What would it be like if your team had a higher level of trust? What if you all communicated better? Collaborated more? And dispelled conflicts more easily? The catalyst to achieving all these benefits is simple: team building.

“… If you want to go far, go together.”

When a sports team wins a game, do they congratulate one player? No, teams win games — and it’s the same in business. Team building is important because a strong team can achieve so much more than a weak one.

Strong teams collaborate; they’re more productive, motivated and supportive. They also have a stronger sense of belonging, which is a critical element in the success of your business: “High belonging was linked to a whopping 56% increase in job performance, a 50% drop in turnover risk, and a 75% reduction in sick days,” according to the Harvard Business Review.

The best team-building experiences get people out of the office and allow them to spend time together through a shared experience with a common goal. This allows bonding to happen more naturally, which is also more effective. One great way to do this is by attending a conference as a team.

“It's team building, bonding, going to the different meals together, even traveling to and from [the conference] together builds that camaraderie,” said Ryan Millard, CTP, Senior Manager, Treasury, at American Airlines. “It's really a great experience to be together outside of the normal work environment, to get to know each other a little bit and to be able to share the experience together.”

When you attend as a team, you can also cover more ground and maximize the amount of information you gather and bring back to your organization. Some people can cover the sessions while others are taking meetings with partners, such as banking partners or service providers.

“I bring my entire team with me to the AFP conferences,” said Ilana Esterrich, CFO at Planned Parenthood. “We work better after attending an AFP conference because we come back with a lot of great ideas. We attend as many different sessions as we can, and then we come together to share what we learned. Coming to AFP, then going home, sitting down and rehashing what we learned really helps us evolve as a finance and accounting organization.”

Bring your team to AFP 2023, and …

• Learn and grow. Attending AFP 2023 is a powerful way to develop new skills, discover the latest trends, spark inspiration, rekindle passion, hear from experts and more. Attending as a team also fosters dialogue about sessions, speakers and topics, which can lead to a greater understanding of the content. Plus, if you have senior staff mixing with junior staff, you create opportunities for mentoring.
• Take advantage of the perks. Enjoy a dedicated meeting space where you can connect with your team, and we’ll be sure to put you down for reserved seating at Wednesday’s Principles in Practices sessions. “It's [AFP] one place where we can really get together as a team,” said Dana Spinney, Manager of Global Banking for American Airlines.
• Save money. We offer a discounted rate to corporate practitioner teams of three or more people, not to mention the shared transportation and cost of meals. Plus, the earlier you register, the more you save.

There is an abundance of possibilities for growth, bonding and inspiration for your team at AFP 2023. We hope you and your team will join us this fall in sunny San Diego, “where bright ideas shine.”