HOW CAN WE HELP IMPROVE YOUR COMPANY?

CORPORATE RECREATION
Tired of the office? We know you are. Get all your staff, colleagues or clients and go have an adventure!
Fun and excitement for everyone. It is useful as an energizer and/or just as a relaxing day away from the office.

Don’t forget to keep your loyal clients satisfied by rewarding their support with adventure and outdoor fun!

Activities can include anything from river rafting or clay pigeon shooting, to 4×4 driving and game trekking. Sounds like a much better option than work, or what do you think?

~ See our Activity Pages LAND, WATER, AIR, and NATURE, to guide you ~

Development Programs
We do not have any set programs, as we understand that every group is different, and thus, need to be dealt with accordingly. We do have standard procedures involving various assessments, and specific activities developed according to the group, individual, and company’s needs.

All our programs are based on the Dimensions of Wellness. Although our programs are in-depth and focus on critical issues, it is presented and facilitated in an enjoyable and comfortable environment. People learn best by doing, so with the help of specific indoor and outdoor activities, and mostly being out of the office environment during the programs, help the individuals understand the processes, and learning occurs easily and effectively.

People tend to retain information easier and longer if they enjoy and understand what is being learned. This increases the probability of maintaining their positive changes when combined with applying what they have learned to their personal and office environments. They enjoy themselves, while learning, and changing for the positive.

Also read  “What is Teambuilding really about?”

SUPPORT PROVIDED IN OUR TEAM DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS
We provide ongoing support in the form of assessments, reports, recommendations, and follow-up sessions. More information on support will be provided once you book your Team Development program with us

These programs can entirely be developed and structured to focus on your company’s specific needs

INCENTIVE PACKAGES
Employees need to feel that they are valued and that their hard work and achievements are acknowledged. By incorporating an achievement system, employees will feel motivated to perform at a higher level of quality, as they know they will be rewarded accordingly.

a) Individual Achievement Bonus* - Reward individual efforts and achievements with incentive travel for the employee and his/her family
b) Corporate / Team Achievement Bonus* - Reward team efforts and achievements with incentive travel for the employee and his/her family

*More information on the advantages of these achievement bonuses, both individual and group focused, will be discussed, once you book your Incentive Package with us.

WELLNESS
If a person is uncertain of who he or she is, then how will they be able to work with other people? In today’s life, people get distracted easily and dictated by technology, fashion, celebrity lifestyles, corporate branding, etc. They are influenced by corporate and social images of what they should do, what they need, or in general, who they should be, all so they can achieve a ‘higher social standard’. We need to go back to the roots and determine who each person really is; their strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes, values and beliefs, etc. We have to take a step back and look at each individual, before we can take a step forward in achieving personal growth and wellness.

These programs focus on both a personal and corporate level. Companies tend to focus on the ‘chain’ (i.e. the group of persons or a department), and forget that the ‘links’ (i.e. the individuals) hold the chain together. We start off with development on individual level, so we can strengthen the links, before we focus on the chain as a whole. It can also be compared to the foundation of a house or building; if the foundation is sturdy, you can build anything on it!

Conferencing

CONFERENCING
Looking for a venue for your next conference? We can help you find what you need - from 10 to 6,000 delegates. You can even combine your conference experience with a Team Development or Corporate Recreation session.  

 

Teambuilding

 CORPORATE TEAM DEVELOPMENT
Get connected with your colleagues on a deeper level. This is not just recreation, it is team development which has a much greater impact on the team in the long run than by just participating in recreational activities together. Find and improve the core in your corporate team and in yourself.

The members at Innovative Pursuits Africa are motivated to assist corporates and government by turning their management and staff from a group of members into an elite TEAM!

We focus on different levels of development.

Easily explained it means:

Level 1) If you look at an athlete with a muscle or tendon injury, it can be compared to the first step in the development program which is Recreation. It is like rubbing on a bit of “Deep Heat” – it helps ease the pain and she feels better for the moment, but as soon as she gets back onto the field, the pain comes back. This is the level of “teambuilding” that most teambuilding companies provide - you get absolutely nothing from it. It is the same as substituting medication with smarties – doesn’t help at all, just looks and tastes good (and smarties are expensive compared to their size!).
 
