Oh, dear, we're team-building

[CardenSaraid]

I thought I was the only one who saw the Fish video!  At least it was a break from work.  When our center closed down and we had to move, my husband was in the IT department (ie clean up crew), he grabbed the Fish video.  So, we have the Fish video sitting on our shelf.

Since our department is much smaller now, our team builders are much better.  Last summer we went to a minor league baseball game in town.  Next month we're all leaving early on a Friday to go bowling.   

[Twik]

OK, after hearing all these stories, I AM NOT COMPLAINING. No sir, I'm counting my blessings. 

[Peaches737]

I just e-mailed op's post to all of my co-workers. 

"Let me just understand this correctly...you are taking me away from a discharge that you have made me move mountains to have happen, it took four community agencies, an act of God, and several weeks---to decorate pumpkins?  And I can't leave?"

I have work to do--I was considered "uncollegial" for my attitude.

Sorry--I don't have time for this, and I'm too good at what I do for you to fire me.

I ALWAYS volunteered to man the phones for company retreats.  (If I wanted to hang out with you guys on weekends, I'd invite you to my house for fondue.)  The part of the team I am solid with does come over for flaming cheese and chocolate--ha ha.

[Katharine]

During one event they gave 2 people pairs of puzzle pieces that matched. When we found the person we were suppose to say a fact about our selves. Ours went like this:

Her: I like to hunt
Me: I'm a vegatarian
Her: Oh

Then a long period of awkward silence.

It was fun. Really.

[Venus193]

During one event they gave 2 people pairs of puzzle pieces that matched. When we found the person we were suppose to say a fact about our selves.

I hate this.  I'm a very strong advocate of keeping work and private life separate, so I don't talk about personal stuff at work. 

[Lexophile]

My favorite one was where our General Manager wanted everyone in the same cubicle bank to get together and come up with names for the "aisles" between our cubicles. Our layout is somewhat labyrinthian and difficult to navigate if you don't know where someone sits. He wanted us to actually have meetings to brainstorm on this. Then, he was going to have signs made to put up at our cubicles. OK, number one, whatever kind of money you're going to spend on street signs for our freaking cubicles, why not just give us all a bonus? Given this company's propensity for wasting money (I am NOT kidding - $60,000 for six chairs and a little side table for the reception area), I'm sure the street sign budget was pretty significant. Number two, you just got finished telling us that our billability goals were going up to 105% for the year. I am not going to donate a lunch hour to come up with a name for my cubicle street. Anyone who doesn't know where I sit will be one of the new, high-priced engineers you've hired, and he can figure it out himself.

Our cubicle bank decided our name would be either "Apathy Alley" or something really generic like "Oak Street." The idea never materialized.

[HelenB]

I desperately hate most team building exercises. I've had people tell me to relax and enjoy the time away from work. Doesn't work for me, because I'm salaried -- any time spent doing "fun" things during work will mean that much longer I'll have to work tonight or on the weekend.

My old work group was the worst for bad teambuilding exercises. One of the activities was the "3-person skiis" -- two planks of wood with 3 sets of foot-straps on them. Three people stand on the planks of wood, feet in the straps, and try to figure out how to work together to walk. Except, the planks weren't very stable, and so we started to fall as we tried to walk. When I fell over, my foot wouldn't come out of the strap so my foot stayed upright while my body went sideways -- ankles aren't meant to bend that way, so I ended up with a sprained ankle (they weren't using breakway straps because the last time they'd tried to to this "people were falling over and popping the straps" -- duh).

Even after I got hurt, they kept making people do it! Someone else fell onto the concrete floor and hurt her head -- had to go to the emergency room. Injury reports were filed against the supervisors in charge of this, but nothing happened.

This same group has a broomball tournament every year (running around on ice pushing a ball with a broom). It's held after work, and is not optional -- even if you don't play, you're required to come and cheer (if you don't some, you're labeled as "not a team player" and won't be promoted). You can't complain, because it's "fun", and the company pays for the alcohol and snacks! Yay! How ungrateful of you to think that your free time is worth more than a few bucks worth of drinks and food!

Every year, several people get hurt playing. They take pride in the fact that people get hurt doing this. Getting hurt together apparently builds team spirit!

This is why I'm now in a group where teambuilding mostly consists of "I brought in donuts for everyone". Go team!

[kingsrings]

During one event they gave 2 people pairs of puzzle pieces that matched. When we found the person we were suppose to say a fact about our selves.

I hate this.  I'm a very strong advocate of keeping work and private life separate, so I don't talk about personal stuff at work. 

Neither do I. I like my co-workers, but I really don't want to become friends with them at all. I don't want to hang out with them after hours or tell them about my life. I just like to sit in my cubicle and do my work. A little water cooler conversation once in a while, but that's it.

[kingsrings]

KatheyC-hasn't anyone ever sued the company over this?? Getting hurt on the job as a result of your employer forcing you to do something dangerous sounds like a yummy lawsuit opportunity to me.

[housewife2k]

KatheyC-hasn't anyone ever sued the company over this?? Getting hurt on the job as a result of your employer forcing you to do something dangerous sounds like a yummy lawsuit opportunity to me.

But people who file lawsuits aren't team players! /end sarcasm 

[IndianInlaw]

I would think OSHA would have something to say about falling on planks, flying fish, etc.

http://www.osha.gov/

[HelenB]

But people who file lawsuits aren't team players! /end sarcasm 

That's a big part of it. People are afraid that they'll endanger their future career if they complain.  I'm still amazed that no one has put a lawsuit in yet, though. We're so wide open for it. It'll probably end up being someone's next of kin who has to do it, though.

[housewife2k]

But people who file lawsuits aren't team players! /end sarcasm 

That's a big part of it. People are afraid that they'll endanger their future career if they complain.  I'm still amazed that no one has put a lawsuit in yet, though. We're so wide open for it. It'll probably end up being someone's next of kin who has to do it, though.

In all seriousness, why don't you all get together and file suit. The snarky side of me says "What better teambuilding than sueing as a team!", the advice minded says thinks that if you were to approach as a group, be it to complain or to press a lawsuit, and it was done as a united front of people who have been injured in the past, have medical reasons not to participate but were forced anyways, etc...The big bosses couldn't reprimand you or signal any one person out.

[twinkletoes]

KatheyC - I definitely agree that if this sort of thing were to come up again, the group should get together and complain.  Whatever happened to just taking the group out for a nice lunch, or giving everyone a half-day?!?

[Venus193]

Neither do I. I like my co-workers, but I really don't want to become friends with them at all. I don't want to hang out with them after hours or tell them about my life. I just like to sit in my cubicle and do my work. A little water cooler conversation once in a while, but that's it.

A good friend and former boss told me once about a former colleague of hers whom she worked with for about 6 years before she realized that nobody knew anything personal about her.  They only found out she had been married when she had to take bereavement leave when her husband died.  That's rather extreme and not necessarily a good thing, but I would prefer that to being the kind of emotional pig I was when I was younger (and my best friend still is at times).