The best team building ideas are the ones that transform each team member into a winner

–provided they are willing to put the team first. And that’s the key: putting the team first.

From July 2nd to the 24th, the 103rd Tour de France will mesmerize millions of fans as a couple of hundred world-class cyclists whiz relentlessly through the hills, dales, and mountains of France.

Currently the most popular “grand tour” event in the world, the Tour de France may also be one of the best team building ideas on earth. Of course, it could also be dubbed the grand tour of torture as well. For 23 days, a total of 22 teams [with nine cyclists on each team] will traverse the French countryside covering 140 miles each day during a grueling six hour “work day.”

Altogether there are 21 stages covering nearly 2200 miles; and each mile will earn these hardy souls the accolades, admiration, and envy of worshipful throngs around the globe. Each stage has winners; and most of the racers have a shot at earning some points, but ultimately the winner is the team. The team is everything.

In fact, eight of the nine bikers are called domestiques. They are servants to the team leader, and their job is to set the pace, create protective screens, and shield the leader from the wind.

On the flatlands, the team coalesces to make sure the strongest sprinter in the group is guarded so that he gets to the finish first. At this point, the sprinter is the leader; the others are his servants.

And each team has at least one excellent climber. During arduous mountain stages, this climber becomes the leader and is surrounded and supported by the other eight servant-members.

The domestiques fetch and carry water for the leader, and are even willing to sacrifice their own bikes to the leader in case of his bike breaks down. Their job is a hard one, but the mandate is a very simple one: do whatever else it takes to get the leader across the finish line. Because when the leader wins, the team wins.

The best team building ideas are founded upon this precept. The best team building ideas your company can adopt or adapt are the ones which inspire in each member a willingness to be a servant or a leader as needed.

Sharing the effect of wind resistance when it comes in the form of production downturns and other fiscal challenges–the best team building ideas inspire workers to willingly stand in the breech and bear the brunt of the impact for the sake of his fellows.