By Jennifer Whitt, PMP

®

A Team-Building Guide

®

A Team-Building Guide

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OPTIMO, Inc. is a visionary project management consulting firm specializing in complex project solutions and

professional project management seminars. Optimo®, Pizza Party®, People + Pizza = Productivity®, Project Management

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ISBN (10-digit) 0-97731�9-4-1

ISBN (13-digit) 978-0-97731�9-4-8

V.1.1006

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ContentsPizza + People = Productivity® 9

Serious Fun 10

Serious Outcomes 11 When To Have A Gathering 12

Tips From The Head Chef 14

Your Role 17

Your Team-Building Plan 18 Initiating 18 Planning �0 Executing �� Monitoring and Controlling �4 Closing �6

5

You may correctly guess that the Pizza Party principles and the secret formula

revealed in this course were developed out of necessity. They have been used

to revive and motivate teams working on some of my most complex projects

for Fortune 500 Companies, Big 5 Consulting Firms, Community, and Non-Profit

organizations. Over the past �0 years, I’ve served a lot of pizza to teams of all

sizes. My personal lessons were profound and the weight gained over the years

has been well worth the results gained to my projects. I found a recipe that

consistently works every time and now serve pizza to all my teams.

Since �00�, the Pizza Party principles have been incorporated into my

company’s advanced project management courses. I now hold keynotes around

the nation today to teach others how they, too, can motivate their own teams.

Today, as a logical next step, I’m happy to present the Pizza Party principles in

this format to make the lessons more accessible than ever. I’ve gained huge

results including team loyalty, customer satisfaction, and successful projects.

I wish you the same!

Jennifer Whitt, PMP

A Note from the Author

7

With ThanksThe Pizza Party principles were formed through the collective effort of a talented team of colleagues, researchers, and consultants, who set out to bring a shared vision to life and teach these principles in seminars and our self-paced courses. In them, I truly have the “optimized” team, and I’m immensely grateful for their

daily contributions to our progress.

DedicationTo Mom and Dad, who taught me that good food, informal events, and authentic

conversations can build a great team. Long ago, they taught me the secret formula that “People + Pizza = Productivity.”

9

People + Pizza = Productivity®

Keeping teams engaged and motivated can be a huge challenge for today’s

project managers. For years, Optimo has been training teams to stay in the

game, and now we’ve come out with the “home version” for project managers

on the go.

We hope you’ll enjoy this self-paced course. It has the key ingredients to

make informal gatherings an important tool in your project manager

tool kit, including:

• A message for your organization stating that “informal

gatherings are serious business!”

• A guide full of ideas on where, when, and how to get

your team together for informal interaction that will increase

productivity, performance, and PASSION.

• A template for your team-building event based on the

5 project management process groups – to ensure it’s

a success!

Simply read this guide and follow the instructions. Try to cook up your own

ideas in the journal areas entitled: “Ideas, Musings, and Ah-Ha Moments.”

In the last section, you’ll be asked to put the principles into action by

throwing your own Pizza Party. Let’s get started…

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Some managers think that informal gatherings are just for fun or just a frivolous

activity. However, our experience shows that informal gatherings can be the glue

that binds a team together – particularly on complex projects where some team

members may only see each other occasionally, if ever. So often, we don’t take the

time to get to know our team members, or we only communicate through voice

mail and e-mail. These habits can lead to miscommunication and a sense of “us vs.

them,” even when we’re all working on the same goals.

Rewarding the small successes is key to team motivation – even if it’s just “thanks

for hanging in there.” For example: compliments. How often do your team members

simply take for granted that the other members are doing a great job? Do you

compliment your team members behind their back? Why not take the time to say it

in front of their peers? Be creative with your rewards, time, attention, responsibility

– and, of course, free food!

In short, the informal gathering is an important tool to keeping our teams

connected, which is critical to project success. Pizza parties are serious business!

Serious Fun

Ideas, Musings, and Ah-Ha Moments

11

When you mix people and pizza, you can get some pretty big benefits – and

we’re not just talking extra cheese.

Improved communication

Informal gatherings can give people the space to lower their stress levels. They

can also provide a platform for face-to-face interaction, which can be much less

heated than e-mail or voice mail.

