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Build Better Teams: Team Building & Strategic Planning for High-Performing Teams

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Rating
★★★★★
5
from
1 reviews
This podcast has
26 episodes
Language
English
Date created
2026/03/24
Latest episode
2026/09/30
Average duration
18 min.
Release period
10 days

Description

Build Better Teams is a team building podcast designed for HR leaders, executives, managers, and event planners who want to create stronger collaboration, clearer strategy, and more engaged teams. If you are a team manager, organizational development professional, or leader responsible for leadership retreats, team building workshops, workplace culture engagement, or strategic planning sessions, this is the podcast for you. Hosted by Shannon Russell, a strategic leadership and team facilitator certified in LEGO® Serious Play®, this team building podcast explores innovative, hands-on, practical approaches to team building, strategic planning, and creating innovation through play in modern workplaces. Each episode shares insights, tools, and real-world facilitation strategies that help organizations align their teams, improve communication, and build employee engagement. Episodes explore topics like: • Corporate team building strategies that strengthen communication and trust• The LEGO® Serious Play® methodology and hands-on facilitation techniques• Strategic planning methods for leadership retreats, offsites, and team building workshops• Employee engagement and workplace culture improvements• Innovation workshops and creative problem-solving techniques You’ll also discover how hands-on facilitation approaches like LEGO® Serious Play® help leadership teams think differently, solve complex challenges, and build alignment without relying on endless slide decks or technology overload. If you’re searching for team building workshop ideas, leadership training strategies, strategic planning tools, or creative facilitation techniques for your organization, this podcast delivers actionable insights you can apply immediately. Whether you lead a small business, nonprofit organization, corporate department, or executive leadership team, Build Better Teams will help you create clarity, strengthen culture, and improve team performance. Subscribe and start building better teams. *Planning a leadership retreat, team building workshop, or strategic planning session for your organization? Learn more about Shannon’s workshops and facilitation services at https://buildbetterteamsconsulting.com.

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Check latest episodes from Build Better Teams: Team Building & Strategic Planning for High-Performing Teams podcast


Beyond the Name Tag: Creative Networking and Team Building Ideas That Actually Connect People | #25
2026/09/30
Tired of networking events that consist of name tags, awkward small talk, and the same old question: “So, what do you do?” There’s a better way to help people connect. In this episode of the Build Better Teams Podcast, strategic leadership and team-building facilitator Shannon Russell takes you behind the scenes of two recent interactive networking events where participants skipped the traditional introductions and instead built LEGO® minifigures that represented who they are. The result? People started talking about hobbies, families, travel, interests, personalities, and experiences instead of leading with their job titles. A simple hands-on activity became a natural conversation starter and helped participants discover common ground, tell stories, laugh together, and build genuine relationships.  Pasted markdown Shannon explores why creative networking activities and hands-on team building can make it easier for people to connect, strengthen psychological safety, and ultimately improve collaboration in the workplace. You'll learn why connection should come before collaboration, how “thinking with your hands” can unlock meaningful conversations, and how leaders, HR professionals, and event planners can create more memorable corporate networking events, leadership retreats, employee engagement experiences, and team-building workshops. Whether you're planning a company event, networking experience, leadership retreat, conference, or corporate team-building activity, this episode will inspire you to think beyond the name tag and create an experience people actually remember. Because the strongest teams aren't built one meeting at a time. They're built one meaningful connection at a time. 🔗 Learn more about Build Better Teams Consulting and our LEGO Serious Play workshops and events.  Watch Shannon's TEDx Talk on The Imagination Recession
Leadership Retreat Ideas: Creative Activities to Build Stronger, More Aligned Teams | #24
2026/09/14
