Team Building Events for Conferences. What's the future?

Flavour of the month, on the way out, or here to stay?

It would seem that the mature conference and incentive market has had enough of group hugs, rubber chickens and ropes. And rightly so, as feedback from corporate clients clearly indicates that the image and delivery of team events must adapt to a changing corporate world.

As we drive into the new century corporate interactive events and experiential development must move with the times. Quality providers are acutely aware of this, and have been adapting program development accordingly. Many however, appear unable to break the 'outdoorsy' mould and are apt to sit too heavily at one end or other of the 'Tree Hugger to Rambo' spectrum. The middle way with an appropriate blend of styles and methodologies often proves far more effective.

Many innovative concepts, themes and activities are available to make a conference team session anything but boring and predictable. Has the time come to shift from the ropes courses of the 80's (though they still have their place) to programs that offer more versatility? Creativity, flexibility and the ability to listen to each clients specific objectives are critical for the delivery of a successful event. The needs of the client must play an enormous role in setting the pace for, and content of, the event.

The modified youth camp activities, so common in the 80's and early 90's, are no longer adequate for higher corporate standards. Programs should be structured to match the maturity and sophistication of an ever changing corporate market.

Conference team events that can deliver relevance, excitement and memorability to the client will be here to stay. These events must be flexible and able to draw from a wide variety of activities, themes and theoretical underpinning. Programs incapable of matching the high standards set by a changing industry will risk going the way of the dodo.