Team Building Activities Toolkit Club

Team-Building Activities Toolkit
Team-Building Activities Toolkit
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Cover image iStockphoto/Ailime.

Contents
1. Introduction: Team-Building Activities 1

2. Why is Team Building Important? 3
3. Common Pitfalls 5
4. Assessing the Effectiveness of Your Team 7
5. Team-Building Activities 10
5.1. Icebreakers 11
5.2. Communication 14
5.3. Eliminating Stereotypes 18
5.4. Strategy and Planning 21
5.5. Building Interdependency and Trust 24
5.6. Creative Thinking 28
5.7. Problem Solving and Decision Making 31
5.8. Morale Building 34
5.9. Leadership 37
6. Moving on 41
7. References 42
Team-Building Activities Toolkit | Mind Tools iii

Mind Tools Team-Building Activities Toolkit
Introduced by Mind Tools CEO James Manktelow
D
uring my career, Ive seen
organizations use team-building
activities to develop peoples
confidence and ability to lead, bring
together teams facing challenges, and help
new groups of people get to know each
other better. A well-thought-out exercise can
build trust where its missing, open doors to
creative thinking and honest communication,
and remind people of the deeper purpose of
their work.
There are many reasons why it does this. First, it
can give people the confidence to use and apply
new skills in a non-threatening environment.
Next, it can be fun and help us to loosen up. It
can give us a temporary break from the adult world of work, and remind us of how
we felt as children: trusting, curious and communicative. (And who wouldnt want
these qualities from their people?)
It can also give us a chance to learn new skills, often in unusual ways. As
adults, we tend to gain knowledge by reading or listening to information. But
many team-building activities encourage us to learn by doing, often in a fun,
relaxing atmosphere.
However, without careful thought and proper planning, team-building events
can waste time, erode trust, and even damage team members confidence in
their leaders.
Weve developed this toolkit to help you assess your peoples needs, to guide you
away from some of the common pitfalls, and to provide you with a selection of
exercises that will benefit your team and your organization.
So, lets get started!
James Manktelow
CEO
MindTools.com
Team-Building Activities Toolkit | Mind Tools iv

1. Introduction: Team-Building Activities
Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability to
direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel
that allows common people to attain uncommon results.
Andrew Carnegie, American businessman.
W
elcome to the Team-Building Activities Toolkit, from Mind Tools!
Stop and think about how much fun it is to watch great sports teams
performing at their best. Players movements are purposeful and look
effortless, and they work together to accomplish a well-defined goal.
Individuals know each others strengths and weaknesses, and each one is ready to
step in when a teammate needs support.
Teams that function well as one unit make whatever theyre doing look easy.
But what we dont see are the days, weeks and months of practice that go into
building those teams from the ground up.
Great teams dont just happen. It takes a great deal of focused effort for a group
of individuals to perform at its best. Thats how team-building activities can help.
If you use the right one, at the right time, you can help your team develop specific
skills and behaviors, so that everyone works together as a single unit.
This toolkit looks at the benefits of team-building activities, and highlights some
of the common mistakes that managers make when running them. Youll also
find a wide range of exercises that you can use with your team. These address the
following nine areas:
Icebreakers.
Communication.
Eliminating Stereotypes.
Strategy and Planning.
Building Interdependency and Trust.
Creative Thinking.
Problem Solving and Decision Making.
Morale Building.
Leadership.
Once you finish this toolkit, youll understand which type of exercises you should
use to help your team loosen up, communicate more effectively, think creatively,
develop leadership skills, and boost morale.
Team-Building Activities Toolkit | Mind Tools 1

How to use This Toolkit
Work through the first four sections, then continue on to the activities. You can
either read through them all at once, or select exercises that you think are most
relevant for your team.
As you go, you can either type your answers directly into this PDF, or print it out
and go through the exercises on paper. (If you work online, you can save what
youve done and come back to it later.)
Action:
Start by taking our self-test (click here), to find out how good you are at
developing your people. The quiz will give you a better sense of your strengths
as a manager, and the areas that you need to work on when it comes to
improving the morale and productivity of your team.
Quiz Score:
Areas I Need to Work on:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

2. Why is Team Building Important?
Y
ouve probably heard of Aristotles comment that, the whole is greater
than the sum of its parts. This is particularly true when its applied to the
potential of a team.
When a team works, its performance is greater than anything even its
best member could achieve individually. But getting it to perform at its best takes
work, which is why investing time and energy in team building is so important.
The Benefits of Team Building

When you use team-building exercises intelligently, they can provide a number of
important benefits.
For example, they can help team members get to know each other, build trust, and
break down communication barriers. In existing teams, they can boost morale,
strengthen relationships, and even alleviate stress.
The problem with many team-building exercises, however, is that they often dont
have a specific goal. While it might be fun to spend a day out of the office, the
activity is only useful when you apply the lessons youve all learned back at work.
Action:
Think about your team members strengths and weaknesses. On the next
page, check the areas that would benefit them the most.

