Comments on: Punk Rock HR Question #6: Compulsory Team Building http://punkrockhr.com/2007/09/17/punk-rock-6/ Human Resources is for Suckers. Sun, 05 Jul 2009 00:52:44 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: Punk Rock HR Question #30: Personality Tests Are For Suckers « Team Building Is For Suckers http://punkrockhr.com/2007/09/17/punk-rock-6/comment-page-1/#comment-355 Punk Rock HR Question #30: Personality Tests Are For Suckers « Team Building Is For Suckers Wed, 14 May 2008 14:21:47 +0000 http://laurieruettimann.com/2007/09/17/punk-rock-6/#comment-355 [...] to the legality of being compelled to participate, I always defer to common sense. This is America and you are not required to participate in an activity and/or keep a job that you [...] [...] to the legality of being compelled to participate, I always defer to common sense. This is America and you are not required to participate in an activity and/or keep a job that you [...]

]]> By: Neil http://punkrockhr.com/2007/09/17/punk-rock-6/comment-page-1/#comment-352 Neil Fri, 01 Feb 2008 11:49:44 +0000 http://laurieruettimann.com/2007/09/17/punk-rock-6/#comment-352 Actually, that company closed down this Christmas. Gave me that confusing feeling: You know, where you feel bad for your former colleagues & friends, but secretly your cold dark heart is glad and happy and laughing? Oh right - That's just me, then? :) Actually, that company closed down this Christmas. Gave me that confusing feeling: You know, where you feel bad for your former colleagues & friends, but secretly your cold dark heart is glad and happy and laughing?

Oh right – That’s just me, then? :)

]]> By: Laurie http://punkrockhr.com/2007/09/17/punk-rock-6/comment-page-1/#comment-353 Laurie Fri, 01 Feb 2008 03:03:52 +0000 http://laurieruettimann.com/2007/09/17/punk-rock-6/#comment-353 Neil, I'm glad you got the hell out of that company. Good call. Thanks for sticking around & reading the posts, too! Love, Laurie Neil,

I’m glad you got the hell out of that company. Good call. Thanks for sticking around & reading the posts, too!

Love,
Laurie

]]> By: Neil http://punkrockhr.com/2007/09/17/punk-rock-6/comment-page-1/#comment-354 Neil Thu, 31 Jan 2008 23:37:06 +0000 http://laurieruettimann.com/2007/09/17/punk-rock-6/#comment-354 Sorry about the 4-month late comment, I'm new here and have been catching up ever since your 100 quirk-list. In my previous job we were signed up for a 'compulsory for everyone' car-based treasure hunt teambuilding session. The format was: 5 cars (small company), Manager in the driving seat, Team Lead next to them with a map, 2-3 engineers (inc. me) in the back doing the running at each map point. Like a <i>really clever</i> analogy of our roles, you see. I hate these contrived events & found the whole analogy massively patronising, but I learned two valuable lessons that day: 1. It was time to grow a pair & start saying no. Team building is for suckers Sorry about the 4-month late comment, I’m new here and have been catching up ever since your 100 quirk-list.

In my previous job we were signed up for a ‘compulsory for everyone’ car-based treasure hunt teambuilding session.

The format was: 5 cars (small company), Manager in the driving seat, Team Lead next to them with a map, 2-3 engineers (inc. me) in the back doing the running at each map point. Like a really clever analogy of our roles, you see.

I hate these contrived events & found the whole analogy massively patronising, but I learned two valuable lessons that day:

1. It was time to grow a pair & start saying no. Team building is for suckers

]]> By: Laurie http://punkrockhr.com/2007/09/17/punk-rock-6/comment-page-1/#comment-348 Laurie Wed, 19 Sep 2007 00:30:49 +0000 http://laurieruettimann.com/2007/09/17/punk-rock-6/#comment-348 These are great comments. You ladies need to write about your own team building experiences! I went ape shit, once, over drawing a journeyline. If you don't know what a journeyline is, you're not missing out. These are great comments. You ladies need to write about your own team building experiences!

I went ape shit, once, over drawing a journeyline. If you don’t know what a journeyline is, you’re not missing out.

