In-Person Team Building Examples

Time:  20 minutes

Goal: To teach people the importance of timing and packing of messages 

Exercise Description: Standing in a circle, the group tosses multiple balls around to each in a particular order first stating the person’s name they are going to toss the ball to.  Successive rounds get more complicated.

Reflection:  Importance of verbal and nonverbal communication.  Keeping sanity in the face of distractions and chaos.

Time:  20 minutes

Goal:  To coordinate efforts to work together.  

Exercise Description:  Using pool noodles, the team must transport a ball along a track and reach a goal.  The team sets the goal ahead of time as to how many attempts it will take to succeed.  The facilitator gives the group constraints on what they can and cannot do as they work together.

Reflections:  How did team decide the best way to solve the problem?  How did team manage expectations and negotiate a goal?  How did team stay engaged when the ball was not in front of you?  How did group handle failure and disappointment?

Time: 20 minutes

Goal:  Stimulate creativity and group decision making

Exercise Description:  Each person writes their name on a piece of paper and on the back side, writes either a work or personal goal.  Each person then randomly places the piece of paper, name side up, in a designated space.  The group leaves the space and each person must pick up their goal without their feet touching the ground.  They must get help from their group and group members can only help 3 times and a method for entering and retrieving goal can only be used once.

Reflection:  How did strategy impact process?  What kind of communication occurred to make sure everyone was comfortable with selected methods?  Did group constrain itself or try out of the box techniques?

Time: 20 minutes

Goal:  To get group to creatively problem solve and work together.

Exercise Description:  The team must transport a ball that sits on top of a post by lifting the ball with a ring at the base of the post that is controlled by a starburst of strings radiating out from the ring.

Reflection:  How much planning did the group take before diving into exercise?  How receptive where participants to other points of view? Did someone take charges and what was their leadership style?

Time: 15 minutes

Goal:  Coordinate group effort

Exercise Description:  Group lines up on both sides of tent pole and using both index fingers they lift pole to height of shortest person in the group’s shoulders. Then without loosing contact with bar, group must lower tent pole to the ground at the same time.

Reflection:  How did group establish a leader(s) for the task?  How did group resolved conflicts and frustrations during exercise?  What were components of winning strategy?

Time:  45-60 minutes

Goal:  Strategy Problem solving and group collaboration

Exercise Description:  Teams must accomplish a series of events incorporating mental and physical challenges.  

Reflection:  What level of thought went into strategy before starting event? Were team members stuck on a method or willing to try new things when things were not working?