In this globally connected workplace, every successful company is benefiting from outsourcing, be it India for IT and software development or China for manufacturing. Benefits of well managed outsourcing contracts and offshore development centers have proven their merit beyond any doubt. No one is questioning that outsourcing is a must but people are still not sure when to outsource in the lifecycle of a company?

For a start-up, this question becomes all the more challenging. Should you start outsourcing at an early stage (self/angel funded) or rather wait for significant venture capital (VC) money to come in before going for an offshore presence? What if you are successful and need to expand development and sales at a rapid pace? Can you outsource effectively on a short notice or will it be too late? What if you outsource early and the venture runs into rough weather? Are you taking too much liability on your head?

This article tries to answer some of these questions and, as a founder of a start-up, helps you to determine the right time to outsource.

Here are ten reasons why a start-up should outsource early rather late. When we say early, we mean the start-up is funded by founders or an angel investor and yet to secure VC funding:

1) You have the funds to increase the R&D team to about 3-4 strength but you just do not have the bandwidth to do all the running around to do the hiring yourself. An HR manager would be a wasted overhead. How do you proceed?

  – An effective outsourcing partner will understand your skillset requirements and does all the ground work to shortlist effective candidates. They will also administer a qualification test as per your benchmark. You can review results, do a call with candidate and then give final approval. Outsourcing company will manage everything else and build a team for you with minimal demands on your precious time.

2) You have funds to ramp-up development but you are not able to attract best of the talent since you are really a start-up with a yet to be proven business model? There is limited talent available locally and people are reluctant to join start-ups. What do you do?

   – An effective outsourcing partner can attract best of the local talent in countries like India, where plenty of talent is available in almost all verticals. You can have a world class development team at a short notice.

3) You have funds which you would rather spend on team ramp-up rather then building the support infrastructure (office rent, communications, administration etc.). How do you proceed?

    – Outsourcing will solve this problem. Outsourcing partner will provide the complete infrastructure and you do not need invest a penny in the same.

4) As a founder you want to focus 100% of your energy (and expertise) on product development itself. You do not want your focus to be diluted by handling admin/HR/IT related issues. How do you manage this conflict as you build your team?

    – An effective outsourcing partner should be able to manage all administration, HR, payroll and IT related issues without having to take your cycles. You will be work 100% of your time on quality R&D work with the offshore team.

5)  As a founder, your next milestone is to secure VC funding and you would rather focus on activities leading to funding closure. Does outsourcing help?

    – Yes, very much indeed. All the angel/VC investors are well informed about the benefits of outsourcing. Most of them are invested in companies which have substantial off-shore teams. It creates a positive opinion when they see you, as a start-up, leveraging from offshore centers fairly early in the game.

6) After securing funding, your next priority is to target high growth markets such as India/China at minimal costs? Does outsourcing have a play here?

    – Absolutely yes. If you already have an offshore development presence, you can very quickly build upon it to set-up a business development office and start tapping the local market. Support will not be an issue since you already have team in place. A good outsourcing partner should be able to help you to build a strategy for India/China market and get you the right local partners. This can save you about 8-12 months of ground work and increase your chances of success in the first go.

7) Agreed that start-ups should outsource early in the game. But what about protecting the IPR? Isn’t that taking a big risk?

    – Depends upon the outsourcing model you choose. It is a risk if you outsource as a one-off project either on time and material or a fixed price contract basis. However, if you choose build-operate-transfer model, the risks are minimal.  To know more about the best outsourcing model for start-ups, refer to http://www.articlesbase.com/outsourcing-articles/best-outsourcing-model-for-startups-508166.html

Resource:

Samadhan Systems is a technology services company which helps start-ups to set-up offshore operations on a build-operate-transfer basis without having to invest any significant $$s upfront. Several start-ups have used our IncubationPlus program to expedite development and reduce their time to become a successful company. www.samadhansys.com

Mr. Suresh Kabra
http://www.articlesbase.com/outsourcing-articles/ten-reasons-why-startups-should-outsource-early-584067.html

This article is from your MYB Consultancy, Business Consulting and Coaching for small business owners, in fact any business owner

Position your Team

A successful small business owner and a 1st Class Team leader positions their Team.

Business and personal growth are critical to all business owners so I ask all business owners – Do you position your team?

How many times have I seen small business owners “expect” their team to step up to the line WITHOUT giving them all an outline of the game plan. They don’t know what to do. My consultancy team sees it all the time in small business.

