“You can discover more about a per- son in an hour of play than in a year of conversation” - Plato.
Dwyer says that this quote sums up their philosophy on team building, “A team participant will learn more by doing then watching, so we endeavor to involve every single person in the entire program.”
Dwyer feels that the trick to producing a successful game/play-oriented team building program is that the partici- pants can’t be hit over the head with the fact that they are working as part of a team building exercise. Instead, they need to feel the team building from an organic level, and come to that “Aha!” moment on their own.
Kathy Reed Productions also runs Murder On Cue™ Mysteries, where they utilize highly skilled comedy improvisational actors and incorporate a wide array of audience participation techniques. A unique program is the Murder On Cue Mystery Maze, a cus- tom written walk around mystery (think living Clue game), which they originally designed for everyone from small to very large groups and for unique locations, such as mansions, museums, or even in and around cities.
Their Murder on Cue Comedy Roasts can be custom written about a compa- ny and/or employees, utilizing a fake speaker or psychic. While most Murder On Cue mysteries are per- formed as a private event at the loca- tion of the client’s choosing, small groups can attend the public mystery night. Groups can purchase blocks of tickets to a show at one of their open to the public venues like the Oakeside Bloomfield Mansion in Bloomfield, New Jersey. This is a great way for planners to see if this style event is the right fit for their organization.
www.kathyreedproductions.com Pinnable: “You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.” - Plato
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78 March April 2012
CHOCOLATE
There is a reason why food is one of the top three topics pinned. Almost everyone loves chocolate, and it just so happens that the headquarters of the largest chocolate manufacturer in North America provides the backdrop to events focused both on entertain- ment and business.
Hershey Destination Services add many fresh twists to the meetings held at Hershey Resorts each day. According to their staff, one of the most popular team building events at Hershey is the Chocolate Challenge. A group is split into teams and each team is given an array of Hershey's products along with icing. The client picks a theme and each team has to build a structure made completely of these products. The event easily can be customized to the group's subject matter or meeting goals. This particu- lar activity sparks the most group inter- action due the familiar nature of the candy and the competitive environ- ment.
Reilly Fies, public relations coordinator for Hershey Entertainment and Resorts Company, says that one of the best additions to any evening event is a mixology station where a trained bar- tender shows guests how to make their own chocolate martinis. This station is popular because guests enjoy bringing home the recipes and ideas, and the activity also provides a place to inter- act with other guests. The event staff has wine and chocolate pairings per- fected, and now offers chocolate matched to craft local beer. This allows for groups to learn while trying something new. Tastes they acquire can then be recreated easily at home during holiday gatherings or special dinners. Groups also can create their own candy bars and take a sample of the team creation with them, while planners can have bars shipped back to their office for employees to enjoy upon returning.
Hershey Destination Services advises that any team building activity or out-
ing should be customized specific ally for the group. To ensure this, Fies rec- ommends asking, “What is the demo- graphic of the group (age, male/female, activity level, overall interests)? What has this group done in the past and what did they like or not like about it? This allows you to match the activity that best meets the group’s needs.”
www.hersheyds.com Pinnable: Hotel Hershey Espresso Martini
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CAROUSELS
Companies host meetings at Peddler’s Village for its on site hotel space and the diversity of its property. Eve Gelman, public relations and digital communications manager for Peddler’s Village, finds that meetings benefit most from the many options that exist for everything from an hour break to a half-day team building activity, all of which are located just outside the doors of each meeting space.
One unique break idea uses Giggleberry Fair’s 1920s Carousel, which was originally built in Philadelphia. Groups ride the carousel while the operator provides informa- tion about its historic origins and leads a scavenger hunt on the ride. Gelman likes that this short scavenger hunt gives attendees a chance to take a quick break from the four walls of their meeting. If the group has addi- tional time, they can move from the carousel to other sections of Giggleberry Fair to play old-fashioned games like whack-a-mole. Groups can compete against each other and catch up over the nostalgia of this classic entertainment.
“It is absolutely very easy to weave meeting time into team building out- ings. We do it all the time,” Gelman says in reference to the importance of breaks. “The groups find it very refreshing to take a break from the serious, more intense activity of the meetings with a ‘stretch your legs’ and ‘open your minds’ type of experience.”
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