Planning a leadership retreat or executive offsite? Don't bring your leaders together just to spend eight hours sitting around a conference table listening to presentations. In this episode of the Build Better Teams podcast, strategic leadership and team-building facilitator Shannon Russell shares creative leadership retreat ideas and activities designed to get leaders out of their seats, away from their screens, and actively communicating, collaborating, problem-solving, and planning for the future. From LEGO® Serious Play® and strategic planning exercises to cross-department challenges, improv, future visioning, and facilitated conversations, Shannon shares practical ways to create a leadership retreat that feels different from a normal workday and produces meaningful results. You'll learn how to design a retreat around the conversations your leaders actually need to have, encourage cross-functional collaboration, address challenges that may be holding your organization back, and create a shared outcome your team can take back to work. Whether you're planning a leadership retreat, executive offsite, strategic planning session, or corporate team-building workshop, this episode will help you create an engaging experience that strengthens communication, team alignment, employee engagement, and organizational strategy. Because the best leadership retreats don't just give people a day away from the office. They help change what happens when everyone gets back. 🔗 Learn more about Build Better Teams Consulting and our LEGO Serious Play workshops and events.  Watch Shannon's TEDx Talk on The Imagination Recession
Imagination at Work: How Play and Creativity Help Leaders Build More Innovative Teams | #23
2026/09/07
What happens when we stop using our imagination at work? After recently stepping onto the TEDx stage, strategic leadership and team-building facilitator Shannon Russell is reflecting on the idea at the center of her talk: The Imagination Recession. As adults, we become focused on productivity, efficiency, deadlines, and getting more done. Somewhere along the way, many of us stop making time to play, experiment, create, and imagine what else might be possible. But organizations still expect employees to innovate, solve problems, adapt to change, and develop new ideas. So how can leaders expect creativity without creating space for it? In this episode of Build Better Teams, Shannon shares lessons from her TEDx experience and explores why imagination at work is essential for leadership, workplace innovation, team collaboration, and the future of work. Drawing from her experience facilitating LEGO® Serious Play® workshops, leadership retreats, and strategic planning sessions, Shannon explains how hands-on play can help teams move beyond traditional brainstorming, unlock new ideas, and get every person in the room participating. You'll discover why imagination isn't something adults lose. It's something we stop using, and something leaders can intentionally bring back into the workplace. If you're a leader, executive, HR professional, or manager looking for new ways to encourage creativity, innovation, employee engagement, communication, and collaboration, this episode will challenge you to rethink the relationship between work and play. Because before we can build better teams and better organizations, we have to be able to imagine them first. 🔗 Learn more about Build Better Teams Consulting and our LEGO Serious Play workshops and events.  Watch Shannon's TEDx Talk on The Imagination Recession
Building Better Leaders: How Empathy and Self-Awareness Create Stronger Teams | #22
2026/08/24
Why do organizations promote great employees into management roles and then expect them to automatically know how to lead? Being excellent at your job doesn't necessarily mean you know how to manage people, delegate effectively, communicate with empathy, or build an engaged team. In this episode of Build Better Teams, Shannon Russell sits down with leadership development coach and Lightspark Leadership founder Risa Seelenfreund to discuss the leadership skills managers need to build stronger, more engaged teams. Risa shares why the traditional command-and-control leadership model no longer works, especially in today's multigenerational workplace, and why empathy, self-awareness, delegation, communication, and relationship-building are essential leadership skills. In This Episode You'll Learn: • Why great employees don't automatically become great managers • The leadership skills new managers need to develop • Why empathy is essential for employee engagement and retention • How to hold employees accountable while still leading with empathy • Why self-awareness is the foundation of effective leadership • How to delegate without simply handing off work • Why leaders need to support employees after delegating • How DISC and team assessments can improve team communication • Why different working styles can strengthen a team • How leaders can help employees grow without feeling threatened by their success Risa also explains why developing your people doesn't diminish your role as a leader. It can make your entire team, and ultimately your organization, stronger. If you're a new manager, executive, HR professional, nonprofit leader, or business owner looking to improve leadership development, employee engagement, team communication, and workplace culture, this conversation is packed with practical advice you can use. 🔗 Learn more about Build Better Teams Consulting and our LEGO Serious Play workshops and events.  Watch Shannon's TEDx Talk on The Imagination Recession
Behind the Scenes of a Strategic Planning Workshop with LEGO Serious Play | #21
