Level Up Your Event with TeamDynamics’ Team Building Tool

Guest posts

Feb 5

Guest Post

Level Up Your Event with TeamDynamics’ Team Building Tool

2/5/2024

At BoomPop, we know that few things are as important as getting your team to work well together. That’s why we partner with TeamDynamics, which helps teams understand and improve how they communicate and collaborate.

The stats are clear: high-performing teams get more done and have more fun while doing it. Top-performing leadership teams are 200% more likely to generate above-average financial results, and people are five times more productive when working in a high-performing team. But how can you build a high-performing team?

We’ve partnered with TeamDynamics, the team building personality test, to introduce a dose of science when it comes to team building at your next company offsite. This guest post describes how personality tests can be a powerful team building tool, and what makes TeamDynamics the right choice for teams looking to improve how they work together.

The Importance of Understanding Team Dynamics for Team Building

Teams are more than just a group of people working together. They are a complex combination of individuals, each bringing unique traits that combine to create that certain something that makes your team special.

When these pieces fit together, the result is a harmonious and efficient team. When they don't, getting your team to work well with one another can be like a game of whack-a-mole – frustrating and unproductive.

Here's where the magic of personality tests comes in. By uncovering the diverse personality types within your team, you can understand:

How your team communicates: Does your team prefer detailed documentation and formal channels of communication? Or does it thrive on hallway chats and one-off calls?
Your team’s problem-solving approach: Do they put together logical frameworks and detailed analyses? Or do they rely on one another’s expertise and judgment?
How decisions get made: Does your team look to leadership to set direction? Or are decisions made as a group, with consensus driven by debate and discussion?
How they get work done: Are your project plans thorough and detailed? Or does the team thrive on flexibility, with lightweight plans that are constantly being built and tweaked on-the-fly?

These insights into your team dynamics are essential. They help you tailor your management style, foster an environment where everyone feels understood and valued, and improve how your team works with others throughout your broader organization.

So, as you plan your next offsite, remember: understanding your team's dynamics should be a core part of the team building agenda.

Personality Tests: Bringing Science to Team Building

They say, “You can't manage what you can't measure,” and the same is true of your team dynamics. Personality tests are among the best tools for quantifying and understanding the interpersonal dynamics within, and around, your team.

So, what exactly are personality tests, and how do they bring a scientific approach to team building?

Personality tests are tools used to measure and categorize different behavioral traits. These tests are based on research and psychological theories, aiming to provide insights into how individuals think, feel, and interact with one another — individually, and in a team setting.

The beauty of the right personality test lies in its ability to turn something as complex as human personality and interpersonal relationships into understandable, actionable data. This is crucial in a work setting where team synergy is key to performance and professional satisfaction. Here are some of the popular personality tests you might have heard of:

TeamDynamics: This modern workplace personality test assesses how individuals in a group come together to create the team’s collective “personality” along four dimensions: communicating, processing information, making decisions, and executing plans. TeamDynamics categorizes teams into 1 of 16 different types, and provides tailored recommendations to improve team performance.
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI): This well-known test categorizes people into different personality types based on four dichotomies: Introversion/Extroversion, Intuiting/Sensing, Thinking/Feeling, and Judging/Perceiving.
DISC Assessment: This test focuses on four personality traits — Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness — to understand how individuals respond to challenges, influence others, and adhere to rules.
The Big Five Personality Test: Also known as the Five Factor Model, it assesses individuals based on five key dimensions: Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism.

Understanding personality types isn't just about labeling. It's about gaining a deeper understanding of what drives your team, how your team prefers to communicate, and what environments it thrives in. These insights enable you to make better decisions as a team manager, and empowers your team members to do their best work.

In short, personality tests are more than just a team-building exercise. They are a bridge to understanding, a tool for better management, and a step towards creating a more cohesive, efficient, and happy team.

Benefits of Using Personality Tests at Offsites

By incorporating personality tests into your team offsite, you're not just playing fun games; you're investing in a quantitative method that helps to break down barriers, improve understanding, and ultimately, drive your team towards greater success. It's about making the invisible, visible — transforming abstract traits into concrete insights that can be used to enhance teamwork and productivity.

