Wednesday, October 23, 2013

BLANKETS OF HOPE

TeamBuilding Unlimited offers several different charity challenges. One of our favorite is Blankets of Hope. In this Philanthropic Team Building activity, teams work together to create warm and cozy Blankets of Hope

Teams are given multi-patterned and solid fleece panels that they combine to make no-sew Blankets of Hope. Teams work together to cut and knot these blankets. There are many different ways to assemble and finish these great fleece blankets, so there is ample room for creativity, as well as practicality. Team members choose from a variety of patterns and styles of fleece, as well as finishing techniques. Working in teams of 2-3, these no-sew blankets are fun to make.

Once the blankets are completed, they will be donated to local organizations: Shelters, Police, Fire, Disaster, Hospitals or another charity. This Charity Challenge is fun and altruistic. It benefits your team and the children who receive the Blankets of Hope. It's a Win-Win event for your group.

Recently TeamBuilding Unlimited worked with a Silicon Valley group that assembled and donated 65+ blankets to the Family Giving Tree. The Family Giving Tree in turn donated them to the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital for the pediatric and oncology patients. It was a win-win event for all involved. TeamBuilding Unlimited was proud to play a part. 


Saturday, October 12, 2013

Murder on the Menu

Murder on the Menu® is the oldest mystery event company in California. With over 35 years in the business, we're the BEST! That's because all events are about the clients. Each mystery event reflects the goals and objectives, jargon, agenda and specific participants. Professional actors and audio/visual enhance the performance and ensure a great evening.

Murder on the Menu designs mystery plots for corporate meetings, incentive programs, appreciation dinners, FAM trips, hotel openings, fundraisers, conventions and more.

Murder on the Menu works with you to create an event that not only "hooks" you with a story and characters that are unbelievably close to home, but lets you wrestle with the clues in an unforgettable whodunit. A customized murder mystery insures a successful and memorable event.

Murder on the Menu is booking holiday parties now.. at the venue of your choice. Groups of 10 to 350!

Request a Proposal.

Friday, October 4, 2013

WHY TEAM BUILDING IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER!

From Smart Meetings Magazine:

TEAMBUILDING GETS PERSONAL!

Long gone are the days when co-workers chatted around the water cooler, catching up on how Johnny fared in his soccer game, discussing the newest, coolest restaurant and hearing all about a colleague's recent business trip. It's much more likely that by Monday morning you have already viewed pictures of the winning goal on Facebook, received a tweet about that trendy bistro and opened a group email highlighting the success of an innovative sales pitch. 


Social and electronic media have certainly increased intimacy among employees, speeding up the transmission of information as well as expanding the circles that personal and business news reaches. Kudos to technology, but despite all the benefits, communication has inevitably become less personal, and therein lies the reason that team building is more important than ever. 

"The way the world works and communicates has greatly changed over the past 20 years," says Frank Price, co-owner of TeamBuilding Unlimited. "Companies are composed of more people from different nations, cultures and languages than ever before. Because of the Internet, there is often a lack of face-to-face meetings and relationships. The change of culture allows for a variety and diversity of events and activities to enhance team building." 

Price brings valuable, practical experience to his San Francisco Bay Areabased company, having served as a teacher, sports coach, consultant and mentor to educators. He spent three years in Francophone West Africa with the Peace Corps and later traveled to Nigeria through the Fulbright-Hays Program. 

Janet Rudolph, the other co-owner, boasts more than 25 years of experience in team building, hospitality and meeting planning. She is a member of MPI, the International Society of Special Events, the San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau, the San Mateo County Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Napa Chamber of Commerce. Together, Price and Rudolph form a power teambuilding couple who help businesses, corporations and organizations improve internal relations, which often translates to improved productivity. 

"Participants will learn about their co-workers, their strengths and their weaknesses, as well as personal information that will help them bond and create a better working environment back at the workplace," Rudolph says. "Teambuilding activities give co-workers the ability to work together on a level playing field where their jobs and critical company work are not at risk. It's great to mix up the teams—by country, by work group and by job level. It's so much fun to learn about others, and the goal is that this follows through to the workplace." 

Beating the Bad Rap 

Somewhere, somehow team building got a bad rap, much like the meetings industry as a whole. People often roll their eyes when they learn of an impending team-building exercise or activity, which can understandably trigger reluctance among meeting planners. For that reason alone, it's important to turn to dedicated and experienced companies to facilitate team building. 

"I believe people groan about team building before they realize how much it will benefit the group and how much fun a team-building exercise can be," Rudolph says. "Maybe they've had a bad experience with a less than fun or meaningful activity. That's never the case with TeamBuilding Unlimited." 

Rudolph has coordinated scavenger hunts for MPI members to help introduce them to hotels, venues and offsites. "What a great way to learn about a property, an organization or a city—as well as others in the group," she says. 

TeamBuilding Unlimited is actually a byproduct of Rudolph's earliest venture, Murder on the Menu. Rudolph orchestrates interactive mystery entertainment for corporate meetings, incentive programs and conventions, customizing murdermystery events that complement group interests. Adding specific team-building activities to her portfolio was a natural progression for Rudolph. 

Stirring up Group Chemistry 

Just as coaches often bring out the best in their teams, Price believes that team building can accomplish the same thing among co-workers. "Chemistry is an elusive term for sports and business, and I enjoy the challenge of kick-starting that kind of chemistry," Price says. "Giving a simple gift to a participant and letting that person know he or she is unique brings a smile and positive comments. For example, if I know that John is a huge fan of the Ohio State Buckeyes football team and I give him a custom-designed T-shirt with the upcoming football schedule, it's an excellent way to get conversations going." 

Price says his Peace Corps experiences have been valuable in developing team-building exercises, providing insights into the variety of ways people view the world. "It is important to respect that differences do exist," Price says. "I may still hold on to my viewpoint, but I need to be able to look at the world differently. Diversity and variety make for better team building. Laughter is a common human experience, and when people laugh and smile, they can share."