Doing vs. Being: Team-building, Vacations, and Life

Mar 15, 2021, Written by Sue Miley

Team-building

I just got back from a ski vacation; our first as a family.  All the kids, their spouses, and my granddaughter.  This isn’t the first trip since the whirlwind of three weddings in a year, two years ago.  We have done holidays at our house and a beach trip or two.  And, of course, we have mixed and matched with most subsets of the family.  This was the first full-family, planned activities-adventure, we have had together.

And active it was.

Every day was packed with ski-school, skiing, snow mobile riding, dog sledding, or tubing.  Every activity required gear, a trek, and active participation.  (Yes, falling is active.)

We were “doing” all week.

Doing Life Together

It feels in sharp contrast to the beach trip, which was more about “being”; being together, hanging out, visiting.

I love being together, especially now that our family is in multiple states.  We like to catch-up, visit, and “be”.

It is definitely different than “doing” together.  A different dynamic takes place when we are “doing”.  Each person takes on a different role.  Dad is the organizer and mobilizer.  Son-in-law has the expertise we all rely on.  Grand-daughter shares her child-like delight, inspiring us all.

Interdependence and Team-building

When trying out a new activity we must depend on those who catch on more quickly.  The roles are fluid and, our interactions, dynamic.

I guess that is why team-building activities are just that; activities that require the utilization of the various skills of the group; along with interdependence and flexibility.  The interdependence bonds people together.  It is a must for teams and families.

Benefits of Team-building for Your Team

I see several benefits to investing in teambuilding in your small business:

  • Discovery – You find out skills that you didn’t even know someone has – it may not be on a resume.
  • Synergy – The combined expertise of the team results in a higher quality experience or deliverable, as many individual strengths come together for optimal results.
  • Bonding – as mentioned above, interdependence bonds the individuals together, improving culture, morale, and support in the team.
  • Focus – it allows individuals to focus on what they do best because they know the other team members have their back and are handling their part.
  • Training – each member of the team can help other teammates improve their skills in the areas the trainer is strongest in.

If you haven’t taken a “doing” vacation with your family, I recommend it.  You are doing life together, rather than just visiting and recanting your separate lives to each other.

As a team, I need to find some “doing” activities we can all participate in together.  We do book studies that are interactive, and obviously we work on client projects together.  We do work-life together, to some extent, now as a team.  But, I don’t think we have reached mountain peak status, with beginning skiers trying to get down the slick slope, with lots of moving and non-moving obstacles, and a team-mate next to you saying, just pizza the rest of the way down so you can slow down and not crash at the bottom.

It was terrifying; but comforting to have my calm son-in-law by my side.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Catherine says

    This is just so beautifully “simple” and a great tip.

    We’ll l need to start from scratch but am hoping to be able to get my siblings and their kids plus grandkids together for some necessary healing and reconciliation…

    Please pray with us

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Sue Miley

Sue Miley MBA, MA, LPC helps small business owners build successful businesses on a foundation of Christian values. After 20 years in business, and 10 years as a Christian counselor, Sue uses a combination of faith, business and psychology to help clients in business and in life.

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