]]> By: colio2007 http://punkrockhr.com/2007/09/17/punk-rock-6/comment-page-1/#comment-349 colio2007 Tue, 18 Sep 2007 19:49:32 +0000 http://laurieruettimann.com/2007/09/17/punk-rock-6/#comment-349 thanks laurie. i once worked for co-evps who reported to the CEO. they had offsite meetings with compulsory dinners and events for the SVPs in attendance. occassioanally one of the SVPs would try to get out of something. the EVPs did not like it at all, and did not forget it. one time i heard a guy getting bitched out by his bosses (behind his back) because he didn't want to participate in any of the group "leisure time" activities which included skeet shooting, golf, and a historic tour (who could blame him -- jeez). it's a very tricky thing, turning these "optional" social events down if your goal is to keep climbing the ranks. personally, i admire anyone who has the courage to opt out from corny bullshit. at the same time no one likes to work with others who project an aura of being "too good" for the rest of us. thanks laurie. i once worked for co-evps who reported to the CEO. they had offsite meetings with compulsory dinners and events for the SVPs in attendance. occassioanally one of the SVPs would try to get out of something. the EVPs did not like it at all, and did not forget it. one time i heard a guy getting bitched out by his bosses (behind his back) because he didn’t want to participate in any of the group “leisure time” activities which included skeet shooting, golf, and a historic tour (who could blame him — jeez). it’s a very tricky thing, turning these “optional” social events down if your goal is to keep climbing the ranks. personally, i admire anyone who has the courage to opt out from corny bullshit. at the same time no one likes to work with others who project an aura of being “too good” for the rest of us.

]]> By: Jen http://punkrockhr.com/2007/09/17/punk-rock-6/comment-page-1/#comment-350 Jen Tue, 18 Sep 2007 18:03:24 +0000 http://laurieruettimann.com/2007/09/17/punk-rock-6/#comment-350 Events termed "Team Building" are becoming more and more popular in corporate America - unfortunately there's often no team building involved and the events become an opportunity for those involved to either butt kiss or bash their peers in an "accepting enviroment". Laurie is right - those with power are often tuned out of the activities - obsessively checking their blackberrys or having side conversations amongst themselves - while those without it are overly enthusiastic, trying to "win points" with the boss by saying the right thing. My suggestion for those who've been asked to attend "mandatory" (and ps even if they're not they really are) team building sessions = find a new job. Stat. Any company that needs to force their employees to work together and get along has way more problems than low team morale. Events termed “Team Building” are becoming more and more popular in corporate America – unfortunately there’s often no team building involved and the events become an opportunity for those involved to either butt kiss or bash their peers in an “accepting enviroment”. Laurie is right – those with power are often tuned out of the activities – obsessively checking their blackberrys or having side conversations amongst themselves – while those without it are overly enthusiastic, trying to “win points” with the boss by saying the right thing. My suggestion for those who’ve been asked to attend “mandatory” (and ps even if they’re not they really are) team building sessions = find a new job. Stat. Any company that needs to force their employees to work together and get along has way more problems than low team morale.

]]> By: MollyB http://punkrockhr.com/2007/09/17/punk-rock-6/comment-page-1/#comment-351 MollyB Tue, 18 Sep 2007 14:54:51 +0000 http://laurieruettimann.com/2007/09/17/punk-rock-6/#comment-351 Amen, Laurie! Sadly, there are workplaces where even the dinners are really not optional, and bosses who'll punish you for bowing out. One boss said that my not attending happy hours made my top performance look self-serving. In the past few years, I've slowly realized that there are people who =love= teambuilding activities. They do not enjoy their work, and any exception to the standard workday makes their lives a little bit less drab. If only I could find the right balance between respecting their needs and ... surviving, b/c I really hate arbitrary, counter-productive monopolization of my free time THAT MUCH. One evening, I dragged myself from a long day of meetings to the restaurant where the guests/potential project partners were being entertained. All the admins and some of the project managers had gone home after work and decked themselves out. When they saw I was still in my suit and hadn't added make-up, they asked if I hadn't known about the dinner. They wouldn't have missed the evening for anything. Over dinner, the same exact MSG-laden menu we in the meetings had been served at lunch, there was a wine tasting. The wines were mostly sweet syrups of no distinction, and I had to listen to drunken quips about Americans not appreciating culture. At 10 PM I was falling over from exhaustion and excused myself. Getting written up for leaving early made me laugh; knowing I insulted people for whom this evening was the highlight of the month still makes me cringe. Amen, Laurie!

Sadly, there are workplaces where even the dinners are really not optional, and bosses who’ll punish you for bowing out. One boss said that my not attending happy hours made my top performance look self-serving.

In the past few years, I’ve slowly realized that there are people who =love= teambuilding activities. They do not enjoy their work, and any exception to the standard workday makes their lives a little bit less drab. If only I could find the right balance between respecting their needs and … surviving, b/c I really hate arbitrary, counter-productive monopolization of my free time THAT MUCH.

One evening, I dragged myself from a long day of meetings to the restaurant where the guests/potential project partners were being entertained. All the admins and some of the project managers had gone home after work and decked themselves out. When they saw I was still in my suit and hadn’t added make-up, they asked if I hadn’t known about the dinner. They wouldn’t have missed the evening for anything.

Over dinner, the same exact MSG-laden menu we in the meetings had been served at lunch, there was a wine tasting. The wines were mostly sweet syrups of no distinction, and I had to listen to drunken quips about Americans not appreciating culture. At 10 PM I was falling over from exhaustion and excused myself.

Getting written up for leaving early made me laugh; knowing I insulted people for whom this evening was the highlight of the month still makes me cringe.

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