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| Links and Vines by Ruth A. Hill |
Meetings East, June/July 2006
When the executive retreat agenda calls for team building and leadership training, fresh ideas
are a welcome catalyst to fulfill objectives.
At The Westin La Cantera Resort in San Antonio, Texas, golf engages most business groups while
they're in residence, but it sometimes reaches beyond play, according to Greg Haugland, director
of group sales.
The resort's professionally facilitated Links to Excellence half- or full-day corporate training
for up to 15 helps participants build internal and client relationships in the business arena. In
a three-part model that replicates challenges executives face daily in the world of business --
change, strategic planning and shared leadership -- participants must analyze problems and craft
solutions.
While the experience revolves around elements of the game that require team members to think
outside the box, people with little or no golfing experience are able to participate and contribute
to the exercise.
"The team building is on our course, but it doesn't necessarily involve play," Haugland says.
"Golf is used as a lab to increase performance."
And what about team building at cocktail hour?
The Saucy Sisters -- Barbara Nowak and Beverly Wichman -- offer business groups entertainment along with
a blind taste-test team-building activity that promotes camaraderie.
People get sorted into teams to taste wines. One half of the team must collaborate to describe the
wines in such as way that the other half of the team can identify which wine is which.
"It's sort of like playing charades with words and wine," Wichman says.
Nowak adds that planners needn't worry; the sisters limit the number of drinks people have while
keeping them both entertained and challenged.
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