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This will be a brief discussion on some of the rationale companies use to decide to provide team building games for their employees and an example of scavenger hunting as the next new wave of exercise. The specific example of such an exercise will be for those in the Chicago metro area.

Sometime after the industrial boom, social awareness and unions gathered to protect the employees’ welfare. Companies and competition grew throughout the U.S. and more focus was directed within. Corporations saw a direct relationship between work quality and employee mental health and wellbeing. Large staffed businesses saw that there was value in boosting moral and recognizing the individual as well as the company as a whole.

There is a duality to the group that drives attitude. Employees both think as a whole and as an individual. However each attitude coalesces into a whole group thought. So each individual needs to be paid attention to. The catch is there is no real timely way of doing that. Enter the team building exercise where small groups do the work.

The Problems with Traditional Team Building Exercises

To pay attention to the individual while bolstering attitudes in a team building effort is done traditionally by creating groups first. Groups are given a task or goal to work towards in some form of rewards system — something to mirror an exemplary form of what should take place in the office under regular business constraints and working well doing so.

However, given some statistics based on a group dynamic, there will be individuals who will assume dominant personalities and tend to create an oppressive system that may alienate or marginalize some members. This is usually due to the rewards or the stakes that are involved. There are some exercises that are used to detach the reward system and focus more on the game at play while using everyone in the group as important talent. One of the techniques is the use of scavenger hunts.

The Scavenger Hunt Advantage: Team building in Chicago

Scavenger hunting in Chicago lends a wealth of opportunity, landmarks and history for an enriching experience. Many organized hunts will take groups through the neighborhoods hitting infamous locations and landmarks. The scavenger hunt is more than just a regular team building in Chicago exercise; it involves the interaction of team members — each and every one of them. The Hunt questions do not center on a specific task where one person may be better than the other within the group.

For instance, someone knowledgeable of the Chicago area will not necessarily have an advantage over someone who may be good at word games. The questions are varied enough to touch on many different skill sets. One could be trivia based, another could include a hidden anagram or a word may allude to a dual meaning that unlocks to reveal the answer. The questions can take them through downtown to the Sears tower, or over to Wrigley field, asking varied and unusual questions that touches on such a variety of subjects that someone in every group will usually have an answer for.

Team building in Chicago with a scavenger hunt provides great landmarks for game questions and also helps the workers know each other not by force but by simply having fun and getting out on the town. The corporation and workers reap social rewards such as:

- Socially lubricate the group communication
- Build teamwork naturally, unforced and fun
- Build lasting bonds between each other, they’ll have fond history together
- They’ll know more about Chicago and appreciate it more
- Gives them a great excuse to throw a party or meet for drinks afterward

Art Gib writes for Watson Adventures (http://www.watsonadventures.com/chicago.html) who organize and arrange scavenger hunts in major metropolitan areas. Team building hunts, like team building in Chicago metro, are popular with many top corporation executives.

Most of us have heard of these types of instruments before: Myers-Briggs (MBTI), Social Styles, DISC, Colors, etc. There are many of these type tools available. And most of us have taken at least one of these over the years, perhaps as a part of a college course, or in our jobs at work.

Usually our response is something like, “yea, that’s pretty much like me” and then we leave the experience thinking that was nice to know, but “so what?” What do I DO with that knowledge?

Like anything else in our lives, if we want to get better at something, we have to practice. I play golf for fun. I’ll never be a great golfer, because I don’t have the time it would take (and patience) to be really good. But I do enjoy going out with my buddies and playing several times during the year. And I pick up a tip here and there, and try it out. I have even opted for a private lesson from time to time.

And yes, I am a better golfer today than I was a few years back. But it’s not my passion. I have a good friend who took up golf in her mid fifties. She is passionate about the game, and invests a lot of time and energy into it. And she is becoming an exceptional golfer.

I am however passionate about behavioral styles. I have found them to be my roadmap for dealing with people in almost every situation, even on the golf course!

