For a team to function effectively,

For a team to function effectively, the members must know the goals they’re working toward and what is expected of them as team members. Team-building exercises build relationships in the team to communicate expectations and to involve team members in developing creative and effective ways of accomplishing their goals. Team-building activities run the gamut from expensive events staged by consultants, such as wilderness adventures, to games devised by managers in their individual work groups. The goal of any team-building activity is to put team members in unusual situations that require them to rely on each other to solve a problem. These activities can be fun and effective methods for starting the process, but to be fully effective, the team spirit built or lessons learned must be reinforced when team members are back in the normal routine. The ultimate goal for the organization, of course, is to improve results. Team-building activities can boost productivity by enhancing communication within the group and encouraging collaboration.