Area p
Communication
Strategy and Planning
Creative Thinking
Conflict Resolution
Problem Solving
Teamwork
Trust
Culture/Positive Work Environment
Morale
Productivity
Other:

3. Common Pitfalls
H
ave you ever attended a team-building event, only to realize that it was
ultimately a waste of time? Its a dispiriting feeling, and one that you
certainly dont want to put your own people through.
The problem with many team-building exercises is that they havent
been planned properly, or there is no thoughtful discussion after the activities. Its
important to think through every activity carefully, so that participants learn from
it and understand how to translate their insights into meaningful changes at work.
Another common mistake that managers make is organizing events without a
specific goal in mind. Without this, long-term change wont happen, and people
will carry on as they did before. It can also erode team members trust and their
willingness to take part in future team-building activities.
Many managers only run team-building events once or twice a year. But it can
take weeks or months for team members to learn to trust one another, and to start
working together effectively. This is why it can be worth running these activities
regularly, so that they become a recognized part of your culture.
You can tailor your events to address any skills gaps and performance issues that
you detect throughout the year. Consider the needs of the individuals on your
team, as well as their capabilities and preferences. For example, what would
happen if you planned a physical activity, and someone on your team couldnt
take part because of a disability? This could undermine his or her morale and trust
in you as a leader.
Another common mistake is using competition as a way of building skills. Competitive
activities can be fun and exciting; however, they pit team members against one
another, and this can bring out the worst in them. This type of exercise can ultimately
damage relationships and trust. They can also demotivate people who dont like
competitive activities, or who arent good at the specific skills they use.
Make sure your event encourages people to work collaboratively, so that they
have to depend on each other to succeed.
Action:
Think back to your last team-building activity. What worked? What didnt?
What do you wish youd done differently?
Write your thoughts on the next page.

Action:
Answer the questions below to assess the needs and preferences of your team.
1. Does anyone on my team have physical limitations that I need to consider?
2. What is my budget for the activity?
3. How much time do I have to invest in it?

4. Assessing the Effectiveness of Your Team
O
ne of the most important steps in planning a team-building activity
comes at the very beginning. Before doing anything else, you need to
assess whether your team has important skills gaps or performance
issues. This will help you decide what your event should focus on. Then
you can choose activities that address your teams specific needs, and see some
meaningful change take place.
This is why its so important to look closely at your teams developmental needs,
identify the particular challenges that you want to tackle, and make it clear what
you want to accomplish right from the start.
Action:
Answer the questions on the next page to gain a better understanding of the
issues you need to work on with your team.

Issue Question
1. Do team members know how to communicate effectively? If not, what

hinders the communication process?
Communication
2. Is morale high? If not, what issues are affecting it? Do people understand
the deeper purpose behind their work?
Building Morale
3. Do team members understand the decisions you make? If not, is there conflict?
Are they capable of reaching decisions on their own, without your guidance?
Problem Solving
and Decision
Making
4. Do team members know how to develop a strategy, and identify the steps
they need to take to reach the desired end goal? If not, what do they need to
do better?
Strategy and
Planning
5. Do team members work together effectively? If not, what affects their

productivity and cohesiveness?
Teamwork

6. Do your people trust one another?
Building
Interdependency
and Trust
7. Do people who want to be in a leadership role feel comfortable taking on

those responsibilities?
Leadership
8. Are team members tolerant of one another? Do they respect diversity

within the group?
Eliminating
Stereotypes
9. Do people have fun during brainstorming sessions, or are these meetings

business as usual? Are they comfortable sharing ideas with one another?
Creative Thinking

5. Team-Building Activities
W
eve organized our favorite team-building activities into nine sections:
5.1. Icebreakers.
5.2. Communication.
5.3. Eliminating Stereotypes.
5.4. Strategy and Planning.
5.5. Building Interdependency and Trust.
5.6. Creative Thinking.
5.7. Problem Solving and Decision Making.
5.8. Morale Building.
5.9. Leadership.
Most of the exercises are quick to do, and require minimal materials.

