Paintball Helping Corporations

More Than Just Stress Relief

by Durty Dan

What skills do you want to develop in your employees? How many separate programs do you have for leadership, problem solving, stress management, teamwork, and other desired qualities? Have you considered paintball?

Paintball has the unique quality that combines all these separate programs into one neat package. Many corporations have used paintball to assess employees and provide an excellent venue for stress management. (Originally, paintball was intended only for stress reduction. Observers quickly noticed that paintball gave them opportunities to assess employees as well as give them a place to "play.")

Stress Management

Paintball provides two types of stress management. First, it provides an arena where players can safely vent aggression. Paintball provides both physical and mental release. Second, paintball allows you to assess player reactions to high-stress situations.

Teamwork

This is an essential skill in paintball. Teamwork allows not only for the team to obtain the objective, but to engage opponents and simply negotiate obstacles and terrain. Employees who play well together will work well together.

Crisis Management And The Decision-Making Process:

This is not to be confused with stress management. Stress is the effect the crisis has on the individual - it is the crisis that causes the stress. Players will have to set priorities in order to obtain the desired objective. Many times priorities will change during the game. For instance, capturing the opponent's flag usually takes priority over finding and eliminating a single opponent. However, finding and eliminating that opponent may become the first priority if that opponent has your team's flag.

It is important to note that the wrong decision is better than none at all. At least the individuals concerned are capable of making a decision.

Leadership:

Selecting leaders is a dangerous process. Not only for the individual concerned but for the company as a whole. Important projects can fail because the wrong person was chosen to lead it. In paintball, no corporate budget, stock values, or valuable equipment will be jeopardized.

Observers will notice that natural leaders will establish themselves even if an other person is assigned a leadership role.

Problem Solving:

Presenting unique objectives will aid in improving your employee's problem solving abilities.

Game Day And "Controling" The Events:

When it comes to game day, you must remember not to "micro-manage" the proceedings. Simply setting up a scenario and allowing it to run its course is good enough for your purposes. Examples of the scenarios could be the following.

Stress Management: Limit the number of paintballs players can use per game. Put the subjects to be observed, in a team that is vastly outnumbered by the opposing team and give them an objective to defend.

Teamwork:

This will develop, on its own, as the games are played.

Crisis Management and the Decision Making Process:

Before the objective is reached, change the objective during play.

Leadership:

Establish a rule where players cannot act on their own (other than the basics of finding cover, shooting, reloading and communicating). The only way players are allowed to move or play is when the designated leader tells them to do so.

Problem Solving:

Allow the players to play the same scenario a few times. When they become accustomed to it, change the scenario. For instance, once they have played a few games where they have to get their opponent's flag to their station, make the objective to bring their flag to the opponent's flag station.

Observation and evaluation should be secondary to your employees having a good time and burning off some stress. After all, you want them to have fun! When they're having fun, they'll forget that they are being observed or evaluated.

Play hard! Play fast! Play safe!

Durty Dan is in reality Dan Leger, a free-lance writer for numerous paintball magazines and websites. He has been playing recreational paintball for over ten years. For more information on Durty Dan and paintball, check out his website at www.durtydan.com