Professional Documents
Culture Documents
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Most of these games can be used or adapted for children's development and education, and many even for
kids party games.
Real Team Building
Events
We cannot accept responsibility for any liability which arises from the use of any of these free team building
A Unique Experience
exercises ideas or games - please see the disclaimer notice below, and see the guidelines for creating and for Any Budget Groups
running teambuilding sessions. Always ensure that you have proper insurance in place for all team building Up to 500 People
www.SunBuggy.com
games activities, and take extra care when working with younger people, children and if organising kids party
games.
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See also: Experiential Learning - guide to facilitating experiential learning activities.
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descriptions and links below.
Business
See also the Quizballs quizzes, especially the management and business quiz for aspiring managers and Negotiation
trainers, and anyone interested in managing people and organisations. Training
Systematic
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team building games - are games appropriate? & Skills
Development.Call
02240166503
Before you decide to use any team building games with a group of people, think about whether the activities Lead Change
Successfully
are appropriate for the team members and the situation. Kirkpatrick's learning model is a good reference
Using Narrative
point for this assessment: team members should ideally enjoy the activity, learn something from it, Leadership change
which they can apply, and which will improve results. your organization's
story & outlook
See the Team-Building Activities Evaluation Form and Outcomes Notes (Excel file). www.restory.org
It's useful also when assessing any team development needs to refer to Bloom's Taxonomy of learning Brain Training
domains, which provides a useful template or checklist for designing and evaluating training and learning Games
Improve memory and
activities of all sorts.
attention with
Ensure that team-building activities comply with equality and discrimination policy and law in respect of scientific brain games.
www.lumosity.com
gender, race, disability, age, etc.
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Age discrimination is a potential risk given certain groups and activities. Team-building facilitators should be familiar with the
Employment Equality Age Regulations, effective 1st October 2006, (UK and Europe).
Note that team building games are not necessarily the best way to improve team morale and attitude if there are problems in these
areas. Workshops are often a better starting point for fragile or bruised teams, which need basic bonding, confidence and help to
strengthen their sense of responsibility and purpose.
If using team building to develop mutual respect, care and compassion, etc., look at the love and spirituality at work section - it explains
about bringing compassion and humanity to work and teams.
Effective relationships and behaviour at work involve the same principles as everyday life - respect for others, integrity, honesty,
compassion, courage - all the good things that we all naturally possess deep down. Sometimes people have insecurities or stresses
which create difficulties on the surface, to which others in the team then react. Emotional maturity, or Emotional Intelligence is a useful
perspective. However, if you approach a behavioural problem head-on, or try to resolve it with a team building exercise, this can cause
people to clam up and become defensive (just like we all tend to do when someone is critical or implies a weakness). Instead, ask the
people what they'd enjoy and find helpful for their lives in general. Move the issue away from work and skills and 'team-building' per se.
Help the person (and people) rather than treat the symptoms. If you help people with their life-balance and personal fulfilment they
become more emotionally mature, tolerant, positive independent, self-sufficient, etc. When the person is okay, so is everything else,
including their relationships and communications at work. Developing people involves more than behaviour, relationships, skills,
knowledge and processes. It's often more about helping people feel better about themselves; helping the person to feel happy and
fulfilled. A good leader can facilitate this. Team building doesn't have to involve games and exercises - team building might be better
achieved by arranging other things which appear to be unconnected to work. Perhaps the sort of things that people would otherwise
seek out at evening classes. Perhaps lunchtime yoga or reiki or relaxation sessions might be of interest? Maybe go bowling? Horse
riding? Ask the people. In the Summer maybe play softball on the park? Or maybe ask if they would like to run a lunch-time barbecue
for clients and suppliers. If you focus on the problem it will become a battlefield. Instead focus on fun, new positive experiences and self
-fulfilment.
The subjects on this website increasingly feature ideas for developing the whole person. In the same way, you are not restricted to
providing traditional work skills development. Explore everything, and show your people that you have a broader view about
development - they'll have lots of ideas of their own if you let them see it's okay to think that way. Team building games are just a part
of a very wide mix of learning and and development experiences that you can explore and facilitate for your people - try anything. If it
helps your people to feel good and be good, then it will help your organisation be good too.
On which point, see:
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numbers of team members per team are factors which have a big effect on how the exercises work and the experience for all. See the
team building activities guidelines for tips and techniques.
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At its simplest the game takes less than a couple of minutes to explain and play.
All you need is a few coins.
Expandable to be very challenging if required.
See the takeaway game on team building games page 2.
the obvious teambuilding game for snowy weather (teambuilding, fun, etc)
A seasonal activity which requires snow. And a managing director with a decent sense of humour.
See the Obvious Teambuilding Game on teambuilding games page 2.
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learning and thinking styles exercise (learning styles, brain type preferences,
self-awareness, johari awareness)
Quick exercise for exploring and understanding thinking/working/learning style preferences, without the need for a test instrument.
See the learning and thinking styles exercise on team building games page 2.
alternative christmas and new year exercise (new year ice-breaker, creative
thinking, social values and true life priorities)
An exercise for any group size and creative thought-provoker for the New Year.
See the Alternative Christmas and New Year Exercise on team building games page 2.
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mobile phone game (time management, use tools - don't let them use you,
manage your environment, communications, addictions to technology and
gadgets)
Demonstrates how mobile phones and emails disrupt effective working, time management and organisational efficiency.
See the mobile phone exercise on team building games page 2.
passion to profit exercise (process and template for enjoyable rewarding work
and independence, career change, business start-ups, self-employment,
redundancy and outplacement support)
It took Google ten years to achieve world domination from a standing start.
Your own meaningful enjoyable career change, successful self-employment, or new business would take much less time than that.
What's stopping you?
See the passion to profit exercise on team building games page 2.
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the 'what did you learn yesterday' game (icebreaker, self-development, life
attitude, self-awareness, discussions about what learning and development
means)
Simple and potent activity or quick icebreaker. Very adaptable.
See 'What did you learn yesterday?' on the teambuilding games page 2.
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political qualification game (job skills, training, competence - and many other
issues relating to competence and suitability)
An exercise to develop appreciation of job competence and profiling for determining suitability, training and qualifications.
See the political qualifications game on teambuilding games page 2.
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new world exercise (icebreaker, or bigger exercise for leadership roles, team
roles, multiple intelligences, life skills, analysis and reaction - a context for
using new models and tools of management and leadership)
A flexible and fascinating scenario-based activity for groups up to 12 people. For all ages.
Larger groups can be split into teams to add a competitive/diverse aspect to the exercise.
See the new world exercise on the teambuilding games page 2.
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Especially useful for emphasising the importance of attitude, above skills, knowledge, and experience.
See the secrets of success exercises on team building games page 2.
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christmas quizzes
Free Christmas quizzes - Quizballs 48 (30 questions and answers) and last year's Quizballs 29 (20 questions and answers)
conkers and acorns ideas (various themes - especially for young people)
Seasonal obviously, although other links between nature and learning can be found through the year.
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See the conkers and acorns ideas on the teambuilding games page 2.
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quiz public survey game (all and any aspects of communications, plus lots of
other applications)
Imagine a cross between a quiz and a treasure hunt... this is it.
See the public research quiz game on the team building games page 2.
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christmas quiz
See Quizballs 29 - twenty questions and answers for parties and team games.
cartoon and celebrity role-plays (quick character profiles and scenarios for role-
playing)
Do you struggle sometimes to find or compile case-studies for role-playing activities?
Easy quick ideas for enjoyable role-plays - for appraisals, interviews, counselling, discipline, coaching and more.
See the cartoon role-play ideas on the teambuilding games page 2.
obituaries (personal destiny, life goals, getting control of direction and purpose)
For encouraging a deeper review of personal potential and life purpose.
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quickies
Ideas you can develop and have fun using. See the quickies on the teambuilding exercises page 2.
stress reduction techniques (stress reduction ideas and understanding, for self
or others, or teams)
The quick stress reduction techniques on the stress management page aren't teambuilding activities as such.
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However they can provide interesting ideas for dealing with stress and helping and teaching others about stress reduction.
The ideas can also be used to reduce tension in certain types of teams and meetings, for ice-breakers or diversions, to demonstrate
aspects of mind-body connection and its relevance to attitude, frame of mind, self-control, and also aspects of NLP, positive
visualisation, lateral thinking, lifting limits, and no doubt lots more too.
The chief effect of these very simple exercises is to change the environment and atmosphere, and thereby the 'mindset', which is a basis
for all sorts of development, quite aside from the benefits of reducing someone's stress levels.
The 'I am' page helps to illustrate and explain the power of positive visualisation and 'self-talking' which is a strong element within the
second of the three stress reduction ideas.
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fantasticat
This idea is so good that it deserves a section all of its own. See the Fantasticat page.
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certain CEO's who will pooh their pants at the very thought of it all. It goes way beyond team-building games and pure team-building
activities. See what you think:
The activity is particularly ideal for conference or auditorium situations. Big company gatherings to 'motivate' everyone. You know the
sort of thing... The CEO says to the HR department, "Guys, we've got this conference coming up. All the staff will be there. I'm going to
open it up and give everyone a great big bollocking, I mean pep-talk. Yes, Pep-talk. Get everyone motivated and focused on the new
challenges ahead. The need for everyone to learn new skills, to be more customer focused, more joined-up, to be more committed and
to adapt to all the changes that we need to make, including the ever-increasing risk of redundancy (so that I can float this baby in a
couple of years and make a bloody fortune/so that headquarters/central government can meet its efficiency gains and targets)..."
"Go on.." says the HR team, (thinking, "Is he in the real world?...")
And predictably the CEO continues: "So, after I've warmed them up - an hour or so should do it - it's over to you guys to put together
some activities which will get everyone involved and focused on the changes they need to make, so they can all improve their skills,
increase service levels, save time and money, take the burden off their managers, and generally come up with some ideas for becoming
more effective. Empowerment they call it don't they? I want to empower them all to be more productive. And to stop all the whingeing
and moaning. That would be good too. Oh, and by the way we've got no money to spend on it; the hotel is costing us a bleeding
fortune as it is."
And then it's over to you.
And here's what you do:
First resist the temptation to leave the company. The people need you. And you like a challenge. What doesn't kill you makes you
stronger, remember.
Second, think about using this activity and then discuss it with your CEO. If he/she likes the idea you've half a chance that they'll allow
you to go through with it:
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thinking deeply about their own development and how to optimise it, and
working together to suggest how the organisation can improve.
The activity, and the planning leading up to it, will hopefully help the CEO and senior managers to understand more about their
responsibilities for their people and their organisation, and perhaps to reappraise their leadership philosophy and purpose.
Important outcomes of this activity will be that:
people begin to align more closely with the organisation, and crucially: vice-versa
people start to think differently about the organisation - "it can be more than a job if you want it to be.."
the organisation gets to hear and see what its people are truly capable of
the organisation hears how its people can and want to help improve themselves and the organisation
the organisation (and particularly the CEO) commits to supporting its people in doing the above
Make no mistake - this is not for the faint-hearted - this is not for CEO's and organisations who say one thing and then do another. This
is not for organisations and CEO's who want to line their own pockets and don't give a shite about their people. This activity is more
than a game - it's a philosophy.
Split the group into teams of function or job type. Between four and a dozen teams, up to about twenty people per team. If you have
more than twenty in a single team split the team into two, for example, 'customer service north' and 'customer service south'.
Organise the seating so that team members are sitting together - either around their own team table, or in blocks if the seating is fixed
in a theatre or auditorium. Imagine the BBC 'Test the Nation' studio format if you've seen it. Each team contains people of a similar
responsibility/role/function, playing together as a team.
Teams need to appoint a team leader, and this responsibility can rotate so a number of team members experience the responsibility.
Team leaders are responsible for ensuring that everyone in the team has the opportunity to contribute. Setting up sub-teams within
teams is perfectly okay if it ensures everyone has greater input. This can be at each team leader's discretion.
An optional exercise at this point is to ask each team to design and make their own team flag, representing the
strengths/values/philosophy/challenges of their team. Materials and timings at the discretion of the facilitator depending on the event.
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This is an optional quick introductory exercise - no need to spend ages on it. Don't do it if the people want to get on with the business at
hand, which will very commonly be the case.
The facilitator (a sort of quiz-master or compere role) must prepare suitable questions in advance, and it is essential to involve the CEO
in doing this because there are big implications that need buy-in and support from the top. Failure to do this will expose the
facilitator/organiser and disappoint the people when nothing happens afterwards. A central aim for this activity is that outputs must be
followed up.
The questions must be carefully designed and powerful, to get people thinking about:
their own personal strengths, passions, (including hobbies and pastimes), dreams, ambitions, and how these relate
(because they do - believe me) to their effectiveness, happiness, maturity, tolerance, creativity, resilience,
adaptability, and value etc., as people at work, and
their ideas and suggestions for how the organisation - in any and every way - can be improved; from personal
development relating to job skills and whole-person development, to customer service and quality of delivery,
management, communications and IT, health and safety, ethics and corporate social responsibility - the whole
shebang.
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their development as individuals, their personal fulfilment, and how valuable and transferable these skills, knowledge,
behaviour and experiences are to the organisation and their work. (You will probably need to explain this to the CEO before
planning this event as well, and if he doesn't see it then proceed with caution unless you're lucky enough to have a CEO who is blessed
in the 'blind faith' department.)
The teams are then given a few minutes to confer and consider their answers. To an extent you need to be flexible in how long you
allow - there's no point in cutting useful discussion short if you can adjust the schedule accordingly.
After an agreed/suitable time period, each team's spokes-person gives their team's answers in turn, which are recorded by the facilitator
on stage or at the front of the auditorium, on a suitable viewing system (flip-chart sheets and blu-tack are perfectly okay if you like to
use them) so all teams can see every other team's answers.
Review and invite questions and comments from the participants.
Then ask the teams to cast votes for each of the other team's answers, by which the facilitator then allocates scores for each team. The
scoring system for the activity is flexible at the discretion of the facilitator, but must obviously be consistent and fair. For example ask
each team to confer and award three votes for the best answer, two points for 2nd best, and one point for 3rd best.
(You have the option to award prizes for teams and individuals during and certainly at the end of the activity. Be creative and think
about these prizes - think about some awards which relate to people's personal passions and interests - not just bottles of booze.)
Example of next question:
Choosing one passion from your team's suggestions, or from another team's suggestions, which relates to significant
and valuable personal development and organisational benefit, suggest a way which the organisation can help people to
develop that passion, with all the skills, experiences and learning involved. (The organisation must, after the event,
consider all of these ideas, and try to help make them happen where possible - so people should try to come up with
ideas that are practicable and realistic - and which demonstrate a good result and benefit for people and the
organisation, relative to the efforts and costs involved.)
You get the idea? It's serious stuff. It extends development way beyond job skills into life skills - develop the whole person - and the
organisation must see that this is important too.
Follow this format using other carefully designed powerful questions.
Here are examples of questions relating to organisational development:
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Consider and suggest three ways that the organisation can improve its communications and cooperation between
departments.
Consider and suggest three ways that the organisation could involve its people earlier in responding to the need for
organisational change.
If you were the CEO how would you treat people differently compared to current practices?
In what ways could the organisation reshape its aims so that people find it easier to support and align with them?
Provide three examples of obvious daft management practice that need sorting out desperately, preferably with some
suggested remedial actions.
What's wrong with this organisation that even a ten-year-old child could see in a day of being here?
How can the organisation provide more personal meaning and relevance to you in your work?
At the completion of the activity you will have received a vast amount of well-considered suggestions, ideas, feedback and information
about your people and their capabilities. You will see how different functional teams view each other and the organisation. You will
receive and give people the opportunity to contribute significant ideas and suggestions for improving the organisation's weaknesses and
failings, in any aspect that you wish to expose (you are asking the questions, remember).
