Things That The Bodyguard Exercise Can Teach You About Your Staff
Having a team-building day for your office can be valuable for a number of reasons. While your primary goal might be to develop more of a team-first mentality among those who work for you, this type of event can also be an opportunity to learn important things about your staff members. In some cases, you may pick up on things that you wouldn't have otherwise known. To this end, it's important for you to be present during the team-building activities so that you can observe how people interact. One popular exercise is the bodyguard activity, in which one person is blindfolded and another leads him or her through an obstacle course. Here are some things that this exercise can teach you.
Some Have Trouble Giving Up Control
The bodyguard exercise can often open your eyes to the employees who struggle to give up control. For example, if the blindfolded person peeks during the exercise, or is constantly giving his or her handler orders — despite not being able to see — this can suggest that this individual has trouble not being in a commanding position. If such an individual is one of your managers, you'll want to ensure that he or she receives additional training to learn how to let others offer help and feedback.
Some Are Highly Conscientious
Notice how your staff members are leading their blindfolded partners through the obstacle course. If someone offers clear instructions — for example, "take one step to your left and then stop" — and is constantly checking to ensure that the blindfolded person is comfortable, this suggests that the person possesses a high degree of conscientiousness. This might not have been a quality that you knew about before the team-building activity, but it can help you to notice those who may be future leaders in your company.
Some Are Sloppy
A bodyguard activity can also shine the light on some peoples' sloppiness. For example, some employees may view the activity as a race and be keen on getting through it as quickly as possible — even if this means that the blindfolded partner bumps into some obstacles or even trips a time or two. Such an individual isn't a bad person, but this activity can reveal that he or she can be sloppy in the name of rushing. You may want to give this person longer deadlines for projects so that he or she doesn't have to compromise the quality of his or her work in the name of speed.
For more information on team-building activities, contact an event planner.
