Author: Sam Mittelsteadt

At work: Sam Mittelsteadt develops editorial and marketing content designed to help dental professionals improve their clinical and practice management skills. Previously, he was a senior content editor for custom publishing, advising and assisting print and digital clients that include a top broadcast TV network, one of the country's most popular retail stores and several major healthcare systems. And before THAT, he was a writer, editor and designer in the entertainment, lifestyle and features sections of newspapers in Montana, western Colorado and Arizona. Off the clock: He's trying to learn his third language, has a soft spot for pop music and plaid clothing, and is able to concoct a killer cocktail with whatever's handy.

Blind Tiger: Team-Building Invites

A mysterious email from “Blind Tiger” appears in your inbox, telling you to block out your calendar on a specific day. Only that morning do you finally learn what you’re in for: an afternoon out of the office, with up to eight fellow co-workers.

Charged with creating an event that would build community among three particular departments at work, I opted instead to create a secretive series that would keep employees talking about Project Blind Tiger for weeks, as each group discovered and returned from its own unique adventure.

Activities ranged from relaxing (lunch on the patio of a Mexican restaurant) to raucous (firing rounds at an indoor shooting range). Attendees—and, when applicable, teammates—were determined in advance to maximize cross-department mingling.

I created separate 10 adventures, wrote and designed the invites, and even crisscrossed the Valley to pick up and pay for the necessary gift cards and passes in advance so everyone could enjoy their afternoons with only one requirement: “Take photos.”