Team building directory - team building games, exercises, activities, advice, tips, lists

Team building directory

We have an index for the important topic of team building. This Directory is a resource for team building ideas generation.

How to organise team building

If you have been set the exciting task of organising a team building day, your first thought might be a trip to local beauty spot for a bit of football and a picnic, followed by a trip to a pub or restaurant. This is a bit lazy!

This sort of day out is more of a group bonding experience, or social event organised by staff committees as a reward - light relief from the struggles of work.

What is the point of team exercises?

Team building should also allow metrics to be taken - even free form notes can be useful - so you can analyse the team member's interaction with the team events, and then make some decisions about future training or job opportunities for the participants.

Ideas Directory for team building

Games and creativity

Creative time in the office is not only good for general staff morale, it can also generate new business ideas and help innovation.

Tip: Give your people a small percentage of free time to work on new ideas, with no particular direction - see what they come up with. Have an audit every now and then to make sure ideas are flowing (rather than time wasting surfing etc). Publish the best ones in the staff intranet, once you have sorted out the intellectual property, which is the companies' as the work of idea generation is done in company time.

Sporting or outdoor games

Problem here is that most people do not like sports or are rubbish at them, so a visit to the park for a game and picnic has to be set up so anyone can play - softball is the usual choice.

Tai Chi is also a good idea if you have an older work force. Or gentle exercises.

Try lateral thinking - perhaps hire a trainer or expert for the games or exercises, this will make the session a talking point, and people will feel they have been treated to something of value.

Corporate event ideas

Again try and separate Team Building from Group Bonding.

A lavish trip to the theatre or opera for the execs is group bonding - as is a trip to a brewery or the seaside for the workers (this is how it is organised, welcome to the class divide).

It is far easier to organise trips than to set up monitored team exercises. But put in the extra effort.

Above: Corporate Teams as run by Daleks

Group Bonding events for bigger companies
with a big budget include:

• Paintball - only good for fit young males
• Horse racing - not so good for Muslim staff who don't gamble or have a flutter
• Football - usually for 'blokes' or younger staff members
• Trips to foreign or exotic locations - such as a weekend in Dublin or a trip to New York
• Treats are often a reward for a good period of work, like a bonus

Team Buildings Activities

Hire consultants to organise your team exercises, as all activities (even the introduction and end sessions) have to be set up properly to test and stretch certain social psychological aspects of team behaviour. This sort of this is not simple and is sometimes counter-intuitive.

Aims of team building

• Observe interaction of staff
• Observe individuals and how they interact and achieve aims (or not)
• Make recommendations to improve efficiency and staff moral
• Increase productivity
• Reduce staff turnover

Look out for:

Role of leader, manager or facilitator

This is why it is better to have an independent person doing this, as there will be a problem if the actual manager is leading the team)

Interpersonal styles in a team

These can switch around and be fluid, or be obvious for particular members.

• Dominance - some people will try and take over, or even show off, which is bad for the group balance
• Submission - some will always follow and try to hide
• Creeping (or arse licking, brown nosing etc) - praising and helping the dominant member (or theboss if they are around)
• Boredom - some will not contribute or only be half there
• Disrespect or sarcasm - negative emotions can ruin a team
• Co-operation and Enthusiasm - this is what is preferred but can be too pushy or put others off contributing
• Sabotage - some people will try to trip up others to make themselves look good

A trained team organiser can see all of these patterns, and in fact, that is what they are looking for to work out remedial solutions for management to enact in the real workplace.

Handling conflict in the team

• Direct Approach - ask them what is happening
• Bargaining - do a deal to improve their perception of the problem situation
• Enforcement - tell them the behaviour or procedural rules for the group
• Retreat - change the rules, or bend them
• De-emphasis - change the subject, ignore

More sections to follow.

See also Team Building Index >