideas to Get it Right To try and make team building events more enjoyable, companies and venues are offering more unusual activities to excite and engage employees, and let them have some fun! Some interesting events include: •M urder Mystery from Hollywood Starlets to traditional stately home settings, and high-tech CSI evenings, murder mystery nights are an incredibly fun way of solving a problem and getting everyone to work as a team.

•C hocolate making because let’s face it, everyone likes chocolate!

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•B lack Cab Trail similar to The Apprentice; teams are given their own personal taxi, and have to navigate their way around the city, finding clues to solve the puzzle.

• X-Factory karaoke lovers will find themselves in their element, singing songs as part of a team.

• Fashion Works creating the next ‘in’ outfit complete with catwalk performance will ensure employees work together as a team, as well as unleashing their inner fashionista!

It would therefore seem, that with a little creativity and individuality (without the craziness); team building events can be both useful and enjoyable!

Boogie Nights at the Manchester Conference Centre & Hotel We have the perfect selection of Christmas Party nights for those wanting a great atmosphere, fabulous food and music that is guaranteed to get you in the mood to dance the night away!

From £19.99 per person

Bespoke packages

Christmas Lunch from £12.95

Our party nights start from a little as £19.99 per person, bringing chilled drinks, festive food and dancing together in one great package. This year the Boogie Nights Theme will be taking over the hotel, you can dance until the early hours to all the disco classics, as well todays hits.

We are also offering Tailor Make Your Own Party, if you’re looking for the perfect private party… look no further and we’ll create your festive vision! Whether champagne and canapés are needed on arrival or you want to incorporate your company’s yearly awards ceremony… we can host it all!

If you’d like to treat your team in the run up to the Christmas break, we have our Christmas Lunch each day for only £12.95 per person. Enjoy a 2 course Christmas dinner, not forgetting the hats and crackers!

To make a booking with our very own Elf call 0161 955 8000 or email events@days-mcc.co.uk.

Q&A with the Experts This month we took the opportunity to catch up with Dan Cowdrill, Sales and Marketing Manager for Hackney Venues, Damien Vincent, Head of Sales at Mac Birmingham and Pamela Reckert who is the Sales Director of the Manchester Marriott Victoria and Albert.

ConferencesUK: What type of facilities does your venue offer for team building events?

Damien Vincent (DV): We offer a wide range of creative activities including pottery, sculpture, jewellery design, painting, drawing, music and dance.

We also offer activities that are more focused on personal wellbeing such as Yoga, Pilates and Tai Chi. Dan Cowdrill (DC) At the West Reservoir Centre clients have the option of adding sailing activities to their day. The venues primary function is a sailing centre as it sits overlooking the vast reservoir that used to provide clean drinking water for North London.

Pamela Reckert (PR) We offer a unique City Centre venue ( a converted warehouse) with a large meeting space for 240 people. There is also an outside terrace area which is perfect for BBQ’s and outdoor activities.

ConferencesUK: What recent trends have you noticed?

DC: Clients are looking for the added extra – a way to entertain delegates that does not break the bank but does get them out of the main seminar room. They increasingly tell us how useful it is to get delegates out into the fresh air.

ConferencesUK: Which are the best and most fun team building events you have hosted?

PR: We have recently done a strictly come dancing evening, X factor event and a school days theme, with everyone playing games that they would have played when they were at school.

DV: Our sculpture class with a life model, followed by a Tai Chi class!

ConferencesUK: What advice would you offer to somebody who was looking to book a team building event?

DC: Allow plenty of time for an activity. Clients don’t often expect their delegates to enjoy the activity as much as they do and if sufficient time is not allowed for participating it can be a little counterproductive.

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ConferencesUK: Do you and your team currently hold team building activities?

PR: Yes we do, we try and go out once a month together, but we also have quarterly fun activities and we have been bowling and singing in Karaoke booths most recently.

ConferencesUK: What updates would you like to share with us?

DV: We updated our website with our team building packages - you can find out in more detail what we offer at www.macarts.co.uk PR: We have recently updated all of our corporate packages in the hotel and created new menus throughout our Food and Beverage department.

DC: We can now offer open water swimming. The facilities we have available are unique in the area and I’d suggest that your readers come down and take a look if they are interested in putting together a really different type of team building experience.

TO BOOK OR FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ANY OF OUR CHRISTMAS PACK AGES

PLEASE CONTACT THE EVENTS TEAM ON 0844 557 1875 OPTION 5 OR EMAIL EVENTS@BCFC.COM *Must be booked before 5.30pm on Thursday 31 October. Minimum booking of 4 people. Subject to availability.

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The Old Church, Albert Hill Street, Didsbury, Manchester M20 6RF Telephone: 0845 351 9917