Over the years, I have studied and learned various models of behavior, personality and so on. One of the things I find fascinating is the more I learn, the easier it is to navigate relationships, sales situations, conflict and overall communication.

What if you could find a way to understand what motivates a person, what their main goals, fears and blind spots are? Wouldn’t that be helpful in dealing with them both personally and professionally? Zig Ziglar (and others) said “you can get anything you want in life, if you just help enough other people get what they want”.

As a leader and manager, I have found this to be true. By understanding behavior I can create a win-win situation in most instances. Are you thinking to yourself, isn’t that manipulation? The often-used definition of manipulation is the following: “to control or influence someone or something cleverly and unscrupulously, especially to one’s own advantage”.

When we are practicing people reading and doing as Zig Ziglar suggests, we are not manipulating. We are helping others get what they want, which in turn helps us get the outcome we desire. The key is in being sincere and ethical and wanting the best for both parties involved. Isn’t that what leadership and influence is all about? Isn’t that what good negotiators strive to do?

What I have found is that behavior is highly predictable. Let me give you a quick overview of one of the most popular models out there, the DISC model. It has been used by over 40 million people and is available in numerous languages. Here are the four quadrants of behavior:

Dominance
* Characteristics: Fast-paced, quick to make decisions, intense, bottom-line orientation.
* Key Goal: Results, accomplishment.
* Key Fear: Being taken advantage of, losing control.
* Blind Spot: Insensitive to the thoughts and feelings of others.

Influence
* Characteristics: Fast-paced, communicative, likes people and relationships.
* Key Goal: Being able to influence others, being competent, looking good.
* Key Fear: Losing their influence, social rejection.
* Blind Spot: Disorganized, lack of follow through.

Steadiness
* Characteristics: Slower paced, team player, loyal, good listener, kind, sensitive.
* Key Goal: Acceptance, appreciation, stability.
* Key Fear: Loss of stability, sudden change.
* Blind Spot: Putting their own needs last, overly possessive.

Conscientiousness
* Characteristics: Slower paced, deliberate, methodical, analytical, high standards.
* Key Goal: Accuracy, quality.
* Key Fear: Criticism of their work.
* Blind Spot: Overly critical of self and others.

If I just learn these things and start doing some basic people reading, I can start to observe behavior and practice adapting my style to meet the needs of others. Once you start to ask yourself, what am I seeing right now, you can start to unlock to pieces to the behavioral puzzle. If you are picking up a lot of fear about an upcoming change, you may be observing some “Steadiness” or “S” behavior. Stop and figure out how to be a better listener to their concerns, slow down and offer support and acceptance for their feelings. If they feel listened to and appreciated, you can work through the anxiety and help them adjust to the change. It really can be that simple.

The problem is that most of us stay stuck in our own preferred behavior, and expect everyone else to respond as we do. This only leads to miscommunication, conflict and disappointment.

Behavior is really pretty predictable, and with a little knowledge and practice, we can become students of behavior and get what we want by helping others get what they want.

What a concept!

Paula Switzer is considered a DISC expert and teaches others how to use DISC and other assessment tools. She has developed a unique virtual training program. Visit DISC Training and
“http://www.bearealleader.com”>Be A Real Leader for more information.

Mentoring is not an easy task. It is made even more challenging when dealing with the “difficult” employee. Here are the top 6 techniques for managing through the “difficult relationships” and coming out a winner when it’s all over.

1. Separate the employee from the situation. First of all, it is not the employee who is difficult, it is the situation. Separate the employee from the situation in your mind and through your actions so that you can build a cohesive relationship with your employees. If they think that you consider them to be difficult employees, they will be less likely to build a trusting bond with you and less likely to change their difficult behaviors. Use language such as, “This is a challenging situation.”

