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If your ideas of team building is about sharing an experience, especially whilst doing something new, then there’s no denying that fly fishing can offer a great team building activity for businesses. Taking a team out of the office environment and into the countryside will already provide amazing benefits. But learning a new activity together, whilst being able to bond as a group, will produce an experience that no team member will forget quickly.
For most people, regular fishing appears to be an exceedingly boring activity. After all, you are seated by the river or lake, watching a float bob up and down on the open water, waiting for a fish to put it under. Patience is key. It's an activity that is generally done individually and simply doesn’t function in the same way as a team sport. But fly fishing is different. For a start, there are the skills necessary to place the bait onto the perfect spot on the river where you think the fish may be lying. Fly fishing is about the art of casting, as the actual bait, “the fly,” is very light and the line is weighted at the end. It requires a constant flicking movement, back and forth, in order to send the bait to it's target.
Whenever you speak to many corporate workers about team-building, they probably would never think that fly-fishing could be used in team building exercises. But those people who have tried this activity in their yearly excursions are always surprised as to how beneficial and what an improvement it is for all those involved. There are any number of reasons why fly fishing is going to help improve your work teams. Let's have a look at some of them.
Escaping from the office environment into the countryside is a reward in itself. But when you start learning to fly fish you'll discover it's also great fun. In fact, for the whole team it's going to be involved in an immersive experience that will lead to feelings of great satisfaction and fulfillment. Everything from the beautiful outdoors, to having a picnic lunch, to the thrill of catching your first trout, is going to be something positive for all team members.
Studying and learning a new skill together as a group will help everyone bond. A full day of fly fishing will encourage friendly competition as each group member tries out their new skills. It's a perfectly non-stressful way of letting each team member shine. As such, it does wonders for everyone's confidence. You'll find that the typical office roles can easily be reversed as both managers and those managed let down their guard and simply enjoy themselves. It's also a great social occasion and allows everyone to get to know each other even better on an informal basis.
By utilising fly fishing for team building, you're actually encouraging your teams to reach new goals. Whether that is learning how to cast or having the goal of catching a fish, it's all constructive for every team member. It really doesn't matter if someone fails to catch a trout. The whole team will have an opportunity to discuss their techniques, and new skill sets, long after the trip is done. They can also problem solve on-the-fly (pun intended) whilst at the same time I'm looking to see what they could have done differently or better. By having different goal sets, with a reward system in place throughout the fly fishing day, you'll find this a great way to foster productivity, even when the day is done and you're back in the office environment.
When you’re fly fishing there are many important decisions to be made if you wish to be successful. There are problems to be solved. From how you deal with tangled lines to changing the flies based on the real-life flies in the environment. You'll need to work on your casting techniques. And you'll discover that fly-fishing often will require quick decisions being made whilst you're standing waist deep in the river.
Some years ago a movie came out starring the very young Brad Pitt called, “And A River Runs Through It.” It deals with a family story that’s grounded in fly fishing in Montana. Another famous book which deals with fly fishing as an existential activity is “Zen And The Art Of Fly Fishing. Both of these pieces of art look at fly fishing as something almost spiritual as opposed to simply catching fish. In truth, when you are standing in the river, concentrating on catching a trout by carefully casting your fly, all stress disappears and you'll feel the benefits of just being there. On a warm day, with absolutely no worries apart from which fly you should choose, and a picnic lunch with your coworkers waiting for you on the river bank, then you have already created the perfect stress-free atmosphere. For so many corporate workers this may be one of the few times in the year when they're able to completely let go of all the worries and cares that come from relentless workplace pressure. It’s not just a team building exercise, but also a tonic for the soul. Keep in mind just how important mental wellbeing is for all your workers.
One aspect of fly fishing that many people enjoy is the fact that it's a quiet sport and consists of a series of careful rhythms. Along with a day in beautiful nature, with a new calming activity whilst at the same time learning a new skill, will be a memory held for many years ahead.
Though fly fishing is a long way from being a competition sport as far as individuals go, it is nevertheless an activity which will allow management and bosses to identify prospective leaders. In fact, these three qualities will stick out. Simply put, when learning a new activity together, you'll be able to quickly identify who helps and cares for others well being. Who is actively listening to their coworkers, especially if they are struggling to understand a new process. You may well discover a totally different side to many colleagues. One that has never had the opportunity to show itself in the office environment.
There are a thousand and one different activities that are promoted as being great for team building activities. These can vary from escape room games to mountain climbing to off-roading adventures. We are certainly not knocking those, as every team building activity has its place in the goal of helping teams come together, communicate better and be more productive. Having said that, fly fishing offers something a little different. It's much quieter and calmer than many team building exercises. It lacks the macho and exciting element found in many other team building activities. And in some ways, that's the whole point.
Fly fishing is designed to create an environment of calm, along with a healthier atmosphere. We believe that as a new skill it will help promote new ways of thinking as well as a sense of security and satisfaction within those who take part. Working together as a team in a beautiful and peaceful environment is much more conducive to forming better relationships and understanding between the participants. Sometimes, just being able to step away from the busy working life and being able to appreciate nature, is enough to both recharge the batteries and let everyone see what's really important.
