As we continue our series on lessons learned in team building, one thing stands out very clearly.

You can't do team building, or team bonding, or organizational development, or whatever you want to call it, at your usual work location.

Not to say that you can't improve your team on an everyday basis. In fact, that's essential.

But to make a team building event stand out - to make it special and memorable - you need to get away from the desk, factory, retail counter or construction site.

You need to make team building the main (if not only) focus of the event. Which you can't do if people are tied to their email, phones, desks, tools, or service counters.

By taking them to a different location, everyone gets it:  we're not here to perform our regular day to day jobs. We're here for something different.

Better yet: if you work indoors, take them outdoors for team building. And vice versa.

But above all... get out of the office.