5.1. Icebreakers
Icebreakers help people get to know each other better, particularly if youre
putting together a new team. Here we look at three useful icebreakers.
Exercise 1: Getting to Know you*

This activity encourages people to share memories from their personal or
professional lives.
Uses
This is a quick exercise that helps team members get to know each other. It can also
give them useful insights into their colleagues values, histories and characters.
People and Materials

Any size group works well for this exercise.
A small item to show which team member has the floor. This could be
something fun, like a trophy, ball or ribbon, or an ordinary object.
A pen and notebook for every participant.
Time
Around 15-20 minutes, depending on the size of the group.
Instructions
1. Explain that you want everyone to get to know one another better, and
that you would like each person to share two great moments from his or
her life. These experiences can be personal or professional, but they should
be meaningful.
2. Give people a few minutes to think about what theyd like to share.
Encourage them to write down their stories. Ask them to think about how
these experiences changed their perspective on their life or work.
3. When youre ready to start, hand the object to the first person. When she
has finished speaking, she should pass it to another person; its now that
persons turn to have the floor.
Advice for the Facilitator

Talk to your group once everyone has finished. What did people learn? Were there
any surprises?
Keep in mind that some team members might not feel comfortable talking about
personal details from their past. To help them overcome their hesitation, lead by
example and share two of your most meaningful stories with the group. Try to
choose examples that will inspire your team, or that relate to a current challenge
youre all facing. This will help your team get to know you better and it will build
trust, because you are willing to open up to the group.
* Original source unknown. Please contact editorial@mindtools.com if you know what the
source is.

Exercise 2: Partner Stretch
This activity helps people get to know one another, breaks down barriers, and
energizes a group.
This exercise originally appeared in the book, The Big Book of Team Motivating
Games, by Edward and Mary Scannell.
Uses
Depending on the cultural context, this exercise can be a great way to break
the ice with a new team, raise energy levels, and get people working together
more closely. It can also be useful for breaking down perceived silos within
departments or cross-functional teams.

Any size group works well in this exercise.
Time
Five minutes for pairs to decide on their stretches, and one minute for each
pair to teach the stretch to the rest of the group.
Instructions
1. Ask your group members to get into pairs. Give them five minutes to come
up with a stretch that they can hold for three seconds.
2. Tell the pairs that they have to follow two rules: they must use a phrase or
sound effect while doing the stretch, and the partners bodies must touch
each other during the stretch.
3. Once the time is up, each pair must teach its stretch to the rest of
the group.

Ask team members to think about how they felt before the activity, and reflect on
how they feel after. You should find that people are more relaxed and comfortable
with one another, and are re-energized after the gentle exercise. Did working in
such close proximity help break down barriers? Why did team members choose
their phrases or sound effects, and what effect did these have?
It can be useful for your group to understand the typical stages that new teams
go through. Our article on Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing can help
with this.

Exercise 3: What If?*
In this exercise, participants answer a series of What If? questions to get to know
one another.
Uses
This activity helps new team members learn about their colleagues on a personal
level. It can also help strengthen their listening skills.

20 What If? questions on index cards (see below for examples).
Time
Typically around 10-15 minutes.
Instructions
1. Ask your team to sit in a circle. Give each person an index card, face down.
2. One at a time, participants must read out the question on the card, and
then give their answer to the group.

The What If? exercise is a simple and fun way for team members to get to know
one another. You could use it during on-boarding or induction sessions, or at the
start of a training exercise to help everyone loosen up.
Consider asking questions like these:

If you could travel anywhere for a vacation, where would you go, and why?

If you could have dinner with anyone in the world (past or present), who
would it be, and why?
If you could live one day over again, what day would it be, and why?
What values do you try to live by most, and why?
What do you wish you knew, and why?
What do you want your life to be like in five years, and why?
What excites you about your job, and why?
Ask your group to really listen while each member speaks. You should explain the
importance of active listening in building trust and improving communication.

