If you’re a manager looking for something to motivate employees or maybe a team leader looking for ways to improve communication and cooperation within the team, then a simple ten-minute team-building exercise could prove the ideal solution.
Before delivering the exercise, it is important you take your time to plan each training session. Every session should be developed from two or three goals that have been identified for that session with the participants in mind. Once you have identified the learning outcomes then find an exercise that helps you achieve those outcomes.
Here are a few quick and easy challenges:
Blind Count-Off
Get the group to stand in a circle, with all group members facing the outside of the circle with their backs to each other. Now as a team, they have to count as high as they can out loud with only one person saying a number at a time.
Suggested learning outcomes: Listening skills, strategy, mental toughness, progressive development, communication skills
Human Knot
Standing in a circle group members reach across and grab other participant’s hands. The group then tries to unravel the “human knot” by untangling themselves without letting go of each other’s hands.
Suggested learning outcomes: Leadership, cooperation, support, persistence, planning
For more team-building challenges check out our team building activities section.
I also recommend purchasing our eBook, The Team Building Activity Book. The book provides an easy-to-use, step-by-step guide to teaching team building with full descriptions for over 30 team-building challenges including printable challenger briefs, ready-to-use programmes, and access to exclusive member downloads. Click here to find out more.
Team Building Session Structure
Once you have selected an appropriate challenge, then you have to plan each element of the training session. On a basic level, the delivery of a team-building session should consist of the following:
- Introduction and explanation
- Activity/Challenge
- Review
Introduction
Introduce yourself (if you don’t already know the group) and the team building session. Speak to participants about similar past experiences. Set learning objectives for the exercise and discuss them with the group to ensure understanding.
Next, explain the task to the group. Give them clear instructions and rules for the challenge.
Activity
The majority of your time should be given to actual time on task so ensure participants get the most from the experience. Although completion of the task is important, how they achieve that goal or get to the end result is the key part of the team building session and this is where the real learning happens.
Review
Reviewing is an important part of any team-building session. It is a point in the session where you can connect the dots, confirm the learning with the group, and consolidate any information that they may have taken on board.
Visit our reviewing post for more information on how to review including 1-minute, 2-minute, and 5-minute reviews.
More team-building tips
- Over-plan rather than under-plan – it is easier to remove content from your session structure than magic up content from nowhere.
- If you’re delivering a long team-building session, then have a number of activities ready.
- Select exercises that lead you to your end result. If there is no chance of getting to the learning outcome you desire then don’t use the exercise or quickly adapt it.
If you have found this post useful then please share it with your colleagues and friends. Also, let me know me know how you get on trying these exercises out for yourself. If you have any questions or need some advice, then feel free to message me. Happy team building!
