There is a lot of uninspiring team building out there. An ice breaker here, a problem to solve there ... The best part of the day for participants is when they go home at the end of the day. Team building does not have to be tedious or predictable, here are four great team building ideas which can help to gel your team and develop innovative thinking skills in a great environment.

People of a certain age will clearly remember a TV programme in which Stuart Hall and Eddie Waring had a great time organising and commentating whilst ordinary people floundered around in bizarre foam-rubber suits on washing-up liquid soaked bouncy castles. The programme? It's a Knockout. To succeed, the teams had to support one another, think quickly to solve problems and of course make an informed decision about when to play the joker to gain double points. This is now available to do the same for your team!

The TV series Spooks has generated a huge interest in espionage and the work of secret agents and spies. The latter have to learn to think on their feet and to make instant decisions - wouldn't it be great if your teams could do that. The series Spy School was compelling watching as ordinary people followed a secret service training course. Many aspects of the secret services have now been adapted for team building - activities such as agents in disguise, bomb disposal, evasive driving and safe cracking are used to challenge business teams, bringing the members together and developing their problem solving skills.

Corporate treasure hunts are another motivational way to team build. Here a team is faced with far too many clues than can possibly be answered in the time available. Decision making takes place first, where the team agree on the route - you soon find out who are the leaders! Then the co-operation and lateral thinking skills are developed as the team addresses their clues and finally flexibility is nurtured as the team adapt their strategy as time is running out.

Mediaeval team building is great fun, with activities like jousting and sheep throwing, but it involves all of the key aspects of team building. Team members have to learn new skills in a short time, make collaborative decisions and overcome challenges that they would not normally encounter - all skills that are essential to a successful corporate team.

So you see, team building need not be met with groans of dismay from your employees. Give them a day to remember. But like a new pet is not just for Christmas, Team building is not just for a day! You will need to make sure that the skills from your team building day are reinforced ... but that is a subject for another article.