What is wrong with team-building programs?

Having been in corporate HR departments for 26 years, I've seen several team building exercises and believe all failed to assist the improved functioning of a team. I've also been in two incredibly high functioning teams that delivered very significant results, yet had no team "building" actions occur at all. Perhaps this is a nature vs. nurture arguement, that succesful teams can evolve but can't be built.

My impression of what drove the success are twofold. First was benevolent dictatorship by the senior managers. They did not need to be actively involved in the team (all senior professionals, minimum admin functions) and managed by progress towards project goals. Second was the relationships that developed out of the various personalities of the team. There was a sense of purpose, that the work was of great signifigance to the organization. There was also fixed or well known timetables for completion of the work. There was very strong support by senior leaders and resource requests were acted upon rapidly, in some cases same day.

In both cases, once the project was complete or the team members changed, the sense of purpose, focus and comradeship diminished. I'm not saying that the other groups I've worked with and in over the years haven't been successful or smoothly functioning. I am saying that the highest functioning and most successful were a result of a confluence of content, leadership and personalities that were somewhat random in occurrence. No course or consultant could have identified all the necessary components that created these super teams.

I don't mean to rain on anyone's parade. I do wonder if, like good managers, good teams are born not made.

Ian MacRae