True collaboration

It’s much easier to say “I don’t know” or “I need your help” when you have

taken the time to connect with your teammates on a personal level. We don’t

all have to be best friends, but seeing people outside the work process can

mean the difference between genuine collaboration and superficial cooperation.

“Un-sticking” process issues

Process “snafus” can arise when people misinterpret the behavior of the people

around them. Creating informal ways to get together can help break down the

barriers that keep process issues from being resolved.

Higher motivation

Let’s face it: our projects today are harder than ever. And we often don’t

take the time to say “thank you.” As a result, people begin to feel taken for

granted or to suspect that “I’m working harder than person X.” By stopping

to celebrate and reconnect, we can keep our teams motivated in even the

toughest of times.

A more engaged team

Research shows that we experience our work environment as the 8 to 10

people we interact with most often, regardless of the titles we have or the

roles we play. Creating time for our team to let off some steam can make the

work environment more fun, which helps our team stay engaged. After all, we

probably spend at least as much time with the people we work with as we do

with our families – shouldn’t we enjoy it a little?

Serious Outcomes

1�

Project launch

Get the whole team on board!

The last time you had a project, how did you launch it? With a big meeting around a

conference table, starring lots of binders and charts? Well, that’s one way to do it. Another

is to get the whole team together – everyone, stakeholders, sponsors, vendor partners, and

the core team – at an informal gathering. Combine your enthusiasm for the process with your

enthusiasm for each other! Some teams like to include a project name, small gifts or other

ways to say “looking forward to working with you.”

Major milestones

Keep ‘em going along the way!

Milestones are often marked by nothing more than a sense of relief and a “completed” mark

on the status report. That’s because we’re so caught up in the next major milestone. As a

rule, taking the time to celebrate along the way keeps the team going much better than

waiting until the project is complete. Do you want to be thanked only every 18 months?

Marathon runners have cheering sections along every mile, why not you?

When to Have a Gathering

Ideas, Musings, and Ah-Ha Moments

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Stress buster

For when it’s been one of “those” weeks...

Is your team ready to tear each other’s hair out? Have you just dealt with a flurry of

inconsistent direction, budget cuts or requirement changes? Say “thanks for hanging

in there” with an informal gathering, and you’ll be amazed at the difference it makes.

The truth is, every person on your team can choose how much energy to give. Make

it worth their while by saying “thanks” – your team will reward you by finding energy

even you might not have known they had!

Skills and fun

Enhance team skills in fun ways!

When you make learning fun, people pay more attention and retain the skills longer.

With a little creativity, you can make even the most mundane process or technical skills

fun. Turn it into a game! Or, better yet, let your team think of a fun way to conduct the

training. You’ll improve attendance and reward your team with the fun of coming up with

the idea themselves.

Yay, we did it!

Need we say more?

How many times have you completed a project without taking the time to celebrate?

With all the blood, sweat, tears, late nights, and weekends that go into complex

projects, it is important to say “thank you.” Let’s face it, you might not be able to give

everyone a raise or an extra day off, but you can at least take the time to acknowledge

the contributions of your individual team members, vendor partners, stakeholders, and

sponsors. Reward the behavior you want to see again!

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Serve sticky, messy food

If your team tends to “take the donuts and run,” switch to apple pie with ice cream,

pancakes or hot fudge sundaes. If it’s too messy to take back to their desk, they’ll be

more likely to stay and really interact.

BE the fun you want to see

Ever been to one of those “informal” gatherings where the senior manager makes a stiff

speech in a stuffy suit and then tells the team to have fun? Don’t be that guy. Make the

party fun by getting off the “boss” pedestal and being fun yourself – and raising the

level of real communication. Wear casual clothes or take off your jacket. Tell a funny

story about yourself making a mistake or needing your team’s help. Set the tone for

genuine interaction; you’ll be glad you did.

Suit the party to the people

What does your team think is fun? For some, it may be a fancy luncheon;

for others, a day at the local amusement park. Don’t just give your team what you

think would be a reward, let them decide what works best for them. Not only will the

gathering be more successful, you’ll reward the team by letting them choose.

Start the fun with the invitation

Do you invite people to come to a “fun” party with a boring e-mail? Get creative!