Levels 2 & 3) You need to look deeper into the problem. The athlete should consider going to a sports physician or physiotherapist to fix the underlying problem, not just the symptoms. This is where the Education and Development stages in the development program comes in. By use of a proper Developmental Program, the individuals and the team as a whole, can improve themselves and thus aim to improve the office environment as well as their personal lives.
 
Level 4) If there is a serious problem, like a rugby player that has a major shoulder injury, an operation might be necessary to fix the problem. In a team development program this is considered the Counceling/Therapy stage. It doesn’t end with the operation. Ongoing therapy and physiotherapy is required to ensure that the injured area heals properly and that it remains fully functional afterwards. Thus, assessments need to be done with the office members before, during and after a program to ensure that they get the most from the program to ensure enriching lives and an effective and efficient office environment.
 
You certainly want your business to function to its full potential, don’t you? Wouldn’t you enjoy working in an successful and healthy office environment? Why not focus on treating the core of the problems in stead of always trying to fix the symptoms with a bit of “Deep Heat”? How would your life change if your job environment improves? Less stress? Think about it.

If you are tired of the boring office environment, having to live with the same problems and issues each day, making you feel miserable and non-motivated, then I suggest you read this before your bosses (or if you are the boss) sends you on another worthless teambuilding escapade!

By the time a human reaches adulthood, the body consists of close to 100 trillion cells. Thus, there are many parts that need to work together to ensure that your body functions to its full potential. Each part or system needs to be able to function on their own, as well as function with the other systems. If a major organ doesn’t function, for example the heart, then the entire body with all its different systems will shut down. If a minor part doesn’t function properly, such as having a muscle or joint injury, it can be extremely annoying and prevent you from physically performing at your peak.

Team Chain

Your business or office environment can be compared to the human body. There are different departments. If they don’t function well on their own or with the other departments, your business will suffer; whether it is just an annoyance or something that can bring the business to its knees.

I want to explain the concept of teambuilding. It is not because I don’t have anything better to do, but because I feel it is a very important factor in any business that is not always focused on enough. In a previous article (What is teambuilding actually?), I mentioned the four different levels of team development: recreation (a programme focused mostly on fun), education and development (at these two levels the programme focuses deeper on the individuals and the team), and therapy (where an intense programme is required to solve underlying issues).

Let me explain teambuilding in an easier context:

Step 1) If you look at an athlete with a muscle or tendon injury, the first step in the development programme which is Recreation, is like rubbing on a bit of “Deep Heat” – it helps ease the pain and she feels better for the moment, but as soon as she gets back onto the field, the pain comes back. This is the level of “teambuilding” that most teambuilding companies provide. They charge an absolute fortune for something you get absolutely nothing from. It is like substituting medication with smarties – doesn’t help at all, just looks and/or tastes good (and smarties are expensive compared to their size!).

Steps 2 & 3) You need to look deeper into the problem. The athlete should consider going to a sports physician or physiotherapist to fix the underlying problem, not just the symptoms. This is where the Education and Development stages in the development programme comes in. By use of a proper developmental programme, the individuals and the team as a whole, can improve themselves and thus aim to improve the office environment as well as their personal lives.

Step 4) If there is a serious problem, like a rugby player that has a major shoulder injury, an operation might be necessary to fix the problem. In a team development programme this is considered the Therapy stage. It doesn’t end with the operation. Ongoing therapy and physiotherapy is required to ensure that the injured area heals properly and that it remains fully functional afterwards. Thus, assessments need to be done with the office group before, during and after a programme to ensure that they get the most from the programme to ensure enriching lives and an effective and efficient office environment.

You certainly want your business to function to its full potential, don’t you? Wouldn’t you enjoy working in an effective and healthy office environment? Why not focus on treating the core of the problems in stead of always trying to fix the problem with some “Deep Heat”? How would your life change if your job environment improves? Less stress?