If you focus on personal development, you will understand and appreciate, and help your people to understand and appreciate, that the
most important characteristics, skills, and experiences are those which people can develop for life, not just to meet the needs of a job
skills analysis, or a flaky appraisal process that just goes through the motions.
Certain roles offer more obvious opportunities to overlap development for life and development for work - ie, to develop job
performance and capability through developing the whole person. Other jobs might initially seem to offer no overlap at all, but be
assured, all jobs offer plenty of potential overlap between the person's life development and job/organisational benefit.
Truck drivers have dreams too. So do shop-workers. So do labourers, cleaners and soldiers. We all have dreams and passions that we
want to follow and related capabilities that we want to develop, many of which are extremely and directly transferable to work
performance. In fact I'd challenge anyone to think of a job role that would not gain from developing the job-holder's whole-life passion
or dream or true potential. Try me, send me any suggestions where you think no overlap exists and I'll show you where it does and
publish the examples here.
Aside from transferable capabilities, there is also the effect on a person's general state of well-being and feeling of self-worth. When
people develop as people they become more mature and tolerant. They become more peaceful and contented with themselves. They
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become more self-managing, self-reliant, self-determining, confident, helpful, considerate - you name it, they become better people.
Isn't that what we want in organisations - grown-up self-sufficient people who largely manage, motivate and look after themselves?
Even the CEO who doesn't give a tuppenny-haypenny shite about the people - he still wants these qualities in his people, doesn't he?
X-Theory directors everywhere - wake up and smell the bleeding coffee - help your people develop as people, in the ways they want to,
and your organisation will fly.
One day all organisations will achieve sustainable success when they align themselves with their people's whole-person whole-life needs,
and when they do everything possible to help people develop as people for life, not just for work. This activity framework will provide a
useful and stimulating introduction to that philosophy; for the leaders - even the X-Theory dinosaurs - and the people.
Be a pioneer. Make a difference. If you want any help, please ask.
simple train the trainer exercises (training people how to train and coach,
writing a simple training plan)
This is a very simple exercise to help people learn how to write training plans, and to learn how to train and coach others. The activity is
groups of any size, subject to splitting large groups into teams of 6-12 people. Rotate roles of trainer, trainee(s) and observers. Ask
delegates to each write down on a slip of paper a simple task that takes 1-2 minutes to perform, and which can be performed using
materials or items available at the session - for example making a paper aeroplane to a specific design, or sending text message - simple
things. Delegates must then fold their slips of paper and place in the middle of the table. Then ask delegates to pick (blind) a task, for
which they must then write a training, and then (picked at random) use the plan to train one or a number of delegates how to perform
the task. Observers and trainees give feedback after the task, as to how well the training plan worked and was delivered. Points to cover
in the review are: communication style, listening, clarity of instruction, checking understanding, encouragement, accentuating the
positive, giving constructive criticism, transferability of training plan to another trainer who is less familiar with the task, etc. Refer to
any or all of these theories and models, depending on the depth and complexity of activity required. Bloom's Taxonomy, and training
and developing others theory. Extend the exercise by referring to Kolb's Learning Styles, Gardner's Multiple Intelligences and VAK
Learning Model, and to training evaluation and Kirkpatrick's evaluation model.
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exercises and ice-breakers for subject-specific training (for example, first aid
training, health and safety, customer service, etc)
It is easy to devise exercises, activities, ice-breakers and games for specific subject training, such as first aid, trade-skills, driving, health
and safety, etc., by adapting other generic exercises, and particularly the two examples below. Look at generic exercises and insert your
particular subject or theme. Simply alter the instructions so that delegates are limited to the subject concerned, be it customer service,
safety, or in these examples, first aid:
A simple ice-breaker idea for group or team introductions:
1. Ask people to think of two personal first aid (or customer service, health and safety, etc, etc) experiences from their past - one good
and one bad. Then ask each person to describe their experiences briefly in turn to the group. Note the key points on a flip chart.
Another ice-breaker and participation activity:
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2. Put as many different items of first aid (or other items relevant to specific training subject) as there are delegates, into the middle of
the table. In turn each delegate must close their eyes and reach out to touch an item. The one they touch they must then briefly
describe a personal incident or witnessed incident featuring the item. Note the key points on a flip chart.
In both of these exercises decide before-hand how to review the experiences and examples given, for example, start a brainstorm
session with the group, have a group discussion, summarise the key learning points, summarise the key areas of interest among people,
discuss the difference between feelings and apparent problem/success/outcome.
The simple exercises above will adapt to suit virtually any theme or subject that you wish to teach or train.
Statements for a session Statements for a session Statements for a session Statements for a session Statements for a session
on general work about improving service about developing and about ideas for improving on personal feelings and
attitudes and levels: using people's potential: morale: social views :
opportunities:
I most enjoy about work.... Customers would be My under-used potential... Information about the My favourite food...
I least enjoy about work.... happier... Staff can help... company... I like it when...
I hate it when my boss... Customers cancel... I could instead... People leave... My favourite place...
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Working in my current Customers argue... If managers let/help us we Staff would be more Holidays...
team... Meetings with customers.... could... committed... Family and friends...
The biggest opportunity... We could improve... To be more effective I'd... People would attend/want (ice-breaker only - no need
training... for significant review)
A career here....
You get the idea... Preparation for this activity takes just a couple of minutes: to think of a suitable subject area and purpose, to think of
suitable statement beginnings (the less words the better because it enables people more interpretation freedom) and then to type or
write them onto a sheet, and cut into separate cards or slips of paper - one statement per card/slip.
A variation on the exercise, and even easier to prepare, is to invite the team members to write their own statement beginnings onto a
slip of paper each, fold the paper and put into the middle of the table with other people's statements, and have the team pick and speak
about each one in turn.
When creating (or instructing the team to create) statements, try to accentuate the positive rather than inviting people to be negative,
although if there are serious negatives you are best knowing about them than not.
(Developed from a suggestion by F Kelly)
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Ask team members to share and discuss their trees and interpretations with each other within their teams. Emphasise the usefulness of
empathic listening and non-judgemental feedback.
The duration of the exercise is flexible depending on the type of people, and the need, benefit and willingness for sharing personal
feelings. Adapt the key above to suit the areas of discussion you seek to encourage, for example you could add birds and bees to the
situation to represent temporary 'partnerships' or travel or holidays; or you could add windfall dead branches and leaves to represent
discarded 'baggage'; or change 'leaves' to mean 'skills', 'buds' to mean opportunities, etc. You can remove items altogether if they are
not relevant to the situation.
(Ack F Kelly)
the 'dalai lama' personality test (ice-breaker, bit of nonsense, light relief for
boring meetings, etc)
The famous 'Dali Lama' personality test seems to have started as a chain letter and email around the year 2000. It has nothing
whatsoever to do with the Dalai Lama, and as a psychometrics instrument it has no standing at all, other than being top of the
personality testing category loosely referred to as 'a load of nonsense'. The test appears in many varying presentational formats, which
commonly promise lifelong happiness, wealth, avoidance of plague and pestilence, plenty of sex, yachts, etc., but the essential 'test'
elements are consistent. It's a bit of fun and no more. If you know of any research that says otherwise please send it to me. Meanwhile
use it with a pinch of salt and a firm disclaimer..
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Question 1. Write down the following five animals in the order of your preference: Cow Tiger Sheep Horse Pig
Question 2. Write a word to describe each one of the following (preferably write five different describing words): Dog
Cat Rat Coffee Sea
Question 3. Write down the name of a different person whom you associate with each of these five colours (each person
must be known to you and important to you): Yellow Orange Red White Green
Question 4. (In the typical 'Dalai Lama chain letter email, question 4 asks for the person's favourite number and favourite day of the
week, and subsequently links the answers to respectively: the number of friends to forward the email/letter to, and the day of the week
on which the person's wish will come true, so it's as well to exclude question 4, unless you position it purely as a bit of nonsense.)
(At this point the chain letter normally suggests, for extra gravitas..."Be sure that your answers are what you really feel..." and then
invites the respondent to make a wish.. world peace, meeting this month's target, a modest win on the lottery, Torquay United to avoid
relegtion...)
After people have written down and thought about their answers, you can reveal the interpretations....
Question 1 interpretation (Write down the following five animals in the order of your preference: Cow Tiger Sheep Horse Pig):
Cow = CAREER
Tiger = PRIDE
Sheep = LOVE
Horse = FAMILY
Pig = MONEY
Question 2 interpretation (Write a word that describes each one of the following: Dog Cat Rat Coffee Sea).
The descriptive words are supposedly how you see or feel about:
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Question 3 interpretation (Write down the name of a different person whom you associate with each of these five colours: Yellow
Orange Red White Green). The people whom you identify with each colour are supposedly:
Just for interest only, the chain email/letter version added additional incentive for continuing the chain with the promise that by
forwarding the message (or 'mantra') to specifed numbers of people "...your life will improve..." according to the following scale:
And the chain letter typically ends with a final sign-off: "If someone does not smile at you, be generous and offer your own smile.
Nobody needs more a smile than the one that cannot smile to others..." (which in itself is no bad thing to advocate - see Smile).
For the more mischievous among you, and especially for an audience who might already have encountered the Dalai Lama test and
think they know it all, here is an alternative Dalai Lama personality test and and answer interpretations, which is an even bigger load of
nonsense than the one above.
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but perhaps do not know each other well. Split the group into teams of threes or fours. Ask them to get to know each other within each
team, by giving their names, and to discover a common interest among the members of their team. At the end of the discussion period,
say 5 minutes, the facilitator has the option to extend the exercise by asking the teams to each nominate a spokes-person who must
then explain briefly the nature and benefit of their own team's common interest. The Johari Window is a useful reference model. Where
group members know each other and the emphasis is on team-building, then more emphasis should be put on the requirement to
present a common interest in which all team members agree a common benefit.
(Ack Fionnghuala Kelly)
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(Ice-breaker idea courtesy Pam Cook, adapted from an original exercise featured in The Encyclopedia of Ice-Breakers by Sue Forbess
Green)
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chart) an instruction by which each team's members should join with each other, for example: twelve fingers, three thumbs, two
elbows, one shoulder and two knees. Each team must then work out as quickly as possible how to achieve the 'joining instructions'.
When properly joined the team can shout out 'joined' for the facilitator to check they've won the round. Scores can be kept and the
game played over several rounds. Obviously, different joining instructions will create different pressures on the teams to think and
adapt. The facilitator should think about joining instructions to use, mindful of the likely group and team sizes. Ensure the joining
instructions given are physically possible, and enable all team members to be involved (which is generally ensured by including lots of
fingers in the instructions). It's preferable to state that joined solutions should involve all team members. Other examples of joining
instructions, depending on team sizes:
For the avoidance of (additional) confusion, a hand is just a hand, and cannot also be counted as four fingers and a thumb. Inclusion of
inanimate objects is absolutely fine, in which case it's best to confirm that body parts connected to inanimate objects count towards the
solution. Extra points for creative solutions can be awarded at the facilitator's discretion. Stipulation of bare skin contact is also at the
facilitator's discretion but if in doubt do not insist on this or even offer the option (we live in a litigious world). And unless using the
activity for very intimate gatherings it's advisable to exclude tongues...
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things that most commonly prevent and interrupt constructive adult communications, necessary for team-working, relationships
(work and life, social and romantic), mutual cooperation, and healthy organizations.
Explain the exercise: the aim is to demonstrate that we are able to improve our awareness and control of our own emotional responses,
and we can improve our awareness of and control over the extent to which we produce emotional responses in others. "Suffering is
optional" (ack Anita Mountain). Causing other people to suffer is optional. We simply need to think about and make a commitment to
develop our emotional maturity (which is the essence of adulthood and wisdom).
Split the group into pairs. Ask each person to think of a real personal weakness that they possess - for example being prone to
behaviours such as: being short-tempered, domineering, too yielding, late, unreliable, disorganised, blaming others, obstructive, not
eating properly, smoking, drinking, not taking exercise, sulking, etc, etc. The weakness should be real and significant enough to have
some emotional feelings attached to it for the person, but not so serious as would open a can of worms and give rise to the need for
several sessions of psychotherapy. One person of each pairing (for the purposes of this explanation let's call him/her the 'confessor')
should then explain their weakness to their partner, like an admission and a bit of an explanation or guess as to the cause, for example:
"I can be obstructive at times when I could be more helpful - perhaps it's when I'm feeling low and that people don't show me any
respect," or "I come in late sometimes because I think 'why should I bother about doing a good job when I should be paid more' ". The
other person in the pairing (let's call him/her the 'critic') must then demonstrate giving the 'confessor' a negative critical reaction to
their admission (don't go mad - we don't want any tears please). Just a few sentences of blame, judgement, and uncaring reaction
(imagine the worst teacher you had at school and how they used to treat kids who'd messed up or misbehaved, or imagine a a bullying
boss you've known).
Each pair must then take a moment to think and write down how they feel, especially: the 'confessor' should think how they feel - write
down a few key words. The 'critic' should try to think about the role you've just played - where did it come from in you? Can you hear
yourself being like that, even to a small extent, in other situations, real situations? How does it affect the other person? If people wish
they can briefly explain their feelings to their partner, but not too much because the exercise is not complete:
Then the 'critic' should demonstrate giving a positive, understanding, caring, sympathetic reaction to the 'confessor'. Not agreeing with
the weakness, but understanding it and listening with your eyes to how the other person feels, and the fact that they've made this
admission, which for many people requires a lot of courage. Offer to listen some more, without judgement, try to imagine how they feel,
if the 'confessor' wishes to then discuss the behaviour (do not discuss the person unless the person wants to, in which case listen
without judgement - it's how the other person feels that matters, not the 'critic's opinions).
Then each pause for a moment and think how you feel. What was helpful and what was not? (It's not always easy to be understanding
and say the right things). Can we think of real instances where this kind of emotionally sympathetic response would have been more
appropriate than the one actually displayed. How can we increase our awareness of other people's feelings and emotional sensitivities?
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How can we control better what we say to others? How can we control better how we feel when others fail to give us a positive
emotional response? Does receiving a negative emotional response change who we are, just because another person is not able to give
a positive emotional response? Do we blame others for not giving a positive emotional response? Is blame a helpful emotional response?
Imagine how much more effective a team or orgnization is when people's emotional responses are positive, tolerant, understanding
('giving' in other words), rather than negative, blaming, self-indulgent, disinterested ('taking' in other words).
If you can make more time for this activity, reverse the roles and re-run the exercise to begin developing greater understanding and
abilities in giving positive emotional responses.
It is helpful also to look at the Johari Window model, the Transactional Analysis early ideas, and recent TA models especially aspects of
'blame' - the mindset should be: "It's no-one's fault, blame isn't the issue - what matters is how we go forward, improve and develop."
Finally it's worth reinforcing the fact that all experiences are opportunities for learning.
Failures, weaknesses, problems and mistakes: they enable us to learn and grow wise.
birds, bees, lions and trees activity (the best of all ice-breakers and warm-ups
for very large groups?..)
An exercise that is great fun, physical, and full of activity. The exercise for large groups - over 100 people - adults or children.
Ask everyone to think for a minute carefully and decide what animal (or extend to living creatures, plants, sea creatures, etc) that they
each most associate themselves with (other than a human), but not to tell anyone. ("If you were an animal/living thing other than a
human what would you be?...")
Then ask people to write their choice on a small piece of paper, and keep it in their pocket. (This is a way of ensuring people do not
change their minds later when they see what creatures other people have chosen.)