Choose a theme. Make a flyer or a series of flyers inviting people to come along. It

doesn’t have to be expensive. PowerPointTM and clip art are fine – not DaVinci, but they

get the job done. You might even use promotional material from the venue or vendor

helping you with the party.

Tips from The Head Chef

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Include something to DO

Standing around uncomfortably eating donuts is NOT an interactive event! Have

awards or other activities to keep the group engaged and in the room. Try to seat

people next to people they don’t normally work with. Sure, party activities can

seem a little hokey, but once they get going, your team will learn to connect.

Mix it up

Make your team members introduce one another, especially those who may have

trouble working together. Some parents make fighting children room together

– same principle. It’s just not as easy to hold a grudge when you’re standing

face-to-face over a brownie. Be sure to include the WHOLE team. Stakeholders,

vendor partners, and others you work with will appreciate and gain from informal

gatherings, too.

Ideas, Musings, and Ah-Ha Moments

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Ideas, Musings, and Ah-Ha Moments

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Recognize individuals and group effort

Don’t make speeches. Just say “thanks.” Pretend you’re introducing the team members

for the first time; better yet, have them introduce each other (for example, let one team

member describe another’s achievement).

Reward what’s working

Behavioral scientists tell us that if you want to get more of the something, reward it. Even

if it’s not perfect, rewarding the effort can make a difference.

Talk turkey

Nothing works like the truth – with cheese or chocolate on top. Think about what the key

issues are for your team and ask yourself how you could exaggerate them to make them

funny... Can you compare your team to a football team? A train? Sometimes it’s best just

to SAY it, even if everyone already knows: “it’s been hard, and we don’t have enough

resources, but you guys are doing a great job.”

Facilitate interaction

Find ways to get people to really talk with each other about things other than work.

Consider making a “no project talk” rule. Or try this game: make up a bowl of index cards,

each with a question on it; team members pick cards and ask their questions to others

on the team. Or hold a scavenger hunt for information, then ask team members to share

information about each other.

Lower tension

Break the ice or the firestorm with donuts on a depressing day or pizza for lunch when

people are working overtime. Silly rewards like stickers and stuffed animals can help break

the team’s tension. As a leader, it’s up to you to know when the team needs an icebreaker

and give it to them.

Raise morale

Cheerleading executive-style can make all the difference to your team. Take the time to

notice the little things people do that make the project or work environment better. They’ll

appreciate that you paid attention and others will be encouraged to follow your lead.

Your Role

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Now it’s time to put your Pizza Party skills to the test. With this template, you will use the

5 project management process groups to create your own team-building experience.

To begin, write your answers to the questions in the space provided below.

As part of this course, you’ll need to actually throw your own party and build

cohesion among your team.

Complete the template below and journal the learnings from your success.

1: Initiating

Why does your team need a break? Is it a good time to relieve tension, motivate the

team, or celebrate a milestone? Remember, you don’t always need a reason to throw a

team-building party!

Who do you need to get approval from in order to have this party? Make sure you get

this before you tell your team and get them excited.

Your Team-Building Plan

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Is there someone you can enlist for assistance in the planning and executing? You don’t

want this to be a person on your team – they should get to enjoy the event. Instead,

ask another leader for help.

Where will you get the funding for your party? Is there a budget you need to stick

to? Don’t be afraid to ask your boss and be sure to explain that “People + Pizza =

Productivity.” If all else fails, ask people to pitch in or bring a dish.

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2: Planning

What type of party? Choose a type that promotes interaction and team building – not

just play time. Here are some easy-to-do ideas:

• Pizza or lunch: Hard-to-carry food makes your group stay at the gathering!

• Donuts or breakfast: Start the day off right!

• Off-site play: Paintball anyone?

• After-hours party: Ribs or steak – it’s all about the atmosphere!

• Guerilla celebration: Surprise your team “just because!”

Now that you’ve chosen the type of party, it’s time to choose a location. Use your

creativity on this one! Here are a few ideas to run with:

• Local theme park or attraction

• Paintball, ropes course, outdoor fun

• Art gallery, museum, craft store

• Raceway, outdoor barbecue

• Onsite but in an unusual location, such as another floor or even on the roof!

�1

Who are the lucky guests? Include everyone on the team – stakeholders, vendor partners,

others who work with or are impacted by your team. They’ll appreciate it!

