Across many organisations in Kenya, team building has become the go-to solution for declining performance, low morale, and internal conflict. When results drop, the response is often the same: organise a retreat, plan activities, take photos, and hope things improve. Yet weeks later, the same issues resurface. The uncomfortable truth is this: team building is not the real problem — leadership is.

At Eagles Consultant, we have seen this pattern repeatedly across NGOs, SACCOs, schools, and public institutions.

Team Building Has Become a Distraction, Not a Solution

In many workplaces, team building is treated as a quick fix rather than part of a broader leadership strategy. Fun activities are expected to compensate for poor communication, unclear roles, unresolved conflict, and lack of accountability. While these activities can temporarily lift morale, they cannot correct leadership gaps that employees face every day at work.

When leaders fail to set direction, listen to their teams, or address workplace tension, no amount of outdoor games or retreats will produce lasting change.

Leadership Shapes Team Culture More Than Any Activity

Teams reflect their leaders. Where leadership is transparent, fair, and consistent, teams tend to collaborate naturally. Where leadership is reactive, distant, or biased, teams disengage quietly. In such environments, team building feels forced and performative rather than meaningful.

Employees do not resist teamwork; they resist environments where effort is ignored, feedback is punished, and growth opportunities are unclear. Without intentional leadership, team building becomes a cosmetic exercise that hides deeper organisational issues.

Why Kenyan Teams Are Disengaging

Kenyan employees are working under increasing pressure — rising living costs, job insecurity, and heavy workloads. In this context, teams need empathetic leadership more than symbolic gestures. When leaders fail to acknowledge these realities, team building activities can feel out of touch and even insulting.

Disengagement often shows up subtly: reduced initiative, minimal participation, and quiet compliance. These are not signs of laziness, but signals of leadership disconnect.

What Leaders Must Fix Before Team Building Can Work

Effective team building starts long before the activity itself. Leaders must first create clarity around roles, expectations, and decision-making. Open communication, trust, and accountability must already be present — or actively being built — for team building to reinforce them.

When leaders participate honestly, listen actively, and follow through on commitments, team building becomes a tool for strengthening alignment rather than masking dysfunction.

Rethinking Team Building as a Leadership Responsibility

Team building should not be outsourced as an event; it should be embedded in daily leadership practice. The most successful organisations use team building to support leadership development, improve communication, and align teams with organisational goals.

At Eagles Consultant, we believe sustainable team performance comes from developing leaders who understand people, not just planning activities. When leadership is right, team building works. When leadership is weak, team building only delays the inevitable conversation.To book training sessions or find top team-building venues, visit Eagles Consultants.