“Is collaboration a natural human way of working?”
This is probably the most important question we’ve been asking since Moodmaker started developing collaborative team building events (see also: Team building: competitive vs collaborative ).
It’s a question we ask at the beginning of every team building event. And every time, most of the participants raise their hands in agreement. Some social pressure and sharp eyes from colleagues and managers will certainly influence this outcome.
But do we really work as well together as we think? Or is the balance between cooperation versus competition tipping over?
Years of experience in facilitating collaborative team building activities clearly show that teams overestimate their ability to collaborate and that the competitive aspect between teams comes to the fore.
Human predictable behaviour
This is (unfortunately) a natural tendency, both in real life and during a team building event. Managers work hard to ensure they don’t create silos within their companies. Silos that create an us versus them mentality or hinder communication in any way.
A team building helps managers to convey this message . Because you can tell people something or show them something. But it only really hits home when they experience it!
That is exactly why our team buildings are so efficient – they allow participants to experience how efficient collaboration affects team performance and the working atmosphere.