Est Adventure

Unfortunately, the actual practice of team building in Serbia has lost its original meaning and been turned into a short break from the office or an invitation for free food or drink. Of course, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that, but the very words “team building” suggest that something major is missing here.

To an extent, the problem is in the organisers of team building events themselves. I don’t believe that anyone wants to stand with a group of strangers in a circle and sing songs that are more appropriate to preschoolers, or to transfer eggs from one basket to another with the help of a spoon.

Moreover, most will pretend to enjoy the activity and thus contribute to the paradoxical depiction of enjoying the actual game. However, to be realistic, everyone will return to their homes once these activities are over and they’ll be glad it’s finally finished.

Again, this doesn’t imply that every team building event has to be like this and, generally speaking, the goal of every well-organised team-building exercise is to:

• Familiarise employees with one another
• Connect and acquaint various departments within companies
• Raise the level of involvement among individuals (everyone contributes to achieving a common goal)
• Build trust between teams and employees (we’re here to make work easier and better for everyone)
• Encourage teamwork and build a stronger team culture within the company (we can do it together)
• Develop better communication and collaboration among employees (I’ll listen to you – you listen to me)
• Let employees have fun (a more pleasant atmosphere yields better results)

One problem is that despite all team building organisers – be they HR departments or event managers – having all of these items in mind when organising their next team building, they never turn out the way they should. Why is that?

Most people forget the reason why successful firms are successful and what it is that makes good teams better than others. It is the approach to unforeseen situations and their reaction to them.

Situations that draw people out of their comfort zones show, honestly and without any hidden motives, how people respond to stress, how they mutually interact in difficult situations, how and how much they collaborate with others. They show you, without a filter, the strengths and weaknesses of your team.

In addition to this, another wonderful thing will happen – people come together the most by living through shared experiences, through working together on a problem they solve successfully. They will have something that makes them a successful team, even when the team-building exercise is over and everyone goes their own way. That experience will remain within them and they will gladly recall it.

If they were, this time, asked how they found the experience, they would have something to say – “we managed to descend a 15-metre cliff face”, “I succeeded in overcoming my fear of heights”, “it was unbelievable how our team solved the task and won the competition.”

And such experiences and memories remain with you for the rest of your life.

We have amassed more than 20 years of experience on all continents in the field of outdoor sports and have been engaged in the organising of team building activities for over 15 years, covering the entire territory of the Balkans for all types of outdoor activities.

Our instructors possess internationally recognised licenses: UIAA, ICOPRO, ICU, IRF etc., and our team includes people who have conquered Mount Everest, former Olympians, GSS instructors and other experts, who contribute through their experience to the proper conducting and executing of team building operations.

We transfer to your employees our knowledge and experience of working with people in the most extreme conditions, via intellectual, creative, educational, entertaining and high-adrenaline activities.