Nuts4 Corporate Activity Days » Bush Craft

A group is not necessarily a team

Sue Paddon — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 15:27:54 +0000

Whether one wishes to understand or improve human behaviour, it is necessary to know a great deal about the nature of groups (Cartwright & Zander 1968).

Most research is done on potentially positive aspects of group formation and subsequent performance or productivity there can be negative aspects of being part of a group for example: a) self-deception or a ‘them v us’ mentality, b)groupthink where individuals within the group suspend critical thinking and use over reliance of their own group’s opinions and traditions or c) an individual’s loss of identity.

So in essence a group of individuals is not necessarily a team. To turn a group into a team they must have common goals, they must interact with the others to gain shared objectives. However, a team is an evolutionary process, who must constantly develop, they will need to monitor and change their objectives to stay competitive and they will need to respond to both internal and external factors.

A manager needs to optimise or maximise each individual from simply being in a group member at work to planning and working together as a team. This is where a day with Nuts4Corporate can help turn your group into a TEAM! All the Inspirational Options are ideal for this, but take a look at Bush Craft as an excellent example now http://nuts4corporate.com/bush-craft/

Be an effective motivator

Sue Paddon — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 12:56:13 +0000

An effective motivator creates a climate within the workforce that fosters creative decision making from their staff. Giving social reinforcers such as praise, a smile or perhaps publicity for work well done will motivate that person or group of people. Material reinforcers like trophies, t-shirts or medals can also make workers feel like their efforts where appreciated and valued. Critically too, is the ability to breathe fresh ideas into the work place to enhance profitability, this can be done from a motivational day away from the usual office surroundings. Activities done as a team help to motivate people and if those activities are challenging the sense of team accomplishment is far greater.

“Motivation is the art of getting people to do what you want them to do because they want to do it.”
- Dwight Eisenhower

Group trust and rapport

Sue Paddon — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 13:34:51 +0000

Time and money spent on promoting group trust and rapport is not only a good business practice – it can be a highly profitable investment. At Nuts4Corporate Activity Days we have an excellent selection of activities to choose from, all of which can be geared towards building trust and rapport. Just look at our Inspirational Options for more details.

Work S.M.A.R.T. we can help, start today

Sue Paddon — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 09:17:15 +0000

S.M.A.R.T. goal setting is a process of seven steps that helps you choose what you want to be, and where you want to go in life. It is a way of motivating yourself and others towards your goals and building self-confidence.

Step one – Set realistic and managable goals….

Step two - Make sure your goals are detailed and specific-detailed goals are more effective. Be specific about time frames and challenges to achieve your goals…..

Step three - Are you up dating and reviewing your goals? Don’t stop aiming for your goals, but make sure everyday life issues can be factored in….

Step four – Reward yourselves with small treats when small goalls are achieved. Treating yourself after a good job done is a way of motivating yourself to reach your ultimate goal….

Step five – Track that your goals continue to be realistic and well defined. Evaluate your progress - it will keep you on track…

Steps six and seven are simple – make sure your goals do not contradict each other and enjoy your challenges – don’t give up!

Fire by friction

Sarah Cullen — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:46:02 +0000

“What is a cynical, agnostic engineer doing talking about the “spiritual” nature of something which can be fully explained by the laws of physics and chemistry? All I know is that there are some things that make me feel good and starting a fire the way my ancestors did 10,000 years ago is one of them. What makes me feel even better is getting a group of people to contribute towards the starting of a fire. I can think of no better way to bond a group of people. We all take turns at twirling the spindle, each according to his or her own ability, we all gently blow on the ember to bring out the flame and the smoke carries our thoughts and our hopes skyward. On the evaluation of a weekend course I gave a couple of years ago one of the students said “Starting a fire is a sacrament”. I guess it is.” Dick Baugh

Try out our amazing Bush Craft Inspirational Option; see it done, then have a go !