Who’s ever participated in an icebreaker that requires you to name off one fun fact about yourself? I know I have several times this semester in classes and during club meetings on campus (and it’s a great idea for building teams, like these other icebreakers). What do I usually say for my fun fact? Well, it’s either “I can touch my nose with my tongue”, “I’m a HUGE Baltimore Ravens fan”, or “I am one of eleven kids in my family.” Yes, that’s right, I said eleven.
While it’s hard to imagine a family with eleven children now-a-days, my parents survived it, and as the youngest of seven boys, I also survived it! More than just surviving it, I learned a lot of lessons growing up that I use now as a campus leader. From a young age, I learned about a community where everyone feels welcomed as a brother or sister, and that we always have each other’s back. I learned of a community where we are all connected by blood, but also by our shared interests in sports, music, and the beach. I learned about a community where everyone was engaged, especially in our family events and traditions during the holidays, birthdays, and graduations.
When looking for ideas on how to build a community where everyone feels welcomed, connected, and engaged within my own campus organization, I often try to make the team feel like a family. Here are three ways to turn that group of individuals you work with into a big family:
- Create “Open Doors, Open Hearts” moments by allowing them to share their story.
- See what common interests everyone has on the team, and act on those common interests! Everyone loves Game of Thrones on the team? Looks like a Game of Thrones viewing party is happening this week.
- Facilitate team building activities which allow them to overcome challenges together. Take a trip to an Escape the Room in the area, where your team has to escape a room together with hints. We did this at the Swift Kick Team Retreat in the summer, and it worked perfectly!
Think back to your own roots. Are there certain ways you felt really connected with your family members? Try to incorporate these ways into your campus leader roles.