Can you imagine that a successful sports coach neglects to give his players an outline of the match play?. Do you think that his team expects him to give them an outline? Successful sports teams always have a game plan that both the coach and the players know.

As a small business owner and a 1st Class Team leader part of your role is to actually “coach” your team. How good a coach are you? When you share your plans with them they know what you want and they can be clear about what they are expected to deliver.

Positioning is mandatary if you want clarity, cohesion, commitment, motivation and success.

Let me share a very recent consulting experience I have had with a client….

The pressure decreased rapidly when everyone knew …

Two compatible small business owners, armed with their businesses made a commitment to bring their businesses into one entity. A beneficial move for each party. This took a couple of months of negotiating and planning. For obvious and valid reasons everyone agreed to keep the plans secret until they were ready to make their public announcement. How difficult was it during this time? Very difficult!

No one could be positioned to help and support the changeover process. Effectively, these two business owners had to function in a space that was somewhat like a vacuum. They couldn’t share what they were doing in any way – they couldn’t ask for information, they had to do it all themselves. You get the picture. The pressure was building up. Mainly due to the extra work created negotiating and planning, together with their very real need to keep up all their normal activities. Look normal at all costs!

If they could have positioned their team, that is, told them what was happening they could have used their assistance. Although in this case there was no alternative, what I want you to realise is that when the news was released pressure dissipated exponentially.

Imagine creating this situation when you don’t need to!
Why would you neglect to tell your team what’s going on in the business. I don’t know, but I do know our consultancy sees this neglect in small business over and over and over. So many Team Leaders (business owners) neglect to do this then wonder why there’s pressure, frustration and tension running rampant around the place.

All you have to do to keep the pressure and frustration levels down – is to POSITION the players.

It’s just that simple. Both the team leader and the team will benefit enormously and you will get support, energy and results from your team.

Learn everything you can about Empowering Your Team.

More tips for becoming a successful small business owner click here http://www.businesscoachingsite.com

Position Your Team
Master Your Business

Elaine Masters
http://www.articlesbase.com/management-articles/1-key-way-to-empower-your-employees-80729.html

 

Entrepreneurialism is alive and well and most likely happening in all around you right were you live, or if you are lucky it’s happening on your own kitchen table! Proof of this, is the 79 Million Americans who plan to start their OWN businesses in the next 3 years according to Forbes Magazine. You might be surprised to find that some of the greatest minds in American business today are investing in the future of home based businesses as their next phase – Personal Franchising. And while Personal Franchising is growing with exciting new concepts and brands, there is another side of the home business market that is underappreciated yet equally very important and that is leveraging your Personal Franchise into an incubator of a larger business model.

Both Donald Trump and Robert Kiyosaki recommend starting a Personal Franchise in their latest book “Why We Want You to Be Rich”. Trump and Kiyosaki BOTH say that if they had to do it all over again, they would build their fortunes in THIS industry. Industry influencers include a spectrum of the who’s who:

• Warren Buffet purchasing companies last year like Pampered Chief
• Richard Branson starting Virgin Cosmetics
• Donald Trump promotes ACN
• Oprah offered a large section in her O magazine to women who sell direct thru the home

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly in regard to the current-home based network marketing business

· The bad – Less than 1 out of 1000 people in this industry will ever make a six figure income.

· The bad – 90% make less than $10 a week. Why is this?

· The ugly – 90% of all business WILL fail within their first 5 years according to Entrepreneur Magazine.

· The good – Over 30, Million (yes million) Americans have either attempted Network Marketing or are currently involved in the industry. This gives the traditional non-business owner exposure to his/her own business.

Why is the perception of this industry one of easy-riches when in reality it appears most are failing? Just a couple of points might help explain the figures.

· Most people are introduced into an opportunity not as a business to build, as one would a traditional business, but instead as a way to get their products at a “wholesale” price.

· Many people jump into a business with no research on the business or firm understanding of what it takes to meet the criteria of the opportunity and match those to their goals.

· Many people do not have the motivation or goal setting objectives to be successful in ANY business and may find their comfort level more appropriate to the structure of working for someone else.

· They were presented with an inflated view of unrealistically attaining short term riches and material wealth very simply and quickly. They look beyond the work it will take to get there and in their hastiness to sign on don’t ask the right business questions. Unfortunately it seemed early on that it was acceptable for the industry to sell at such a superficial level.

