Feline Friday
Not quite Miller Time…..but close enough.
Builder’s Square
Among the many things I’ve learned in life, one of them is that I hate team builders. Besides being somewhat paternalistic whatever time is used to build ”cohesiveness” is typically offset by finishing work at night or on weekends – time I consider belongs to me.
Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against going out and having a few drinks with co-workers and catching up on water cooler gossip – albeit around a much tastier water cooler. But the idea that I will build a Lego house with someone who is a constant thorn in my corporate side and suddenly gain a new, loving apprecation for them is highly unlikey. Not going to happen. Forget about it.
In general, there is no amount of hanging out that is going to make me start to like someone I already abhor. We’ll get along just fine so long as everyone does their job. It really is that simple.
My general disdain hatred for such activities makes it all the more amusing/confusing/ridiculous that I have been volun-told to be part of the office team building committee for my department.
These are desperate times. We are all doing more with less and, in some cases, we are doing more with a ridiculous approach.
We have our first planning meeting tomorrow. Here are my initial suggestions:
- No bowling – unless we can drink. Then, yes, by all means let’s go bowling.
- Try to stay away from sack races, kickball or other physical activity that has some/most of us in a continued state of ridicule. I work out but that doesn’t mean I want to do it in front of my co-workers.
- Let’s skip activities (mental or physical) that “make a point.” Yes, we all get that if we work together to build the Lego castle that it demonstrates what a wonderful (virtual) house we can all build if we work together. Get it. Got it 20 years ago, so let’s move on and have a little basic, ordinary fun.
- This would be a lot cooler if it did not bleed out into an evening or a weekend. Obviously, some of us may opt to slake our thirst following the structured activities but that’s different than being forced to sacrifice what I consider to be my own time.
- Let’s be mindful of cost, especially if the company isn’t picking up the tab. Except for wine. I’m happy to buy and bring along my own wine. I’ll even bring nice glasses and funny napkins.
- We’re a big team – have we given any thought to breaking this down into a couple of different activities? I know that kind of defeats the purpose of “team building” but am I really going to interact with every person on the team during this one event? No. I will naturally gravitate to those I like. Those that do not annoy me, who do their jobs and do not cause me any unnecessary angst, pain and irritation. Plus, I might be a little more congenial to this kind of thing if we were cooking or doing a wine tasting versus sober bowling. Although I assure you there will be several people on the team uninterested in cooking or wine tasting.