Then ask everyone to think of a behaviour/action/sound they can perform that will represent their chosen creature/living thing (in other
words, "Now, act like your chosen creature..."). Encourage people to move around the room, assuming their chosen creature is mobile
of course. People choosing to be sea creatures will face extra challenge, as will anyone choosing to be a tree, or a mushroom, and this is
all part of the fun. Encourage everyone to practise their action/noise (chaos and fun of course). Again encourage movement around the
room (or swaying in the wind for all the beautiful trees and flowers...).
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Then ask everyone (while still acting out their creature/living thing actions/noises) to look for other group members in the room who are
the same as they are, and go and join them to form a group/flock/pride, etc.
Suggest to people that eventual group sizes should be no more than 10-12, although if as the facilitator you consider that other
purposes will be served by allowing bigger groups sizes than this then feel free to do so.
If using the activity for very large groups, for example over 200 people, it is likely that some species groups will be quite large, for
example, elephants, lions, bulls, dolphins, dogs, cats - in which case ensure you should ask people when choosing and writing down
their species to think about not only their species, but also one or two other characteristics, eg, male/female, young/adult/old, sub-
species (eg, Persian cat, farm cat, alley cat, or etc). The facilitator then has the option later if required (ie., if large groups appear to be
forming) to ask people to use these detailed characteristics to subdivide large groups of say more than a dozen people, in which case
these more detailed characteristics can only be discussed once the main species groups have been formed, and when the facilitator has
given the instruction for a formed group to confer and to subdivide.
Then when everyone is formed into groups of the same/very similar species ask each group then to elect a spokesperson (who must not
be the most senior person in the group, unless it is the CEO in a pride of male lions, in which case feel free to put him on the spot..).
Each spokesperson must then explain (the consensus view of the species group) as to why their particular species members all chose to
be that particular creature, what makes them special, and then relate/translate this to the special qualities that they as people bring to
the organisation and to their work and colleagues.
For a bit of added interest you could refer to or ask the species groups if they know the collective noun for a group of their own
particular species (if so it's as well that the facilitator has the answers to the more difficult ones). And if you wish and have time, and if it
suits your purposes, you can extend the activity by running a team quiz competition between the species groups (you might need to
join/split certain species groups to create teams with similar team numbers) - and obviously questions about species collective noun
names are an appropriate source of material for a list of quiz questions (here are some unusual ones).
A final couple of points of note about this activity: Before any reorganising team numbers for possible subsequent team quiz contest, the
facilitator should use the option to join together any single or very small groups of species if the people concerned might be feeling
uncomfortable or isolated and worried about having to explain to the whole group why they chose to be a termite, or a lemming, or a
Hoffman's two-toed sloth. But use your judgement, because on the other hand, people finding themselves the single species member of
a group of one, will likely have a very interesting perspective, and might quite enjoy telling all the lions and dogs and cats etc., why it's
good and special to be different to the crowd, or herd, so to speak. The facilitator of course retains the right to keep isolated in a team
of one, the company practical joker who announces that he/she (it will be a he not a she..) is a common cold virus, for the duration of
the quiz and for the remainder of the conference.
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are associated with managing, and those that are associated with leading. Groups of over five people can be spilt into teams of three,
to enable fuller participation and a variety of answers for review and discussion. Each team must have their own space to organise their
answers. Different teams can be given different items to work with or a whole set for each team. Manage the quantities and scale
according to the situation and time. NB To shorten and simplify the exercise remove items for which similar terms exist, and combine
other similar items, for example reporting and monitoring. If shortening the list ensure you keep a balance between management and
leadership items.
If using post-it notes or another method enabling items to be stuck to a wall (for example cards and 'blu-tack' putty), you can suggest
that items be placed on either side of a vertical line or string (attach headings 'leadership' or 'management' to each side), in which case
the strength of association that each item has with either heading can be indicated by how close each item is positioned in relation to
the dividing line (items that are felt to be both managing and leading can be stuck on the dividing line). The significance and importance
of each item can be indicated by how high up the wall it is positioned. This creates a highly visual of 'map' of management and
leadership competencies. The review discussion should investigate reasons and examples for why items are positioned, which can entail
items being moved around to each team's or whole group's satisfaction and agreement.
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Here's the list sorted into suggested categories for the facilitator to use when reviewing the activity. The answers are not absolute as
context and style can affect category. There is certainly a justification for some of the 'managing' activities to appear in the 'leading'
category if the style of performing them is explained as such, for instance 'reporting the performance of the team in a way that
attributes praise and credit to the team' would be an activity associated with leadership, whereas 'reporting' is a basic management
duty. You can add tasks, duties, responsibilities and behaviours to the list, and/or invite team members to add to the list with ideas or
specific examples, before the exercise. To shorten and simplify the exercise remove items for which similar terms exist, and combine
other similar items, for example reporting and monitoring.
managing leading
reporting team-building
monitoring taking responsibility
budgeting identifying the need for action
measuring having courage
applying rules and policies consulting with team
discipline giving responsibility to others
running meetings determining direction
interviewing explaining decisions
recruiting making painful decisions
counselling defining aims and objectives
coaching being honest with people
problem-solving developing strategy
decision-making keeping promises
mentoring working alongside team members
negotiating sharing a vision with team members
selling and persuading motivating others
doing things right doing the right thing
using systems taking people with you
communicating instructions developing successors
assessing performance inspiring others
appraising people resolving conflict
getting people to do things allowing the team to make mistakes
formal team briefing taking responsibility for mistakes
responding to emails nurturing and growing people
planning schedules giving praise
delegating thanking people
reacting to requests giving constructive feedback
reviewing performance accepting criticism and suggestions
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natural defence against nerves which you should allow to run its course. Stick with it, keep things moving, up-beat, and playful, and
people will settle down and enjoy and get a lot out of the experience.
This activity is a flexible format - adapt it to suit your own situation and the needs of the group. Adapt the role-plays for outgoing calls
or for face-to-face discussions if appropriate. You should additionally explain and reinforce the correct procedures and techniques
according to your own practices. Obviously use your own communications training and procedural reference points in the reviews, but
try to let people experience and learn through experience and feedback rather than spoon-feeding them all the answers. Discovery
through experience greatly improves learning, understanding and retention - people feel the experience, which they cannot do if they
are simply told things. If helpful also brainstorm ideas about the points to be reviewed with the group (for example, style, intonation,
clarity, process, policy, initiative, taking responsibility, building rapport, diffusing conflict, tolerating abuse, calming upset, using
empathy, active listening, facilitative techniques, etc). Refer also to the theory and instructions for role-playing exercises. If appropriate
(and if the group is comfortable with the idea) you can record the role-plays and replay the discussions to the group, in which case only
one role-play can be performed at a time, which implies having a relatively small group size. For larger group sizes recording is not likely
to be feasible, and you should use teams of three as described.
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To give the activity an extra edge you can make it competitive, in which case ask team members to exchange their answer sheets for
scoring while the facilitator calls out the answers. You can also award a prize for the most amusing wrong answer. The
observation/awareness emphasis of the exercise is slightly different if the situation is a one-off conference venue, compared with the
group's normal working environment. Try to make the questions fair for all, especially if participants have quite different familiarity with
the location. Select questions, and adjust the positioning of the purpose and review accordingly. Whatever - the exercise is an enjoyable
and different way to illustrate the opportunities that we all have for improving our awareness, and therefore responsiveness. As a point
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of interest you can refer participants to the 'First Law Of Cybernetics', also known as the 'The Law of Requisite Variety', which is: "The
unit within the system with the most behavioural responses available to it controls the system." The point being that you need maximum
awareness in order to enable maximum responses. Also point out that awareness features in at least three of Gardner's inventory of
multiple intelligences, notably spatial/visual, interpersonal, and self-awareness. (Adapted from a suggestion by Laura Feerer.)
the 'hellespont swim' motivation case study and team exercise (motivational
theory, performance, achievement and self-development)
Use the Hellespont Swim story as a motivational case study and exercise. Print and issue copies to team members in pairs, syndicates of
three, or small teams, and ask the team members to consider the case study in the context of motivational theory, plus other aspects of
self-motivation and performance management. There are very many interesting points of reference within the story that relate to
motivation and performance - how many points of interest can teams identify? Refer team members to the various motivational and
personal development theories, for example, Maslow, Bloom, McGregor, McClelland, Handy, Adams, Johari, etc., and encourage teams
also to identify examples of performance and project management within the story. Teams should present their findings to the group
after being given a suitable time period for discussion. The presentations and ensuing discussions provide an innovative basis for
assessing knowledge levels and developing understanding of motivational theory. Facilitators tip: keep a record of all the suggestions
and ideas arising from using the exercise, which you can build into a list of points to help review future activities involving this case
study.
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animals and living creatures. The team(s) can choose any form of representation and layout to create their animal kingdom metaphors -
for example, names of animals in a hierarchical structure, or drawings of animals, such as a plan view of a jungle, or a section view of a
beehive or ants nest. Really, anything goes. The teams then present their metaphors to the group, and discuss the meanings and
feelings about the animal kingdom they've created, which will obviously reflect feelings and attitudes about the real work situation that
the metaphor represents. The situation to be represented can also be extended to include customers and suppliers. This exercise will be
helpful for inter-connected teams to develop mutual understanding, and will also reveal to facilitators and managers the attitudes and
opportunities for improving and clarifying relationships, expectations, responsibilities, politics and organisational culture. Using
metaphors, especially those which enable the expression of strong characteristics (such as animals and wildlife), are an excellent way for
people to consider, express and discuss views about structure, relationships, behaviours, etc., which otherwise tend not to surface. The
Johari Window is a useful reference model for the post-activity review.
situation description
people involved on each side, their level of influence, their personal and corporate aims, and comment about personality and
negotiating styles
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variables (tradables) for each side with values or notional priority ranking for each side (because each side will place a different
value on each variable)
alternative options for each side (competitor offers with pros and cons, and comment on opportunity for either side to simply walk-
away)
external pressures and time-sensitive factors (for example seasonal or contractual aspects)
plus anything else of bearing to either side
Having constructed the scenario you can then run the negotiation role-play in any way you choose. The negotiation activity can be
organised for individuals or teams, with stages and responsibilities built in to increase the complexity and challenge. Or simply run the
activity with two teams facing each other across a table, with a suitable time limit to achieve a creative win-win (collaborative) outcome.
A flip chart is an essential tool for this exercise, because it allows ideas and criteria for the negotiation to be clearly agreed and shown at
all times. As the negotiation role-play unfolds it is likely that questions will arise which require the facilitator's arbitration, so expect to
have to manage and control the activities closely and pragmatically. In this respect there is some similarity with real negotiations, which
rarely proceed as anticipated.
The aim of the exercise and the role-play negotiation is not to create a confrontation, or a winner-takes-all result. The aim - which
should be reinforced frequently with the team members - is for the delegates to seek and develop new ways of arriving at better
collaborative outcomes, by thinking creatively and in collaboration with the other side, ideally based on a realistic (perhaps historical)
work negotiation situation. As such you can facilitate an enormous amount of learning and ideas with this format, in the way that the
scenarios are developed and discussed, and especially in the way that the negotiating teams can be encouraged to take a creative and
cooperative approach to finding better solutions than might first appear possible or have historically been achieved.
Every negotiation, when viewed creatively, entrepreneurially and collaboratively, provides an excellent opportunity to develop and
improve synergies between and benefiting both sides, within the negotiated outcome.
You and the trainees might find it useful to refer to Sharon Drew Morgen's concepts regarding collaborative facilitation, which although
developed primarily for front-end of the selling process, are also extremely useful for cooperative negotiating. Each side is uniquely
positioned to see how the other side can more effectively contribute to the combined solution - it can be a strange concept to appreciate
initially, but is extremely powerful in any situation where two people or sides seek to reach agreement to work together, which is
essentially what negotiation is all about. See also the negotiation techniques material.
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the motives and aspirations of the different types of people, their lifestyles and concerns, and purchasing drivers
language and style they'd respond to, and be less likely to respond to - typical words, grammar and vocabulary
the sort of products and services they buy (the adverts in the publications can be helpful in developing this understanding)
refer to demographics and social classifications details, and also to the readership profiles of the publications (which are often easy
to obtain from the publications themselves)
you can even extend the activity to showing and discussing examples of TV shows for a given type of audience, and exploring
demographics information which is available to potential advertisers
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refer also to non-verbal communications and the tone of voice, since meaning and feeling extends beyond words alone refer also to
the communications and language aspects within the theories of NLP (neuro-linguistic programming), and Transactional Analysis
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thoughts to themselves) also helps to open 'Johari Window' aspects of mutual awareness, which is good for team building and
effectiveness. First the facilitator or team leader should refer to the page about relaxation and positive statements or 'scripts' as a
method of identifying and achieving personal change. This will give you and the delegates useful background for the session, and also
for the ongoing implementation of whatever actions people wish to take forward following the activities.
The exercise is then to ask the team members to think about one, two or three aspects of their own personal character (how many is up
to the facilitator) that they would like to develop, change, or improve. For example, this might be to develop greater confidence; to
manage their time better; to deal with stress better; to be more creative; to be more accurate; to finish tasks on time; to take more
exercise; to spend more time with their children; to achieve a qualification; or anything about themselves and their lives, at home or
work, that it is reasonable to want to change. Depending on the group, you can give extra guidance as to particular areas to focus on or
avoid. Be mindful of the group's comfort zone and keep within it in terms of the personal nature of weaknesses and sensitivities that you
expect people to think about, and if appropriate, to divulge to others. If you wish to ask the team members to think of more than one
aspect for change, you can guide them to select different types of change, for example, one for work and one for home; or one for now,
one for the next month and one for the next three months. Use your imagination and refine your instructions to fit the situation. Bear in
mind that certain changes that people seek to make will contain more than one element, which is relevant to the next stage of the
exercise.
When people have thought and decided on their aspect(s) for change, you can ask them to discuss their ideas and feelings in pairs, so
as to validate, confirm, reassess their thoughts. Alternatively you can ask people to keep their thoughts to themselves. It depends on
the group as to whether you make the exercise 'open' or 'secret'.
Next, ask the team members to translate each desired change into a specific positive statement, which (in keeping with the
technique), should be in the present tense. If a desired personal change contains more than one behaviour then it can help to break it
down into two more more statements. Broadly, the more ambitious and complex the desired change then the more likely it will need
breaking down into separate statements, which could be different behaviours or steps.
The facilitator should decide and agree with the delegates whether they wish to share their aims and statements with others. It is
helpful to share, because people can then work in pairs to to give and receive feedback as to the changes and positive statements which
represent the changes desired. People can also then read out their statements to the group, as a first step towards using the statements
in the way described on the relaxation and positive statements page.
There are various ways to review the exercise, the process, feelings and the outputs, and various ways to agree follow-up actions and
commitments if appropriate, all of which depend on the group and the situation, and especially the wishes of the individuals involved.
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the big word game (understanding and defining aims, purpose, culture, etc)
A very simple game for groups of all sizes, and people of all ages and levels of seniority. People can work as individuals, pairs, or teams
of three or more, depending on the situation and outcomes and development required. Playing the game with individuals will limit team
discussion and cooperation but will produce individual expression; working in teams will prompt team discussion and generate collective
expression.
The object of the exercise is for the team members to embellish or decorate a big word on a sheet of flip-chart paper. The word can be
the same for each person/team or can be different, and can be chosen by the delegates or the facilitator, depending on the outcomes
and particular focus required. Short words work better than long words.
The word can be pre-prepared - ie., enlarged and printed in a plain font such as arial, 3-6 inches high, preferably in outline, so as to
optimise the opportunity for decoration - and then the printed sheet stuck to the flip-chart sheet, landscape (sideways). Alternatively
agree the word with the delegates/team and instruct them to draw it as a simple black outline on the flip-chart sheet. The word should
be plain and simple - it's the decoration that matters, and which can be very revealing.