Now the tough numbers start to make more sense. Many of them never intended to have a business in the first place!

What if success was far more attainable? What if you could find a high level of success in a Personal Franchise and use it as a springboard to starting your own business from the ground up or what we refer to as green fielding a business? Here’s what often happens with motivated and well educated Personal Franchise owners. The owner is building his or her business, finds some room for innovation, revolutionizes a business practice or sees other opportunity that compliments their current business and decides to start a side business. What makes their odds much better at starting their new business is their success with their Personal Franchise business. They learned business management techniques, they learned how to listen to people’s needs, how to build them up and how to sell. They also discern what people want to hear vs. what is unimportant information that wastes their time, so their efficiency as a business owner is far greater.

So while the opportunity is substantial to take your business to a higher level, getting started at the Personal Franchise level is the right place to begin your business journey. Why? Simply because the business management exists already, the marketing plan is established, your support network and best practices are well established and your infrastructure is managed so you don’t have to. This provides a more essential experience of selling and marketing your business which is where many traditional businesses fail when they overlook those key areas. So many business owners are working IN the business that they are not working ON the business. They are hiring people; they are dealing with regulatory issues, manufacturing and facility issues, etc. Sales and marketing needs, while absolutely critical to their business, falls to the back of the list so that high dollar expenditures can be handled first. And of course, business 101 tells us that no sales, equals no revenue and no revenue equals no business.

With Personal Franchising you buy into the right to distribute an established brand, using their business systems and infrastructure. Your critical mass is focused on introducing your business to buyers and other Personal Franchisees so you can build your organizational strength. With a narrowed focus and elimination of operational distractions, your success will be more assured. The formula is simple – strong output of effort and a strong team along with a proven business program, will insure your success. Any deviance from this program and you fall into some of the statistics we pointed out earlier. The reward can be substantial, and like any traditional business your effort is your biggest asset.

So what key elements would you need to be successful in a Personal Franchise?

First you will need to find YOUR solution through the same pattern for success that has worked since the start of time. What is that pattern?

1. Find your passion

2. Find a legitimate business opportunity associated with that passion

3. Find a TEAM that will truly help you build your business

What are your chances of finding all three at one time? The chances are good if you have the right tools to evaluate that which drives your passion and helps you translate that into the RIGHT business opportunity. Next, in order to achieve complete success, you will need to find a team that is wholly dedicated to the common good of the entire team and willing to leverage the strongest skills of each team member. When the synergy of the team is achieved, and three people are moving the business forward as one, that is where substantial revenue momentum exists. Like all great businesses, the success of your business depends on the quality and drive of the talent in the team.

Leverage our 30+ years of collective experience to learn partnership strategies which will help you succeed. We will help you focus on the most important elements of your business and how to avoid the mistakes commonly made that take people of the road to success. All of a sudden, instead of this being a money game, you are building something you can stand behind and be incredibly proud of, using a marketing system that actually works based on teamwork and passion!

Think about it! What are YOUR chances of success if you were able to solve most of the variables and leverage the success of every entrepreneur that went before you? Rarely in life do you have that kind of information presented to you. Most people seek the answers, but live a life of painful experience to find what others already know. The knowledge is at your fingertips; increase your odds of success. Go find YOUR Passion, YOUR Business, Your Team, YOUR mentor! Go to: www.cashflowpotentials.com

 

Zyzyrgy – The Power of Three

Andrew Van Valer
http://www.articlesbase.com/entrepreneurship-articles/start-your-first-business-in-an-incubator-447219.html

I think we all have heard the adage, “What you focus on expands.” So why is it then that business owners and entrepreneurs will spend countless hours and tons of resources focused on solving the problems in their business? Why aren’t they focused on the opportunities all around them? Here’s a real life story that will explain why.

A few weeks ago I attended a revolutionary program called Christopher Howard’s Billionaire Bootcamp. One day we played a game where we simulated building and selling a business. At some point an idea was born from our team that was worth a million dollars. Our acting “CEO” and I began to draft a proposal and go through all the hoops to pitch it. The idea was accepted and we were told that we would win the game (and the $800 plus dollars on the line) if we took this same strategy and duplicated it five more times. All we had to do was rewrite the contracts.

