Yesterday we had a corporate team-building day. I went to one recently in our office in the Philippines and it was a shambles. This one promised to be a better as professional consultants were brought in to run things rather than relying on some one in the office running things. The venue was a sports ground at a local private school. Since our company has grown from a staff of about 80 to over 250 since early October, l could see the need to get to know others.
The weather was threatening when we arrived, so much for having a summer here. The staff was divided into 7 teams, each of about 25 from across all departments. In my team were three other people l knew from my department, so the staff really was mixed up well. I was nominated as the King of the black team, and given a black and red cape. The teams were then split into 3 squads, l only knew about 6 – 8 of them by name prior to the day. Then each squad elected a general. The seven teams were arranged around 3 sides of an open quadrangle.
The games are divided into two parts.
Part 1, 3 Activities
The 3 squads led by their generals rotated to different locations to complete the tasks.
Activity 1.
The squad l was in had 4 small games to play.
Game 1, pass a spiky soft plastic ball held between chin/neck and shoulder around a circle, without using hands.
Game 2, step into a rope hoop, which was then lifted about the head by 2 others. The first person then stepped out of the way and a second person stepped into position. The rope hoop was then lowered and the second person had to jump out of the hoop.
Game 3, 5 people each with a ping pong ball had to stand in a circle, throw the balls in the air and catch the ball of the person in front of you, as you stepped forward and moved around the circle.
Game 4, the whole squad had to do a progressive chant and hand clap, which started off with 2 words and built up to 8.
All games were timed, and the winning team was the one with the quickest time. l think we came second or third, which wasn’t too bad, considering the only time we got the ping pong ball game perfect was in the actual game, our practice prior had been lousy.
Activity 2. Chinese History.
30 cards representing different aspects of Chinese history were laid out in a 3 mt. circle on the ground. Each time was given 3 attempts to pick the cards and arrange them in the correct order. I think they had to go in some sort of chronological order, but it wasn’t easy to tell, as some cards had portraits of historical figures, some had inventions and some had characters.
Each attempt was 1 minute long. We went from 1 right after the first minute, 4 after the second minute, and finished with a score of 16. How did we improve so dramatically? We had inside help from someone on the first squad who had already completed the activity.
By this time the rain, which had been falling on and off, decided to continue for the rest of the day. Plastic ponchos had been issued earlier, and although l had been putting mine on and taking if off, l was forced to admit that the rain was here to stay so, l donned my raincoat for the rest of the day. After activity 2, we retired to Castle Black for lunch, which wasn’t as bad as l feared it would be. Straight after lunch scores were announced and the black team had crept up to second place overall, due to one particular squad, whom l admit l knew nothing about.
Activity 3. Bamboo Shuffle.
Four bamboo poles were lashed together to form planks. The planks had short guy ropes attached to them. Teams of 5 had to coordinate their steps to advance the planks along the ground. My squad was handicapped by getting planks that were a metre or so longer than any other team. Our practice time was also cut short because we had to replace one of the guy ropes. As a result we trailed way behind the field. l had a go on the first leg, and it was fun, but also tough on the back, as you had to stay stooped over the whole time.
Part 2. War Games
We had competed in Part 1, to buy weapons. After part 1, we went back to our caste while the latest scores were read out. By this stage l think we were still holding down a respectable if not commanding third place. Our professional advisor then came and gave us a rundown on the weapons we could buy. Apparently the scoring determined how many weapons you could purchase, or at least that is what l was told, but it turned out not to be case. Meanwhile the rain continued to drizzle down, it didn’t look like letting up any stage, but it did nothing to dampen our spirits or enthusiasm. We were having a great time, rain or no rain.
While my generals went off to collect our weapons, l was approached by the blue king (actually a woman, but she didn’t call herself a queen) seeking an alliance, against another team. I wasn’t sure of the status of such diplomacy, so l said l would think it over. Was it a ruse? Was it a plot? If so, who was plotting against us? Shortly after l was approached again by a member of the orange team, also seeking an alliance. My team warned me off taking either alliance. Then the weapons arrived, more bamboo stick, lots of balloons and rope and water pumps and buckets.