Think about it. And when you have, I’d like to hear your comments and feedback. If there is a serious problem, like a rugby player that has a major shoulder injury, an operation might be necessary to fix the problem. In a team development programme this is considered the Therapy stage. It doesn’t end with the operation. Ongoing therapy and physiotherapy is required to ensure that the injured area heals properly and that it remains fully functional afterwards. Thus, assessments need to be done with the office group before, during and after a programme to ensure that they get the most from the programme to ensure enriching lives and an effective and efficient office environment.

You certainly want your business to function to its full potential, don’t you? Wouldn’t you enjoy working in an effective and healthy office environment? Why not focus on treating the core of the problems in stead of always trying to fix the problem with some “Deep Heat”? How would your life change if your job environment improves? Less stress?

Think about it. And when you have, I’d like to hear your comments and feedback.

(Also read “Body vs. Business”)

For most groups, especially many corporates, teambuilding is a fun way to get the office members together. The problem is that most people don’t understand what the essence of teambuilding is. So, I am going to explain it to you as I feel there is a major educational gap in people’s understanding of teambuilding.

Whenever there is a group of people together there will be barriers, conflict and misunderstandings, among other things. This happens daily in the office. It may not be obvious but there are always problems and underlying issues that need to be resolved. But why mess around with something that seems to be working? Everyone seems to be doing their job, there is significant profit and no-one is really complaining. My question to you is; Why be average? Why should you be happy in an ‘ok’ office environment? Think about going to work in a fantastic, fun and interesting environment! Wouldn’t you want to go to work because you like it, rather than just doing your daily routine waiting for your paycheck at the end of the month?

There are four types of programmes used in adventure:
(Some information that follows is extracted from, Effective Leadership in Adventure Programming: Priest & Gass)

1) RECREATION: aimed at having fun, possibly learning new activities, or becoming re-energized through adventure, e.g. taking the office staff river rafting for the day. These individuals may learn a new outdoor skill, but no long-term group development occurs. Many so-called teambuilding companies market this type of programme as teambuilding. It may bring the team together for the day and they may still be talking about it a week or two afterwards, but with regard to long term development, it means absolutely nothing.

2) EDUCATION: aimed at understanding concepts, enriching the knowledge of old concepts, or generating an awareness of previously unknown needs through adventure. For example, teaching the importance of working together as a team or demonstrating the impact of a new way to solve problems. Group involvement starts here, as issues or concerns are put on the table so it is available for resolution.

3) DEVELOPMENT: aimed at improving functional behaviors and training people to behave in new and different ways through adventure, e.g. finding positive means to communicate with or trust one another. The efficacy of this type of program depends on the degree of transfer from the adventure to the participant’s reality (such as taking the learning to the office environment). Here, the term ‘teambuilding’ can officially be used as the activities and programme focus on improving team development.

4) THERAPY: aimed at changing dysfunctional behavior patterns, using adventure experiences as forms of habilitation and rehabilitation. Therapeutic adventure programming can change the way people behave, sometimes showing them the impact of negative behaviours, offering them beneficial alternative behaviours, and augmenting what they may already do well. This is used in extreme conditions when above mentioned programmes weren’t effective enough to resolve the problem. You can compare this type of programme to a rehabilitation programme for an alcoholic.

The job of the facilitator is to create the time and space in which the group can realise its potential, whether that potential be a new product, a strategic plan, or a redesigned organisation, (Harrison Owen). One afternoon of participation will not and can not resolve all the issues in a group, but it is an opportunity for the facilitator to expose some issues through the use of a well developed programme and activities. This can occur in an educational programme, as explained above.

Once the problems have been noted, a proper assessment can be done and then a development programme can be drawn up specifically for the group. Only now the team can be built!

I hope you are starting to understand that adventure is not just about having fun and getting outdoors, it is also a very powerful tool for developmental purposes. Adventure creates a fun learning environment and programmes are developed in such a way that the participants don’t realise they are actually learning and developing. This form of ‘play’ can have significant impacts in their life.