Planning a meeting in Las Vegas or attending a convention in Las Vegas and having to organize satellite events?
| Put the Meat Into Team Building |
A chorus of groans coupled with, “Oh no, not another lame team-building activity!” definitely is not music to the ears of a meeting and event planner. Still, team building is important to the well-being and personal commitment of employees. Sadly, many tried-and-true activities—although potentially effective and well-intentioned—just are not cutting it in today’s fast-paced corporate environment. Either the attendees have “been there, done that” (and their attitudes reflect it); or it is simply difficult to truly get buy-in with a seemingly meaningless activity that participants feel was inserted into the program or workday just to take up time and perhaps keep them awake.
So why not go completely outside the box and make team building a memorable, meaningful and productive experience while having a lot of fun at the same time? Readily available in Las Vegas for large and small groups are fabulous opportunities as well as team-building facilitation companies with new and innovative ideas for finding that spark that truly will embolden your employees’ sense of belonging, purpose and usefulness within your company. The following is a sampling of innovative team-building ideas you can orchestrate yourself or seek the assistance of a facilitator to make into a reality with ease.
Experience the Extreme
Sharing an experience brings people together on common ground and unites their perspectives. Some companies are taking this idea to the extreme. Although not always for the faint of heart, once-in-a-lifetime adventures can change for the better the way employees do business and look at the world around them.
Perfect for a group retreat or incentive trip to foster team unity, Las Vegas–based Papillon Airways and Forever Houseboats have partnered to offer a “Fly and Float Experience.” This three-day, two-night trip takes guest on a leisurely houseboat cruise on a Las Vegas–area lake then up into the sky to get a bird’s-eye view of the area’s dramatic natural landscape. Three different options are available that offer spectacular sights to see and create a memorable, breathtaking experience.
It is said that team building is about the journey, so why not make that journey a high-speed race around a track? Whether your team members are in the driver’s seat or just going along for the ride, the adrenaline-pumping, high-speed experience of racing cars surely will bring a company together. In Las Vegas, the Richard Petty Driving Experience puts participants behind the wheel of a NASCAR racecar; or for a more prestigious and elevated experience, World Class Driving provides opportunities to experience driving one of the world’s “super cars” from brands like Ferrari, Lamborghini and Bentley.
Shared experiences from death-defying heights can be the perfect unifying, team-building experience. Couple that with excellent food, and it’s a memorable moment people will talk about for years. A Las Vegas–based company, Dinner in the Sky, has that idea in spades with its Dinner in the Sky adventure, which features a 22-person dining table suspended up to 180 feet in the air. Up on high, guests dine on gourmet cuisine prepared by expert chefs while they take in spectacular views and a unique perspective from a staggering height.
Zipping through the air up to 60 mph and suspended only by a cable and harness can help a group overcome apprehension and realize they are able to take daring chances for incredible gains. If it’s just for a quick thrill on a tight schedule, Freemont Street Flightlinez offers an 800-foot downtown zip line amidst the sparkling lights and crowds of Las Vegas. For a grander experience, journey out to Bootleg Canyon Flightlines with its series of zip lines ranging in length from 1,150 to 2,550 feet soaring above the spectacular natural topography of the Las Vegas Valley.
Typically it would not be considered positive for employees to jump from the 108th floor of a building; however, the Stratosphere’s SkyJump Las Vegas provides a controlled freefall of 855 feet that helps colleagues form immediate bonds. Sharing moral support while awaiting their turn and happily reliving the shared experience afterward, participants will take away an adrenaline rush and a lasting camaraderie that are sure to make the team-building event a success.
For the even more extreme crowd, take team building to greater heights with a corporate skydiving outing at Skydive Las Vegas. Nothing compares to the total freedom of freefalling 8,000 feet in 60 seconds then soaring softly and serenely to the ground under a parachute canopy while taking in a life-altering view. The shared experience for a corporate group fosters a strong bond between participants, and the learning process and training before the tandem jump emphasize the importance of details, preparation and collaboration for success.
Fostering Food for Thought
If extreme experiences are too much for your team-building event or budget, maybe the fun and function of incorporating food into the activity sets the right table for your company. Businesses in Las Vegas, such as TeamBonding, provide easy facilitation for the following ideas, or you can create something similar on your own and tailor it to your specific needs.
Group dinners are great for the networking and bonding, but it can rise to the next level with a progressive dinner. The “progressive” idea has participants change dinner partners with each course so employees network with many people in one evening. Try it in a banquet hall or restaurant, mixing groups at different tables throughout the evening, or coordinate to have groups travel to a different nearby restaurant for each course. Add a tabletop team-building game or exercise during each course to bring each set of diners together for fun and good food. If coordinating this seems too much to handle, facilitators for hire, such as TeamBonding, will take care of all the details for you.
