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ManagingYour Team 145

Maybe they should. Other examples from alumni support
Dan’s basic premise that some fun time outside of work can pay
major dividends and doesn’t cost that much.
Bonding doesn’t just have to be around a fun theme; you can
also bond while getting something done. McKinsey combines
incredible office retreats to exotic locations (usually involving a
golf course, ski resort, or beach) with developmental programs.
Kurt Lieberman, now at Reynolds & Reynolds, took this lesson
to heart:

One of the most effective tools I brought from McKinsey
related to team bonding and problem solving. I take the top
two levels of my organization off-site every other month for
a half day. Most of the work is done in subteams with each
team reporting its results. Sometimes each subteam solves
the same problem, sometimes not, but bonding always takes
place.
This example shows how team exercises can be work-oriented
and still contribute to bonding. You don’t have to go anywhere
fancy; just a new location can make a world of difference.
Our alumni also counseled moderation. In the words of come-
dian Steven Wright, “You can’t have everything; where would you
put it?”* Too much bonding can overload the team. It even drove
one alumna to leave McKinsey:

The bonding expectations at McKinsey were tough at times.
In fact, this element of the lifestyle was one that I was ulti-
mately unable to resolve. The Firm expected far too much
outside of regular client work, such as recruiting events,
team dinners, Practice Development, etc. I worked too hard
on my client projects to be excited about leaving my family

*Steven Wright is not, as far as the authors are aware, a McKinsey alumnus.