5.2. Communication Exercises
Your team communicates in many different ways: face-to-face, by Skype, by instant
message, and by email. But does it do so effectively?
Groups that have trouble communicating will never realize their full potential,
and communication breakdowns can have serious consequences. Use the three
exercises below to help build trust among team members, and to strengthen their
communication and listening skills.
Exercise 1: The Blindfold Game*

In this activity, blindfolded participants must rely on their partners to navigate an
"assault course successfully.
Uses
This exercise helps to improve communication and listening skills, and build trust
between partners.

Any size group works well in this exercise.
Enough blindfolds for half of the participants.
A large, private room.
Furniture and other items that you can use as obstacles.
Time
Around 15-20 minutes.
Instructions
1. Scatter furniture and objects around the room before the activity begins.
Your course should be challenging, but still safe to navigate around.
2. Put team members into pairs and ask them to stand at one end of the room.
3. One person from each pair should put on a blindfold.
4. The sighted people must guide their partners across the room and give
instructions to help them avoid the obstacles.
5. When each team reaches the other side of the room, partners should switch
roles and then repeat the exercise.

Talk with your group after the exercise. Consider asking these questions:
How did participants have to communicate differently to guide their partners?
How did their listening skills change and adapt when they were blindfolded?
You might find it helpful for team members to take our self tests, How Good Are Your
Listening Skills? and How Good Are Your Communication Skills? These will help them
understand how well they listen and communicate, and identify how they can improve.
source is.

Exercise 2: A Better Way to Say it
Your team members likely ask one another for help every day. But how well do
they do that? This exercise can help show people that, in many cases, theres a
better way.
This exercise originally appeared in The Big Book of Leadership Games, by
Vasudha Deming.
Uses
In this exercise, team members learn how to ask for help in a friendly, positive way.

Any size group works well with this exercise.
A flip chart.
Marker pens.
Time
Typically about 15-20 minutes.
Instructions
1. Help your people think of 10-15 things they regularly ask one another for.
This could include asking for help in finishing a project or borrowing a
piece of office equipment.
2. Get them to write down exactly how they phrase these requests. Do they
ask for peoples help face-to-face? Do they pick up the phone? Do they
send an email?
3. Next, say to the team that it is going to make these requests in a more
positive and professional way.
Explain that there are two ways to make requests more professionally:
Dont tell ask, and Show the value, and that, when they call on others
for help, they should ask politely, rather than tell them what they need.
They should also let the other person know the benefit of fulfilling
the request. For example, Sam, could I please have that report by this
afternoon? If we can get it back to the client by tomorrow morning, we
stand a good chance of beating our competitors on the bid, and meeting
our sales target this week.
4. Divide your group in half, and ask each team to sit on opposite sides of
the room. Give each one half of the questions that they brainstormed.
One team is the Dont tell ask group, while the other is the Show the
value group.
5. Give them marker pens and tell them to write down a better way of
making each request, using their guiding principles.

Talk with your team about how subtly changing the way we make requests can
improve relationships and morale.
You can also discuss how your team can say no gracefully; this is especially
important when people have pressing deadlines.
Exercise 3: Listen up!

Listen Up! is an exercise where people talk about controversial topics. In pairs,
one person must listen to the other without speaking and then, without rebuttal,
recap on what was said.
This exercise was published in Brian Cole Miller's book, "Quick Team-Building
Exercises for Busy Managers."
Uses
Listen Up! is an activity that helps strengthen peoples listening skills. This is an
incredibly important part of good communication, and it's often ignored in team-
building activities. The exercise also shows team members how important it is to
listen to others with an open mind.

Any even-numbered group works well with this exercise.
Ten index cards per pair, each with a controversial topic on it. Give
guidance on topics or examples. You might want to exclude subjects such
as sex, religion and politics you dont want people to end up disliking one
another at the end of the exercise!
Time
Instructions
1. Ask your team members to get into pairs.
2. Give each pair 10 index cards, five for each person.
3. The first person must blindly choose a card, and then speak for three
minutes on how he feels about the topic. As he talks, the other person
should only listen.
4. After three minutes, the listener has one minute to recap what has been
said. However, she can only summarize she must not offer an opinion,
debate or disagree with the information.
5. Next, ask the pairs to swap roles and start the process again.