Finally, set the date. It’s not just as easy as looking on a calendar. Pick a productive day

to have your party – you might want to avoid Fridays as people often leave early or

begin to focus on the weekend. Also, consider avoiding Monday mornings, as people are

just getting back into work mode. Middle of the week is often best – but do what works

best for your team!

��

3: Executing

Ready, set, go! Send the invitations out and get people excited. Encourage feedback and

send reminder e-mails. Record your first impressions here. How are people responding to

your plan?

You’ll have to secure the location. If you required people to RSVP, you’ll need to keep track

of those, too. Are you enjoying this process or regretting it? Remember that your attitude

sets the tone for the entire gathering.

�3

It’s the day of! How is everything coming together? Time to decorate or add those other

special touches that let people know you’ve put special effort into this event. What

special touches are you including?

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4: Monitoring & Controlling

The party is on – have a blast! But remember, this is a team-building exercise designed to

improve relations and increase productivity. How is your team interacting?

Do you see anyone being left out? If so, how can you get them more engaged? Be sure to

record your findings here.

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Is anyone talking or connecting that you’re surprised to see talking? Maybe they

don’t normally get along while working – but they’re bonding now?

Are people leaving early or looking bored? If so, it’s time for activities. Describe

your activities and how people respond here.

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5: Closing

The party’s over and your hard work is done. Was it a true success – beyond just enjoying

themselves, did your team get a chance to really bond?

List your results here – both tangible and intangible. A tangible result might be that you

had �0 people attend. An intangible result is that the tension seemed to lift from an

otherwise stressed group.

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Who did you personally get to know better or see a different side of? Do you feel more

bonded with certain individuals than you did before?

A pizza party doesn’t sound like a huge undertaking but you now know it does involve a

lot of time and energy. What are your lessons learned that you’ll want to remember when

throwing your next team-building party?

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Congratulations! You’ve put dedicated thought into what is normally a quick, off-the-cuff party. As a result, you helped make your party a truly rewarding experience for the team. Team building is an art that takes years to learn and master – practice is key. Now you have a sure-fire method to keeping teams motivated, engaged, and productive!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jennifer Whitt is a speaker, trainer, coach, author, and company

president of Optimo, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in team

and leadership enhancement as well as project management. She

is a PMI-certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and is

the Editor in Chief of The Optimo Exchange Newsletter.

For almost twenty years, Jennifer has tackled the challenges that come with managing

individuals, teams, and multimillion-dollar projects. With her sense of humor, bottomless

energy, and ability to gracefully exceed client expectations, Jennifer cultivated her own

techniques to overcoming what she calls “tough nuts” — also known as difficult

situations, projects, and people. Drawing from her extensive experience and working

with a highly qualified team of experts, Jennifer refined the techniques into proven and

practical life skill principles, which can be applied to virtually any situation in life.

A captivating and influential speaker, Jennifer has led numerous keynotes, seminars,

workshops, and roundtable discussions about how to identify the characters and

Optimize Your Thinking for maximum effectiveness at work, at home, and in the

community.

She is a member of the National Association of Female Executives, Women in Technology

International, and Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. Jennifer works with NAAR, the National

Alliance for Autism Research, to help coordinate the signature fundraising event for the

Atlanta metropolitan area. She also volunteers her time to handle event coordination

for Visionary Films and the Georgia Big Picture Conference.

Those who work with Jennifer know she’s proud to be an Athenian (from Athens,

Alabama, that is), where much of her family still lives.

For more information about Optimo, Inc., please visit: www.OptimoInc.com.

“It’s not just how you throw the party, but when, where, and why

you throw it that brings teams together. Informal gatherings to

keep teams bonded can make all the difference to your

project’s success.”

– Jennifer Whitt, PMP

Jennifer Whitt, PMP is a speaker, trainer, coach,

author, and president of Optimo, Inc., a consulting

firm specializing in team and leadership enhancement

as well as project management. She is a PMI-certified

Project Management Professional (PMP) and is the

Editor in Chief of The Optimo Exchange Newsletter.

Her books include Optimize Your Thinking: How to

Unlock Your Performance Potential and the Thinking JournalTM, both based

on Whitt’s celebrated seminar series: Optimize Your Thinking®.

®

www.PDUs2Go.com

A Team-Building Guide