Participants must use materials provided, for example, pens, paints, crayons, glitter, glue, textiles - anything, use your imagination - to
decorate and embellish the word so as to emphasise what the word means to them, in whatever context the facilitator suggests. The
context can be anything that pertains to the session, for example; the organisation's values and positioning, the delegate's personal
philosophy (if working as individuals), management culture, customer service effectiveness - any theme will work. This exercise is also
ideal for very young people, as well as people at work.
The exercise gives delegates the opportunity to express their feelings about the given context, in the way that they choose to decorate
the word.
Examples of themes/contexts: the organisation, customers, customer service, inter-departmental communications, career opportunities,
the school, training and development.
Examples of words for decoration: team, boss, staff, teacher, student, school, service, talk, hear, ideas, change, me, us, work.
The results of the exercise can easily be displayed, reviewed and discussed, leading to opportunities for actions, which the facilitator can
follow through. See also the flags and maxims exercises below.
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Allow two minutes after each presentation for initial questions and feedback and to quickly identify any actions or opportunities for
follow-up. The facilitator should 'park' major issues or questions for later review rather than interrupt the flow of the presentations.
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For more senior people you can increase the time allowed for preparation (which implies that this be given as a pre-session instruction
and prepared by the delegates prior to the session or meeting), and also a longer period can be allowed for the presentations
themselves.
In any event, calculate and control carefully the time permitted for presentations, questions and discussion, so that the whole activity
fits into the available time-slot.
For light-hearted situations, to add extra perspective/colour/fun to the role explanation, you can suggest that the presenters should
reference a fictional or real character, for example, from sport, entertainment, cartoons, politics, history; anyone who they feel
symbolises the role. The character reference can be incorporated into the presentation style and format to whatever extent the
presenter wishes.
Depending on the situation and complexity, the facilitator can ask that the preparation be done prior to the session, in which case use
these guidelines to create a pre-session preparation instruction sheet. If preparation is to be prior the session, presenters should be
encouraged to consult with their departmental/function colleagues if appropriate.
Involving people in this way and 'giving them a voice' encourages presenters to think about the issues, and improve connections and
understanding. The session is particularly useful in communicating a wide range of perspectives, to a group, up to date, from the horses'
mouths so to speak. The exercise also gives inexperienced presenters a useful introduction to presenting and speaking to a group since
they are talking about a subject they know well, to a group of peers who will each have to give their own presentations, which ensures
good audience support.
Finally it is essential that the facilitator enables and ensures that all important issues, questions and actions rising from the session are
properly followed up.
If the session is required for project-related reasons (especially involving the formation of a new team) then it is important to conclude
the presentations activities with a group review discussion and some agreement on an overall action plan.
See also the guidelines on running workshops, running meetings, and creating and giving presentations.
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of words, methods, experiences, etc., and to help people memorise prior learning. As the exercise is physical as well as mental it is also
a great warm-up, and a method of enabling people to work together and cooperate very quickly, in an enjoyable way.
Simply organise the group or team into a circle, which can be around a table. Ask them to stand up. Throw a ball - any type of ball - to
one of the group members, and explain that the ball should be thrown to another team member - in no particular order - upon which
the receiving person must call out his or her suggestion, according to whatever theme has been nominated by the facilitator at the start
of the exercise. The facilitator should write the suggestions on a flip-chart to review them at the end of the activity. Participants should
throw the ball to the next team member, a random, after calling out their idea or suggestion. The exercise can also be used to reinforce
prior learning, when participants can be asked to repeat examples or details of what they have learned in a previous session. This
includes calling out stages in a particular process or repeating a set of rules or instructions.
Possible exercise themes and categories for ideas, examples, suggestions:
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Ideal group size is six to ten people. For larger groups split the people into two or more groups and nominate facilitators for each group
to record the team's suggestions and ideas.
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Richard Of York Gave Battle In Vain (the initial letters match those of the colours of the rainbow, Red Orange Yellow Green Blue
Indigo Violet)
The word 'stalagmites' contains an 'M' for mountain (which points up, as opposed to stalactites, which point down)
The word 'stationery' (relating to paper) contains an 'er', as does 'paper' (as opposed to the word stationary = 'not moving')
Numbers can be remembered by association with similarly shaped images, for example: 1 = wand, 2 = swan, 3 = flying bird, 4 =
yacht, 5 = hook, 6 = elephant (trunk), 7 = cliff, 8 = spectacles, 9 = balloon on a stick, 0 = beachball, 10 = stick and a hoop. There
are many other alternatives. This memory method enables long numbers to be remembered by creating a story linking the
respective images.
The exercise itself is simply to ask team members, individually or in pairs, to create their own mnemonic for a given piece of important
information, facts or figures. The information could be related to the theme of the meeting or not, depending on the situation. Examples
of types of information that are useful to support with mnemonics are: a process, a theory or model, a formula, technical data, product
range, codes and numbers, procedures and policies, document references, etc. Mnemonics should then be presented back to the group
and discussed as to their effectiveness. Sharing ideas for memorising key data helps teams on a number of levels: it improves retention
of the particular subject matter used in the exercise; it teaches people how to improve their memory, and it gets people working
together in creative way. There is also always the likelihood that some particularly good ideas will come out of the exercise, which can
then be conveyed and used to reinforce key information across the wider organisation. (Thanks M Caroselli for the prompt)
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strengths and goals exercise (personal direction, personal strengths, goal steps,
goals, measures)
This exercise helps team members (and individuals) to identify their personal strengths, direction, aims and goal steps, either in their
personal life or for their work-related development, or for both combined. First ask participants to draw a line on a sheet of paper, (a
large sheet is easier than small one, and a vertical line on a sheet portrait-ways up is probably easier if you are asked, although it's not
critical). Ask them then to map onto it, (either or both, depending on the purpose and focus of the activity), up to five major life events
and/or the work achievements they have experienced. Then ask them to list the qualities, skills and attributes that they used, and what
experience, skills, and values they gained as a result, alongside each event or achievement. When the participants have completed this,
ask the individuals to form into pairs or threes, and to discuss in turn - using the other team members as a sounding board - possible
future direction and aims (career, self-development, or both) that their strengths and experiences would enable and help them to
achieve. (Ack Fionnghuala Kelly)
career review and planning exercise (personal direction, career path, career
counselling)
The purpose of this exercise is to provide participants with an opportunity to reflect on previous employment, focusing on aspects that
satisfied and motivated, or dissatisfied and demotivated them, so as to assist deciding about future direction and career choice. The
exercise can be given to individuals on a one-to-one basis, or the activity can be run for a group, in which case you should agree with
the delegates before-hand (having explained the exercise) whether or not they wish to carry out the exercise privately individually, or to
work in pairs, giving and receiving feedback when wanted. Giving and receiving feedback is very useful, provided people are
comfortable. First ask the group (or individual) to list their past jobs - each on a separate sheet of paper. If any participant has had
more than six jobs ask them to pick their favourite six jobs involving long-stay employment. Next, for each job, ask the participants to
identify and list on the respective sheets the aspects of each job that satisfied and motivated them, and in a second column for each
job, to list the aspects of the job that dissatisfied and demotivated them. Explain to the participants that their judgement as to what
'satisfied' or 'motivated' them can relate to as many different aspects of their lives that they feel are relevant and important. Encourage
people to use their own measures, not ones that have been imposed or received. Criteria can include things such as culture of the
organisation, the location of the company, duties and responsibilities, tasks, relationships, rewards, etc. (It can be helpful before the
exercise to discuss Maslow, McGregor, Herzberg, Kolb, etc., with the group, to aid their understanding of motivation, fulfilment, and
personal style. Next ask participants to refer to their individual job sheet lists, and using these reference points to compile an overall
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summary two-column list of 'good aspects of previous employment' and 'negative aspects of previous employment'. The final stage of
the exercise is to ask the participants to use these good and bad criteria to identify (first in broad terms, and then more specifically) the
type of future job, work, career, etc, which is likely to meet the needs that the 'good and bad' summary list represents. Logically people
should be identifying future direction and choices which include as many good points as possible, and exclude as many bad points as
possible. (Ack FK)
Related materials include:
Sharon Drew Morgen's Decision Facilitation Process.
Susan Piver's 'Hard Questions'.
Johari Window (especially where people have a lot to learn about themselves).
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Virtually all names readily translate into an image of one sort or another if you think about them creatively. Practising the technique
increases the speed at which these associations can be created. Weird impossible images and constructions are often more memorable
than logical ones, which makes it even easier to create a memorable association for anyone.
When using this as a team activity, explain the principles to the group and then have them take a few minutes to come up with their
own visual associations for all the other group members' names. The presentation of these ideas is fun and can be revealing (sometimes
needing sensitive facilitation), since, if you wish, it leads to discussion between team members about perceptions, as in the Johari
Window model, which helps develop mutual understanding and awareness.
An excellent reference book on the subject of developing memory techniques is Tony Buzan's 'Use Your Memory' (now BBC Books),
which contains 20 pages of techniques for remembering people's names and faces.
Use of physical resources - Were the teams able to gather around the table and if not did they reposition it?
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Human resources - How well were team members involved in the task? Did each have a role to play, and if not why not?
Time - There was no time limit given. Did they feel there was one? Was this due to body language? Did anyone ask about time?
Competition - Did the the teams feel it was a competition between teams and if so why? What about collaboration? If the teams did
not know that the exercise was a competition then why did the first team to finish not help the remaining teams to complete the
activity? Was the missing card identified? Was the information shared with all members of the team? Did teams inform you at the
end of the exercise?
Cards - Were the decks separated first by turning them over so the backs were visible or were the decks mixed up? If so why?
Passing on of information and seeking clarification - Did the initially selected representatives assume the role of leaders? Did an
expert leader emerge because for example they play cards or did leadership rotate.
Type of leadership - What type of leadership was exhibited? Facilitative, autocratic, democratic, etc., encourage the teams to discuss
this.
You will see other aspects to review, depending on your situation and what happens during the activity. While this team exercise is quick
to play, the discussion and review can take longer. There are very many aspects of team-working, collaboration, assumptions,
communications, leadership, etc., to explore. You can also encourage the teams to discuss their experiences in their teams and relate
what happened to what happens in the workplace when working in teams.
(With thanks to Fionnghuala Kelly, psychologist and author of the excellent 'Talking The Talk' book on workplace communications.)
team quizzes
Simple and easy and great for team building, a quiz gets people thinking, is ideal for warm-ups, and encourages people from different
teams and work-groups to appreciate each other's strengths, and to co-operate. Here's an example of a quick team trivia quiz, with
questions and answers (from the puzzles and games page) in MSWord, ready to play.
See the Quizballs quizzes for a growing library of quiz questions and answers for tivia, general knowledge, and specialist subjects,
notably the management and business quiz.
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the logo game - activity for developing and illustrating team understanding,
team values and purpose
A simple quick exercise for teams of all sorts and abilities - even very young children, up to main board directors. Split the group into
pairs or teams of three. Teams of more than three will require some guidance about appointing a leader, so as to ensure full
participation and reach agreement. Teams of three are ideal. Issue each team with a flip chart sheet of paper and some coloured marker
pens or paints. For added texture and fun you can issue additional decorating materials, for example, glitter, sand, glue, bits and pieces
of any sort, again anything that fits the context and allows people to express themselves in ways that might normally not come to the
surface. Alternatively issue clear acetate sheets and acetate coloured pens (which will require an overhead projector to view the work).
The exercise is in three stages:
Each team has to discuss and agree a single word that represents the team's (or teams') values, purpose and style. This instruction
could alternatively be to decide on a single word to represent the mission, positioning, and/or aims of the team or teams (or of the
department, company or school, etc) involved in the activity. The 'theming' of the activity is very flexible and can relate to departments,
school classes, whole organizations, new services, anything for which establishing an agreed platform, purpose and philosophy is
important. The facilitator can decide whether to allow hyphenated words. Allowing phrases or short maxims is not recommended
because this changes the emphasis and focus of the activity - see the 'maxims' exercise below. Devising maxims is a different activity.)
The word must then be drawn by each team or pair very large on the sheet of paper, in such a style, and decorated using whatever
design and embellishment the team decides appropriate, so as to represent visually the values, purpose and style of the team or
organisation in question.
The final stage is for each pair or team to present their decorated logo, and to explain the reasoning behind their designs, which will
inevitably provide a basis for much discussion, comment, questioning and mutual clarification.
Flip chart sheets are normally better materials for this sort of exercise because they can be subsequently stuck on the walls for all to
see, which of course an OHP format doesn't allow. This activity is a great way to start a workshop or small conference, because it
immediately opens people's minds, encourages free expression, and enables a rapid increase in mutual appreciation and understanding.
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When formed, give the teams a competitive task or tasks, eg: decide a motto which reflects them as people, which they then shout as a
war cry at the other groups (creative and energizing). Or ask the teams must find a 'champion' or 'expert' - someone in their team who
excels at something or is remarkable in a particular field, outside of their working life. Each team then announces their 'champion' in
turn, at which everyone can applaud and cheer the champion's (hitherto unknown) achievements (great for recognition, etc). You can
devise all sorts of other team challenges, perhaps even quick contests or quizzes between teams. (Here's an example of a quick team
quiz, ready to play.)
It creates more purpose if you can award winners 'tokens' or chitties - these could be anything suitable - paper slips, counters, play
money, wrapped sweets, whatever is easy to obtain or produce for the facilitator.
You can give people tight timescales for each team-sorting activity and team challenges and tasks, to focus them on quick team-
working, decision-making, communications, etc. The exercises can be used also illustrate many aspects of team-building, chaos, forming
and working in virtual teams, working under pressure, team-working, risk-taking (especially on the part of non-elected team leaders,
champions putting themselves forward, etc), anticipation, decisiveness, taking responsibility, communications, especially if you are less
than precise about some of the category descriptions, eg., eye colour (ie., if you don't tell the group whether green = hazel or is a
different colour, then they have to decide for themselves....)
It's important to have a strong facilitator who can see (ideally from a good vantage point, on top of a table for example, what's going
on, and who can make quick arbitrary decisions (in the style of 'the judge's decision is final and absolute...')
You could offer tokens to the winning teams each round according to speed, motto, champion etc (decide by quick cheer-based votes
from all teams), and then see which individuals accumulate the most tokens at the end of all the exercises to identify overall winners.
You can take tokens away from people or teams who are indecisive, or who fail to help stragglers and waverers, or who generally could
do with being taken down a peg or two, especially the CEO and Finance Director...
Ideas for team categories into which the group should sort itself (each one is a separate activity, with our without a time limit - you
decide):
month of birth (obviously would create up to 12 teams depending on total group size)
creases on a given knuckle of a finger, or number of rings on all fingers
favourite colour (depends on category description, if given - you could leave it up to the group to interpret and decide)
sweet, sour, bitter, salt (four teams - the way they interpret this is interesting, ie., description of the person or their taste in food)
signs of the zodiac
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eye colour
hair colour
think what is and do what is, think what could be do what is, think what is and do what could be, think what could be and do what
could be (an interpretation of the four temperaments - very interesting exercise in its own right)
favourite food
days a week that exercise is taken
car colours
For a short energiser exercise you can use just one category. Extend and make the activity more challenging and sophisticated by using
several team-sorting sessions, plus team challenges.
As a facilitator you'll have a lot of fun just thinking of other categories, and you could certainly include some work-related categories too,
although non-work related are often more interesting and create better mixing of teams. The extent to which you stipulate and describe
the categories is up to you - you can be very specific, or leave it to the whole group to interpret and decide.
If you are leaving it to the group to decide you can tell them this, or not - it depends how much freedom, chaos and responsibility you
seek to create and assess.
The type of category you nominate by which teams should sort themselves should obviously relate to the total group size, number of
teams, and team member numbers, that you might wish to create for any particular team activity. Think about how many teams a
particular category is likely to produce, and ensure it fits your purpose.
