– Demetria Limparis
Looking for a way to have fun remote team building? Consider tapping into your inner artist with Paint and Sips by Mishkalo.
Team chemistry is an essential part of any type of successful enterprise. From office workspace to sports teams, team building should be exercised routinely for all types of working groups.
Just a little peek into my life, I am a part of a division-1 collegiate soccer team. Each year in preseason my coaches always have some sort of team-building scheduled somewhere. My freshman year my team went to a weekend outdoor camp, that was about trusting each other and showing vulnerability. We broke the ice and truly got to see everyone, good and bad parts. This set us up for success the rest of the year because that weekend we created a high level of respect for one another.
Then the following year we went bowling on our one day off. We were all so annoyed that our coaches bent the rules and made us be together on our only day off for the next two weeks just to bowl. As we got there, we were split up randomly into separate lanes.
We were exhausted from a long week of two-a-day practices and the last thing we wanted to do was bowl. As we started to get going everyone began to get a little bit more into it. Then before we even knew it, we were fighting neck to neck for the lowest score. We were talking, laughing at each other’s horrible gutterballs, and genuinely having a good time. This brought out everyone’s competitive sides and showed our coaches that we could get competitive doing just about anything.
Then junior year, our coaches were not able to schedule anything like that due to the pandemic. We were under strict guidelines even for practice so the likelihood to do anything but play soccer was not high. Although, we got to bond in a more traditional way, just spending time with our small inter-squad groups then later in the year our whole team. We would usually hang with our friends outside the team and have little cliques within the team but that all changed this year. We had no choice but to only hang with each other, which led to the cliques diminishing and a high level of oneness.
Team building is important for a multitude of reasons. It does not just benefit the group but the leader or manager of the group as well. Regardless of the activity, the team is bonding over, many strengths and weaknesses of each member will be exploited. This will show how the members work together and what type of role each person naturally falls into when working collectively on tasks.
Of course, a boss supervises and watches their employees in their workplace but what makes that judgment not as accurate is because when at work, everyone is on their best behavior. Then when observing when they have their guard down a little, not during work hours, one can see their true personality.
There are many different ways for a group to team build. People go on retreats, have company parties or even just go out for drinks after work. Due to the pandemic, the number of options has decimated due to social distancing and were forced into virtual meetings.
Although, Mishkalo offers a way to have a team bond over zoom with paint and sips. Paint and sips can be done with any type of team or organization. The painting breaks down that wall and opens up everyone to be vulnerable in the session. By doing an activity like painting, which might not be some people’s strong suit, it gives something to bond and banter over.
Like how my team and I were making fun of each other’s throws and missing the pins in bowling, your team can find that comfortability with a simple canvas painting. They will be given all the art supplies and an art instructor through Mishkalo. Then through zoom the artist will take your team through an easy but beautiful acrylic canvas painting.
While painting everyone can enjoy a beverage of their choice or one that came with your art supplies. Mishkalo has an array of beverages, cookies and chocolates that can come with your package if you desire. Between the painting and sipping the bonding comes naturally, which sets your team up for wanting more interactions with each other for the future.
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