ALOC Group

The words “team building retreat” cause many to think “well, maybe it will at least be fun.” Then time is allocated so that participants do not get behind on work while out rafting or falling into each other’s arms. The truth is that activities labeled “team building” are often simply recreational activities, which are wonderful for promoting personal relationships among co-workers, but do not have an intentional structure designed to improve communication and team effectiveness in a sustainable way. ...."

The Society for Organizational Learning, is an intentional learning community composed of organizations, individuals, and local SoL communities around the world. A not-for-profit, member-governed corporation, SoL is devoted to the interdependent development of people and their institutions in service of inspired performance and meaningful results. SoL serves as a space in which individuals and institutions can create together that which they cannot create alone.

ASTD (American Society for Training & Development) is the world’s largest association dedicated to workplace learning and performance professionals. ASTD’s members come from more than 100 countries and connect locally in 134 U.S. chapters, 26 Global Networks, and 12 Global Partners. Members work in thousands of organizations of all sizes, in government, as independent consultants, and suppliers.

During debriefing, participants reflect on their experiences, recognize learning that has taken place, and evaluate that learning and its relation to future experiences. Effective debriefing is lead by a facilitator and answered by all participants. Debriefing should be action-oriented and address all types of learning, including cognitive (knowledge), kinesthetic (skills), behavioral (motives), and affective (feelings). Facilitators should be prepared to follow the line of answers brought out by participants while maintaining focus on the topics addressed by the activities.

For organizations to maximize value, increase productivity, and create a sustainable culture of leadership development, the right training is critical. Many educational studies show that the best way to learn how to do a task is to do it. Likewise, it is widely accepted that scenarios using imaginative elements lead to increased attention span and involvement. To prepare for maximum retention it is advisable to immerse participants in a learning environment that engages multiple senses and follows a structure that allows for reflection and active experimentation.