Team building the Accra way.

Baywatch is showing on Mnet Series. For the first time ever I am able to appreciate the genius that is David Hasselhoff. How smart to build a series on boobs, high cut red swimsuits and bimbos and himbos! What better way to become the series to be shown in more countries of the world than any other (true fact)? I mean, why bother even dubbing or adding subtitles, who is really following the script, the viewers are only interested in the long running scenes and the the...bouncing.

Anyway, as promised, I'll write a bit about the team building day. Here's my "successful" program:
We started by an introduction to why the day was being held and a short talk about how the company was doing. Then, the team was divided into groups of four and given questions to each answer before we'd meet and go through them together as a team. Since I made up my own questions, I know I can share them. Basically:
1. How long have you worked with the company?
2. What is currently your greatest challenge at work and why?
3. What has been your best ever day at work and why?
4. What needs to be done to make each day resemble your best day at work?

For each exercise, I randomly divided the staff into groups and equally randomly picked team leaders for each group.

The next exercise was the most fun. I built a "house" out of Lego, then the groups were to copy what I had built. Each group had to, at the same time send one person to look at the building for only 5 seconds, then that person had 25 seconds to tell the other group members how to build, before they were allowed to send another person of to observe the building. If I were to do it again, I'd give them 10 seconds each, five is just too short (or maybe my building was to complicated).

I think this game proved the most popular because it involved a bit of physical exercise (running to look at the building), playing with Lego and the general excitement of building something half of the group had not seen, whilst at the same time working against the clock. It's important to make sure as the organiser that you've actually built the house with the pieces you give to the teams to make sure they can actually do it.

The most interesting and developing part of the day was the discussion and analysis after each game (we played 2-3 more games, but I can't bore you with all of that!). This was the opportunity to realise what the employees felt about work, what changes they felt were necessary and helping them understand how the games were useful and help developed teamwork.

All in all, a great day enjoyed by everyone involved!

The beautiful Ghanaian countryside

Back from the retreat after an exhausting but fun and successful day. The day was spent at Stone Lodge, you get there by turning right at the Asutsuare junction on the Akosombo road. After we finished our activities, we went to Afrikiko in Akosombo for a boat ride to the bottom of the Akodombo Dam and drinks by the riverside. Such a lovely, chilled day!
Stone Lodge

The Akosombo Dam. Here, any surplus water is released, something which hasn't happened for over 15 years.


The peaceful life on water.


Afrikiko Water Front Resort


Why are we cutting down our living nature?


More on the actual team building day later...

Team work and good old gossip.

This weekend I have the most interesting task so far. So interesting, that I am skipping a funeral I really should go to (biggest Ghanaian faux pas ever, but Virgo will represent me) and missing most of a birthday barbecue, but will probably make it back there for leftovers at least.

A friend who I'm doing some independent legal work for has asked me to run a team building day for his company on Saturday. Learning of my past as a Starbucks employee probably made him think I'm much more of a chirpy cheerleader than I actually am. But not being one to say no to a challenge, I have agreed and just spent the last two hours researching team building exercises. After discarding the ones that seemed too fluffy and cheesily American for a bunch of Ghanaian construction workers, I think I have a handful I can work with. Now, all I have to do is find all the tools and materials I'll need to make it happen...Where's a Woolworths (the UK, not SA version of it) or a Panduro Hobby when you need one?

Meanwhile, a Swedish blogger writes about her heavily pregnant friend who realised that her husband of about 8 months has been cheating with a woman from his office, a woman with a live-in boyfriend. Her revenge? Finding the mistress' Facebook page and sending a message to ALL her friends and her boyfriend with details of the sordid affair and photos to prove it. (She also dumped her husband). As much as I'm impressed by her strength and actions (her baby is due in a week), I can't help but feel her husband is getting away easily with his dignity intact, while the mistress will be shamed forever. After all, the most random people can be our Facebook friends.

Even more interesting, how would such a thing be dealt with in Ghana? The sentiments towards affairs seem...slightly more relaxed, I get the feeling some people would send a message back to the wife going "Ah, but you, why?", leaving her seeming as the one who has overreacted.

But most of all I wish I knew who these people were so I could get hold of that Facebook message and see exactly what she wrote and what the following reactions were. But that's just the scandalous gossip in me talking...