| The ability to build effective teams is a must for any | | | | and incorporating fun and laughter into the corporate |
| organization who wants to succeed in the millennium. | | | | setting.6. A Day Trip to NASA: The Kennedy Space |
| This article offers ten examples of highly creative | | | | CenterWant a little inspiration and motivation for building |
| excursions which can provide insight into developing | | | | effective teams? By visiting the Kennedy Space |
| the leadership qualities essential for success in | | | | Center, your team can witness how history and the |
| challenging times.1. A Day Trip to the Sharper | | | | future, nature and technology, young and old meet for |
| ImageThe Sharper Image is a specialty retailer that is | | | | an unforgettable and highly creative journey through |
| nationally and internationally renowned as a leading | | | | space and time. The Kennedy Space Center tells a |
| source of new, innovative, high-quality products that | | | | compelling story of how the United States built a |
| make life better and more enjoyable. Founder, | | | | space program that launched men to the moon and |
| Chairman, and CEO, Richard Thalheimer started this | | | | have orbited satellites that have improved our life on |
| business 25 years ago with one goal in mind: to have | | | | earth.7. The Metropolitan Museum of ArtThe |
| fun!The Sharper Image is a company that thrives on | | | | Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, New |
| special conveniences and innovative products that sit | | | | York, has brought together thousands of works of art |
| on the cutting edge of technology. This day trip is | | | | that display a full and extraordinary range of creativity |
| fantastic for stimulating creativity and becoming a | | | | which can enhance your team building efforts. See |
| forward thinker!2. A Day Trip to the Gettysburg | | | | and hear a story of human deceit from "The Kitano |
| BattlefieldA visit to this historical Civil War battlefield in | | | | Tnjin Engi Emaki," a thirteenth century picture scroll. |
| Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, can be an empowering | | | | Open a discussion around the historic moment when |
| lesson in leadership. This day trip can be devoted to | | | | General George Washington led the American |
| walking the historic site while evaluating the leadership | | | | revolutionary troops across the Delaware in "George |
| decisions and structures that General Robert E. Lee | | | | Washington Crossing the Deleware." Explore Korea's |
| struggled with over 140 years ago. Prior to this day trip, | | | | distinctive cultural identity and the ways in which the |
| I recommend that those attending the trip read the | | | | arts of Korea have been affected by trade and |
| book, "Leadership Lessons from the Civil War" by | | | | diplomacy, by war and peace, and by religion and |
| Tom Wheeler. It is an extraordinary book that takes a | | | | philosophy. This day trip is one that is filled with |
| close look at the parallels between business and | | | | curiosity, creativity, and of seeing the perspective of |
| military strategy.3. A Day Trip to ING DirectWith | | | | people and cultures from around the world.8. A Day |
| locations in New York City, NY, and Philadelphia, PA, | | | | Trip to NordstromOutstanding customer service and |
| ING Direct takes the "dull" out of banking. The facade | | | | Nordstrom go hand in hand. Their innovative approach |
| is made of glass. On the inside are café tables | | | | has allowed them to find out exactly what the |
| and biscotti, Internet stations and mochas, and clients | | | | customer needs and wants and then gives it with |
| hanging out just for the fun of it. This innovative | | | | grace and style. A family-owned business, Nordstrom |
| company invests the majority of its time, energy, and | | | | considers their customers a part of their extended |
| money in technology, marketing, and in making people | | | | family, and the corporate culture supports and |
| feel proud about saving their money...and to make | | | | encourages salespeople to engage in intimate business |
| them feel that saving is a cool and hip thing to do. The | | | | dialogue and relationships with key vendors in each |
| website itself ( is a wild and fun excursion, breaking | | | | department. A visit to Nordstrom will teach you how to |
| away from the traditional and stepping way out on the | | | | better respond to customer's needs so that they will |
| edge. This day trip can create a lightning bolt effect for | | | | come back to you again and again and will teach you |
| motivating your company to move to new levels of | | | | the lessons of : valuing outstanding customer service, |
| creativity and innovation.4. Carnegie Hall and the | | | | bonding with each and every customer, and giving |
| Orpheus Chamber OrchestraThe Orpheus Chamber | | | | people on the frontline the freedom to make |
| Orchestra was conceived by cellist Julian Fifer and a | | | | decisions.9. A Four-Day Hike on the Appalachian |
| group of fellow musicians in the 1970s. The Orpheus | | | | TrailFrom Katahdin in Maine to Springer Mountain in |
| process is highly unique, for this is an orchestra with no | | | | Georgia, the Appalachian National Scenic Trail |
| conductor. In the absence of a conductor, the individual | | | | wanders the ridges and valleys of the Appalachian |
| musicians of Orpheus must rely on one another for | | | | range for more than 2,168 miles. Those who have |
| innovation and team building. The self-governing and | | | | traveled this trek return feeling much more light- |
| leadership abilities have not only made Orpheus a | | | | hearted, saying that they no longer sweat the small |
| group of highly gifted musicians, but has built a world | | | | stuff in life. One of the biggest benefits of walking the |
| which teaches those who observe them to | | | | Appalachian trail is that you and your team will learn |
| understand that a CEO never has or should have all of | | | | adaptability, and you will begin to appreciate the people |
| the answers. Central to the collaborative process of | | | | and things in life that you often take for granted. Many |
| Orpheus is the sharing and rotating of leadership roles. | | | | people report that even one week of hiking is a life |
| This unique approach unleashes the talent, vision, | | | | changing experience. They realize that a fast pace of |
| creativity, and the leadership of each and every | | | | living and that money, prestige, and power are only |
| member of the group. Observe this group carefully, | | | | surface deep...that the true beauty of life lies in the |
| and ask your team "What is it about this group that is | | | | secrets of nature.10. A Day of BrainstormingA Super |
| so compelling? How can we use their system for our | | | | S.W.O.T. Session with a communications company is a |
| success?"5. A Week-End at Universal Studios | | | | great way to offer your company a highly creative |
| (Orlando, FL; Hollywood, CA; Japan and Spain)Are you | | | | day of brainstorming. This session should be a |
| having fun? I mean: "Are you really having fun?" If you | | | | fast-paced, deeply probing session highly designed for |
| are or are not, consider a journey through a week-end | | | | your organization's best thinkers. Using easels, drawing |
| filled with fun, adventure, wonder, and wild times. Spend | | | | pads, and other audio visuals, a great facilitator will |
| a few great days being a kid again with E.T. (the | | | | keep the ideas flowing by asking you first to boil down |
| Extra-Terrestrial,) Men in Black, Jaws, Barney, and | | | | your mission statement to ten words or less. From |
| Nickelodeon. Why? In times when innovation is so | | | | here, they focus on your Strengths, Weaknesses, |
| crucial to success, we must challenge our teams to do | | | | Opportunities and Threats. These critical factors are |
| the things we think we cannot do, are off-beat, or are | | | | listed, considered, and ranked to show you the three |
| seemingly crazy and wild to the rest of the world. | | | | most significant factors in each S.W.O.T. category. The |
| Outdoor challenges involving fun, laughter, and raw | | | | results are always revealing and often quite surprising. |
| adventure can spark problem solving and teamwork | | | | A session can require as little as three hours-on up to |
| and can be a fantastic approach for reducing stress | | | | a full day. |