It's not essential to ask teams to undertake a task each time they sort themselves; the sorting is an activity in its own right - it all
depends on your time available and aims of the exercise.
Many of the team building activity ideas below can be used as challenges or team competitions to be given to the formed teams. Select
exercises that relate to your theme or purpose of the conference or training event.
This type of activity would also integrate well with the 'pick a potato' game, where at the start of the session everyone is given a potato
(or apple, orange etc) to memorise as their own, and then puts them all into a big box. At the end of the session tip all the potatoes
onto the floor, after which the delegates teams must go and find their own potatoes (against a time limit ideally) and then (optionally)
form into teams of some appropriate category, (for example, favourite potato dish: fries, roasted, baked, boiled, mashed, etc.) Any
delegates unable to agree/find their potatoes must join the potato-heads group and lose a token (I bet there'll be none).
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Owning 1/2/3 properties gives a right to buy the remainder of the available set at normal value/stipulated discounted value.
Negotiation to buy property from opponents is allowed at any time/stipulated 'open-market' times/when it's your turn to roll the dice.
Time limit per 'turn'.
Increase money allocated at game start, and/or when passing 'Go'.
Allow individuals to 'partner' and pool resources.
Place a time limit on the game - winner(s) decided according to money/total assets accumulated. Allow games to run from one
meeting or training session to another (obviously record the players' or teams' position when play is suspended).
Allow loans to be taken out from the bank at stipulated rates.
Allow contestants to act as banker for a stipulated number of 'turns' during which time the can loan money to other players at their
own terms, and keep profits (or losses, for example any bad debts) arising during their tenure.
Encourage/stipulate players to employ zero-risk/high-risk/low-risk/suicidal-risk/ strategies according to personality type or
preference, or against personality type or preference.
Structure teams using service or project teams from the organisation, for whom cooperation and team-work helps performance.
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Structure teams to represent different departments, for example Sales versus Accounts, versus HR, etc., - observe and highlight the
different styles and strategies (pairs versus pairs is fine; three is maximum/optimum per team - four and over per team can create
'passengers' who get left out).
Require teams to write a strategy before they start play, and to be able to change strategy only by re-writing it and submitting to the
facilitator for approval.
You'll be able to devise your own variations. Make sure you clarify the rules and ensure any reviews cover relevant and appropriate
learning points. You can buy Monopoly online - a decent second-hand game is perfectly adequate for business training and team
building purposes. If the businessballs Amazon link is out of stock, try Ebay or another online games seller.
(Thanks for prompt J Ludbrook)
active (empathic, interpretive) listening to understand the person's abilities, purpose, measures of success and/or attainment of a
new capability, and the person's best learning style and method
helping the other person to see and understand the nature of their learning need themselves
helping the other person to identify and commit to sensible achievable learning actions and objectives
being non-judgemental, and not imposing the coach's own methods unless absolutely welcome and appropriate
So a coaching role-play should logically enable participants to practise and demonstrate these capabilities. This requires role-playing the
coaching of something that the coach understands, and can perform, and which the 'coachee' does not. For example:
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any other special ability that the coach has which the coachee does not, such as performing a card trick, or telling a joke well,
juggling some fruit (fruit is much more fun than tennis balls), or playing a musical instrument (subject to availability of the
instruments - in any group of ten the chances are that at least one will ba able to play a guitar or recorder), etc.
Participants can be given a couple of minutes to decide their capability to use to coach someone (everyone is particularly good at
something), write it down, then instruct the 'coachees' to pick their coach and task - blind or open choice, whatever will work best.
Group observation and review is a very valuable part of the activity, and should discuss how well the coaching has performed in the four
key coaching areas.
The exercise is also useful for developing a team's knowledge and respect for team members' otherwise hidden capabilities and talents,
which helps the process of team building, mutual understanding, and thereby communcations and relationships.
For more guidance about organising role-playing activities look at the role-playing games section.
kaleidoscope brainstorming©
Dr KRS Murthy's advanced method of intensive brainstorming develops deep team understanding and team-building, as well as
generates extensive creative outputs, and helps reveal Johari Window hidden areas of knowledge of self, others and what others think
of oneself. If you want a team-building activity to really get your team thinking in depth, and developing enormous mutual
understanding see the Kaleidoscope Brainstorming techniques article.
lessons in chaos game (team building, warm-ups, illustrating chaos and chaotic
systems and their effects, communications and team member roles, and lots
more)
This activity uses or is based on the PIT! trading card game or home-made game materials for a card-collecting and energetic trading
game using a similar principle to the PIT game. You can find the actual PIT card game on the web either new or second-hand. It's a
great game of chaos and confusion with lots of different training, learning and team building uses.
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The usual object of the game is, after shuffling and dealing out the cards, for teams or individual players to collect a full set of the same
suit/type by 'blind' trading/swapping cards with opponents, by shouting and holding aloft the number of cards for trade, without
revealing what the cards actually are. See the note about shuffling and dealing at the end of this game item.
The winning team is the first to collect a set of all the same cards, which they should claim by shouting (whatever - their team name for
example).
You can introduce two or three 'rogue' cards (in the PIT game there is a bull and a bear) which attract penalty points for teams left
holding these when another team wins. Rogue cards can be exchanged singly or amongst any number of other cards of the same suit.
A winning team either ignores possession of a rogue card, or you could give a bonus for this, as in the actual PIT game, which tests the
nerve somewhat of retaining one. Using rogue cards means that when cards are initially shuffled and dealt, some teams will have a card
more than others, and will possess an extra odd card or rogue card when and if they win by collecting a full set of one suit, which is
allowable.
Strictly speaking a player may only swap cards of the same suit, not a mixed batch, but people often cheat without encouragement at
all, which makes the gam ideal for chaotic demonstrations and learning examples.
The PIT game or especially home-made versions using a similar theme works well with very big groups, and the atmosphere is
enhanced if you offer a suitably appealing prize to the winners, to bring out the most competitive behaviours in people.
Alternatively/additionally you can threaten the losers with a 'forfeit' or other light-hearted booby prize.
For more chaos use two sets of PIT, make more cards of each collectible 'suit' - (the standard PIT game has nine cards in each suit). For
bigger teams and groups 12-15 or even 20 cards enable a bigger game to be played. For still more chaos encourage/permit cheating,
shouting, standing on tables, etc.
You can also introduce special rules to heighten chaos, eg.,
ring a bell half-way through requiring players to swap a specified number of team members between teams (and the cards they
hold) causing confusion to team goals and team communications.
instruction for teams to exchange assembled collections with other teams (undoing good work to date and threatening sense of
purpose and achievement)
announce a period by which cards can only be traded using foreign language.
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announce trading is only allowed in 3 or 4 or 6 card-lots (whatever number takes your fancy - this wrecks team trading strategy and
later in a round hampers any team which gets down to its last three or fewer cards required, because they'd then have to reverse
and trade back already collected cards in order to meet the 3/45 or 6 card rule).
announce at the start of the game a 100 point (or other suitable value) bonus for loudest trader award each round (judge's decision
is final), and/or a 100 point bonus for most animated trader per round. Etc...
Use your imagination. The game provides a great fun basis for illustrating all sorts of organizational and team-working dynamics,
problems and experiences.
You can use the activity with quite big groups, for example, 40-50 people can be split into teams of say five, six, or seven people -
generally the more people per team the more chaos.
Normally to develop organization and management experience you would suggest teams elect traders/collectors who go out into the
melee to swap cards, and one or two collector/coordinator/compiler/organizers who give the instructions to the traders as to what cards
to collect. Therefore to maximise chaos and chaotic systems examples don't give them this advice and start the game giving the teams
very little preparation time to organize team tactics (another lesson: poor preparation = more chaos).
Strictly speaking you should play the game with the same number of collectible 'suits' (card types) as the number of teams, but for
added chaos, and a potentially unwinnable game have one set less card 'suits' than the number of teams, which dramatically reduces
the chances of any team managing to collect an entire set.
The actual PIT game has seven suits of nine cards each, which is adequate for up to seven teams of threes, but for larger teams and
added interest you could use two PIT game cards, or make your own larger sets of cards - or simply pieces of paper - with 'suit' symbols
or words on them to reflect the players' business or environment.
Teams of three naturally self-organise and self-manage very well, so to demonstrate chaos use teams of four or more.
As a guide try to allow at least 3 cards per team member, therefore, for example, if working with six teams of teams five team members
make six sets of at least 15 cards. This way there's plenty to do for each team member.
After the game, or each round, or even during a round, involve all the teams in the review of the points of note and the experiences and
lessons that you want to highlight. An example of a useful review technique is to ask individuals and teams to talk about or present their
reactions and feelings while subject to chaos and disorganization. You can also involve the teams in suggesting ways to change the rules
to increase or reduce chaos, or indeed to demonstrate any other aspect of organizational systems.
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If you are a team leader, facilitator or trainer seeking to use this sort of exercise for a big group, the best way to plan the activity -
whether for chaos or management experience - is to get hold of a PIT game or to make your own set of cards, and play a game with a
few friends or colleagues - this will help you to decide how best to use it, and to decide how to flex the structure and game design to
produce the desired effects.
Some other PIT game adaptation pointers:
The more on a team, the more chaos is experienced. However, the bigger the team the more 'passengers' (team members with nothing
to do) there'll be towards the end of the game/round when the final few cards are being sought. If you can't avoid having very large
teams then issue an extra instruction as to how 'passengers' should assist card-holding traders towards the end of the game/each
round.
If you don't know how many people will be in the total group until the day, you can decide on the day how to structure teams and suits
etc. If in doubt make more cards per suit than you think you'll need, say 20 or 30 cards per suit, just in case you end up with very big
teams (up to 15 or so) - so that you'll have plenty of team-structure options and ensure even big teams have plenty to do - It's
important to avoid having passengers, which would result from having too few cards.
Remember: More teams = more chaos, so try to have as many teams as possible (the lesson is that more teams and relationships need
more organizing and communications). Also: Minimal guidance and organizational advice to the teams = more chaos (another lesson).
There will be more chaos (resulting from from difficult communications) if the cardcollector(s)/holder(s)/coordinator(s) are in a different
place/room to the trading area - this will require people to run back and forth and will be very physical as well as chaotic.
Alternatively the trading area can be in the middle of a large area, surrounded by the collectors/coordinators for each of the teams.
You can also run the exercise in two different ways during the same activity (firstly traders and collectors all in the same room, and then
the second round put the traders in a different room to the collector/coordinators). This will emphasise the effect of communications
logistics upon chaos.
You could also have a have a contingency to change it half way through a round of the game (ie remove the collector/coordinators to a
different room to the traders, which suddenly introduce a big difficulty to the exercise - the lesson is that a change in the structure
requires reorganisation of communications and process).
By separating traders from their team's collectors, the exercise then takes on some of the communications aspects of the
'communications corridor' exercise, which is more physical because of the running around, especially if the rooms are on different floors.
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The complexities you add depend on how much variety and logistical challenge you want to include (which of course increase the
facilitation burden and risk of course, so 'if in doubt, leave it out').
If during play things threaten to become too 'well managed' you can intervene and disallow any practices that are enabling smooth
activity, for example ban 'runners' communicating and taking cards between teams's collectors and traders, and insist that traders need
to 'run', or vice versa. On which point you could/should inform teams of your right to do this (ie., the facilitator's right to move the
goalposts) during the activity. This highlights another lesson: failure to agree sound ground-rules, goalposts moving = chaos.
If you have time available the activity is best played with a number of rounds - this enables you to increase the team competition
element - you can keep a score on a blackboard or flip chart. You can award points for 2nd and 3rd if you want - the scoring is very
flexible - however you think it will work best. You can stop the round when a winner wins and then identify 2nd 3rd 4th etc based on
which teams have collected most cards.
Even when you've run the exact exercise before it is difficult to anticipate length of a round because the game is so chaotic. Sometimes
a team will win quickly, other times it goes on for ages or gets blocked because a team decides to collect mischievously some of each
suit (another lesson in chaos factors which you can introduce or suggest). 5 minutes is a reasonable maximum to impose per round. If
there is no winner in the time allotted, the winning team is the one with most cards (or points of same, if you are ascribing points values
to the different suits) collected of their chosen suit or set.
As a final pointer, give yourself the right to intervene as the facilitator - this will enable you to flex the activity while it's happening - you
can of course justify this because intervention and disruption is a perfectly valid factor in chaos, and so it can be in it's demonstration.
A note about shuffling and dealing before and during the game: Shuffling and dealing large numbers of home-made cards or pieces of
paper can be time-consuming, especially given last minute decisions about how many sets and cards to use. If so then think about using
a alternative method of distributing the cards - you don't necessarily have to shuffle and deal per se, provided each team starts with a
randon combination of card types. For example you could place the cards in piles face down on tables and have each team member or
leader go and take blind a certain number equating to the team's allocation. This could be done between rounds also, when time and
facilitation pressures make shuffling and dealing difficult. Alternatively find a way to involve all teams returning their collected card sets
in a suitable grouping or piles on a table, the act of which effectively shuffles the cards, ready for the next round.
(Thanks for prompt KW)
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turn the tables exercise (warm ups, ice-breakers, team rotation games)
This is an enjoyable way to introduce a large group of delegates to each other, and also a way of planning and organising team
groupings or syndicate break-out sessions on a rotating basis to ensure that every person meets, and plays games or completes
exercises, with everyone else. This way of organising teams is a great alternative to simply asking every person to stand up and
introduce themselves individually. Give each person in the group a letter of the alphabet as per the matrix below, which provides a basis
for organising and rotating the membership for teams of five, for a whole group of up to twenty-five people. The model is contributed by
Christopher Barrat, based on maths by the Bernie Batmann, and this contribution is gratefully acknowledged. Issue the matrix to all
team members and explain that it provides the plan for changing teams and meeting new people, or playing whatever games or
exercises have been arranged. The matrix below has a,b,c,d,e only moving tables once. If you want them to move tables more than this
then alter the table/team numbers in the second column for each round.
table/team 1 a b c d e
table/team 2 f g h i j
round 1 table/team 3 k l m n o
table/team 4 p q r s t
table/team 5 u v w x y
table/team 1 a f k p u
table/team 2 b g l q v
round 2 table/team 3 c h m r w
table/team 4 d i n s x
table/team 5 e j o t y
table/team 1 a g m s y
round 3 table/team 2 b h n t u
table/team 3 c i o p v
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table/team 4 d j k q w
table/team 5 e f l r x
table/team 1 a h o q x
table/team 2 b i k r y
round 4 table/team 3 c j l s u
table/team 4 d f m t v
table/team 5 e g n p w
table/team 1 a i l t w
table/team 2 b j m p x
round 5 table/team 3 c f n q y
table/team 4 d g o r u
table/team 5 e h k s v
table/team 1 a j n r v
table/team 2 b f o s w
round 6 table/team 3 c g k t x
table/team 4 d h l p y
table/team 5 e i m q u
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Choose sense(s)/media - sight, emotional feeling, touch, smell, taste, sound/hear, draw, write, act, imagine, discussion, etc.
Choose a theme - communications, relationships, creativity, process, planning, experience, influences, barriers, leverages,
opportunities, counselling, problem-solving, etc.
Outputs: ideas, discovery, plans, actions, learning, questions, relationships, understanding, solutions.