2026/08/17
What makes a strategic planning session actually lead to change? In this episode of Build Better Teams, Shannon Russell takes you behind the scenes of a recent three-hour strategic planning workshop she facilitated for a leadership team in Oklahoma City using the LEGO® Serious Play® method. Instead of spending hours talking through PowerPoint slides, taking notes, and leaving with more questions than answers, the leadership team used hands-on strategic planning to explore where their organization is today, identify challenges and opportunities, and build a shared vision for the future. Shannon explains how visual thinking, equal participation, and collaborative problem-solving can help leadership teams create stronger alignment, clearer priorities, and greater accountability after the meeting ends. In This Episode You'll Learn: • What an interactive strategic planning workshop actually looks like • Why traditional strategic planning meetings often fail to create action • How LEGO® Serious Play® helps teams visualize complex ideas and challenges • Why every voice should be included in strategic planning • How leaders can create a shared organizational vision • Why hands-on facilitation encourages curiosity instead of defensiveness • How strategic planning improves team alignment and accountability • Why people are more invested in strategies they help create • Three strategic planning lessons every leader can use with their own team If you're planning a leadership retreat, company offsite, strategic planning session, or executive team workshop, this episode offers a different way to create meaningful conversations and turn ideas into clear direction. 🔗 Learn more about Build Better Teams Consulting and our LEGO Serious Play workshops and events.  Watch Shannon's TEDx Talk on The Imagination Recession
Play Is a Leadership Strategy: How Creative Team Building Drives Innovation and Employee Engagement | #20
2026/08/10
What if play wasn't a distraction from work, but one of the most powerful leadership strategies you could use to build a stronger team? In this episode of Build Better Teams, strategic leadership and team-building facilitator Shannon Russell explores why play at work can increase creativity, improve employee engagement, strengthen communication, and help teams innovate in ways traditional meetings often can't. As workplaces become increasingly influenced by AI, technology, remote communication, and automation, human skills like imagination, curiosity, collaboration, empathy, and creative problem-solving are becoming even more valuable. Shannon shares why she uses LEGO® Serious Play® with organizations, leadership teams, corporate retreats, and strategic planning sessions to help employees think with their hands, communicate ideas visually, and ensure every voice in the room has an opportunity to contribute. Play isn't about being unprofessional. It's about creating an environment where employees feel safe enough to experiment, imagine, contribute, and solve problems differently. Because when people think differently, organizations innovate differently. 🔗 Learn more about Build Better Teams Consulting and our LEGO Serious Play workshops and events.  Watch Shannon's TEDx Talk on The Imagination Recession
The 10 Best Questions Leaders Should Ask Their Team Members | #19
2026/07/27
Do you really know the people on your team? Not just their job title or daily responsibilities, but their hidden strengths, untapped skills, career goals, and what truly motivates them? In this episode of Build Better Teams, Shannon Russell shares 10 powerful leadership questions that can transform your one-on-one meetings, improve employee engagement, strengthen workplace communication, and help you uncover talents that may already exist within your organization. As a strategic leadership facilitator and certified LEGO® Serious Play® facilitator, Shannon has worked with organizations across industries and has seen firsthand how asking better questions leads to stronger relationships, more engaged employees, and higher-performing teams. If you're a manager, executive, HR leader, or business owner looking to improve leadership communication and build a stronger workplace culture, this episode is full of practical ideas you can use immediately. In This Episode You'll Learn: • Why great leadership starts with curiosity • How asking better questions improves employee engagement • The 10 questions every leader should ask their team • How to uncover hidden skills and untapped talent • Why psychological safety encourages honest conversations • How meaningful one-on-one conversations strengthen workplace culture • Ways to improve communication without another employee survey • Why hands-on facilitation helps teams think more creatively Discover how the right questions can unlock better communication, stronger relationships, and more engaged employees. 🔗 Learn more about Build Better Teams Consulting and our LEGO Serious Play workshops and events.  Watch Shannon's TEDx Talk on The Imagination Recession
Team Management vs. Leadership: 5 Ways to Build High-Performing Teams That Last | #18
2026/07/20
