Seeking out help in coming up with creative and engaging team building activities naturally leads folks to the Internet. But a team building website can only offer so much to work with.

Cookie-cutter games can’t be modified to the extent necessary in many cases. One-size programs may not be appropriate across industries or organizational ranks. For meaningful results, professional team development services can provide the best return on investment of time and money.

How to Get Professional Results

The ideal staff development workshop is results-oriented. It’s also well-matched to the needs and culture of a particular group. There are a broad spectrum of issues faced by companies large and small, and no website solution can possibly encompass all of them. The company facing a significant downsizing has a much different set of issues than a company where the majority of the staff are telecommuters supported by a small in-house team.

Creative and challenging activities can motivate and empower staff. Employees are allowed the chance to try out and practice new habits, attitudes, and perspectives in a supportive environment where it’s okay to try and to make mistakes in learning something new. With the right kind of support, these positive changes can “stick” long-term.

By contracting with a trained facilitators, an organization’s leaders can feel confident that the structure and content of the program is attuned to achieving a particular goal, such as improved conflict resolution among staff or more open lines of communication among departments. Skilled facilitators are able to connect with staff members across employment levels, encouraging people to step outside their comfort zone.

While they work closely to design programs based on company feedback and stated needs, their experienced eye can also pick up on blind spots or areas needing attention that are currently under the radar of corporate leadership. Sometimes, the folks planning a development event are so close to the action that they aren’t able to see some of the relevant factors that are immediately visible to someone outside the group.

A Team Building Website is Only the First Step

Working closely with an experienced program facilitator is an essential part of planning a successful team development program, and that human touch is something that no team building website can deliver. An attentive and responsive program planner can ensure that team building programs encourage active participation balanced by adequate support, and foster measurable change. Hands-on training and development tasks led by a skilled facilitator can provide more effective long-term change than any out-of-the-box website solution possibly could.