People and logistics (how the exercise works, is briefed and followed up): teams, pairs, threes, leaders, scenarios, context, materials,
rooms, groups, timings, review, feedback, action commitments, etc.
paper planes and aims game (goal-setting, visualising success, creativity, team
building, motivation, building belief and commitment)
This exercise is appropriate for any open-minded group and would be especially beneficial for young people, even children. The activity
encourages the team members to think about and set personal aims, and commit to them in a memorable and meaningful way. The
exercise also enables positive encouragement and mutual support among the team towards meeting each person's aims. First, ask
everyone in the group to set themselves a personal achievable short term goal. The aims can be to do with higher performance, quality
standards, problem solving or any other challenges in their work or life. Supply the team some colored paper, marker-pens, glitter,
scissors, stickers and (optionally) directions/instructions for paper airplane models. When all team members have decided on their goals
short term goal(s), ask them to choose a paper airplane design and make the plane. Ask them to write their goal, with a few points or
steps as to how they will achieve it, on the inside of the paper plane (which enables people to keep their goals private). Then you, as
the facilitator, tutor or team leader, write a positive encouraging comment on the outside of every person's plane - the emphasis should
be on encouraging comments, for example 'I believe you can do this', or 'I know this is something you can achieve', etc. Optionally you
can involve the group as well in writing positive inspiring comments on the outside of each other's planes. Allow the group to continue
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finishing the decoration of the outside of their planes. The exercise enables each team member to take pleasure in visualising their own
aims, and to give and receive lots of positive encouragement. Finally, the activity provides the opportunity to go outside as a team and
fly the planes, and maybe to award a few prizes; longest flight, best design, best trick, etc.
Thanks Laura Feerer for contributing this activity idea for building belief, commitment and teams. She suggests you can add some
additional inspiration by referring to the song, 'I Believe I Can Fly', which would be appropriate I'm sure for certain groups, and a
relevant quote from which is as follows:
I believe I can fly
I believe I can touch the sky
I think about it every night and day
Spread my wings and fly away
I believe I can soar
I see me running through that open door
I believe I can fly.
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team. This is also an interesting exercise to use in group selection recruitment as an interaction game. Points to review if used in other
than a group selection context:
Other points to observe, especially if using this as an interactive group selection recruitment game:
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you can ask for only negatives to be pointed out for the sake of demonstrating conflict). Delegates should also be encouraged to think
about what causes conflict and emotional upset, and how to avoid, avert and diffuse it. During the exercise the 'victims' can be
encouraged to be defensive (rather than tolerant and absorbent), and the 'accusers' to be aggressive and confrontational, if you want to
create more 'conflict' for people to deal with. Beware of ending up upsetting people - use a bell or whistle to bring people back to
sensible rational adults (and to inject some timely humour) if things threaten to get too heated. If you wish to de-personalise the activity
ask people to role-play the accusations and defensive reactions. Showing and explaining the Johari model after rather than before the
activity increases the likelihood of emotional and natural reactions during the exercise (ie., the more you explain and prepare, the more
objective people will be). Afterwards (or before) you could also refer people to the Emotional Intelligence and Transactional Analysis
concepts to demonstrate how objectivity helps avert conflict. Please don't hold me responsible for the cost of cleaning the blood off the
walls.......
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of communicating, delegating and briefing skills. Also helpful for people with responsibility for writing instructions and manuals. Also a
good personality and attitudinal indicator exercise when used as an activity for individual candidates in recruitment group selections.
"E Pluribus Unum" - the original motto of the United States meaning "One from many" or "One from many parts"
"Search, Solve and Succeed" - Pioneer Primary School, Singapore.
"Per Ardua Ad Astra" meaning "Through Adversity to the Stars" - the British Royal Air Force
"Per Veritatem Vis" meaning "Strength Through Truth" - Washington University
"Securior Quo Paratior" meaning "The Better Prepared, The More Secure" - Somerset Rossiter family
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and other teams have a chance to see and understand colleagues or other departments in a different way. As an exercise for work
groups this is a good prompt for debate within the team, and then afterwards between teams when flag designs are presented and
reviewed. This exercise is also excellent as an individual activity for children and young people of all ages. It can also be used for pairs
or threes of friends, boys groups, and girls groups; the possibilities really are endless. As an alternative to flags, a coat of arms could be
given as the design task. Obviously encourage participants to include symbols and image icons, as well as colours and shapes.
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perform roles with common aspects (if not participants should have good facilitative skills). The aims of the exercise is to share and
develop best practice, ideas, and/or solutions to common problems. This provides a useful and collectively enjoyable experience, with
some good outputs for the organization when best practice is identified or developed, and can then be implemented. Split large groups
into teams of three or four. Over four per team makes full involvement unlikely. For example, if the total group size is twelve, run four
exercises concurrently in four teams of three. At the end of the exercise each team leader presents results of their discussions and ideas
or solutions development to the whole group. You could then look at implementing most viable suggestions, create project groups and
then pilot groups. Establish an emphasis on working together to identify and implement constructive change, through the sharing of
ideas and experience. The activity can become a regular development forum; a place where challenges, opportunities, local problems,
etc., can be brought along and collective ability used to find and apply solutions. Teams can be changed for each team building session.
It's important to clarify the precise aims of each exercise before it begins. Teams can take a few minutes to do this prior to commencing
the activity. Take special care with explaining and clarifying if people of different nationalities are involved. Ensure also that team
members explain and understand each other's situations and processes (which in itself is another helpful output from the exercise).
Ensure adequate support for all initiatives taken forward to implementation stage, so that participants see that their work is resulting in
some positive effect. Securing support from up-line management prior to the process will help this, as will obtaining commitment from
up-line management where possible for initiatives considered worthy of implementation. See also the notes on workshops,
brainstorming, and project management, which can be relevant to various stages of this activity.
team poker
Here's a very simple and effective game for team-building, team-working, building cooperation, problem solving, leadership, and
decision-making skills. Also great for an ice-breaker and warm-up activity. The game can be used with with a group of 10 or more, and
requires only a deck of cards. Explain these simple rules of the exercise: One card will be handed out face down to each delegate.
Players must not look at their cards until the game starts. The aim of the exercise is for each person to put together the best three-card
hand by joining with two other delegates.
Where total group size is not exactly divisible by three, players need not be exclusive to one group of three, ie., any player is permitted
to be part of more than one three-card hand. When the total group is exactly divisible by three this rule is optional, to be decided by the
facilitator. A requirement for exclusive sets of three will tend to increase the competitive aspect of the exercise.
Card hands are best ranked according to poker rules, which are open to different interpretation so it's essential to agree the ranked
order of possible hands before the game starts, to avoid any doubt as to the winners. For three cards, a suggested example ranking
according to statistical odds (thanks DB), which you should circulated or write on a flip-chart, is, lowest to highest: highest card, a pair,
flush (three cards same suit), straight or run (eg., 8,9,10), three of a kind (eg., three kings), top hand being a straight or running flush
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(eg., 5,6,7 of hearts). Also clarify highest suits, (eg., lowest to highest: diamonds, clubs, hearts, spades). The best hand possible would
therefore be king, queen, ace of spades.
Set a time limit, by which all delegates must be grouped in threes, each group representing a three-card hand. A minute creates a
pressurised activity; three minutes less so - generally the larger the total group size the longer the exercise needs, subject to a five
minute maximum for very large groups.
Variations can be used, which makes it more interesting if you want to repeat the exercise later with the same group, eg:
Each delegate receives two cards, requiring three players to create a six card hand (clarify rules accordingly).
Instruct the group to find three or four other players, making four- or five-card hands.
Allow each player to change their card once with a card from the top of the remainder of the deck, face down of course (exchanged
cards go to the bottom of the deck).
Upturn the card at the top of the remainder of the deck and stipulate that each hand must include that card (in which case three
players will create four-card hands).
For very large groups use two decks, and stipulate teams of five, (this is a great conference warm-up - you could stick a card
underneath each delegate's seat, before delegates arrive.)
Plus any other variations of your own you wish to try.
Facilitator and delegates can review various behaviours after the activity - eg., leadership, teamwork, negotiating, and decision making
under pressure. This simple game will break the ice, and get people out of their seats with minimal input from the facilitator. Follow up
with a group discussion about aspects of the exercise relevant to the main session or purpose. (Adapted from an idea submitted by S
Enter)
For additional interest you can also refer to the fascinating origins of playing cards and court cards, for example, did you know that the
name and symbol of the English spades card (contrary to most people's assumption that the word simply relates to a spade or shovel
tool) instead developed from the French pike weapon (ie., the shape is based on the business-end of the spear-like pike), and the name
for the Spanish version of the card, which was 'espados' meaning 'swords'.
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newspaper domes big group exercise (team building and team working,
leadership, creativity and design)
For one great big group team building exercise, split the whole group into pairs or threes, the task being to build a dome or roof
structure/frame and cover it with newspaper and sticky tape, between as many tables as there are pairs/threes. This is not a contest
between the teams, it's a task for the whole group to cooperate and work together. For example, for a whole group size of 12 people,
there could be six tables and six pairs - or five tables and five teams of three - each pair/three building one strut of a six- or five-strut
dome frame; for a group of 9 people, there could be three teams of three, and three tables, each team of three building a strut for a
three-strut roof frame. Each pair/three should build their strut up and out from the table, connecting in the centre space with the struts
from each of the other pairs/threes. Struts can be fixed to the tables and joined in the centre-space with sticky tape. For large frames
(which will be required of the tables are placed further away from each other), cross-struts can be used. The whole group can then
cover the dome or roof frame with sheets of newspaper. Requires a lot of thought, team-working, communication, sharing best-practice,
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assessment and feedback along the way, and leadership at key decision stages. Control the level of difficulty by the distance between
the tables and the number of newspaper sheets issued. (As with many of the newspaper team building activities, the secret is to agree
first on a strut design - typically tightly-rolled sheets - which can then be used to construct whatever overall design is planned, but let
the delegates work this out for themselves.)
The most effective way to build a dome or covered 'roof' is to create a frame first, using tightly rolled sheets as struts. The simplest
construction would use three tables and three struts, one from each table-top edge, joining together in the middle at the top to form a
pyramid frame, which can then be covered using newspaper sheets. A round dome structure is more difficult, takes more time, needs
more newspapers, and needs to have several struts from each table to create a curved shape, and then a number of lightly formed
horizontal strut 'rings' around the the outside of the entire main frame to create a curved contour. This type of structure must be
designed beforehand to have a good chance of succeeding, and it helps if the group contains someone with a bit of engineering talent
or instinct. There are other ways of making a structure, for instance flat square frames on 'legs' (short newspaper struts), and if you do
not stipulate a height then people will often be creative (cheat) and simply make a big sheet and attach it to each table edge, which
rather defeats the point. Hence you can clarify the aim of the exercise by stipulating that the roof must be capable of covering all or a
given percentage of the group members, standing or sitting (at your discretion) depending on the frame height that you think is
reasonable. If in doubt agree the frame height aim with the group, which means they effectively set their own target. This is a
challenging and enjoyable team activity - encourage team members to enjoy it. For a simple pyramid allow at least 15 minutes for the
'build'. For bigger constructions and rounded domes allow at least 10 mins for the design stage and 30 mins for the build. And
remember to provide plenty of plastic rubbish bags for the clear-up afterwards. It can be helpful for the post-activity review to
brainstorm before the activity with the whole group the expected key performance elements, and for these to be used as the
assessment criteria (see the Training elements/exercise review template assessment proforma sheet available on the free resources
page).
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Instructions must be read out exactly as they appear on the instructions sheet, which is created and supplied by the facilitator. Neither
player must be able to see what the other is doing while the exercise is under way. After the instructions have been completed, the
team members turn and face each other, unfold their sheets and compare their paper doilies, which will look quite different, even
though each has been made from the same instructions. Here are examples of instructions for the instruction sheet (you can create your
own variations or use these, or reduce them for a quicker simpler exercise - do not include the bracketed points, which are facilitators
notes and to help with the review):
1. Fold the paper in half horizontally (this depends on what way the sheet is held and could be interpreted to be folded along the
landscape or portrait axis)
2. Fold in half again diagonally (again, this is open to interpretation - normally an asymmetrical fold corner-to-corner).
3. Fold in half again vertically (again, this is open to interpretation).
4. Fold the top right corner so that the point is at the centre of the folded sheet (the folded corner could be one of four).
5. Fold the longest point to the corner farthest away from it (can be open to interpretation).
6. Fold in half again or as close to two halves as possible (it may not possible to fold exactly into two symmetrical or even
asymmetrical halves).
7. Tear or cut off 2cm of the sharpest corner with a straight cut or tear.
8. Tear of cut off 1cm of the opposite or farthest corner to the above corner with a curved cut or tear (curved what way? - again this
is open to interpretation).
9. Punch three holes along the longest edge (where exactly along the edge is open to interpretation).
10. Punch two holes in the next-to-longest edge (where exactly along the edge is open to interpretation).
11. Cut a 0.5cm sharp 'V' two-thirds into the shortest edge (this is open to interpretation).
12. Unfold the paper and compare your doily with your partner's doily.
Points for the debrief and review discussion: How many of you ended up with paper projects exactly the same? Why were you unable to
end with exactly the same doilies? What instructions were the least helpful and why? How could these instructions have been made
clearer? What clarifying questions would you have asked if permitted to clarify the instructions? What additional tools or devices would
help the reliability of the instructions and fullness of understanding (the obvious ones are a ruler, and a diagram for each stage - the
point here is that complex instructions often need tools, references, examples or other devices to enable proper clarity and accuracy,
and the responsibility is with the writer to take the initiative to use and include these aspects if required - don't assume that words alone
are sufficient, because they rarely are).
As an extension of the exercise ask everyone (in pairs of as a group discussion or brainstorm exercise) to re-write the instructions so as
to guarantee producing two identical doilies.
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NB If facilitating this exercise ensure you try out your instructions before using them in the activity.
(Based on a suggestion from D Smith)
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Identify before the session, or have the teams or team members do so at the start of the exercise, suitable subjects for SWOT analysis.
Have the teams choose a subject each, and then work as a team to produce the SWOT analysis, which should then be presented back
to the group for discussion and review. It's important that the teams want the particular subjects.
Prior to the exercise it's important for the facilitator to clarify what will happen after the exercise to the teams' SWOT analysis findings,
so that team members have an appropriate expectation for where their efforts and recommendations will lead.
This SWOT exercise is very flexible - use it to suit the situation, the group, and what the organization needs. Examples of SWOT subject
areas (have some specific propositions, opportunities or options handy in case you need them):
N.B.
1. The above headings are not SWOT subjects, they are areas within which you can identify SWOT subjects.
2. A SWOT analysis can only be used to assess a specific option, proposition, company, department or idea - a single SWOT analysis
cannot be used to compare options or evaluate a number of options or propositions at once.
3. Avoid agreeing to SWOT subjects that are clearly beyond the remit of the teams (which creates expectations that cannot be met),
unless the situation allows for the group to make recommendations.
4. A SWOT analysis measures a business unit, a proposition or idea; a PEST analysis measures a market.
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PEST analysis team building exercise (for team building, motivation, direction,
strategy development, gaining buy-in and consensus)
See the PEST analysis article and template. Structure the activity as with the use of SWOT analysis exercise above. Note that a SWOT
analysis is based broadly on half internal and half external factors. A PEST analysis measures a market; a SWOT analysis measures a
business unit, a proposition or idea. PEST is almost entirely based on external factors, so ensure at least some members of each team
have knowledge of, or are able to consider, the PEST factors if you intend using this exercise. PEST is a good exercise for marketing
people, and is good for encouraging a business developmant, market orientated outlook among all staff. If you want to use PEST with
staff who are not naturally externally focused you can have them do some research and preparation in advance of the exercise. As with
the SWOT exercise, it's important to clarify the subject of the/each analysis.
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used by the first person. The third person observer of each team then provides a brief neutral overview comment, if required and
helpful. When each team has completed these stages, rotate the roles and run the exercise again, so that each person plays the
interviewer, interviewee and observer.