Is managing your team enough to create a high-performing workplace? Not anymore. Today's leaders are navigating hybrid work, remote employees, multiple generations in the workplace, AI, and changing employee expectations. Simply managing projects and checking off tasks isn't enough to build engaged, collaborative teams. In this episode of Build Better Teams Podcast , Shannon Russell explores the difference between management and leadership and shares the five characteristics she sees in every high-performing team she's worked with through leadership retreats, strategic planning sessions, and LEGO® Serious Play® workshops. If you want stronger communication, better collaboration, and employees who feel connected to your organization's mission, this episode is for you. In This Episode You'll Learn: • The difference between managing people and leading people • Why leadership matters more than ever in today's workplace • The five traits of high-performing teams • How clear communication improves team performance • Why psychological safety drives innovation and employee engagement • How shared experiences strengthen workplace culture • Why accountability creates ownership instead of micromanagement • How team-building workshops improve communication long after the event ends Whether you're an executive, manager, HR leader, entrepreneur, or team leader, you'll walk away with practical leadership strategies you can begin using immediately. 🔗 Learn more about Build Better Teams Consulting and our LEGO Serious Play workshops and events.  Watch Shannon's TEDx Talk on The Imagination Recession
Why Networking Makes You a Better Leader: How Meaningful Relationships Build Stronger Teams | #17
2026/07/13
Does the word networking make you cringe? You're not alone. For many professionals, networking feels forced, transactional, and awkward. But what if networking wasn't about collecting business cards or making sales? What if it was simply about building meaningful relationships that make you a better leader? In this episode of Build Better Teams, Shannon Russell explores why networking has earned a bad reputation, how leaders can reframe it as relationship-building, and why expanding your professional community can strengthen your leadership, improve team communication, and create new opportunities for your organization. Drawing from her own experiences as a business owner, leadership facilitator, speaker, podcast host, and certified LEGO® Serious Play® facilitator, Shannon shares practical ways leaders can build authentic connections that benefit both themselves and their teams. In This Episode You'll Learn: • Why networking gets such a bad reputation • How relationship-building makes you a stronger leader • Why fresh perspectives improve team innovation and problem-solving • How networking benefits your employees, not just your career • Simple conversation starters that create genuine connections • Why leaders should build their network before they need it • How generosity builds trust and long-term professional relationships • Easy ways to grow your professional community online and in person Whether you're a business owner, manager, executive, entrepreneur, or team leader, this episode will change the way you think about networking and inspire you to build relationships that help both you and your team succeed. 🔗 Learn more about Build Better Teams Consulting and our LEGO Serious Play workshops and events.  Watch Shannon's TEDx Talk on The Imagination Recession
The Communication Gap at Work: Why Teams Stay Quiet and How Leaders Can Fix It | #16
2026/07/07
Why isn't your team speaking up? If you've ever left a meeting wondering why no one challenged an idea, shared feedback, or contributed to the conversation, you're not alone. Many leaders mistake silence for agreement, when in reality, it often signals a communication gap. In this episode of Build Better Teams, Shannon Russell explores why workplace communication breaks down, how psychological safety impacts employee engagement, and why traditional meetings often fail to unlock the best ideas in the room. Drawing on her experience as a former television producer and certified LEGO® Serious Play® facilitator, Shannon shares how hands-on, interactive workshops help teams communicate more openly, collaborate more effectively, and create real alignment. Instead of asking, "Who has an idea?" what if you asked your team to build it? You'll discover why thinking with your hands can transform workplace communication and help every team member feel seen, heard, and valued. In This Episode You'll Learn: • Why silence in meetings doesn't always mean agreement • The real reasons employees hesitate to speak up • How communication gaps hurt innovation and employee engagement • Why psychological safety is essential for high-performing teams • How LEGO® Serious Play® improves communication and collaboration • Why participation creates better ideas than presentations • Four simple ways leaders can encourage every voice in the room • How to create a workplace culture built on trust, creativity, and honest communication If you're a leader, manager, HR professional, or business owner looking to improve team communication, employee engagement, and workplace collaboration, this episode will give you practical strategies you can implement immediately. 🔗 Learn more about Build Better Teams Consulting and our LEGO Serious Play workshops and events.  Watch Shannon's TEDx Talk on The Imagination Recession
