Okay, so I had this idea to spice up our company’s annual team-building event. I thought, “Why not have a contest for the funniest, most inappropriate team names?” It sounded like a blast, and I was pretty sure it would get everyone talking and laughing. Here’s how I went about it.
Brainstorming and Gathering
First, I needed to get the ball rolling. I started by jotting down some of my own ideas. Anything and everything, no matter how ridiculous. The goal was to get a wide range of inappropriate, to see what might work.
Then, I sent out a company-wide email. Super casual, just saying, “Hey, we’re doing this thing, submit your craziest, most inappropriate team names. Winner gets bragging rights (and maybe a pizza party).” I emphasized that it was all in good fun and to keep it (somewhat) within the realm of HR’s tolerance.
Filtering and Voting
The submissions started pouring in. Some were mild, some were… well, let’s just say they pushed the boundaries. I had to do some filtering, you know, to make sure we didn’t actually get in trouble. Anything that was genuinely offensive or targeted a specific person was out. That was a very tough decision.
After I narrowed it down to the top 20 or so, I created an anonymous online poll. I wanted everyone to feel comfortable voting for the really out-there names without fear of judgment. I set up the poll with a simple multiple-choice format and sent the link around.
The Big Reveal
I gave everyone a week to vote. The anticipation was killing me! Finally, the day came to reveal the winners. During our team-building event, I projected the results onto a big screen. I think it took more time than the project itself.
I counted down from the “least inappropriate” to the absolute wildest. The reactions were priceless. People were cheering, groaning, and just generally losing it. Some of the names that people came up with were surprisingly creative, in a twisted sort of way.
Reflections
Overall, this little experiment was a huge success. It definitely injected some much-needed humor into the workplace, and it got people talking and interacting in a way that a typical team-building exercise probably wouldn’t have. It was a little risky, sure, but sometimes you gotta push the envelope a bit to get people engaged.
I am very pleased with the results. It will also be used as an icebreaker for future events.
