Boot camps are not just for the military anymore. From fitness to social media, it seems that every topic has a related “camp” designed to get people into shape for that particular domain. As of June 7, 2014, Google had 29,600,000 hits for “boot camp”. Even Hollywood has gotten into the craze with WEtv’s latest reality show, “Marriage Bootcamp.” (http://blog.match.com/2014/05/30/trending-topics-may-30-2014/)
So, what is the appeal of boot camp-style learning environments?
The term boot camp alone indicates that the course is modeled after the military term for getting new recruits into shape and ready for battle as quickly as possible. Traditionally, Army boot camps, going back as far as the Spanish-American war, are nine weeks long and when done correctly, work.
Like the military boot camps, businesses would benefit from short courses designed to fine tune skills. Camps offer a variety of “exercises” for cross training in the field and often provide an experience enabling people to bond with their fellow camp mates. If, as the Mayo Clinic Staff says, fitness camps help “build strength, endurance and agility to conquer your daily routine”, then in theory business camps will, build creative problem solving skills, foster employee engagement and increase productivity. (http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/fitness/in-depth/boot-camp-workout/art-20046363)
How can you determine if your team needs a boot camp? The following quiz is designed to help you decide if your team could benefit from a team tune-up. If you answer “no” to four or more of the following statements, your team will profit from a “Team Effectiveness Camp”
- Meetings follow an agenda and fall within the allotted time requirements.
- The decision-making process is clear and decisions are made with appropriate input from team members.
- There is an equal amount of listening and sharing of ideas from all team members.
- The team is productive, meeting team goals and objectives on time.
- The ENTIRE team has fun together at work and all are included in social outings.
- Each team member knows his or her role and is a valued contributor to the team.
- Team members respect and fully trust each other. No gossip, bullying, or ostracism exists between team members.
Conflicts are discussed openly and respectfully producing a creative and productive resolution.
If your answers indicate that your team is in need of a jolt to get into shape for the daily demands of the task, then it might be time for a team tune-up. The list below serves as a “do-it-yourself” warm up to boot camp. It provides two weeks of “shape-up-team-communication” exercises.
Write a thank you note, not an email, to someone on the team.
- Have lunch or coffee with a team member that you do not know very well.
- Ask a team member about his/her greatest accomplishment this year.
- Ask a team member about his/her communication preferences.
- Find out how a team member likes to spend his/her time at work, how is he/she the most effective.
- Share a “joke” before a team meeting.
- Work on reciprocity in the meeting today. If you usually speak up a lot, make sure you are listening and if you usually only listen, make sure you speak up.
- Suggest a “walk and talk” or standing meeting versus a sit down meeting.
- Ask other team members, “What can I do for you?”
- Begin your sentences with, “Yes, and . . .” instead of “that will not work” or “but . . . .”
Use the list as “speed chat” conversation starters before meetings. Or, distribute the list to team members with the suggestion that they pick one item from the list to do or to discuss with other team members daily.
My hope is that the above suggestions will jump-start your team to great success. However, as any fitness trainer will tell you, for fail-safe results, go to the professionals. Please contact me if you found that the “do-it-yourself” warm up to boot camp helped. I would love to take you to the next level of high performance. My customized, “Wall Street Team Effectiveness Camp”, designed to develop and sustain smooth and productive teamwork is the powerful next step for your team.