1. Imagine that you had an opportunity to participate in one of SHIC’s scavenger hunts. How do you think you would benefit from the experience as a team member?

2. Why is it important for SHIC to provide a facilitator for each team-building experience?

Team building has become an industry unto itself— as more managers understand the importance of fostering strong, effective teams, companies that specialize in creative way to build teams. Chicago’s Windy City Fieldhouse is one such firm. Even the name sounds like fun and games, and that’s the intention.

Windy City Fieldhouse (WCF) develops and offers its corporate clients programs designed to bring people together in such a way that they don’t even realize they are engaging in team-building and communication exercises. The WCF staff hosts outdoor corporate picnics, fun runs/walks, carnivals and block parties, even Grand Prix racing events. Of course, if a client wants a more traditional training program, WCF will do that too—but most companies go for the fun. “Striving to provide programs that enhance meaningful relationships and add tremendous value, WCF continues to develop a variety of corporate event packages in order to respond to its clients’ needs,” states the Web site.

WCF is perhaps best known for its “Scavenger Hunts in Chicago” (SHIC) division, which custom designs “Mission Impossible” scavenger hunts around the Chicago area for client teams. SHIC creates, organizes, and leads the corporate event in such a way that teams must collaborate to solve clues used to reach a destination chosen by the client company. The destination can be anything from a cocktail party to dinner at a Chicago Cubs game—it’s up to the client. A Scavenger Hunt facilitator is provided for each team, and once they reach their final destination, team members must complete certain missions such as taking funny photographs or finding special objects. With a facilitator acting as team leader, “Mission Impossible” team members learn how to set goals, establish norms, and make the most of diversity.

The response from participants is nearly always enthusiastic. “The feedback from my team was overwhelmingly positive,” says one client. Another reports, “It has been a long time since this team has had a team gathering and when they did, we never had this much participation. Everyone really enjoyed the event.” Windy City Fieldhouse is certainly on to something—the firm has been named “Best Teambuilding Company” in Chicago for three straight years.