If you are planning a f?te, a church social, a street party, a fund-raising event or something like that, you will of course like it to be a success. In order for it to become successful, you will need to have plenty going on, so you will need collaborators to help you organize and run chunks of the whole event.
For example, you will require someone to liaise with the stallholders, someone to liaise with the caterers, the bar, the stage, security, et cetera, et cetera and in all probability you will sit in the centre of the web holding everything together, soothing tattered nerves and offering advice. For this to work well you will need a team and the first part of your task will be to build that team and motivate it.
1] The first thing to do is work out how many people you will require – one for every major role. You may require five or seven lieutenants and they have to be competent, trustworthy and honest. They can be friends but they can also become friends.
2] These officers might also need a few sergeants and you may have to help select these members of staff as well. Once you have your team, make certain that everyone knows his or her task and also knows how to do it. Remain approachable at all times. Be careful to not be intimidating to younger members. Attempt to build a camaraderie.
3] Do not be seen to only talk to your officers, make a point of talking to helpers on all levels and learn as many names as you can. Hold get-togethers to plan details of the event and let every person have their say.
4] Make it clear that the final judgment is yours but that up to that point everyone’s opinion is valid. If there are arguments between departments, say catering and cleaning, listen to both sides carefully and have all your officers vote on the conclusion if you like.
5] Keep your finance officer and legal adviser close to you and listen to them fastidiously. If your legal officer says that you require criminal record checks on potential helpers, do it. Let everyone see that they are part of a team that is trying to become as professional as it can be – it will make them proud to be a part of it.
6] One extra, very convenient person to have on the team, is like a minister without portfolio. A Mr. Fixit – someone who knows everyone and where he can get his hands on anything at a moment’s notice. This person will prove indispensable if things go wrong as they surely will.
Your team is your guarantee of success and you are the one that has to turn a group of amateurs and individuals into a professional team capable of staging an event that will give people pleasure, raise money and have people waiting impatiently for the next one and the way that you do this is known as team building – some have it intuitively and others have to learn it.
Owen Jones, the writer of this piece, writes on a variety of topics, but is now involved with team building activities for teenagers. If you would like to know more, please go to our web site at Small Team Building Activities