Team building is practiced through a variety of exercises

Team building refers to a wide range of activities, offered to businesses, schools or sports teams. Team building activities are designed for improving team performance in which employees are viewed as members of interdependent teams instead of individual workers. Team building is practiced through a variety of exercises which can range from simple bonding exercises to complex simulations and multi-day team building activities designed to develop a team. Team building assists in self-development, positive communication, leadership skills and the ability to work closely together as a team to solve problems.

When choosing a team it is very important to consider the overall dynamic of the team. Five dynamics are central to a team's success:

The team member - successful teams are made up of a group of useful members. These should be people who are experienced, have problem solving skills, will address the problem and are action oriented.

Team relationships - for a team to be successful the members of the team must be able to listen and give feedback without strife Team problem solving - an effective team depends on how focused and clear the goal of the team is. A relaxed, comfortable and accepting environment and finally, open and honest communication are required.

Team leadership - effective team leadership depends on leadership aptitudes. A competent leader should be focused on the goal, must ensure a collaborative environment and build the confidence of the team members.

Organizational environment - the atmosphere and philosophy of the organization must be conducive to team behaviour. Competitiveness should not be encouraged and uniformity should be encouraged - this will eliminate disagreements and discord among team members.

The overall objectives of team building activities are to increase the teams understanding of team dynamics and improve on how the team works together. Unlike working as a group, working as a team incorporates group accountability rather than individual accountability. Team building encourages a team approach to working on a project.