Outdoor Experiential ProgramsThe consistent theme throughout Corporate Synergy's Outdoor Experiential Programs is the importance of work-based scenarios. You will often hear the term 'teambuilding' from media, colleagues and competitors. This is a term that is grossly misused. Corporate Synergy makes a point of distinguishing between true team 'building' and team 'bonding'. Both are equally valuable to the team, but to truly understand the fundamental difference of these two terms and their importance to your success, click here . It is this distinction that has established Corporate Synergy as one of the best corporate trainers in North America.
One of the unique elements of Corporate Synergy programs is the facilitated wrap up or debriefing conducted by your program designer and leader. These facilitated wrap up sessions, which combine the indoor theoretical and outdoor experiential components, are designed to guide your team through the process of identifying areas of weakness and then establishing the solutions that can be applied to the workplace. The solutions are theirs to take back to the office and implement.Depending on your program selection, sessions can run from one day to ongoing monthly training. On-site outdoor experiential programs are available right here at the Synergy Ark, or you many choose for us to bring out portable programs to you!
For indoor and portable Organizational Effectiveness Workshops click here. Acme Tricycle Building Company The running theme throughout this website is the importance of work-based scenarios. This is why we pride ourselves on team 'building' over team 'bonding', and it is this very activity that sets us heads and shoulders above the competition.
As one team moves toward our high ropes course, the other team will travel to our fixed obstacle, low ropes, course. At both sites the teams will not only find physical challenges but mental challenges as well. Not only will the teams have to work well within themselves, but they may also need to draw on support from their sister team. Clear communication and cooperation are critical. Once the teams have completed their respective challenges, they will both migrate to the other team's position to take on those obstacles and tasks.
Once everybody has made it through all of the challenges, they will regroup for one final, all-encompassing task. Hopefully, the team has been successful in building the trike on time and under budget, because it is this degree of success which will determine the meal they are served for lunch.This entire activity will be completed prior to lunch. Following lunch, the afternoon will be spent in debriefing the morning, discussing the problems and solutions found throughout the morning and drawing parallels to their place of work. The lessons commonly learned are listed at the bottom of our Retreat Prototype page. Adventure Ropes Challenges Low Angle
High Angle The high ropes course provides further opportunities for teamwork with an added emphasis on individual challenge and accomplishment. The high elements provide opportunities for participants to expand their comfort zones, sometimes dramatically, and to overcome fears that can block personal development and achievement. Corporate Synergy's unique approach fosters accountability and relationship building on the high elements by having team members handle the belay system for climbers. Team Orienteering Corporate Synergy Team Orienteering programs provide an exciting outdoors context for groups to explore the elements of effective partnerships and collaboration. Because participants are dependent upon each on each other to complete the course, Team Orienteering allows groups to examine the shift from working as individuals to working as a collective force in order to achieve a common goal. Frequently, a group of co-workers has to pull together to solve a problem or create a product under a strict guideline with only limited information. Team Orienteering provides numerous parallels to real-life challenges in the workplace. Ensured Transference Studies have proven that group activities (ACME Tricycle Co., Team Orienteering, low angle ropes, etc) are useful in improving communication, cooperation, and team cohesion and that high ropes activities are useful in expanding one's comfort zone, leadership potential and trust. Although Corporate Synergy uses these elements within a larger framework, we believe the sum of the activities should serve as an easily identified metaphor for common work practices. Corporate Synergy believes that participating in these activities coupled with the facilitated wrap-up guarantees transference of these newly acquired skills back to the work place. Our activities are guaranteed to challenge individuals to communicate effectively, work cohesively, and think in new ways. It is also guaranteed that participants will expand their comfort zones, surprise even themselves, and have FUN. It is always adventurers who accomplish great things. - Montesquieu
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Upon arrival at our site your team will be told they have all been hired by the Acme Tricycle Building Company and that they have a client who would like to buy a tricycle for $10,000. Acquisition of tricycle pieces will be accomplished through the successful completion of a variety of challenges (see the text in Adventure Ropes Challenges below). But prior to proceeding onto the course your team will have to decide upon the equipment they will require to bring them success on the various obstacles - they will have over $20,000 in supplies to choose from! Once consensus has been reached, the group will split into two separate teams, gather their equipment and begin the challenges.
During the low ropes course, the emphasis is on the team. Activities draw on the knowledge and ideas of every group member and require participation and cooperation of the entire team for success. After completing each element, our facilitators help the group reflect upon their experience to explore how they function as a team and ways to become more effective. Our low angle activities are performed on, or close to, the ground, gradually increasing in difficulty and challenge so that the team can learn from its successes, and build trust and confidences as obstacles are overcome.
