Team Engagement Ideas: Using a Real-Life Case Study to Foster Collaboration
When you think about team engagement ideas, it’s easy to assume the typical team-building activities: games, happy hours, or trust falls. But team engagement goes much deeper. It’s about creating environments where people truly understand one another and work together more effectively. One example of a unique team-building experience that achieved this was a session I led with a group of nurses who were struggling to get along. By using team engagement ideas that focused on trust, personality understanding, and collaboration, we transformed their dynamic and helped them build lasting respect for one another.
A Case Study in Team Engagement
I took the team of nurses to an escape room—a fun, hands-on experience that required them to rely on each other's strengths. Before entering the escape room, I had them take a personality test to better understand how each team member thinks and approaches challenges. Knowing how each person operates is crucial when applying team engagement ideas in real-world scenarios. The goal was to help the team see how their different strengths could complement each other rather than cause friction.
The nurses did eventually escape, but not without a challenge. They remained stuck in handcuffs for 30 minutes, struggling to make progress on the first challenge. Despite being able to ask for help after 10 minutes, they didn’t seek assistance until 45 minutes in. Why? Because their personalities—specifically perfectionist and commander tendencies—led them to believe they should do it all on their own. They wanted to solve everything perfectly, which is a common hindrance when teams don’t communicate or trust each other’s abilities.
Reflecting on the Lesson from the Escape Room
After the escape room challenge, we sat down to reflect on what had happened. The nurses realized that their reluctance to ask for help or collaborate stemmed from their personalities. They were perfectionists and commanders, which made them hesitant to lean on one another. But once they recognized this, something powerful happened: they started to appreciate and understand how they each think and act. Through the escape room experience, they learned to respect their differences and see how much they could support one another.
This is the power of team engagement ideas—they can reveal important dynamics that help a team grow stronger. By building awareness of how individuals’ personalities influence their actions, teams can work more cohesively and understand when it’s time to lead and when it’s time to follow.
How Can You Apply These Team Engagement Ideas?
Creating a cohesive team doesn't require extraordinary measures—just thoughtful strategies and a willingness to make the team’s growth a priority. Here are a few key takeaways from my experience with the nurses that you can apply to your own teams:
Understand Personality Types: Before jumping into a team-building activity, have your team take a personality test. Understanding how each member thinks will provide valuable insights into how to leverage strengths and work through challenges together.
Encourage Collaboration Over Perfection: Just like my nurses, many teams struggle with perfectionism and the need to “do it all themselves.” Team engagement ideas should encourage collaboration, asking for help when needed, and understanding that success comes from working together—not individually.
Debrief After Activities: After your team-building experience, take time to reflect. Discuss what worked, what didn’t, and how team members can support each other in the future. This reflection helps solidify the lessons learned and integrates them into the daily work environment.
Create Real-Life Challenges: While escape rooms are fun, real-life challenges in the workplace can also serve as valuable learning opportunities. Use real projects or workplace dilemmas to practice team engagement and encourage collaboration in problem-solving.
Let Dr. Christie McMullen Help You Build Your Team
If you're ready to unlock the potential of your team and build a culture of collaboration, Dr. Christie McMullen can help you create customized team engagement ideas tailored to your specific needs. Whether through personality assessments, tailored activities, or coaching, Dr. McMullen offers tools and strategies to foster trust, communication, and respect in your team.
For more information on how to create lasting team engagement ideas and help your team thrive, visit AIM with Us. With the right tools and strategies, your team will not only work together more effectively, they’ll enjoy doing it!
