Tip for pre-meeting activity Leiden
Her whole person beams with confidence. She's to-the-point, has a great sense of responsibility and a hands-on mentality. She aims for the stars and...is new to the team. So she organises a team outing. Thé tip for a pre-meeting activity Leiden.
Meeting your colleagues in real life
"Have you met each other before?" It's my favorite question when I greet a group for a teambuilding event or company outing. For me, the question is to open up conversation, get everyone talking to each other. From the group interaction I already know the answer. One of my participants was spot on when she said: "We know each other's voice".
Idea for pre-meeting activity Leiden
The power woman of this company planned a 1-day meeting to get to know her team. With the European headquarter in Leiden, she invited everyone to come over to the city of Rembrandt. And she booked a bike tour as pre-meeting activity Leiden. That, I think, is a perfect idea.
Typical Dutch activity Leiden
Whether it is before a 1-day meeting or weeklong conference, an active outing is a good starting point to get to know your team. Most of the time Dutch colleagues love to do something typical Dutch like a workshop cheese making or Delft blue painting. Cycling is one on the most popular corporate outings for international companies. And a bike tour has certain advantages.
Natural communication during team event
By doing something active the focus is on the activity itself. Communication happens more naturally. Sometimes networking feels forced. During the team activity it's mostly just small talk. The more intense conversations are kept for later.
During a typical Dutch cycling tour there's lot's to talk about. At least, when you're in the countryside. Although infrastructure in the Dutch cities is nice, passing busses, cyclists and pedestrians crisscrossing, might cause stress. The focus is not on the activity anymore. The only thing which is on your mind is how you'll get through this alive. Survival mode, that is. So, tip for pre-meeting activity in Leiden: go for a bike tour in the Leiden surroundings. Visit a windmill, pass by the lakes, have a drink at a castle. Talk to your colleagues from all around the world about everything you see and how that is different or the same from home.
What a bike ride tells about team spirit
The very very best of a bike tour as pre-meeting activity in Leiden is that you're in it together. Not everyone is born on a bicycle. The way you respond to the cycling skills of your colleague, says a lot about you as a team. Do you motivate her/ him? Do you leave him/ her behind, cycling all by him/herself or do you adjust your speed? Go for a bike ride and find out about your team's spirit!
Just curious: Do you have an idea who takes the lead in supporting the non-daily cyclists if you were to go on a cycling outing with your international team?
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Amsterdam beach cycling route
When I take the Amsterdam beach cycling route I forget about everything. It's the variety of landscapes that attracts me most. Dunes, North sea coastline, picturesque villages, green meadows and forest. And hidden behind the trees castles, houses with thatched roofs and churches. A Dutch fairytale starts here. Read more
Tips for countryside cycling in Holland
Going for a bike ride in the Netherlands is a piece of cake. Is it really? Countryside cycling in Holland can be quite an adventure. Fortunately there are ways to make your cycling experience in Dutch rural areas more pleasant. Just keep these tips for cycling off the beaten path in the back of your head when you explore rural Holland by bike.
Yes, our flat country has great cycling routes and infrastructure. Then again, once you get adventurous and go countryside cycling in Holland, you could be in a for a surprise. As a traveler countryside cycling in Holland is an adventure. Many visitors to Holland use their stay in Amsterdam to make a daytrip and explore rural Holland by bike. Cycling through beautiful and diverse landscapes is a true unique experience as long as you plan your bike tour to the Dutch countryside well.
Stop cycling
The first tip for a pleasant bike ride in the Dutch countryside has to do with planning your bike trip. With the app Fietsknoop you can create any bicycle route in the Netherlands. It also shows nice places to stop for coffee or a bite. I would definitely advise to make a cycling schedule and include these stops. This will come in handy at the time weather suddenly changes. I always include stops in my countryside bike tours in the Netherlands and know some great places to shelter in case it starts raining.
Dutch elements
Secondly, make different routes. If you have not cycled in the countryside in the Netherlands before, it is good to plan some small cycling routes first. Keep longer routes at hand so that nothing can stop you if you want to keep going. In the famous Dutch polders with their green meadows and long canals there is less protection from wind or rain. The wind can be strong and the weather unpredictable. Even in spring and summer, which are the best months to cycle in the Netherlands, rain & sun can play all day. When it comes to countryside cycling in Holland it mainly is the wind that’s tricky. Although there are no mountains in the Netherlands, the wind can make you feel as if you’re climbing a hill. Distances can seem longer.
Countryside cycling wear
The third tip is mentioned in a previous article about cycling in Dutch winter. Regardless of the season, wear different layers or make sure you carry different layers. Sunglasses as well as rain wear and gloves are useful as well.
Always take the weather with you
As said, weather and wind are important factors to make your bike ride through rural Netherlands pleasant. The fourth tip is to check the weather. Weeronline is my favorite website, the Buienalarm app keeps me updated enroute.
Your bike to go countryside cycling in Holland
Of course you need a bicycle to explore Holland by bike. You can rent bikes of different heights, different number of gears, pedal or hand brakes in the Netherlands. Rental prices are between €4.00 for a very simple, pedal brakes bike and €35.00 for an electric bike. The last tip is to get the appropriate rental bike that serves your goal. I definitely recommend an e-bike as it takes you much further and you don’t have to think about the wind anymore. Check the bike seat, the type of brakes and make sure you’re comfortable on the rental bike by adjusting the height. Are you cycling in the Netherlands in autumn, winter, spring? Days are short, make sure the light on your bike is working!
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