Talk with your team members about what they thought of the exercise. Consider
asking these questions:

How well did your partner summarize your opinion? Did he get better as
the exercise progressed?
Do you think your partner listened with an open mind? Did her body
language give away what she thought about what you were saying?
What was it like to listen without sharing your own views on the topic? Did
you manage to keep an open mind?
How can we take the lessons we have learned and apply them in
the workplace?
It might be helpful before the exercise for people to take our self test, How Good
Are Your Listening Skills?, to give them a better understanding of how well they
listen. You could also talk to them about the importance of empathic listening in
developing good working relationships.

5.3. Eliminating Stereotypes Exercises
Whether we like it or not, stereotypes and labels exist. Most of us likely have some
powerful preconceptions about our colleagues, customers and suppliers, and
these views, positive or negative, can affect how we interact. So, its important to
be aware of them.
However, people are likely to feel uncomfortable talking about this subject in a
straightforward way, so the exercises in this section are designed to be fun and
safe. Use them to help team members to recognize their biases and to think about
different perspectives.
Exercise 1: Stereotype Party*

This exercise will get everyone talking!
Uses
Through questioning and responding to each other while moving round the
room, participants will bring to light the ideas that each holds about a range of
professions, personality types, and characteristics. Theyll practice listening and
observing, interact widely with the rest of the team and have some laughs and
learning points too.

Any size of group but bigger ones are best.
Enough name tags or labels to give one to each team member.
A list of stereotypes.
Time
Around 15 minutes for the active section, plus 10 minutes to debrief, and
five minutes to agree actions.
Instructions
1. Before you assemble your group, write a different stereotype on each tag.
2. As each person enters the room, put a tag on his or her back or forehead,
or ask everyone to attach a tag to a colleague if they feel comfortable to do
so. Be careful to ensure that no one can see their own label!
3. Tell the party goers to start mingling and to follow two rules: they
must ask one question of each person they meet, to help find out their
own identities; they must react to each person they meet in a way thats
appropriate to that persons hidden identity.
4. At the end of the party, chair a debrief. Ask the group to report which
labels they think they have and why, how they felt receiving colleagues
reactions to them, and what they think about stereotyping now.
5. Invite the team to decide on three action points to tackle stereotyping in
their workplace, either as a group or individually.
source is.

Tip:
Example labels are:
Foreign tourist. Auto mechanic.
Wheelchair user. Police officer.
Person with depression. Surgeon.
New parent. Fast-food worker.
You might want to use workplace roles such as CEO, clerk, developer,
receptionist, and so on. Create a list to suit your situation.

Set and manage ground rules for the debrief to ensure respect among the team
and a safe place for open discussion. Bear in mind it might not be easy for people
to admit to stereotyping others, or to being negatively affected by stereotyping.
One option could be to replace the debrief with a discussion around stereotyping
in the news and the effect that it has. You could follow up the session by sharing
with your team our Expert Interview podcast about inadvertent bias.
Exercise 2: What are YOU Talking About?

In What are YOU Talking About? team members explore how people can
interpret words or concepts differently.
This has been adapted from the Diversity and Dialogue website.
Uses
The exercise helps team members understand how people have their own unique
perspectives on the world. It demonstrates how they can change the way they talk
to people to accommodate their different communication styles.

A ball.
A stack of cards, each with a random word or phrase written on it. (Weve
listed some ideas below.)
Time
Flexible.
Instructions
1. Gather your group in a circle and take hold of the ball. Pick a random word
or phrase from the stack of cards, and read it aloud. Then, throw the ball
to someone else. When your colleague catches it, he has to say what he
thought the moment you read out what was on the card.

2. Quicken the pace as the exercise continues. The idea is to get each person
to react without thinking too much. This will help identify the subconscious
thoughts that they have about particular words, phrases or ideas.
3. Once the ball has been around the group, ask someone to choose another
word and start the process again.

You have to strike the right balance with this exercise. On one hand, you want
to spark a conversation about the unique reactions and perspectives that each
person has about a particular word or idea. However, you dont want to single
people out, or choose polarizing topics that will create conflict within your group.
Use work-related words or phrases, at least until everyone has loosened up and is
comfortable with the activity.
Tip:
Here are some words you might include:
Happiness. Hard work.
Conflict. Goal.
Diversity. Influence.
Purpose. Tolerance.
Meaning. Creativity.