2. Identify the behaviors that indicate a “bad attitude”. When we are talking among our management peers, it’s easy to talk about the employees who have a “bad attitude”. But we can’t approach our employees with that kind of label and expect to be a successful leader. Label the behaviors not the attitudes. “Mary, when you cross your arms, roll your eyes and only give me one word answers to the questions I ask, it gives me the perception that you do not want to be here and do not care about what I say. As your leader, I would like to have a productive conversation. Can you tell me what you are thinking or feeling as you display these behaviors?” Do not tolerate behaviors that indicate a “bad attitude”.

3. Ask A LOT of questions. Questions are a key part in being a strong mentor and driving change. Rather than make statements, learn to ask strategic questions. For those employees who are less engaging and appear less interested in coaching situations actually require more questions, even though your inclination to ask fewer just to quickly completely the coaching task. Take the time to think through your questions so they are strategic and contribute to a successful coaching situation.

4. Find out the root cause of the negativity. Maybe this employee is disgruntled because you received the promotion that she thought she deserved. He might be upset because there are personal situations occurring in his life that he does not feel the company is supportive of. She might be reacting to a leader that she had in the past and just can’t seem to make the leap to a fresh perspective with a new manager. Whatever the reason, your employees have root causes for their behaviors. Ask questions to find out the real reason for the negative vibes you are receiving.

5. Provide plenty of inspirational acknowledgements for a job well done. Appropriate and positive praise will go a long way toward making constructive change in your relationship. “I really appreciate your contributions that you make to this team.” “I appreciate the length of service that you have given to this company.” “I value the knowledge and expertise of our products that you bring to this organization.” “I appreciate your feedback on the new processes.” “I respect your opinion about our new procedures that were just announced.” These acknowledging phrases will prompt employees to contribute more to the conversation as long as they sense that you are genuine. The biggest value that is important between leaders and their employees is trust. If your employees feel that they can trust you, you will make tremendous strides in your relationship with them.

6. Hold your ground. It is important that you set the standards and hold them accountable to achieving them. It is not acceptable to talk negatively about other teammates. It is also not acceptable to not make direct eye contact when spoken to. Be sure that you are clear with your expectations and consistently hold them accountable to those same expectations and you will gain their trust and respect.

Examine your coaching style and ensure that these techniques are a natural part of your mentoring strategy. Make a list of the ones that you would like to accomplish better and hold yourself accountable for driving change. The worst feeling is knowing that you have to meet with a difficult employee month after month. Develop a plan for changing the direction of that meeting so that you no longer have to dread calling the “difficult employee” into your office. You have the power to change the direction of these meetings with your WOW mentoring skills.

With 23 years of call center experience, national speaker and author, Kimberly King, helps clients create WOW customer experiences. Contact her at http://www.interweavecorp.com or 877-969-3283. You will be WOWed by her passion and knowledge.

One of my favorite places to shop in town reserves a parking space closest to the door for its employee of the month.

That retailer, like many businesses, knows the importance of small, regular gestures that publicly recognize employees. Such kudos build employee loyalty, inspire excellence and motivate workers to perform at a high level month after month.

A recent article by Charles Christian entitled “Motivate With An Employee Incentive Program,” summed up the value of such efforts. “Employee recognition programs go a long way to creating a happy and productive work environment. They create an environment that fosters the development of both individuals and the company in a way that is mutually beneficial,” it said.

While a choice parking space may seem somewhat unconventional, especially measured against other more traditional approaches like financial rewards, trips, and other tangibles, it does provide a concrete illustration of what makes employee recognition and rewards so powerful: namely, they’re public.

Writing in the Portland Business Journal, author and president of San Diego-based Nelson Motivation Bob Nelson advised employers to: “Present rewards in a public forum. Rewards are not meant to be presented in the privacy of an employee’s office. Schedule a special meeting for the occasion, and don’t camouflage the rewards. They must stand out and be highlighted; don’t squeeze praise among a dozen other topics of conversation.”

Traditionally, company newsletters and paper notices posted on bulletin boards have provided a degree of public awareness about employees who’ve achieved excellence. However, some employers are using a far higher-profile means to recognize company stars publicly.