At this point, one of the team members came to me with a crisis. Apparently, someone had received some huge penalties and the team was panicking about the financial impact. The “CEO” pulled us all together and said, “We have to brainstorm a way to solve this problem.” The entire team got sidelined from making money and focused instead on how to solve the problem.

Within about 15 minutes, something clicked inside my head and I began to wonder, was this really the best use of our time? I knew we had a potential $5 – 10 million dollar deal on the table that wasn’t getting our attention.

I asked, “How much does this problem cost us?” No one knew the answer. We tallied it up and the problem was going cost us about $300k.

Now, here is the real kicker. All of our energy and focus was on solving a problem that was worth ONLY $300k. We were NOT FOCUSED on the opportunity that was worth over $5 million that would have made this problem completely go away.

How many times have you missed opportunities in your business or life because you were consumed with how to fix a problem?

The point is this. When you are worried, consumed and stuck by a problem, you don’t have the energy or the time to focus on the opportunities. You probably won’t even see them.

Did we win the game? Well, luckily, I was able to redirect one of our team members to go resolve the problem with as little impact as possible. But, the “CEO” and I were able to get only one of the million dollar deals through in the time we had left. We did not win the game.

Every member of our team walked away with a valuable lesson. Always focus upwards towards the big wins. The payoff will probably cancel out and make completely insignificant the smaller problems. Here are a few questions to help you determine where your focus needs to be.

* What does the problem cost compared to the opportunities on the table?

* Will having this problem cause you to be unable to pursue the opportunities (in other words, does it negatively impact your resources or time?)

* What is the worst that could happen if you don’t resolve it? Compare that to the positives of what would happen if the opportunity is achieved.

* Would the problem cause long-lasting damage that you could not recover from?

* If you focus on creating a bigger opportunity, would it eliminate or mitigate the problem?

Sometimes you don’t have to focus so much on solving problems. Use your creative energy to create opportunities that are bigger than any of your problems. One of my friends and mentors, Stephanie Frank, author of the Accidental Millionaire, said something once that has always stuck with me. “You can focus on the debt and stay in debt. Or you can focus on creating the wealth that WILL easily eliminate the debt. I chose focusing on wealth.”

Take a few minutes each day to do a “focus check.” Are you focused on the problem or on the bigger picture? Changing your focus is going to make a massive difference in your results.

Melanie Benson Strick
http://www.articlesbase.com/entrepreneurship-articles/your-focus-can-make-or-break-a-million-dollar-opportunity-a-real-life-story-138149.html

The incredible thing about being a basketball coach is the unlimited supply of information and resources available. Books, DVD’s, magazines, and the Internet provide more information than we could sift through in a lifetime. Is that good news or bad news?

As basketball coaches, our job is to present a simple game to young players. Through teaching methods, drills, and on the floor execution, players are sent into games prepared to play with a purpose and execute the coach’s game plan. Too often players are ill-prepared to execute on game night because of a lack of fundamentals and focus on key components of winning. The problem lies not with the players on our team, but with us as coaches. Are you part of the problem?

A common mistake by coaches at all levels is to attempt to be good at every aspect of the game. Personally, I made this crucial mistake coaching in high school. My pride wanted to show that I was a master of the game in all aspects. Reality tells us that no coach, regardless of level including the NBA, can properly teach all aspects while expecting his players to execute at an optimum level on game night.

Fortunately for me I have worked for and known some wise coaches of the game. Tim Floyd at USC, Gary Garner formerly at SEMO, Larry Eustachy at Southern Mississippi, and Greg McDermott at Iowa State are masters in terms of melting the game down to three main teaching concepts. Each of them instilled in me this important skill. I was challenged to choose three main aspects of the game and make them representative of my coaching philosophy. It was difficult to do, but this advice remains the single most powerful part of my coaching career.

Today I advise every coach I mentor, young and old, to adopt their Top 3. Once they have done this, the focus of their program, practices, and games will clearly come into view. A common thought in coaching states this: “The coach who emphasizes everything, teaches nothing!” I couldn’t agree more with this statement and is the backbone of the Top 3 philosophy.

This test is an exercise that I have used many times in gyms around the country. As I have observed practice I look closely at the drills, terminology and teaching being done on the floor. On occasion the coach will have his Top 3 in place, though it is rare in my experience.

