Team Building Activities for Empower Your Business

I heard that many team building activities cause embarrassment rather than enthusiasm. The potential impact they have is nullified by the total reluctance of team members to get involved. Nevertheless, there are some team building activities that participants can enjoy. Some of these take only a few minutes, while others take hours. Some of these affect your communication, while others enhance your collaboration skills. This article presents a list of such team building activities.

A team is a group of individuals (human or non-human) working together to achieve their goal. As defined by Professor Leigh Thompson of the Kellogg School of Management, “[a] team is a group of people who are interdependent with respect to information, resources, knowledge and skills and who seek to combine their efforts to achieve a common goal”.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Team

Indoor team building activities

Low-tech social network

Map the connections between team members to the whiteboard. Teams create “avatars” and draw lines to show how they know other team members. This could act as an icebreaker at an event where the teams are not familiar with each other.

• Number of participants: 5 to 50
• Time required: 30 minutes.
• Objective: Introduce participants to each other and establish relationships.

Game description

1. Give participants markers, index cards, and tapes. If possible, use markers of different colors.
2. Ask participants to draw an “avatar” on their index card, so to speak, a “profile photo” on this social network. Also, add a name and location to each card.
3. Tape each avatar card onto a large whiteboard. Make sure there is enough space between each card.
4. Ask each participant to draw a line on the avatar card of someone they already know in the room. Also, indicate where you know them (“worked together on the project,” “lunch companion,” “went to the same university”).

Strategy

This “social network” is perfect for interacting with people who don’t know each other. Establishing a relationship between them breaks the ice. It also helps others map the connections between the other participants in the event.

Spectrum mapping

By organizing the topic into a spectrum, you can map different perspectives on the topic. This creates innovative ideas and can show the diversity of opinions within the team. You can also encourage the participation of people who don’t usually speak and have an unconventional view.

• Number of participants: 5 to 15
• Time required: 30-60 minutes.
• Objective: Express opinions and share different opinions.

Game description

1. Start by identifying some important topics that you would like to gain insights and insights from attendees.
2. Write the topic in the middle of the whiteboard. Then ask participants to write down their opinions and views on the topic on sticky notes. Attach these notes along the horizon on both sides of the subject
3. Once everyone has joined, work with the group to put together a “series” of ideas. Group similar ideas on the left. Place ideas that don’t get in the way on the right.
4. Place all ideas in the “spectrum,” with the most popular ideas on the far left and the least popular ideas on the far right.

Strategy

This “social network” is perfect for interacting with people who don’t know each other. Establishing a relationship between them breaks the ice. It also helps others map the connections between the other participants in the event.

The back of the paper

Like all legendary entrepreneurs, draw solutions to problems. For this game to work, teams need to work together to creatively solve problems.

• Number of participants: Divided into teams of 6 to 24 people and 3 to 4 people.
• Time required: 10 to 20 minutes.
• Objective: Promote unconventional thinking and teamwork.

Game description

1. Come up with some free-form problems. These may be related to your company, fictitious products, environmental issues, etc.
2. Divide all players into teams of 2-4 players. It’s basically what you see in a team of startup co-founders. Ideally, these are people who have never met or worked with.
3. Give each team a paper and pen.
4. Ask the team to draw a solution to the problem as a flow chart/sketch/graph. Evaluate all solutions and choose the one that works best for you. Option: Distribute prizes for the best solution.

Strategy

“Behind the paper” has come up with many great products and startup ideas. This simple team-building exercise duplicates this little canvas, encouraging participants to teamwork and providing something fun without being bound by preconceived ideas.

Outdoor team building activities

Blind draw

This activity is similar to continuous drawing, except it focuses on the team rather than the individual. The goal is the same. Draw the object using only verbal instructions. Teamwork and communication are essential to success in this game.

• Number of participants: 6 to 20
• Time required: 30-45 minutes.
• Objective: Focus on teamwork and communication skills in a group environment.

Game description

1. Get flip charts, pens, and everyday items (lampshades, bicycles, etc.). Alternatively, you can print an image of the object. This game works best with less noticeable objects (such as trampolines and coins).
2. Divide all participants into teams of 4-6 people.
3. Ask each team to choose one person to become an “artist.” Ask the artist to place it next to the flip chart.
4. Keep the team away from the flip chart and hand over items from the deck.
5. The team then tells the artist how to draw the object-based solely on verbal instructions. You can describe the object, but you cannot give it a name. The artist cannot see the object at any point, and the team cannot see what the artist is drawing. Each team gets 3 minutes for a draw.
6. The team whose drawing is closest to the actual object wins.

Strategy

To be successful in this team building activities game, the team must a) effectively delegate (i.e., select the right artist). b) Good communication (within the team and between the team and the artist) is required. Focus your assessment on how the team chose the artist and whether (and if so) the team leader could be chosen to convey direction.

Second team puzzle

A seemingly simple game. In this team building activities, The team must solve the puzzle within the specified time limit. There is only one catch. Some of the puzzle pieces are on the opposing team. Teams need to work together to solve the puzzles successfully.

• A number of participants: 8 to 20 people are divided into two teams.
• Time required: 30 minutes.
• Goal: Build skills for collaboration, problem-solving, and communication.

Game description

1. Take two puzzles. Mix the pieces of Puzzle A and the pieces of Puzzle B. Put it in two separate boxes.
2. Divide the group into two teams. If you have more people, you can create additional teams (remember to split the puzzle according to the number of teams).
3. Give each team a box containing their puzzles. The team initially thinks they only have to create their own puzzles
4. However, when you start working, the team will notice that some parts (and some extra parts) are missing. Ask the team to communicate clearly with each other about this situation. Eventually, they realize that they have to work together to solve the mystery.

Strategy

This team building activities can create many challenges for each team and increases interaction well. In this game, you can build strong relationships among your team members.