Honoring employees on an in-house digital signage system elevates the visibility and effectiveness of employee programs. If executed properly, the digital sign-based recognition can enlist some of the intangible power and attraction broadcast television often imparts to an event or person.

What makes digital signage so well suited for employee recognition is the fact that by its very nature it is public. Scattered strategically around a corporation — in the lobby, the cafeteria, the corporate recreation center or on the factory floor– digital signs sew a thread of community awareness throughout an organization, uniting it in its endeavors and providing a public forum to recognize employees.

Recognizing employees on a digital signage network can be as simple as displaying a picture and text or as sophisticated as a video of the recognition ceremony complete with a few words from the award presenter and the recipient.

Equally important is the fact that digital signage taps into our culture’s obsession with and attraction to television. The very fact that the employee is recognized publicly on large plasma or LCD screens throughout the company carries a bit of the status the public ascribes to being on television. Thus, in the minds of those who are honored the perceived value of the public recognition on a corporate digital signage network is likely to be higher than similar recognition in a company newsletter or notice posted on a bulletin board.

To be sure, corporate managers are unlikely to decide to install a digital signage network solely to recognize outstanding employees. However, for those companies with digital signs, publicly recognizing the achievements of employees in living color for everyone to see makes good sense.

Doing so can amplify employee recognition programs intended to validate the contribution of an employee or group of workers in an organization. That in turn can motivate workers to turn in stellar performances, which is a critical ingredient to the success of any enterprise.

David Little is a digital signage authority with 20 years of experience helping professionals use technology to expand their marketing messages with alternative media. Visit http://www.keywesttechnology.com and find how you can expand your marketing horizons.

Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote: “The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand, nor the kindly smile, nor the joy of companionship; it is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when he discovers that someone else believes in him and is willing to trust him with his friendship.” This is an important aspect for a successful mastermind group.

Forming a mastermind group is a powerful way to get ideas and support from others. Most successful groups consist of people who work together in absolute harmony to achieve diverse goals. While your team members will work in harmony, they may be very different from each other.

One common element that will bind your group together is trust. For everyone to receive maximum benefits, a high level of trust must exist. By their very nature, mastermind groups need to be a safe environment where everyone can feel free to talk and share things.

Many problem areas, challenges, needs for healing, and / or other positive desires of each member may be brought to the table. Knowing that whatever is discussed will remain confidential is vital to the continuing success of your group. When you have a trusting environment, a marvelous exchange of ideas can flourish.

As your team gains experience, knowledge of and skill with using the MasterMind principle, you will begin combining your own strengths with that of a Higher Power. Answers and solutions will occur in a most amazing way when such requests are fully and properly made in a spirit of cooperation, harmony and trust.

Through masterminding, we expand our understanding both of our world and of ourselves. Your goal should not be to create a mentor / protege relationship - that will limit your benefits. A relationship where everybody feels they are equals will help keep the doors of communication open so that an exchange of ideas can flourish.

Most groups find greatest benefit when members come from varied professional backgrounds. The diversity of education and experiences can and will help you in achieving far more than you could ever achieve on your own due to the insights and wisdom from the others.

Leveraging the intelligence and real-world experience of the others on your mastermind team combined with their advice, collective support and also accountability to yourself and others will give you the tools you need to overcome any limitations, blockages or challenges you are facing in your life.

Thru the extra-ordinary power of the ‘third mind’ that develops in a mastermind meeting, many people have found strength and inspiration to break through barriers such as lack of motivation or drive - you can too!

When you have a group of positive, encouraging, successful people on your team, “I can’t” attitudes and unwillingness to believe in your own power become things of the past. Your support team will be right there to give you the encouragement and tools you need to reach your goals.

The combination of experience and education of the other members of your team will help you gain insight, awareness and clarity of situations in your life that you had not seen before. You gain high levels of inspiration and knowledge in a Mastermind session. These ‘Ah-ha!’ moments will help you to be able to burst thru barriers and blocks that have been holding you back.