So why not go completely outside the box and make team building a memorable, meaningful and productive experience while having a lot of fun at the same time? Readily available in Las Vegas for large and small groups are fabulous opportunities as well as team-building facilitation companies with new and innovative ideas for finding that spark that truly will embolden your employees’ sense of belonging, purpose and usefulness within your company. The following is a sampling of innovative team-building ideas you can orchestrate yourself or seek the assistance of a facilitator to make into a reality with ease.
Experience the Extreme
Sharing an experience brings people together on common ground and unites their perspectives. Some companies are taking this idea to the extreme. Although not always for the faint of heart, once-in-a-lifetime adventures can change for the better the way employees do business and look at the world around them.
Perfect for a group retreat or incentive trip to foster team unity, Las Vegas–based Papillon Airways and Forever Houseboats have partnered to offer a “Fly and Float Experience.” This three-day, two-night trip takes guest on a leisurely houseboat cruise on a Las Vegas–area lake then up into the sky to get a bird’s-eye view of the area’s dramatic natural landscape. Three different options are available that offer spectacular sights to see and create a memorable, breathtaking experience.
It is said that team building is about the journey, so why not make that journey a high-speed race around a track? Whether your team members are in the driver’s seat or just going along for the ride, the adrenaline-pumping, high-speed experience of racing cars surely will bring a company together. In Las Vegas, the Richard Petty Driving Experience puts participants behind the wheel of a NASCAR racecar; or for a more prestigious and elevated experience, World Class Driving provides opportunities to experience driving one of the world’s “super cars” from brands like Ferrari, Lamborghini and Bentley.
Shared experiences from death-defying heights can be the perfect unifying, team-building experience. Couple that with excellent food, and it’s a memorable moment people will talk about for years. A Las Vegas–based company, Dinner in the Sky, has that idea in spades with its Dinner in the Sky adventure, which features a 22-person dining table suspended up to 180 feet in the air. Up on high, guests dine on gourmet cuisine prepared by expert chefs while they take in spectacular views and a unique perspective from a staggering height.
Zipping through the air up to 60 mph and suspended only by a cable and harness can help a group overcome apprehension and realize they are able to take daring chances for incredible gains. If it’s just for a quick thrill on a tight schedule, Freemont Street Flightlinez offers an 800-foot downtown zip line amidst the sparkling lights and crowds of Las Vegas. For a grander experience, journey out to Bootleg Canyon Flightlines with its series of zip lines ranging in length from 1,150 to 2,550 feet soaring above the spectacular natural topography of the Las Vegas Valley.
Typically it would not be considered positive for employees to jump from the 108th floor of a building; however, the Stratosphere’s SkyJump Las Vegas provides a controlled freefall of 855 feet that helps colleagues form immediate bonds. Sharing moral support while awaiting their turn and happily reliving the shared experience afterward, participants will take away an adrenaline rush and a lasting camaraderie that are sure to make the team-building event a success.
For the even more extreme crowd, take team building to greater heights with a corporate skydiving outing at Skydive Las Vegas. Nothing compares to the total freedom of freefalling 8,000 feet in 60 seconds then soaring softly and serenely to the ground under a parachute canopy while taking in a life-altering view. The shared experience for a corporate group fosters a strong bond between participants, and the learning process and training before the tandem jump emphasize the importance of details, preparation and collaboration for success.
Fostering Food for Thought
If extreme experiences are too much for your team-building event or budget, maybe the fun and function of incorporating food into the activity sets the right table for your company. Businesses in Las Vegas, such as TeamBonding, provide easy facilitation for the following ideas, or you can create something similar on your own and tailor it to your specific needs.
Group dinners are great for the networking and bonding, but it can rise to the next level with a progressive dinner. The “progressive” idea has participants change dinner partners with each course so employees network with many people in one evening. Try it in a banquet hall or restaurant, mixing groups at different tables throughout the evening, or coordinate to have groups travel to a different nearby restaurant for each course. Add a tabletop team-building game or exercise during each course to bring each set of diners together for fun and good food. If coordinating this seems too much to handle, facilitators for hire, such as TeamBonding, will take care of all the details for you.
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If accepted, your submission will be edited for length and clarity. There is no monetary payment if your item is used; instead, you can publicize yourself through a five-line biography with your contact information that will appear at the end of the article.
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editorial@MeetingPlannerResources.org. We will contact you if your submission is chosen.