Let me prepare you for the test. During any random practice session I will stop by and watch your practice for 30 minutes. After this time I will write down what I believe are your Top 3 based only on what I have seen. Do you think your Top 3 would match my list? It’s a great test and I encourage coaches to sit down and take time to establish the foundation of their basketball philosophy. Would you pass or fail?

If you are serious about building a base for your team, you will continue reading this article. The next step in this important exercise is to honestly answer the following five questions. Your answers will form the foundation of your program forever. If you cannot honestly say that you have a Top 3, then congratulations. You have opened the door for an incredible discovery in coaching.

Take as much time as you need to answer these questions. I have had some coaches take an entire off-season just to address this timely issue. The time you spend developing your Top 3 will be the greatest investment of time you could ever make.

Question 1-What are your Top 3 priorities or values as a coach?

Question 2-If I observed your practice for 30 minutes could I name your Top 3?

Question 3-Where does your Top 3 come from and why are they on your list?

Question 4-How do you make your Top 3 an all-time emphasis, every day?

Question 5-Are you true to your Top 3 in every drill, practice and game?

Great coaches challenge other coaches, but never before they look in the mirror and challenge themselves. Take this test and begin to experience the fruits of your labor as a basketball coach. Be the best you can be!

Randy Brown
http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/the-30-minute-practice-test-would-you-pass-or-fail-98241.html

The Dallas Mavericks have been building a team for years that’s been as exciting and interesting as any team in the NBA, as measured by demand for Dallas Mavericks tickets. However, in recent years, the Mavs have been stuck with a reputation for being a high-scoring, talented team that couldn’t play defense, couldn’t play a half-court game and were basically soft. In essence, they were seen as a team with a lot of flash and no substance.

That all changed last season, however, when a tough, battle-tested and physical Dallas team ran through the Western Conference playoffs and into the NBA Finals before finally bowing out to the Miami Heat. The Mavericks seemed to mature before our very eyes with the guiding hand of Coach Avery Johnson, who instilled the defense and toughness the team needed. Will that newfound attitude allow the team to take the next step this season?

Additions

The Mavericks were long known to be a team that was constantly tinkering with their roster, and it seemed that every season brought big changes to their personnel. Before last season, that approach seemed to change, as management wanted to instill some continuity, and that turned out to be a very good idea given the Mavs’ progress last season.

This year was more of the same, as the team really didn’t add any significant free agents or make any big trades. The players that were added are all known for their toughness and defense, including Anthony Johnson and Devean George. Other than that, the team locked up core players Jason Terry and Josh Howard. The Mavs are largely the same team they were last year, aside from the addition of a few role players.

Strong Suit

Dallas Mavericks tickets are sought-after because the team always provides an offensive show. That hasn’t changed, as players such as Dirk Nowitzki, Terry and Jerry Stackhouse can always fill it up from just about anywhere on the floor. It’s a nice option to have when you can basically outscore any team on any given night to steal a win.

However, the Mavericks’ strong suit has been diversified a bit. The Mavs were one of the best defensive teams in the NBA during the playoffs last year, and that was a feat that many thought was impossible. Johnson constantly harps on that end of the floor, and the team responded. Basically, the Mavs are becoming a complete team, and anyone who can advance to the NBA Finals through the brutal Western Conference has to be able to do a lot of things.

Outlook

Once again, the Mavericks are loaded with talent and expectations, and owner Mark Cuban is just itching for a chance to hoist a championship trophy. It all comes down to the same things as last year – if the Mavericks can continue to play a complete game with a high degree of toughness on both ends of the floor, they’ll be right in the thick of things for the NBA title once again. If not, they’ll be run out of the playoffs early by San Antonio, Phoenix or one of many other talented teams in the stacked Western Conference.

Regardless of how the season plays out, Dallas Mavericks tickets are sure to provide fans with an exciting experience, as the team is always interesting and the environment at their games is hard to match.

Jay Nault
http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/dallas-mavericks-tickets-is-this–96017.html

First of all, I’m not going to waste your time (or mine, for that matter) by illustrating the history of MLM, or by insisting on other general aspects.

If you have no idea what MLM represents, if you are unaware as to the meaning of the terms “upline”, “downline”, “referrer” or “referral”, then you need to be doing some serious reading (I suggest bookmarking this article, and documenting yourself on MLM in general before reading further).

OK, you know what MLM is all about, and want to start earning some money.

You see headline after headline, promise after promise: “earn thousands of dollars monthly by simply referring your friends”/”achieve financial freedom by joining our program”.

