Category Archives: Educators Teambuilding

Top 20 Fun Conference Theme Ideas to Inspire Teamwork

Are you looking for fun conference theme ideas to inspire teamwork in your organization? If you are planning an annual meeting or event, one of the things you want to decide on early in your planning is a theme that will tie all of your speakers and breakout sessions and activities together under one main […]

Team Trust is Like a Three Legged Stool

In virtually every aspect of your life, you can find examples of the importance of teamwork. But teamwork is built on team trust, and that trust is supported and established like the seat of a three legged stool – by three important supporting elements. The absence or weakness of any of the legs on a […]

UConn Basketball and a Championship Lesson in Patience

The 2014 men’s basketball national championship was a well-documented contrast in team dynamics. The UConn starting five consisted of two seniors, two juniors, and a sophomore, while Kentucky started five freshmen – most of which likely planned to use the game as a springboard into the NBA draft. And more than a story of free […]

Lessons From Alaska and Bad Weather to Help Building Your Oil Pipeline

Have you ever work with somebody – or live with somebody – that always seems to be making excuses instead of making an effort? Next time you see them, tell them this story about the Trans-Alaskan Oil Pipeline… Oil was discovered on the northern slope of Alaska in 1968. After the 1973 American oil crisis, […]

What Flavor of Tea Does Your Team Need to Drink?

You have likely heard for years the mantra that “you are what you eat.” I would suggest that it is more accurate to say that you are what you DRINK. Your team will succeed or fail based upon what is in the “Kool-Aid” being served, and how many are drinking it consistently.  If individuals on […]

4 Steps to GIVE Your Team Advice That Gets Results

One of the most difficult skills for a teammate or leader to learn is how to give people on your team advice that gets results instead of resentment. Like you, over the years I shared countless nuggets of wisdom that would have helped my players or teammates, but it often went unheeded – and unappreciated. […]

“That’s Not My Job” is a Dangerous Phrase for Teams

One very dangerous catch phrase that people on great teams would likely never speak is “that’s not my job.” Unfortunately, it is a phrase that has crept into many organizations, creating conflicts amongst teammates that should be supporting one another. As a basketball coach, I used to look for athletes who did the little extra […]

Why Leaders, Like Ants, Are Not One-Size-Fits-All

Successful leaders come in many different sizes, and rather than fitting a certain mold, they use their own personal strengths and unique personalities to fill gaps and move people in their organizations. Leaders must fit their organization’s needs, identify obstacles or distractions to their team’s performance, and find ways to keep people moving in the […]

Debriefing Questions are the Magic of Team Building Events

Have you ever seen a magician pull a rabbit out of his or her hat? That rabbit was there all along – but the magician likely went through a very entertaining or even interactive set of activities and comments that led up to the moment the rabbit actually appeared. Team building activities are certainly entertaining […]

A Story About Cowards, Heroes, Boxing, and Heart…

Coach Bill Parcells is well known for having taken struggling organizations and building them into successful teams. He was without question a solid strategist, but what set him apart was his focus on the individual character and “heart” that championship teams required. One of the personal binders that Parcells kept in his desk as coach […]