This one is simple, effective and fun. One Friday a month take some of your ‘fun budget’ and hand it to a team member to organise an event the team (and each persons’ partner/friend) can participate in.

Everyone bonds much better, stress is reduced and you get to know your team in a different light (therefore you become a more effective manager).

You choose whether you do this on the first or final Friday of each month. It can be another day of the week, just that Friday’s are the most common day these are done. 

As well as practicing your newly developed skills of delegating effectively, this is a great opportunity to empower your team to add some fun and energy to the group. It’s important that each team member can bring their partner or a friend along. You get to see them behave in a more relaxed, social environment and also witness another side of them.

And their partner/close friend gets to meet you and the team, so if the team member is having trouble at work this person is usually whom they go to. Often the partner/friend gets to see the owners of the business are human and down-to-earth.