Before joining any MLM, you need to stop fooling yourself into thinking you will become rich overnight and understand what exactly you are getting yourself into.

After all, you can’t win at a game without knowing the rules, can you?

Are high earnings possible with MLM programs? Yes.

But, things look a lot easier on paper than they are in practice.

A 4-figure income is possible, even 5-figures are not out of reach, but don’t think you will ever even get close to such earnings just by inviting a couple of friends to join under you and leaving things at that.

As you know, MLM stands for “MultiLevelMarketing”. What does the term “MultiLevel” suggest?

Exactly, the fact that you earn not just from people you invite directly, but also from the ones your referrals invite, and so forth (the actual number of “levels” is different from program to program).

The name of the game is having a healthy downline, in other words, having active referrals (referrals capable of promoting/ referring).

Do you think you can succeed by simply inviting a couple of people to join under you and leaving it at that?

Think twice, you have about the same changes of “getting lucky” as you do at winning the lottery.

The bottom line is that very few members of your downline, if any, will actually prove to be active promoters, and just standing by will not do you any good.

If you want a solid downline, you cannot expect things to work themselves out, because they simply won’t, and your earnings will reflect that attitude.

“Passive income”, doesn’t mean that you earn money for doing absolutely nothing, it means that, if you do your job right, at a certain point, your downline will naturally increase, without you actively participating in the process.

Note the wording: “at a certain point”

It’s reaching that “certain point” that separates winners from losers.

And what exactly is your job, as the referrer, you ask?

It most certainly isn’t inviting people to join your downline and leaving things at that.

Your job is training your downline, offering them all the tools and support they need to become active promoters. Don’t assume your referrals are born promoters, assume the contrary and train them to become such, the results will be well worth your efforts.

How to train them?

First of all, they need your full support. By e-mail, by phone, by video conference, by whatever means necessary. Don’t turn your back on them, answer all of their concerns calmly, patiently and don’t keep them waiting too long. Fast, quality support can and will get you far.

Secondly, set yourself as an example. Show them how it’s done, explain your techniques, share your results. Nothing encourages referrals to be active more than having their upline as an example.

Also, add a community “feel” to your downline, make your referrals feel right at home. Set up a special forum for them to interact with another, and, of course, with you, hold conference calls, anything you can think of that could encourage them to stay in contact with you, aswell as with their own referrals.

Another important aspect: not all of your referrals are expert web-designers, in fact, you will find that a lot of them would like to promote their referral link online, yet have problems with starting a website. As you imagine, if you provide them with the tools, you have another active member as a part of your team.

Be supportive, be unique (you have to, if you want people to choose you as their upline over another person), be understanding and calm, and your odds at success are looking better and better.

Alan Johnson
http://www.articlesbase.com/marketing-articles/the-art-of-building-your-downline-how-numbers-add-up-84567.html

Quite a few corporate and retail employers enjoy looking for fun ways to bring employees together. One of those ways is to plan team building activities.Sometimes team building activities are held on the premises of an employer. However, quite often employers will provide unconventional team building opportunities off site. The following is a list of some of the most commonly planned types of team building activities:

1.Problem Solving Games

One of the most popular team building activities that involves problem solving is “murder mysteries”. This particular game involves the solving of a mystery with given clues.

Solving a murder mystery is an activity that requires players to use all of his or her finest problem-solving skills. While playing this type of game, some players may be able to exercise their management skills of delegation and organization. Likewise, other players will learn more about how to work well with a close-knit employee group. Treasure Hunts are also another type of problem solving game that calls for group activity. This usually involves finding some type of valuable gift or object with just the use of location or object description hints that are given. This particular type of activity is perfect for helping a group of people learn how to follow directions and to use time wisely.

2.Driving Sport Events

Driving events are sometimes planned for employee groups. Quite often these are planned for pure enjoyment. However, one of the benefits of planning a driving sport event day is that employees learn how to get along even if they are competing against one another. Examples of driving sport events include quad racing (four wheeler racing), off road racing, buggy racing, and remote control car racing. For a very crazy (in a good way) adventure some corporate or employee teams may enjoy reverse steer car races.

The reverse steer car race may deserve a little more explanation than the other types of car racing. The cars used in this type of race involve the use of a backwards type of steering wheel.

