15 minutes to building team spirit

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Boost bonds between teammates by allowing them to interview one another during the first 15 minutes of a meeting. Sample interview questions include the following:

• “Which baseball team are you pulling for this season?”
• “How has the road construction affected your commute?”
• “What did you do on your last vacation?”
• “What is the best movie you have seen lately?”

Benefit: One-on-one interaction creates stronger relationships between teammates, according to Cynder Niemela, an executive coach and managing partner with High Impact Teaming (www.HighImpactTeaming.com). In addition, discussing topics not related to work reduces stress, which calms and relaxes team members while providing them the chance to express themselves. The short 15-minute exercise will refresh team members, leading to more productive and focused meetings.

CA