How to Build a High-Performing Team (One Experience at a Time)

Team lunches are nice, but real culture is built through shared experiences. From Puppy Yoga to food tours and gratitude buckets, here are a few creative ways to strengthen connection, boost morale, and build a high-performing team that genuinely enjoys working together.

At Microsoft, we bring our geographically dispersed teams together twice a year for a full week of connection, strategy, and collaboration. These weeks aren’t just about aligning on key business priorities, they’re about building the culture that powers everything else.

Carving out space within the week for smaller team experiences gives us a golden opportunity to step out of the doing and into the being…to reflect, recharge, and strengthen the dynamics that make great work possible.

Over the years, I’ve joined (and led) my fair share of team offsites…including one very memorable event where I found myself in a full sumo suit wrestling my new boss. Yes, that really happened. Fortunately, she had an excellent sense of humor when I somehow won the match. Let’s just say I spent the rest of the day wondering if I’d just made a career-limiting move. 😉

Through all of the experiences, I’ve learned that while lunches and happy hours are easy to plan, they rarely move the needle on team culture. The real magic happens when people experience something new together. When they laugh, learn, or get just a little outside their comfort zone. Those shared moments create stronger bonds, spark creativity, and build trust that lasts far longer than a round of appetizers ever could.

In this post, I’m sharing a few of my favorite team experiences that did exactly that.

First up…Puppy Yoga

When it came time to pick an activity for the latest teams week, I sent four options to the team to vote on. No surprise, Puppy Yoga won by a landslide. I booked a private session so we’d have the space all to ourselves, and one of my directs graciously brought breakfast goodies to share. It was pure Zen meets cuteness overload. While this particular studio didn’t partner with a shelter (I did ask!), there are some that do, which would make the experience even more meaningful. After the yoga session, we took advantage of the relaxed energy to meet as a team and reflect on the past quarter using the After Action Review method. It was the perfect blend of calm, connection, and conversation…exactly the kind of reset a busy team needs. Here’s the link to the service I used: Puppies & Yoga, which operates in several markets if you’re looking to book your own session.

Local Food Tour

Years ago, I joined a food tour as a team activity and absolutely loved it. What’s not to love? Sampling delicious bites while learning the stories behind local restaurants…it’s the best kind of meeting. It’s also how I discovered my love of Beecher’s cheese at Pike Place Market.

What makes a local food tour so fun is that even longtime residents end up learning something new about their own city. I’ve always thought it’s a shame how often we travel for work but rarely experience the places we go. So earlier this year, I decided to bring that same spirit home and organized a local food tour for my team. The best part? One of my teammate’s dogs, Winnie, joined us and happily sampled a yummy bite at the Great State Burger.

Pro tip: Check in advance for any food sensitivities on your team so the tour guide can work with restaurants to ensure everyone gets to enjoy the full experience. No one wants to feel left out when the food starts arriving.

You can find local food tours by doing a simple search online or check out AirBnB experiences or Viator travel experiences. I used a service called Eat Seattle Tours for the most recent outing and they were great to work with.

Gratitude Bucket

If you’re looking for a no-cost team activity, the leadership team I was apart of prior to Microsoft excelled at meaningful team building activities. At one offsite, we did a simple but powerful exercise focused on appreciation. Each person received a small bucket and slips of paper, and the ask was simple: write down something you appreciate about your teammates and drop it into their bucket.

It was surprisingly moving to read what others noticed and valued. We get so caught up in the day-to-day that we often forget to acknowledge the impact people make in quiet, consistent ways. Taking a moment to share what’s meaningful goes a long way in strengthening trust and morale. One of my favorite quotes is, “What you appreciate, appreciates.” When you create space for gratitude as a team, it not only feels good but it amplifies the culture of support you want to cultivate.

There’s no shortage of stories I could share on this topic. I’ve also had the “opportunity” to walk across hot coals and ride a mechanical bull, but I’ll save those for another post!

Parting Advice for Team Builders

If you’re planning a team-building activity, here’s my best advice: get your team’s input on what would feel most meaningful, build anticipation for the event, and make sure to consider any sensitivities or accommodations so everyone can participate comfortably. Snap a few photos to capture the memories, but most importantly, be intentional about creating space for connection. You’ll never regret putting a little extra energy into building your team culture…it’s one of the best investments you can make as a leader.

If you have other “greatest hits” team building activities, feel free to share in the comments below!

Thanks for reading and sharing. xx