The business world has changed dramatically since the advent of the Industrial Revolution. The nature of work for modern workers has become increasingly specialized, isolating, and impersonal. Although technology has made it possible to increase human productivity, effective human collaboration is still needed for long-term business success.

With the advent of the Industrial Revolution, the world of business has changed dramatically. The nature of work for modern workers has become increasingly specialized and impersonal. Although technology has made it possible to increase human productivity, effective human collaboration is still needed for long-term business success.

While it is no longer necessary for people to be in the same place at the same time to interact, there is no true replacement for live, physical interactions when building both relationships and team cohesiveness. Through in-person physical interactions, people are able to become partners and members of a team that is united in their work toward a common purpose. Employees then become much more capable of working together and energized in doing such to accomplish shared goals, rather than impersonal names on email distribution lists.

In an increasingly competitive business world where successful companies must be nimble, creative, and good at collaboration in order to take advantage of rapidly changing market conditions, smart businesses should utilize internal and external team building opportunities. Until people feel comfortable working together to solve shared problems, companies will be ineffective, lethargic, and unwieldy as everyone pulls and pushes in different directions to accomplish different ends.

During the growth of a company things becomes more complex. There are many businesses that have looked to pioneering settlers, and the military throughout history for their inspiration. Seeing that people faced logistical and physical changes built quick bonds, developing problem-solving abilities that are critical to a team. Thus people become more motivated to strive for group success.

Team building opportunities have thus been adopted from those models to assist in the world of business. One fun and exciting method involves covered wagon building and driving. People are typically divided into groups of 8 - 12 people to accomplish a number of group tasks themed on the trials of the old west.

A covered wagon must be built by each team with specific technical instructions. A budget is provided to each team to purchase other supplies to put together their wagon. Each team must abide by the same rules, limits, and specifications. A team flag and camp song must also be picked by each team. Team will race their wagons after they have built them.

While doing so, team members must practice communicating, risk taking, exercising leadership, and working in tandem. They all get to practice problem solving in a group setting. People get a safe opportunity to learn to trust their teammates as they define roles and responsibilities to accomplish group challenges. The accompanying adrenaline rush from the exertion and novelty of testing physical limits in that manner is also chemically conducive to feelings of group camaraderie.

Team building events tend to take individuals out of their comfort zones. The goal is to help them overcome self-limiting fears, and mental barriers. These exercises are a fun, safe, and exciting way for companies to initiate effective project teams. Team building helps companies become more effectively interdependent. Once this happens things progress internally, and externally much smoother. Everyone involved feels highly motivated and comfortable working towards their goals.

Daiv Russell is a management and marketing consultant with     of your organization's teamwork issues.