So how do personality tests actually benefit your team, especially during team offsites? Here are four key advantages of making personality tests a central part of your next team-building event:

Improve Team Communication: Ever wondered why information easily flows on some teams, while others just can't seem to get on the same page? Personality tests help unravel this mystery. By understanding your team’s communication style, team members can adapt their approach for more effective interactions. It's like having a personalized guide to the team’s communication do's and don'ts!
Enhance Team Collaboration: Collaboration is the cornerstone of any successful team. Personality tests shed light on how different personalities come together. Imagine a scenario where you know exactly how your team likes to make decisions, build its plans, and put them into action. It's like putting together a puzzle where each piece fits perfectly.
Improve Team Conflict Resolution: Let's face it, conflicts are inevitable in any team and any organization. But what if you could manage them better? Understanding how your team likes to get work done helps you anticipate potential conflicts and resolve them in a way that's respectful to everyone's nature. It's about turning conflict into constructive dialogue.
Boost Team Motivation and Engagement: One size does not fit all, especially when it comes to motivation. Personality tests can provide insights into what drives each team member, allowing you to tailor your motivation strategies. Whether it's public recognition, a challenging project, or more autonomy, knowing what makes each team member tick can boost their engagement and job satisfaction.

By integrating personality tests into your offsite, you're not just investing in a day out of the office. You're investing in a deeper understanding of your team, which leads to better communication, smoother collaboration, effective conflict resolution, and heightened motivation. Think of it as laying the groundwork for a team that's not just stronger for a day, but for the long haul.

Remember, the goal of an offsite is not just to have fun (though that's important too!). It's about building a team that's resilient, adaptable, and equipped to tackle whatever challenges come your way. Personality tests are your secret weapon in this mission.

Why BoomPop Partners With TeamDynamics

There are many personality tests available today, and almost all of them focus exclusively on an individual’s personality. While this can be helpful for better understanding yourself and your 1-on-1 interactions with other personality types, these personality tests fall short when it comes to understanding what makes teams tick.

At BoomPop, we want to help every team reach their full potential; that’s why BoomPop partners with TeamDynamics, which is focused specifically on understanding and improving how teams function.

Here are just a few of the reasons our customers choose to include TeamDynamics as part of their team offsites:

Focus on Team, Not Just Individuals: Most personality tests are all about "me, me, me." But TeamDynamics recognizes the realities of how we get things done today – it's all about the team. It doesn’t just tell you if you’re a planner or an adapter; it shows how your team communicates and collaborates to get work done.
Granular Team Types: TeamDynamics isn’t one-size-fits-all. It categorizes your team into 1 of 16 different team types. This variety helps in pinpointing your team's unique style and needs along the most important dimensions of teamwork. Whether your team is like a fast-paced newsroom or a methodical research lab, there’s a type that fits.
Real Actions, Not Just Words: Some personality tests give you a bunch of fancy terms but leave you wondering, "So what?" TeamDynamics gives you specific directions. It offers practical tips on how to work better as a team, which is essential for offsite meetings where you want to leave with real impact, not just buzzwords.
Modern and Fast: TeamDynamics is fully digital, with a fast, mobile-optimized survey that you can take at your desk, over your coffee, or on the train. Results are generated instantly as soon as your team submits their surveys. This makes it great for offsite events where you want to keep preparation minimal and engaging.
Complements Other Personality Tests: If your team has already done other personality tests, no problem! Because it focuses on the team, TeamDynamics easily complements other individual-focused personality tests instead of clashing with them. So, you can mix and match insights for a richer understanding of your team, as well as each individual on it.

For a team offsite, you want something that's fun, fast, and gives you real tools to work better together. TeamDynamics, the personality test for team building, checks all these boxes, making it a smart choice for companies looking to boost their team's performance in a practical and engaging way.

So, as you plan your next team offsite, think of personality tests not just as an activity, but as an investment in your team's future. They are the bridge between individual personalities and collective success, a tool that brings science and rigor to the art of team building. And if you’re looking for the right personality test for your team, start with TeamDynamics: you're not just creating a moment of understanding; you're fostering an environment of continuous growth and team success.