Building a solid team is no easy task, regardless of team member talent and potential. It takes hard work, excellent communication and a solid understanding of roles to become a team that experiences consistent success. While there is no guaranteed method to building team success, there are several exercises and activities that will help lay the groundwork of a team-centered foundation, while keeping the environment light and enjoyable throughout the team building and team maintenance process. Consider these top 8 exercises and activities to build a successful team.
Standing Tall
You have to walk before you can run, and you have to stand before you can walk. A simple exercise that is fun and fast, Standing Tall is reliant on teamwork in simple form. Everyone is given a partner – without putting a hand or elbow to the floor, both partners must go from a seated position to standing. While more athletic participants may be able to pop right up, it will take some simple strategy to see all team members standing.
Hang it Up
Divide a larger group into several 3-5 member groups. Offer each team a wire hanger and the objective to come up with a useful tool. Offer a time limit of approximately 10-15 minutes - the most functional and creative tool wins.
Jigsaw Puzzles
There are several great team building activities that rely on the use of jigsaw puzzles. Consider this example, or come up with you own. Take a mid-level jigsaw puzzle (approximately 100 pieces) and remove a piece. Offer the puzzle to a team, and instruct them to put it together as quickly as possible. This works as an excellent conversation starter as to the importance of the single missing piece – more than likely, no metaphor will go unturned.
Sleight of Hand
Give a team of 4-6 individuals four balls (Tennis balls work great). The objective – each person must handle all four of the balls in the shortest amount of time possible. Once they've accomplished their goal, tell them to do it again. Continue to repeat the game, and then enjoy a spirited discussion. No doubt, the conversation will lead toward organization, teamwork and ingenuity. It's also quite entertaining to see how each group established their fastest time.
Lego of My Perspective
Buy a few of the simpler Lego sets. Pull the bagged Legos out of the boxes and hide the boxes from the team members. Each team is to build the “neatest” thing they can out of the pieces offered, using ALL of the pieces, without instructions or any idea as to what the finished product was designed to look like. A lot of fun, a lot of laughter and some glimpses into leadership qualities and creative genius.
Going Up
Each team should have 4-6 individuals. Give each individual a standard 8.5 x 11 piece of paper and a five inch strip of lightweight tape (masking tape works the best). From those supplies, the objective is to build the tallest freestanding structure. A time limit of 10-20 minutes will allow for some pretty impressive design.
The Great Egg Drop
Regardless of environment, background or education, this game is always a blast and relies on excellent communication and teamwork. Divide a team into groups of 3-4 individuals. Each smaller group will construct a device that will protect an egg during a free fall flight from a predetermined height. Objective 1: The egg survives the fall. Objective 2: Create the lightest device for the egg to travel in. The lightest device containing a surviving egg is the winner.
Outdoor Adventures
While outdoor team building activities were all the rage a decade ago, they've seemingly lost some steam, as they often became an attempt at instant growth or success, instead of a part of the process. Whitewater rafting, ropes courses, adventure treks, mountaineering, rock climbing, obstacle courses: Positive Adventures, LLC. offers all these incredible activities which help to build team morale, trust and a lasting bond.