3.Communication Exercises

Another type of activity involves playing games that require people that do not know each other well to talk to each other. These are typically called communication exercises, and are planned to help people improve interpersonal activities within the office. Sometimes employee groups who are involved in communication games will play “Twenty Questions” or “Get to Know You” games. For instance, one of the questions for the “Twenty Questions” game could be as follows:

“If you could have one new type of food in the office cafeteria what would it be?”

The type of direction involved in “Get to Know You” games could include something along the lines of the following:

“Find someone in the room who has the same hobby as you.”

Usually communication games not only require quite a bit of verbal communication, but they may also require non-verbal communication as well. For instance, most people know what “Charades” is, or “Pictionary”. Charades is a silent acting game and Pictionary is a drawing/word guessing game. Communication exercises are usually meant for resolving issues that are directly work-related. However, they may also be designed to help teach employees how to resolve personal issues between one another.

4.Social Events

Sometimes entertainment such as music, dancing, or theatre productions may be planned for a corporate event. Moreover, employee events that are organized by employers and/or third party activity coordinators may involve themed parties. Two of the most popular themed parties include the Wild West theme or the Hawaiian themed party.

John Tarr
http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/four-main-types-of-team-building-activities-127662.html

Any help? thanks x

http://www.yylo.webs.com

its a good idea here, hope it helps!

powered by Yahoo Answers

A common theme floats through the bleachers of any youth sports event. This theme embodies the essential elements of teamwork that are crucial to every business in America. Every manager has the task of assembling teams of people and leading them in a successful direction. Obviously, this sounds much easier than it is, but why?

Ask the parents of young athletes what they think of the coaching and leadership of their sons or daughters team. Most will offer a positive remark about the team and the coach. The unspoken is often at the heart of the matter and deals with the only participant they truly care about; their child. Parents reserve the right to hold lofty opinions of their offspring’s athletic prowess and ability to impact the team. They sense that coaches try hard, but rarely see the true athletic genius of their child. Those of you who’ve spent countless hours on cold, aluminum bleachers can relate to this message.

The problem lies mostly in the message that kids receive at home. They listen and give their team and coach their best effort in practice only to hear a parent tell them how underappreciated and misused they really are on the field of play. Many of these athletes then return to practice wondering themselves why they are not the center of attention or the leading scorer. The results can be devastating for the young person. Unsure of their real value and role on the team they can lose interest, pull others down, or quit. Because the window of athletic participation is short lived for all kids, we often miss the mark as parents and coaches. Youth coaches have a unique opportunity to develop not only the team but each young person’s life. The beauty of sports in our world today is that the playing field can be a powerful teacher of life’s lessons to come.

In business, just as in youth sports, the football model holds true. Imagine yourself as a football coach for a second. The goal is to establish a vision, set goals, provide roles for participants, and design a path to success. Not until you get each of the players to buy into the game plan will you move ahead in the right direction. So where does the football analogy come in?

As the coach you must decide who will fill all of the positions on the field. Much like fielding a business team or office staff, the head coach must find and develop the best center, quarterback, receiver, and place kicker. What qualifications are needed in each position? How do you entice players to accept less glamorous roles on the team? Do you have quality people in your organization that can properly fill and execute these positions or do you need to recruit them? What strategy do you use when a player will not accept the role you present? Would you know how to put the best possible team on the field if you were the coach? The role of a business leader is much the same.

To crystallize this process, a great coach or leader will instill the value and greatness of each person on the team within their specific role. Truthfully, almost every kid grows up wanting to be the quarterback or receiver. What would a team look like with 11 quarterbacks and no one to snap the ball or block for them? As players fit and fill roles on the team they buy into the importance of what each bring to the table. They gain strength and confidence by doing their job well. Without their role being filled in an important way, the team does not execute to its capabilities. When more than one player fails to accept or execute their role, the team begins to deteriorate from the inside. On the outside, losses fill the schedule instead of wins. My advice for every business leader is to take a look into the genius of the great coaches in sports. You can find them at the elementary, high school, college, and pro levels. How and why do they make these tough personnel decisions on a daily basis, year after year. You’ll find that each are masters at defining roles and establishing the importance of each role. As each part of the team is assembled and developed through practice and hard work, the inner workings of a successful team are in place. Take a page from the football playbook and create your own winning team.

Randy Brown
http://www.articlesbase.com/leadership-articles/footballs-answer-to-building-successful-teams-94725.html