Leadership Lessons from Sports: Team Culture and Volunteer Engagement with Lara Schroeder | #15
2026/06/23
What can workplace leaders learn from sports teams, volunteers, and nonprofit organizations? Quite a lot. In this episode of Build Better Teams, Shannon Russell sits down with sports management consultant and facilitator Lara Schroeder, founder of Spark Solutions, to discuss leadership, strategic planning, communication, team culture, and the importance of creating systems that help organizations thrive. Drawing on her experience working with sport and recreation organizations across Canada, Lara shares why strong teams aren't built by accident. They are built intentionally through communication, clear processes, and cultures where every voice is valued. Together, Shannon and Lara discuss volunteer engagement, organizational leadership, LEGO® Serious Play®, facilitation, and what businesses can learn from successful athletic teams. In This Episode You'll Learn: • Why process and communication are essential for healthy organizations • How volunteer engagement impacts organizational success • Where communication breakdowns happen most often • Why transparency and consultation matter in leadership • How LEGO® Serious Play® improves team communication and strategic planning • Why leaders don't always need to facilitate their own teams • How great facilitators ensure every voice is heard • Lessons businesses can learn from sports teams and athletes • Why celebrating wins matters for team culture • How intentional leadership builds stronger teams Whether you're leading a business, nonprofit organization, volunteer group, or sports association, this episode offers valuable insights into creating stronger, more connected teams. Connect with Lara Schroeder: Website LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lara-schroeder Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sparkplay306/ -------------------- 🔗 Learn more about Build Better Teams Consulting and our LEGO Serious Play workshops and events.  Watch Shannon's TEDx Talk on The Imagination Recession
The Psychology of High-Performing Teams: How Psychological Safety Improves Employee Engagement and Team Performance |#14
2026/06/16
What makes high-performing teams different from everyone else? According to Google's groundbreaking Project Aristotle study, the answer isn't talent, experience, or intelligence. It's psychological safety. In this episode of Build Better Teams, Shannon Russell explores the psychology behind successful teams and explains why trust, belonging, and open communication are essential for improving employee engagement, collaboration, and workplace culture. Drawing from her own experiences in television production and entrepreneurship, Shannon shares how leaders can create environments where employees feel safe to speak up, share ideas, ask questions, and even admit mistakes without fear of embarrassment or punishment. You'll learn why silence doesn't always mean agreement, how fear damages team performance, and the simple practices leaders can implement immediately to foster stronger communication and trust. In This Episode You'll Learn: • What psychological safety really means and why it matters • The surprising findings from Google's Project Aristotle study • Why high-performing teams are built on trust, not perfection • How fear and silence hurt innovation and employee engagement • Why leaders often mistake silence for alignment • Four practical ways to build psychological safety within your team • How vulnerability and curiosity create stronger workplace cultures • Why disagreements can strengthen teams when handled respectfully • How psychological safety improves collaboration, creativity, and performance If you're a leader, manager, HR professional, or business owner looking to create a healthier workplace culture and build stronger teams, this episode is for you. 🔗 Learn more about Build Better Teams Consulting and our LEGO Serious Play workshops and events.  Watch Shannon's TEDx Talk on The Imagination Recession
How to Build a High-Performing Team Without Doing Everything Yourself with Lindsay White | #13
2026/06/01
Are you trying to grow your business while feeling overwhelmed by everything on your plate? In this episode of Build Better Teams, Shannon Russell sits down with leadership strategist and founder of High Voltage Leadership, Lindsay White, for a powerful conversation about leadership, delegation, hiring, workplace culture, founder burnout, and building high-performing teams. With more than 20 years of experience in HR, people strategy, and leadership development, Lindsay helps entrepreneurs and business leaders stop acting as the "Chief Everything Officer" and start building teams that can support sustainable growth. Together, Shannon and Lindsay discuss what separates successful leaders from overwhelmed founders, why delegation alone isn't enough, and how communication, accountability, and trust create stronger workplace cultures. Whether you're a business owner, team leader, manager, HR professional, or