Team Bonding

I was thinking about team bonding activities. I think they are good. Or at least harmless fun. But it seems to me actual team bonding of any significance takes place while really working together. If the team is dysfunctional, disengaged or fractured in their everyday work then I'm not sure white water rafting together is going to fix that. In fact it'll likely annoy people.

By contrast the bonds that form while depending on each other daily, in a myriad of ways, working through long-term problems, meeting deadlines, achieving victories - are real. I hesitate to say this, because I like white water rafting as much as the next person, and who doesn't want a day out of the office once in a while. But I think if a team is functioning well on a daily basis, the energy and connectivness that results makes these sorts of outings less necessary - but probably a lot more fun!