Teambuilding doesn't always have to include physical group activities. These two new programs strengthen leadership skills through mental exercises.
1. New from Beyond the Box, Leadership from a Conductor's Perch is a half-day teambuilding workshop led by award-winning composer and orchestra conductor David Warrack. Using the orchestra as a metaphor for the workplace, Warrack focuses on building leadership skills such as communication, preparedness, respect, and cooperation. Warrack shares personal anecdotes about his experiences, and then leads participants in an "emotional symphony," where the group is divided into sections with distinct emotional sounds, such as grumpy, distressed, hysterical, and euphoric. Participants take turns conducting the group, deciding which sounds to include. Another conducting exercise has participants take turns maintaining eye contact with the whole group as they slowly raise their arms. The activity is designed to awareness about body language and build confidence, as eye contact typically stops upward arm movement. Pricing for the workshop varies.
2. Xpeerience Group recently launched several new health and wellness teambuilding programs to help staffers reduce stress and promote better communication skills, conflict management, and creative thinking. Corporate communications expert Jacquie Hermans will lead groups in two-hour improv-based sessions designed to "de-stresser-cise," enable creative communication, and improve customer service. Pricing starts at $150 per person. For exercises that focus more on the individual than the group, Vanessa Petronelli, a certified yoga teacher and life coach, and James Griffin, a certified qigong instructor, teach classes in meditation, mindful communication, and how to achieve a healthier work-life balance. Pricing starts at $50 per person for a two-hour session. And Deborah Hall will lead groups in her stress-reducing program Calmtoday, which helps employees improve their productivity and reduce their "mind chatter." Pricing starts at $150 per person for two hours.
