Whats the point of having a team if everyones just going to ride alone? Can cycling really improve teamwork and collaboration, or is it just a myth perpetuated by cheesy corporate team-building exercises? I mean, think about it - when youre on a bike, youre focused on your own pace, your own cadence, your own sweat-drenched face. Youre not exactly worried about the guy next to you, unless hes about to cut you off or steal your lane.
But maybe thats the point. Maybe the solitary nature of cycling is actually what makes it a great tool for building teamwork and collaboration. When youre forced to work together as a team, whether its in a paceline or a tandem bike, you have to communicate, you have to trust each other, and you have to rely on each others strengths and weaknesses.
But how do you actually make that happen? Is it just a matter of throwing a bunch of people on bikes and hoping they magically become a cohesive unit? Or is there something more to it? Do you need to create specific exercises or challenges that force people to work together, like a bike-based escape room or something?
And what about the different personalities and skill levels within a team? How do you make sure that the super-fast, super-competitive types arent leaving the slower, more casual riders in the dust? Do you need to create separate teams or divisions, or can you somehow make it work with a mixed group?
Im not buying the whole cycling builds teamwork thing without some serious evidence and explanation. So, cyclists, team-builders, and corporate trainers, convince me - how can cycling really improve teamwork and collaboration, and what are some specific strategies and techniques that actually work?
But maybe thats the point. Maybe the solitary nature of cycling is actually what makes it a great tool for building teamwork and collaboration. When youre forced to work together as a team, whether its in a paceline or a tandem bike, you have to communicate, you have to trust each other, and you have to rely on each others strengths and weaknesses.
But how do you actually make that happen? Is it just a matter of throwing a bunch of people on bikes and hoping they magically become a cohesive unit? Or is there something more to it? Do you need to create specific exercises or challenges that force people to work together, like a bike-based escape room or something?
And what about the different personalities and skill levels within a team? How do you make sure that the super-fast, super-competitive types arent leaving the slower, more casual riders in the dust? Do you need to create separate teams or divisions, or can you somehow make it work with a mixed group?
Im not buying the whole cycling builds teamwork thing without some serious evidence and explanation. So, cyclists, team-builders, and corporate trainers, convince me - how can cycling really improve teamwork and collaboration, and what are some specific strategies and techniques that actually work?