Research has shown that mastermind groups can help you cultivate leadership and business skills. Thru the synergy and energy that develops in each session, you gain the opportunity to grow into high potential and motivational development. Improvement upon emotional intelligence along with other talents and skills are often coaxed out of members.

Once you have had your breakthrough and ‘Ah-ha!’ moments, you will find that there is no turning back from this highly-motivated and educational lifestyle. Mastermind will help you change your attitude and enjoy success in business, It will transform your life and to open doors to your future successes.

Your mastermind team will help you keep your focus to accomplish goals, raise your bar ever higher and be able to fully enjoy the fruits of your labor. You will be able to move forward away from boredom, frustration and pain in the past into a brighter future full of success and happiness.

Your foundation for success in a mastermind group will come from the constant flow of energy and ideas. Motivation and inspiration will develop within each group meeting as ideas flow and creativity builds. You will see solutions and possibilities that you have never thought of before.

Keep going - you are on the right path! Today is a great day to enjoy a MasterMind group of your own!

John Carpenter Dealey started his first business at age nine and became a “self-made millionaire” by the age of 27. If you would like to learn how to apply these powerful Mastermind principles in your own life, sign up for a free subscription to MasterMind Tips ezine at: http://www.dr-mastermind.com/

The influencing is a process, when you convince other person to change their attitudes or / and relations, belief or conduct. There are many methods to make it work, but they usually get in one of six categories, each of which administers by the basic psychological principle. These principles: a succession, interchange, social responsibility, conformity, sympathy and deficiency.

The obligations and succession

This principle is encompass following: as soon as person makes a decision, he begins to behave sequentially according to it. To illustrate it,suppose, that you purchase the new automobile; you have undertaken trial trip in several ambulances and have made the choice.

The seller has named to you the price of this automobile. You go to rack to issue papers, and, when the seller hands them to you, it appears, that the price in the invoice on some hundreds dollars is higher, than was indicated.

What do you do ? You, is interquartile, begin to take exception, but the seller explains, that the primal price was only “Net” and did not include preparation of papers and related issues.

Most likely, the majority of the people creaking by dents will be signed these papers. Why? Because they already internally have caused and urged themselves to purchase this car. But it is possible, that they will disagree on overpay and will begin to search the automobile in the other dealers.

It is one of the reasons, why in the project it is better to have the people, which one have agreed to all terms, than those whom have nominated. When the people internally undertake to be connected with the project, is greater of chances, that they will execute well all the operation requirements, to maintain the project, and then it is good to respond about this experience.

In psychology there is also principle called cognition as a discord (as cognitive dissent), which one relates to uncertainty of some people at a choice. As soon as you purchase the new automobile, you will read still a lot of the declarations about the same pattern. You attempt to convince yourselves, that you have made correctly, and will cease to irritate about that choice, which one could not give %100 -s’ reliance.

Let’s consider mutual relation of two persons: let’s name them And and In. The theory of justice asserts and approves, that they attempt to receive results proportional to their investments. That is each person expects from this mutual relation of receiving benefit proportional to a volume, that he/she puts in into this mutual relation.

It is also expected, that Results will be approximately equal to contribution. If the equality is not respected, the person receiving smaller result, will consider a situation unfair. He/She puts in mutual relation more, than other person, and receives proportionally less. If this inequality do not to correct, is possible to expect, that the mutual relation will be discontinued.

In other words, all mutual relation is the mutual, exchange attitudes and relations investment, and if this exchange between the people does not satisfy their expectations, then the mutual relation can dissolve.

A simple example: one person finds out, that he already invited 10 times of other person to visit any measures, and that did not anyhow have recieved a respons on such invition.

What it signifies? - the question arises by itself. Probably, it signifies, that other person is not so hardly cares of him, as he cares of this person. Having come to such conclusion inviting very soon ends the relation with invited.

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