The rest of the team knew what to do, as it had already been explained to them and they had some schematics to make a simple, catapult, a crude form of water cannon. The front section was an A frame. From there a long, tapered triangle formed the support, the mechanism was supported by a brace from the top of the A frame to the end of the long triangular support. At the end of the launch arm, a small plastic basket was strapped into position, to cradle the water bombs. While the catapult was being built the rest of the team prepared the ammunition, water balloon bombs. The scores did not affect the ability to purchase weapons, as l was initially told, as each team had enough currency from their accumulated points to purchase materials to build 2 catapults, and probably a couple of hundred balloon bombs. The next 45 minutes or so were spent in frenzied activity, as war was imminent and the thinly disguised attempts at diplomacy were revealed for what they were, mere lip service.
Then when the catapults were all complete they were lined up on the open side of the quadrangle to test their construction and see how far they could launch a water bomb. Some of the trials were pretty funny with some bombs almost flopping on top of the launch crew. The furthest any of the bomber went was between 15 – 20 mt. l am not sure if the test launches were scored or not, but the black team was again in the top 3 about 1 mt. short of the best shot. A credible performance, considering a couple of teams couldn’t reach 5 mt.
Then the fun and games began. The aim was for the water bombs to hit the standards on the fronts of the castles of any other team. The defenders of the castles were given some longer thin bamboo poles to intercept the incoming water bombs. Meanwhile ground troops could also attack with hand grenade water bombs. Any team could set up one of their two catapults in front of the castle of any other team within the roped off quadrangle. Attackers could not go beyond the boundary of the roped off area, and everyone played the war game in the spirit it was intended. I never saw one attacker go beyond the boundary during the entire game. Likewise castle defenders could not attack the catapult crews by crossing into the roped off area. Defenders could cross into the roped off area to take more bombs to their catapult crews as required. Once again l commend the exemplary spirit in which the whole war was fought or conducted. No one stepped in to steal water bombs from anyone else or stepped in to sabotage another team’s catapult, or supply of bombs. Defenders were however allowed to gather any dud water bombs that had landed near their castle, to re-launch at any other team. As a result the only injury l saw for the entire day was when a member of my team was struck by a water bomb on the frame of her glasses. That was only a minor setback and it wasn’t long before she was back defending the standard stoutly once more. After about an hour there was a short break to allow the warriors to regroup.
We were told there was only 10 minutes more of war time, so l decided it was time for the black king to get involved as crew of one of the catapults. We launched an unrelenting attack on the green team, from close range. Which brought me within range of their handheld water pumps. I took heavy and sustained water cannon fire, while l rained down quick salvoes upon the green standard. Then it was all over. We had to pack up, including picking up the remains of a couple of thousand dead balloon. The catapults were taken down and all the bamboo was returned to the team who had run the day so brilliantly. Then all the teams gathered for a final assembly where a general from each team addressed the crowd and told them what they had learned from the day.
For myself, l got to know about a dozen new people from different departments. While a lot of the people l already knew displayed a lot of talents l didn’t suspect they had. The rain continued into the fifth hour straight, the oval was getting quite soggy and most of us were drenched to the bone, but due to my lightweight royal cape l wasn’t even cold. Around 5 PM we headed across the road to a coffee shop l knew, where l managed to peal off my sodden socks and shoes. A quick cappuccino and then off home via the ever present and so convenient Uber, to a hot shower. Not surprisingly, l stayed in last night, l think most people who attended did the same, even though it was July 4th. As an exercise in team building and morale it was excellent, and also the most wet l have been since l did 18 hours one year for Songkran (Thai new year water fight). Next time l am in Thailand for Songkran l am going to get some bamboo, build a catapult, and let the water bombs fall where they may.
