All in Place Communications and Event Planning
So I took the summer off from blogging but now I`m back again. Hope you all had a great summer and are ready to embrace Fall; the crisp, cool air and wearing fuzzy sweaters again. Goodbye sweet summer, hello Autumn!
I recently participated in a Teambuliding Day full of activities that tested our teamwork attitudes and overall thinking abilities. I must say it made me face a few things about myself that I didn`t realize (or maybe did not want to realize).
One particular activity stuck with me. Our overall group consisted of 25 and each one of us were supposed to climb up a ladder tied to a tree. We had to walk up 5 steps, and with our backs turned, we had to fall back into the waiting arms and hands of our group members/teammates. First of all, I have a fear of heights. Second of all, it was hard for me to just to fall back despite their words of encouragement. Maybe, it is a control issue, maybe a trust issue, maybe a little of both. Some group members did the “Nestea plunge” flawlessly while others struggled a few seconds before they released themselves off the ladder (as I did). I was surprised at how emotional some became (including myself) from allowing themselves to fall back onto their teammates’ arms and hands. For some of us, our eyes glistened with relief and satisfaction that we were standing on the ground with our own two feet again.
But, this particular teambuilding activity bothered me for a few days. So I asked some of my closest friends on whether they had ever taken the backward plunge into their colleagues` arms. They had, but they too experienced hesitation and fear into “letting themselves go” into their awaiting arms. It is a difficult thing to do – relinquish complete trust and face fear.
In the end though, I was able to complete the plunge. We were given the option to opt out and I`m glad that I didn`t. Yes, it was an unnerving experience but it made me look at what I need to do to improve myself to keep growing as a professional and team player.
Do you think you could have done it without some hesitation? Have you ever done this teambuilding activity?
Comment below about your experiences; I’d love to hear about them.