Game-playing is good for business. that’s the theme of olympic spirit toronto, where team sports are helping build corporate relations.

by marylene vestergom
November 2005

Olympic athletes have the stuff that star employees are made of: By definition, they’re hard-working, team-spirited and self-motivated. So, where better to train non-athlete employees to dig deep and work as a team than at one of Toronto’s newest attractions, where management teams can test their mettle on simulation Olympic events and work with world-class athletes to shape their team-building skills?

Olympic Spirit Toronto, the world’s first and only Olympic discovery center, merges the experience of the Olympics, Citius, Altius, Fortius (Swifter, Higher, Stronger) with its own three-word motto: Inspire, Educate and Entertain. Located in the heart of the city’s core, this $40 million, 52,000-square-foot complex offers the corporate community a venue that provides the experience of team-building as a natural extension of the Olympics.

Here, participants can push a 300-pound bobsled from the start house with their company’s CEO or row stroke-for-stroke against peers and the virtual time of Olympic gold medalist Marnie McBean. Corporations also get a chance to work on team dynamics through various interactive sports (long-jump, sprinting, skiing and curling) on the Winter and Summer Games floors. Team coaches and Olympic hopefuls guide team-building participants through the technicalities of the sport and cheer on groups as they become immersed in the Olympic experience. Coca Cola Ltd., The Caldwell Partners International, and RBC are among the corporations that have used Olympic Spirit Toronto for team-building exercises.

“In business, evaluations are subjective. But in sport, things are really objective,” says Marnie McBean, director of athlete and corporate programs at Olympic Spirit Toronto and three-time Olympic gold medalist for Canada in rowing. “There’s a time to beat, and you’ve got to try to beat it. You win or you don’t win. It’s that simple.”

Team-building for corporations is on the rise, according to the American Society of Training and Development (ASTD). In 2003, ASTD found that the percentage of corporate learning activities related to team-building was 7.72 percent. The numbers for 2004, currently under consideration, are projected to show a slight increase to 7.86 percent.

“Because of the increasing competitiveness among organizations, team-building continues to be a critical focus area for employee development,” says Pat Galagan, vice president of content at ASTD. “The most important aspect to consider when planning team-building initiatives is to strategically align the activities with the business goals of the organization.” Many companies find that throughout game-playing, participants learn something new about themselves and about their coworkers. In the end, it’s about having fun. Participation is inclusive at all levels.

Fran Mulhern, group director of Minute Maid Retail Sales Canada, Coca Cola Ltd., says, “One of the neat things I had the luxury of doing was the rowing event. In one of the sessions, you had to row for two minutes. Marnie McBean was behind me, cheering me on. What a thrill. She was even giving me pointers. How often do you get to do a sport where a gold medalist is coaching you along?”

Team-building is familiar territory for Mulhern, who has attended many such events in her career. “I think if you really want to get people to know each other and step outside of their comfort zone, you have to stretch them a bit, and this definitely did.”

Recently, The Caldwell Partners International hosted their full partners’ meeting in Toronto, bringing in staff from across the country. “The whole thing is about ‘Higher, Stronger, Faster.’ It’s all about achievements and challenges. You stumble, you fall and you pick yourself up,” says Ron Charles, managing partner.

The Olympics represents a metaphor for today’s corporate culture. “You just can’t be all work and no play,” Charles says. “Our challenge is always finding new things for people to do. It really got people thinking, reflecting on other things in their lives. By taking the time out from our daily routine, Olympic Spirit Toronto got us thinking outside the box.”

Marnie McBean understands how pursuit of the excellence Olympians achieve can serve as a great example for corporations worldwide. “A lot of corporations have to deal with mergers, acquisitions and employee changes,” suggests McBean. “Olympic athletes have to deal with making the team every year. They’re constantly realigning their goals. Even for myself: I won an Olympics, and I have to figure out how I’m going to win again at the next one.”

After all, sport, even at its highest level, is play, and perhaps the healthiest way to look at competition in the corporate world is as play.

Olympic Spirit continued experience. Coca Cola Ltd., The Caldwell Partners International and RBC are among the corporations that have used Olympic Spirit Toronto for team-building exercises.

“In business, evaluations are subjective. But in sport, things are really objective,” says Marnie McBean, director of athlete and corporate programs at Olympic Spirit Toronto and three-time Olympic gold medalist for Canada in rowing. “There’s a time to beat, and you’ve got to try to beat it. You win or you don’t win. It’s that simple.”

Team-building for corporations is on the rise, according to the American Society of Training and Development (ASTD). In 2003, ASTD found that the percentage of corporate learning activities related to team-building was 7.72 percent. The numbers for 2004, currently under consideration, are projected to show a slight increase to 7.86 percent.

“Because of the increasing competitiveness among organizations, team-building continues to be a critical focus area for employee development,” says Pat Galagan, vice president of content at ASTD. “The most important aspect to consider when planning team-building initiatives is to strategically align the activities with the business goals of the organization.” Many companies find that through game-playing, participants learn something new about themselves and about their coworkers. In the end, it’s about having fun. Participation is inclusive at all levels.

Fran Mulhern, group director of Minute Maid Retail Sales Canada, Coca Cola Ltd., says, “One of the neat things I had the luxury of doing was the rowing event. In one of the sessions, you had to row for two minutes. Marnie McBean was behind me, cheering me on. What a thrill. She was even giving me pointers. How often do you get to do a sport where a gold medalist is coaching you along?”
Team-building is familiar territory for Mulhern, who has attended many such events in her career. “I think if you really want to get people to know each other and step outside of their comfort zone, you have to stretch them a bit, and this definitely did.”

Recently, The Caldwell Partners International hosted their full partners’ meeting in Toronto, bringing in staff from across the country. “The whole thing is about ‘Higher, Stronger, Faster.’ It’s all about achievements and challenges. You stumble, you fall and you pick yourself up,” says Ron Charles, managing partner.
The Olympics serves as a metaphor for today’s corporate culture. “You just can’t be all work and no play,” Charles says. “Our challenge is always finding new things for people to do. It really got people thinking, reflecting on other things in their lives. By taking the time out from our daily routine, Olympic Spirit Toronto got us thinking outside the box.”

Marnie McBean understands how pursuit of the excellence Olympians achieve can serve as a great example for corporations worldwide. “A lot of corporations have to deal with mergers, acquisitions and employee changes,” suggests McBean. “Olympic athletes have to deal with making the team every year. They’re constantly realigning their goals. Even for myself: I won an Olympics, and I have to figure out how I’m going to win again at the next one.”

After all, sport, even at its highest level, is play, and perhaps the healthiest way to look at competition in the corporate world is as play.

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marylene vestergom is a freelance writer in Toronto. Email Marylene at editor@executivetravelmag.com.