Professional team building NYC

It’s a phrase you hear all the time in events, training & HR circles – “team building professional.”

But what does that mean, exactly? New York City and other large urban areas are filled with those who claim to be experts in creating strong teams, improving collaboration, communication and other positive workplace skills, utilizing a variety of means to do it (there are certainly no shortage of options out there, as you are likely aware).

Seriously, though – what qualifies guys like me to go out and claim to be an expert in the area? There’s no simple answer, because it’s really a loose term. There is no authoritative body issuing licenses to “team builders,” no degrees in “Employee Team Building.” What it really comes down to in the end is: can he/she deliver?

That, too is a pretty nebulous description – but it’s the only one that works. Depending on your specific situation and team goals, there are a myriad factors which go into addressing them through a structured group activity. Simply having a good time as a team doesn’t translate into an improved workplace or boosted morale; likewise, being the person who facilitates that fun experience doesn’t by default make you a an expert in teams.

To my view, a team building professional is someone who has A) the necessary training, education or background to understand the nature of teams, group dynamics and organizational theory; B) the expertise to match team building groups/goals with specific activities, to achieve the desired outcome; and C) proven experience putting those skills to use in real-life environments. How he/she applies that experience and expertise can run the gamut, from scavenger hunts and mixology classes to my beloved trivia team building events. But if somebody claims to be a professional and doesn’t have these core requirements, then how can they back that assertion?

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