This exercise can also be run in pairs, without the third-person observers, which is appropriate for small groups of 4-8 people, or if the
time available for the exercise doesn't allow three rotations of the team roles. Use the review sheet to provide a break-it-down structure
for feedback and review. For odd numbers of groups the facilitator can take part to make teams numbers equal, which is important so
as to avoid creating 'passengers' (inactive team members) at any stage.
Training and review elements of the exercise (optional use of training element review sheet):
Facilitator's introduction and explanation, in use of training element review sheet - 5 mins
Optional brainstorm of review elements - 5 mins
First interviews in teams of three - 5 mins
Summaries to group and feedback - number of teams x 3 mins
Second interviews in teams of three - 5 mins
Summaries to group and feedback - number of teams x 3 mins
Third interviews in teams of three - 5 mins
Summaries to group and feedback - number of teams x 3 mins
Final group review of activities and experiences - 5-30 mins depending on exercise depth and intensity requirement
Optional review of personal actions arising - 5 mins (defer major issues outside exercise session)
Total exercise time nominally 30-45 mins plus 3 mins for each interview summary = total delegates x 3 mins, ie., a group size of
fifteen in teams of three will take a total of 75-90 mins.
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If the exercise is run in pairs without observers the third round of interviews and summaries is obviously not required.
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The game is better with two teams, but it will work with several teams - adapt the sheet and scoring accordingly.
The game sheet that is available as a pdf or MSWord file is all you need to give to the teams.
The only 'question' each round for each team is to decide whether to 'defect' or 'cooperate'.
If delegates want to start with an imaginery 'float', rather than having to contemplate being in debt, you can agree a small credit
balance for each team.
The point of course is that if all teams cooperate they will beat the banker, but it takes a while for them to realise this - so don't tell
them before hand, just explain the scoring system and tell them the point is to accumulate as much 'money' as possible - teams then
tend to defect and try to win at the other team's expense, which in turn causes relatiation, which produces unsustainable losses.
For background reference, read the explanation of the prisoner's dilemma on the complex puzzles page.
Use the game sheet (pdf or MSWord format - also available from the free resources section) - one game sheet per team - make sure
all team members can see it - if necessary issue copy-sheets or show the sheet on a screen.
The facilitator should practice the game first with individuals (eg family members) playing the part of the teams, so you see how it
works.
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In early rounds make sure that teams do not reveal their selection to other teams until they all show their selection at the same time
- the best way is have them write down on a sheet of paper and then all show together, or for them to hold up a pre-prepared
'defect' or 'cooperate' card, simultaneously, when the facilitator says to. As the game progresses allow teams to confer if they ask to.
The facilitator needs to keep the score for all the teams on a flip-chart or equivalent.
The game ends when the teams get the point and are all cooperating every round, which will beat the banker.
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things, use this great team building game to develop multi-tasking ability, eg., for people who are unsure of their ability to talk to
customers and work on the computer at the same time. This game is also ideal as a warm-up for training sessions or courses because it
helps delegates remember the names of other people in the group.
How it works: A group of 6 to 20 stand in a circle facing each other. The facilitator must participate as well. The facilitator explains to
the group that they will call out a person's name and toss a ball (such as a stress ball or juggling ball - any soft object actually, even
fruit or cuddly toys will suffice) to the named person. That person must then call out another person's name in the circle (who has not
yet had the object tossed to them) and then throw the object to that person. This continues until everyone in the circle has thrown and
caught the object. The facilitator must explain to the group that each person must remember their catcher. When the object has been
thrown to everyone in the group, the ball returns to the facilitator, and is then thrown around the circle again, in the same order as
before. This cycle continues until the facilitator is happy that the whole group is comfortable with the exercise. (You'll know this because
people are actually listening for their name to be called out and catching the object.)
When the group is competent with the first ball, the facilitator introduces a second ball (or suitable object), which must follow the same
order as the first, so that two objects are being passed around the group. When competence is reached with the two objects, a third is
introduced, and still, every thrower must announce the name of the catcher before throwing.
And so on. At some stage between three objects and saturation point (ie as many objects being passed as people in the group - it's up
to the facilitator) without warning the facilitator instructs the group to begin tossing the objects in the REVERSE order (ie., catchers call
out names of, and throw to, the people who previously threw to them. Chaos at first, but all great fun, and gradually people learn,
which after all, is the point of the game.
Points to review: How did you feel when the exercise began? After you reached a comfort level with the task, how did you feel when
more objects were added? How soon did you achieve comfort level when new objects were introduced, and did this timescale change
for each new object? Did anyone in the team begin encouraging or helping others by telling them to just focus on the person tossing the
object to them? When we had the major change of reversing the order the object was tossed, did you expect it? How did you handle it?
Did the group eventually perform well at it and get a constant flow of objects in the air? You will think of more questions to ask and
points to review, especially when seeing the game played. (Ack. Tori Sarmiento)
team jenga and reverse jenga (team building, leadership, tactics, planning)
Jenga is the traditional wooden-block tower de-construction game, table-top version or giant garden outdoors size. In teams of between
two and six, play it normally (removing blocks, each team taking turns to remove a block until it collapses) or in reverse (building it up,
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taking it in turns, keeping to a specified pattern or set of rules, again until it collapses). You can use other suitable building blocks or
materials in the absence of Jenga (snack-size chocolate bars are good). With larger teams (four or more) allow some planning time for
tactics and leadership issues to be developed, and review afterwards accordingly.
who am i? game
Lots of variations to this one: Can be played individually or in teams. A card on is taped onto the player's forehead showing everyone
the name written on it. The player with the card on his/her forehead (who does not know the name on the card) must then ask closed
questions (requiring only 'yes' or 'no' answers) to establish his/her identity. The method of creating name-cards is flexible: the facilitator
can prepare in advance, or have the group think of names and create cards, based on any theme that's appropriate, including work
colleagues, or even the session group members themselves. Using names of work-colleagues and group members adds a fascinating
dimension, (relationships, reputations, perceptions, emotions), so needs sensitive facilitation and review.
tyre game
A wonderful team building game for teams of ideally 10 to 15 persons, although a minimum of six people per team will work, and
actually there is no upper limit per team - it depends on space, and how much emphasis is placed on the planning stage. Total group
size is therefore as many 10-15 person teams that the space will accommodate, which also makes this team building exercise terrific for
conferences and warm-ups of very large groups. You'll need two bicycle tyres, with different tread patterns, for each team. Organize
each team into a circle, with the team members' hands tightly clasped. The tyres are introduced by the facilitator at opposite points of
the circle by unclasping hands of two members and hanging the tyres on the arms, which should then be joined again by clasping their
hands. The object of the game is for the team to pass each tyre in a different direction around the circle, involving two crossings of the
tyres, and then finishing with each tyre at its starting position. The team which finishes first wins the game. Hands must not be
unclasped, and thumbs cannot be used to support or move the tyres. Allow ten minutes planning and thinking time, (or for very large
teams where a warm-up only is required, give instructions so that the game can start immediately). Obviously the game must start at
the same time for each team. The trick is for the tyre to be moved up the arm, over the head, down the body, at which point the person
steps out of the tyre, one leg after the other, and the tyre continues down the other arm to the next team member. The stepping
manoeuvre when two tyres cross is the most difficult and requires some agility, so the planning and team selection is potentially very
important. NB As a facilitator you must practice this game before using in a team building or conference situation, to
prepare for questions and to demonstrate, if required.
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Here are the typical review points for the tyre game team building exercise, usually based on the performance of the winning team:
The team understands the task and aim of the team building game.
The circle of people develops into a team with a common objective.
Technique to achieve task is discovered and refined by 'storming' (see the Tuckman team development model).
A team leader emerges.
Practice (essential) develops technique and plan.
The leader's role becomes stronger as the team develops.
Difficulties are ironed out.
Resources (people) are reorganized.
Right person for the right job (notably for the two crossing points)
Training and practice are carried out.
The team becomes increasingly motivated to perform.
Performance improves, excels, achieves and wins.
(With thanks to Lt Col Ajay Ukidve (retired), Victory Associates, Pune, India)
table quiz
It's very easy to create a simple quiz - base it on a theme or general knowledge - which can be use for teams or pairs in competition.
See the Big Boys Toys table quiz as an example of a themed quiz, available as a pdf download (Ack. J Hespe). See also the puzzles
section for quiz questions. The Big Boys Toys table quiz can be given as a competitive exercise between teams lasting 20-30 minutes
plus 10 minutes to review, or as a quiz to be worked on in breaks or overnight as light relief. Prizes always increase team-building value
and enthusiasm.
Here's a free quick trivia quiz in MSWord.
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delegate introductions
A very easy warm-up to relax everyone - whether the delegates know each other or not (surprisingly this is often more fun when they
do - and if they don't they'll appreciate the opportunity to meet and get to know each other early on). This will also take the early
pressure off you as the facilitator by having them do some of the work. Ask the delegates to pair up - you can simply suggest the person
sitting next to themselves, or something more active, like finding someone with the same colour hair, or same height, or same colour
eyes, anything appropriate for the group. Then ask each person briefly to interview the other person (say three mins each), and then
everyone to present the other person to the audience, again briefly, say a minute each. This is much more dynamic than simply asking
everyone to introduce themselves. If necessary give people pointers as to what they should be finding out about the other person (eg -
job, home-life, likes, dislikes, hobbies, why they are there, etc). You can also say that after the exercise that everyone will have
achieved useful experiences and developed useful skills, ie, questioning, listening, interpreting and then (scary for some) speaking to an
audience of strangers. These aspects of communicating are usually consistent with at least one theme of the day, so is a relevant and
helpful way to start any training session.
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As the judge, you reserve the right to deduct penalty points for transgressions (eg leaders participating, or tasks being incomplete or
running over time). There needs to be a clear way to measure the performance of each team for each task, so there can be a clear
result at the end. The extent to which relative performance is visible to all teams at the time of doing the tasks is up to you - it's a
variable factor that changes the nature of the activity (the less visible the performance the more test for the leader as to what's required
to win) - some tasks could be clearly visible (eg., tower height), others might only be revealed at the end of the whole activity (eg
playing card sorting). Tasks don't all need to be physical construction. Tasks can be varied, including mental (eg puzzles) or creative
(finding things out), and they don't necessarily need to be done at the table (teams might be required to go off in search of things in the
building - information, or obscure items, like a mini-treasure hunt). The tables need only be the base points for each task, where the
leader gets the task instructions.
Prior to the activity you should brainstorm with the whole group the relevant skills/aspects that will be useful in the whole activity, eg:
establishing who's good at what, timing, resource planning, clear instructions, etc. Use these points as a basis for review afterwards.
After the activity review with participants how they felt when being delegated to do things - motivation, consultation, participation,
encouragement, clarity of instructions, style of leadership, etc.
Also review experience of the leaders - what was difficult, what could be improved, why some things are more difficult to delegate than
others.
Refer to the notes on delegation and issue these guidelines before or after exercise.
1. Biological and Physiological needs - wife/child-abuse help-lines, social security benefits, Samaritans, roadside recovery.
2. Safety needs - home security products (alarms, etc), house an contents insurance, life assurance, schools.
3. Belongingness and Love needs - dating and match-making services, chat-lines, clubs and membership societies, MacDonald,
'family' themes like the old style Oxo stock cube ads.
4. Esteem needs - cosmetics, fast cars, home improvements, furniture, fashion clothes, drinks, lifestyle products and services.
5. Self-Actualization needs - Open University, and that's about it; little else in mainstream media because only 2% of population
are self-actualizes, so they don't constitute a very big part of the mainstream market.
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ensure there is a vertical line of touching white bricks, one block wide, from top to bottom
ensure no row contains more than three different coloured bricks
ensure one row contains only single blocks (no doubles or trebles etc)
ensure every row contains at least one double-block brick
fun and games with video (for team building and any other subjects)
Video is a great team building and training medium if you use it creatively - not off-the-shelf stuff which rarely works for specific
situations. Instead use home-recorded video to provide you with unlimited interesting subject matter for exercises, role-plays and
reviews, it's much more fun.
For instance - record on video some scenes with a suitable number of characters (relative to your team sizes) from famous TV soaps
(especially amusing ones with amusing characters). Then have two teams recreate the scene(s) incorporating your own key messages
or products. Alternatively have the teams critique the behaviour according to the theme or message of your session.
Using brainstorming before a review or critique session is a great way to establish a common approach and understanding towards the
points for review and why. This saves you as the facilitator having to do a lot of detailed preparation on the points to review - get the
team doing it instead as they'll learn more that way. A proforma tool which will help you and the team establish and then refer to the
points for review is available on the free resources page.
Also, video some TV adverts (good and bad) and have each team critique them, brainstorm first the points you want to look for and
review, eg., the AIDCA format (see acronyms), image, style, relevance to target audience, likely effectiveness or otherwise, 'feel', etc.
Also, video some scenes from the TV show 'The Office' or another show featuring inept workplace behaviour (the funnier and worse the
better) and have teams critique the behaviour from different aspects, eg Action Centered Leadership, Tannenbaum and Schmidt,
motivation (eg. XY/Herzberg) leadership, culture, quality, Emotional Intelligence (EQ), Transactional Analysis, etc.
Make sure you establish the review points and then use a review sheet to focus on, to manage and get the best out of the review or
critique session.
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Using video in this way creates a lot of fun and interest for any team building or training session - there's so much you can do with this
approach, and it's simple and very inexpensive.
'pit' trading games (party games, negotiation game, team building, or for warm
-ups, ice-breakers)
This is perhaps the greatest party game ever invented and is very easy to adapt for work teambuilding and icebreakers.
The game is highly involving and active, and brings out everyone's competitive instincts.
It is very easy to make the cards required for this game if you don't have the PIT! game or some other suitable playing cards. Paper can
be used instead of card. Cards need plain backs so that the type of card is hidden during trading.
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(The boxed PIT! trading card game requires players to collect a set of the same sort of cards - the original PIT! game is based on the
commodities exchange - wheat, barley, rye, etc.)
The game can be played by individuals or pairs or teams of three or more. The bigger the teams the more noise and chaos happens.
You need 8-12 cards of as many types as there are teams or individuals (for example, if you have six players or six teams, you'll need
six sets of cards, say ten of each = 60 cards total).
The game needs at least five separate playing individuals or teams. As an example of what to make, create ten cards of each (with one
of the following drawn/written on them):
dog, cat, horse, lion, elephant, mouse, bee, fish
This is enough for eight teams or players. For more teams/players, make additional sets of ten 'type' cards as required.
Shuffle cards and distribute evenly.
When the game starts, players may swap cards by shouting how many they wish to swap - but not by not showing or revealing what
type of cards they wish to swap or acquire. Equal quantities of the same sort of card must be traded, which produces chaotic and
enjoyable trading as players hold cards aloft shouting 'two, two,' or 'three, three', etc, (being the number of cards they are wishing to
swap).
The winner is first player/team to collect all of the same cards.
In work-based teambuilding and training this exercise illustrates principles of trading in negotiation, rather than simply giving away
(concessions, discounts, etc). It also demonstrates enthusiasm and determination, which hopefully can be applied to business.
As a party game or work exercise the activity is enormous fun and usually very noisy.
If playing with large teams, the teams will need leaders, and so can be used as a leadership development exercise, including the need
for planning, checking and communication.
Teams and individuals will sometimes cheat - swapping cards of mixed varieties - which is technically not allowed, but the strictness of
this rule is up to the facilitator. Use this point also to illustrate importance of integrity - teams and players will be reluctant to trade with
people who cheat. Also, cheating in this game can create a cliamte in which other teams begin to cheat as well, with chaotic results.
See also the chaos lesson game for variations in using this game for very large groups.
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1. Ask the groups to create the geographical features of the island e.g. cliffs, rivers, inlets/harbours, mountains etc.