executive, this episode is packed with practical leadership insights you can implement immediately. In This Episode You'll Learn: • Why CEO does not stand for Chief Everything Officer  • How founders accidentally become the bottleneck in their business  • The warning signs of leadership overwhelm and founder burnout  • How to delegate effectively while maintaining visibility and control  • What makes a healthy workplace culture  • How to hire the right people for a growing business  • Why emotional intelligence and self-awareness matter in leadership  • The importance of feedback, accountability, and psychological safety  • How to empower employees to take ownership and initiative  • Why leaders need to listen more and talk less 🔗 Learn more or book a strategy call: https://buildbetterteamsconsulting.com. 🔗 Learn more about Build Better Teams Consulting and our LEGO Serious Play workshops and events.  Watch Shannon's TEDx Talk on The Imagination Recession
What Netflix’s Company Retreat Gets Right About Team Building: Employee Engagement, Workplace Culture & LEGO Serious Play | #12
2026/05/25
What can a hilarious Netflix comedy teach us about workplace culture, employee engagement, and effective team building? In this episode of Build Better Teams, Shannon Russell breaks down the new Netflix series Company Retreat and explains why the show accidentally highlights one of the biggest problems with traditional corporate retreats and leadership offsites. From awkward icebreakers and forced bonding exercises to endless presentations and corporate buzzwords, Shannon explores why so many workplace retreats fail to create real connection. More importantly, she shares what actually works when it comes to team collaboration, communication, and employee engagement. This episode dives into the power of active participation through creative team-building experiences like LEGO® Serious Play®, improv workshops, storytelling sessions, and hands-on collaboration activities that help employees build trust, solve problems together, and feel more connected to their teams. In this episode, you’ll learn:  • Why traditional company retreats often miss the mark  • The difference between passive presentations and active participation  • How creative team-building workshops improve workplace communication  • Why LEGO® Serious Play® helps teams collaborate more effectively  • The role of improv and interactive experiences in leadership development  • How memorable offsite experiences strengthen workplace culture  • Why employees remember participation more than presentations If you’re planning a leadership retreat, corporate offsite, employee engagement event, or team-building workshop, this episode will help you rethink how to create experiences your team will actually remember. 🔗 Learn more about Build Better Teams Consulting and our LEGO Serious Play workshops and events.  Watch Shannon's TEDx Talk on The Imagination Recession
Creative Team Building Workshop Ideas That Engage Employees | #11
2026/05/18
Are your team-building events truly engaging your employees, or are they just another meeting everyone forgets by the next day? In this episode of Build Better Teams, host Shannon Russell explores creative team-building workshop ideas that help organizations improve communication, increase employee engagement, and build stronger workplace collaboration through active participation. Shannon shares why traditional workplace events often fall flat and how hands-on experiences create deeper connection, trust, and alignment inside teams. From LEGO® Serious Play® workshops and improv training to comedy workshops, storytelling experiences, collaborative art projects, innovation labs, and interactive strategy sessions, this episode dives into out-of-the-box team-building ideas that help employees think creatively, communicate openly, and solve problems together. You’ll learn:  • Why active participation creates stronger team engagement  • How LEGO® Serious Play® helps teams “think with their hands”  • The benefits of improv workshops for communication and adaptability  • Why humor and laughter improve workplace culture and psychological safety  • Creative workshop ideas for leadership retreats, offsites, and corporate events  • How hands-on team-building activities improve collaboration and trust  • Why employee engagement matters more than ever in today’s digital workplace If you’re an HR leader, manager, executive, event planner, or team leader looking for innovative team-building workshop ideas, this episode will inspire you to rethink what workplace collaboration can look like. 🔗 Learn more about Build Better Teams Consulting and our LEGO Serious Play workshops and events.  Watch Shannon's TEDx Talk on The Imagination Recession

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Read Build Better Teams: Team Building & Strategic Planning for High-Performing Teams podcast reviews


5 out of 5
1 reviews
★★★★★
societyhillmom 2026/05/20
Great insights and ideas
As a team leader, I tuned in for some ideas on how to get my team to collaborate more enthusiastically. Shannon’s energy and ideas have given me tips ...
check all reviews on apple podcasts

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