2. Ask them to create shelter for themselves individually eg., a house, a cave, a mansion, a hut.
After these two activities have been done in silence, allow the members of each group to speak within their own group while creating
their own island 'community', which can be scheduled to go on for 15-30 minutes. Suggest elements that need to be discussed and
established as to how their island operates and what constitutes the 'community' (some of which may be modeled, others not) such as
health care, education, commerce, defence, food production, transport, infrastructure, governing structure, decision-making process, etc
- all to be discussed and developed by the group. The group is of course the 'ruling council' for their own island, and they have the
opportunity to define how they will work together, including issues of leadership and decision-making, etc.
Observing all of this experiential development produces excellent data for review afterwards with the group, and is particularly useful for
training and development concerning gender, leadership styles, decision-making, personality types, team-working, etc.
After a further 15-30 minutes tell them there are other islands (they'll probably know of course, but hitherto will not have given a
thought to any islands other than their own). Tell them that they are not obliged or required to do anything about the other islands - it's
up to each group what they do. Typically the groups will want to take action of some sort, whether to trade, attack, make friends -
whatever.
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Again this leads to all kinds of experiences within the group and between groups, which should be noted by the facilitator(s) for use
later in the review.
The exercise needs to be given a finish time or it could go on indefinitely. There is no winner and no stipulated objectives for individuals,
groups, islands - it's meant to be very open, which enables the relationships, cultures, systems and styles, etc., to develop very freely.
The review can be conducted in various ways - group presentations, individual presentations, group discussion, personal experiences
'felt' by people; focus on certain headings: leadership, decision-making, communications within and outside of the island groups, good
planning, bad planning, issues of morality and integrity, island cultures; the list obviously is very long, and the extent to which groups
are focused on these issues before and during the exercise is flexible and up to the facilitator.
Using clay is messy, so make sure people have aprons and somewhere to wash. The use of such an unusual material provides excellent
motivation and interest - working with clay is a very 'earthy' and basic activity and people do not often have the chance to play with it. It
does add another dimension.
This exercise works particularly well as an evening activity on a residential course.
As a guide, allow at least an hour for the exercise and 30 minutes for the review - obviously longer if it involves presentations. Typically
younger people take less time, but whoever is doing it, if the exercise is providing useful learning experience keep it going.
The facilitator should look especially for the development of relationships in the island communities, and how these affect the
relationships between the islands. Leaders and styles emerge, which can all be discussed in the review.
The exercise can be used with all ages and in all situations, whether for, business, organizational, educational, or behavioural
development.
(Ack Judith Jenner)
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and responsibility among the delegates. As an alternative to creating a new website business , which is an exciting project for most
people (see the website challenge below), delegates can instead be tasked to establish a new distributor or retail outlet, or a new
product line, as a basis for the 'game' activity. The 'game' is essentially to conceptualise and then implement a mini NPD or new
business project. Mentoring, coaching, liaison with other departments are important support elements during project set-up and as the
projects unfold. There are also potentially big additional benefits for the organization in building bridges between interested departments
- marketing, finance, IT, etc - while parameters are established and projects develop. Terms of reference need to be clearly agreed, and
adequate consultation and approvals are essential. The business and training benefits can be huge.
it focuses too much attention on the outcome rather than the process,
it causes participants to guess what they think the facilitator thinks, as if it's a trick question, and
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it can undermine the credibility of the exercise and the facilitator when inevitably someone in the group, or worse still, the entire
group disagrees with the 'right answer', as is likely with any hypothetical scenario.
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Gift hamper containing half-bottle champagne, large tin of luxury biscuits, box of 6 mince pies, 50gm tin of caviar without a ring-pull,
a 300gm tin of ham without a ring-pull, and a 500gm christmas pudding.
Travelling games compendium containing chess, backgammon and draughts.
Sewing kit.
Whistle.
Torch with a set of spare batteries.
Box of 50 night-light 6hr candles.
Bag of 6 large blankets.
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For a large group of people it's best to have a few marshals along the route to help the lost and tardy.
Teams of four, five, or six at most, work best - the bigger the team the quicker they solve the clues, although teams of seven would be
too big and result in one or two being left out. Teams of five sounds are good.
Think about your team building priorities - if it's to improve inter-departmental team-working then create inter-departmental teams; if
you want to build stronger relationships within departments create departmental teams. If you've got gender, race or hierarchy barriers
to break down, mix the teams accordingly.
Try to mix the clues so they require different skills and knowledge, which will enable everyone in each team to shine - some clues very
cryptic, some require observation, some historical, some technical, some mathematical, some requiring good persuasive or investigative
skills, and always preferably with a local location reference/ingredient.
Whatever you do, remember planning is vital.
mime act (creativity, team building, organizing, presentation skills, and lots
more)
Groups have a set time to get/make costumes and mime a performance of a song, especially something with theatrical potential like
Bohemian Rhapsody, or Stairway To Heaven - the more extravagant or camp the better - props can be begged borrowed or otherwise
purloined, and the whole thing climaxes with a show when each group performs their mime act. Fantastic leveller, great fun, normally
hilarious. Great to video and enjoy afterwards. House rules are absolutely necessary to avoid serious inconvenience to hotel or
conference centre.
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problem-solving tasks
Get the book on lateral thinking puzzles featured on this website at the businessballs online bookshop page. In it you'll find loads of
really great lateral thinking problems you can use - ideally for syndicates of three - give them four or five at a time. More puzzles books
also on the board games and card games ideas page.
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First assess all items and prioritise them (most won't do this, they'll just deal with them in the order they appear)
Treat urgent items differently from important ones (most think they're the same)
Only handling each item once (ie procrastination or deferring is a no-no)
Opportunities to delegate (tips on the businessballs delegation page)
Decision-making (tips on the businessballs decision-making page)
Communication method and style in responding to memos, requests, complaints etc (most spend too long writing too much - hand-
written notes often suffice - email is useful - but recognise potential major hazards and make/agree time to deal with them properly)
Avoiding making unnecessary work for oneself (most make mountains out of molehills)
Using the phone to deal with sensitive communications/relationships issues (most are frightened, so write or delay, which costs more
time and problems)
Saying No when called for, and justifying why it's No.
Make sure the sample in-tray material is a good mix of issues, otherwise there's no challenge and people won't see the need for
different responses. If you can't be sure that people will bring suitable material provide it yourself. Best of all is to get your hands on
copies of someone's in-tray who is forever complaining he/she's got no time.
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Basic exercise:
Split group into pairs or threes (four or more will create 'passengers', who don't get involved). Issue each group an equal given of
newspaper sheets (the fewer the more difficult, 20-30 sheets is fine for a 10-15 minute exercise), and a roll of Sellotape (Scotch tape in
the US). Task is to construct the tallest free-standing tower made only of newspaper and Sellotape in allotted time. Point of the exercise
is to demonstrate importance of planning (time, method of construction, creativity), and the motivational effect of a team task.
Facilitator will need tape measure. Instructions need to be very clear (for instance does tower have to be free standing at completion of
time, or can it be measured before - it doesn't matter which, it matters only that any issues affecting a clear result are clarified.
See also the ideas for working with aluminium baking foil in the baking foil games on the other team building page.
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Tower must support an object (eg a lemon, book, brick, plastic beaker of water, etc). Measurement is taken to height of supported
object. If you issue an object to be supported at the top of a tower consider the well-being of the flooring and furniture. Beware safety
and mess implications of certain objects, so avoid cups of coffee, glasses, etc.
Build a newspaper and tape bridge between two tables, to support the greatest weight (number of given objects).
Build the highest platform to support a person's weight, using only newspaper and tape - make sure there's plenty of newspaper for this
version, ie, three big newspapers for each team. (Bear in mind that a platform is still a platform if it's only an inch high, although
platforms of a few inches are perfectly feasible.)
Build the longest horizontal pier from a table top, supported with newspaper struts or not.
Very strong emphasis on preparation and design - 1-5 sheets - in pairs or threes.
Design, planning, preparation, team-working - 5-10 sheets - in threes or fours.
Team building, time-management, warm up, ice-breaker, with some chaos-management - 20 sheets - in fours, fives or sixes.
Managing a lot of chaos - 30 sheets and upwards - teams of six or more.
News paper construction exercises are terrifically flexible and useful. When you decide the activity purpose and rules, the important
thing is to issue the same quantity of materials to each team.
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Think about how much paper is issued as it changes the type of challenge: lots of paper makes it much easier and places less
emphasis on planning. Very few sheets, or even just one sheet, increases the requirement for planning.
The main trick for the bridge and tower exercises (don't tell the delegates before the exercise) is to make long thin round-section
struts, by rolling the sheets and fixing with sticky tape - Sellotape or scotch tape, or narrow masking tape instead. The struts can
then be connected using various techniques, rather like girders. The same construction approach works well for the bridge too.
Round struts (tubes), and any other design of struts or sections, lose virtually all their strength if flattened or bent.
Very few newspaper exercise builders understand this fundamental point, and some fail to realise it even after completing the
exercise, so it's worth pointing out during the review.
Square sections are not very strong. Triangular or circular sections work best, although the former are difficult to make.
It's possible to make a very tall tower (8-10 feet) using a telescopic design, which requires many sheets to be stuck together end-to-
end, rolling together and then pulling out from the centre.
Most people make the mistake of forming big square section lengths or spans, which are inherently very weak and unstable. This is
why the newspaper constructions are such good exercises - each one needs thinking about and planning and testing or people fall
into traps and make simple mistakes.
The strongest design for weight-bearing is 'building blocks' of hexagonal tubes (six sides). This is the shape that naturally results if
lots of circular tubes are compressed sideways together, and it's also the shape found in nature's beehive construction. Hexagonal
tubes are difficult to make though and it's unlikely that people will think to do it. It's useful to make up a few samples to
demonstrate in the review how strong the hexagonal construction is.
Less strong, but quicker is to make is lots of short rolled circular tubes, up to six inches high - make sure there's enough paper for
the teams when using the human weight-bearing platform exercise.
Grouping the tubes together, stood on their ends and placing sufficient sheets on top to spread the person's weight usually is the
easiest way to complete this exercise to a winning standard.
Alternatively, roll up lots of solid cylinders, again a few inches long. Grouped and fixed together on their ends these make an
immensely strong platform.
The best way of finding answers is to try it - you should be doing that anyway if you are facilitating and running the session - you'll
be amazed at how strong paper can be if it's folded and/or rolled and assembled with a bit of thought.
The weight bearing platform will only be a few inches high - we're not expecting to get someone up to the ceiling.
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If all else fails, if you think about it, at it's simplest a team member could simply stand on all of their allotted sheets of paper. It'll
only be a few millimetres high, but it's still a platform.
All of these exercises are generally tackled best by making the 'building block' elements, whether struts or tubes or any other
shapes. And this emphasises one of the big lessons from the exercises - planning, and testing (time and materials permitting) are
essential.
See also the ideas for working with aluminium baking foil in the baking foil games on the other team building page.
juggling (right-side brain, warm-up, team building, physical activity and lots
more)
Juggling is a powerful warm-up and training aid. It's extremely flexible for training and team building, from a 10 minute warm up to a
continuous activity over a few days. You'll need to learn the three-ball cascade first - it's easy - just follow the juggling instructions on
this site.
To use as a ten minute warm-up, give a summary of the instructions, then issue juggling items. Loosely 5-10% of people can already
juggle, and others soon pick it up. Emphasise that everyone can do it provided they go through the proper learning process.
Short warm ups can also be done in pairs, using three balls or bags (or lemons or potatoes depending on budget!). Pairs can stand side
by side or face to face, but should only use one hand each. One person holds two and starts. The second person throws their ball before
catching the ball thrown by their partner. And so on..
To use juggling as an activity to inter-weave with a training course or workshop, break down the juggling instructions and sessions to
one ball, then two balls, then three balls. Link to training themes as appropriate (lots of training naturally breaks down into threes, so it
fits well).
Use any existing jugglers in the group to help coach other delegates, or issue them with four balls and have them learn to juggle four
(basically two balls in each hand, not crossing hand to hand, thrown alternately), or issue them with clubs. For more information about
juggling four balls and clubs please contact us.
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Juggling equipment is expensive in the specialist retail outlets, use trade sources instead. Typically you'll get 'Tri-its' pyramid bean bags
at £1.50 ($2) for three. Proper juggling balls are more expensive, £3-5 ($4-7) for three, but the extra cost is worth it if you want to print
on them to reinforcing a theme or brand, because people keep them. For details of corporate juggling products, or specialised juggling
support/facilitation please contact us.
plate spinning (right-side brain, warm-up, team building, physical activity and
lots more)
Plate spinning is a great exercise for team building and for warming up delegates for training sessions and conferences. A plate spinning
set comprises a plastic plate and a 'wand' - a plastic rod with a point at one end. You can obtain these from a juggling equipment trade
supplier for about £1-2 ($1.50-3.00) per set - shop around for the best deal and contact us if you need help. It's easy to teach yourself,
which you must do before you try to teach others! It's possible to pass a spinning plate from one person to another using the wands,
and this gives lots of possibilities for team races. Plates, like juggling balls, can be branded to support themes, training messages or
product launches, etc. They're also cheap enough to give away without denting the budget. People will ask for spares for their kids, so
make sure you have plenty. Look at the how to spin a plate page for plate spinning instructions.
diabolo (right-side brain, warm-up, team building, physical activity and lots
more)
The diabolo is another great street performer's skill that you can use for team building and training activities. The diabolo set comprises
a diabolo 'reel' and two sticks, connected at each end by a length of string. Expect to pay around £5-10 per set depending on the quality
and size of diabolo. The diabolo is easy to get started and then to do some basic tricks - throwing up in the air and catching again for
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instance, after which the diabolo requires quite a demanding level of skill to progress to the more advanced tricks. For instructions how
to use and teach the diabolo look at the diabolo instructions on this website.
devil stick (right-side brain, warm-up, team building, physical activity and lots
more)
The devil stick is a fantastic piece of equipment, again used by street entertainers the world over. The devil stick set comprises three
parts: the devil stick itself, which is a rounded wooden stick, about two feet long, two inches wide at each end, with a taper from each
end to a middle 'waist' of about an inch diameter. The other parts are two wooden dowel controlling rods, each sleeved with rubber for
grip, about a half-inch in diameter. For instructions how to use and teach the devil stick look at the devil stick instructions on this
website.
yoyo (right-side brain, warm-up, team building, physical activity and lots more)
Yoyos are cheap and easy, and great fun. The new style clutch yoyos are now available for less than £1 or a dollar due to over-
production in the Far East, so shop around. Start by teaching people how to position the string properly on the yoyo and the finger, then
simply making the yoyo go up and down in a controlled way. Next increase difficulty to spinning the yoyo on its clutch (the yoyo stays
spinning at the bottom of the string given a fast throw), and then graduate to tricks like 'walking the dog'. Lots more tricks can be
demonstrated and taught if you have time. Most yoyos will have instructions on the packaging - make sure you learn the basics yourself
before you try teaching others or using yoyos in a warm-up or games activity.
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in teams of 5 - role-play the training plan with an individual from the team who does not know how to use it (1 trainee, plus all
other team members to have a training duty within the training plan).
in teams of 3 - play with the levitron then create an advert for the levitron for the educational physics market.
De-brief and review according to the exercises selected and the local situation and people, abilities, training or team-building purpose,
etc. The best way to create a framework for de-brief is to brainstorm the headings before the exercise with the whole group - this also
helps people get the best out of the exercise, because they are aware of the pointers.
see also
More ideas for exercises, quizzes and games on these free pages:
fantasticat - see the Fantasticat ideas for motivating, teaching and developing young people - grown-ups too..
free motivational, inspirational posters for teambuilding themes ideas
amusing and fascinating origins of words, expressions and cliches
puzzles and games for quizzes and exercises
stories and analogies for training, public-speaking and writing
difficult puzzles for teams
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