5.4. Strategy and Planning Exercises
Strategy is the ability to look into the future, understand what might happen, and
develop a plan to take you where you want to go.
The two exercises in this section help you strengthen your teams strategic
thinking and planning skills.
Exercise 1: Capture the Flag*

Capture the Flag is an outdoor game better suited to larger groups of people who
enjoy physical activity. The goal is to capture the other teams flag, while making
sure that none of your own team members are taken prisoner.
Uses
Capture the Flag is an excellent game for building strategic thinking and
communication skills. Teams assign roles (such as guards and raiders) and
use battlefield tactics to capture the opposing flag. This activity can help new
teams get to know each other, and break down barriers between hierarchies in
organizations.

Enough people to form at least two groups of five.
Two flags you can use anything, from a towel to a company flag.
A large outdoor space, ideally one with trees, hills or buildings.
Time
30-45 minutes.
Instructions
1. In Capture the Flag, each group has its own territory, with a neutral space
in the middle. The teams need to mark out their territory; this could be
with a sign, or by using a natural marker like a tree or stream. To win the
exercise, teams must successfully cross into enemy territory, capture
the other groups flag, and carry it back into their home territory without
getting caught.
There are two primary roles for team members: guards and raiders. Guards
stay in their home territory to capture any enemies who cross into it.
Raiders sneak into the other teams territory to take their flag.
Guards can capture raiders who they find in their home territory by
tagging them. Once tagged, raiders are held in prison until a member
of their own team tags them again. Then the prisoners are free to return
home, before resuming play again.
source is.

If a team member successfully captures the enemy flag, she must take it
back to her own territory. If she is caught before reaching home soil, the
flag is returned to its original hiding place, she goes to prison, and the
game continues.
2. Once you explain the rules, divide your group into two teams. Give them
10 minutes to choose a leader, assign roles, and discuss their strategies.
3. Instruct the teams to hide their flags out of sight of the enemy, but not so
that they are impossible to find. The groups wait in their home territories
until you signal that the exercise has started. The activity finishes when
one of the teams successfully brings its enemys flag home.

When the game has finished, talk with your team about how it went. Consider
How did each persons role play into the groups overall strategy?
How well did the teams execute their strategies?
How can you use the lessons youve learned to be more strategic in
the workplace?
Capture the Flag can be an incredibly fun activity; however, keep in mind that it
is a physical, outdoor game and may only be suitable for fit, mobile people with a
liking of the outdoors.
Exercise 2: The Team Vision Board*

A Vision Board is an effective tool for defining your dreams and goals, and for
keeping motivated to work toward them. In this exercise, participants create a
group Vision Board to define collective goals over the medium term.
Uses
This exercise helps to strengthen your teams planning skills, as it gets members to
think carefully about what theyd like to achieve during the next 12 months.

Laptops and a printer.
Display board.
Scissors and glue.
A flip chart and marker pens.
Time
Instructions
1. Write down the organizations or teams Mission and Vision Statement for
the group to consider when setting its goals.

2. Give your team 10 minutes to talk about what it would like to achieve in
the next 12 months. This can include hard goals, like hitting a specific
sales target, or soft goals, such as communicating better as a group. Write
them on the flip chart.
3. Now, ask people to search the Web for images or words and print them
out. Instruct your team to cut out images or words that represent its
objectives for the coming year.
4. Instruct the group to make the images and words into a collage.

As you talk to your team about its goals, use Management by Objectives to make
sure they align with those of your organization. Our Bite-Sized Training session,
Setting Goals for Members of Your Team, will also help you identify your teams
main objectives.

5.5. Building Interdependency and Trust Exercises
You dont get harmony when everybody sings the same note
Doug Floyd.
Without trust, your team is severely limited in what it can achieve. However, when
you have it, the skys the limit!
While trust is essential for teams to function well, you need to work to develop
it. The three activities and exercises in this section can help you build trust and
cooperation within your team.
Exercise 1: The Incomplete Jigsaw Puzzle

In this activity, each team must assemble a jigsaw puzzle, and find pieces that are
missing by liaising with the other groups.
This exercise was originally published in Brian Cole Miller's book, "Quick
Team-Building Exercises for Busy Managers."
Uses
The exercise shows the importance of cooperation and teamwork, even when
there appears to be an element of competition. It helps encourage team members
think about how they rely on their colleagues in the workplace.

Enough people for at least two teams of three to six members.
One childrens jigsaw, containing between 20 and 50 pieces, for each team.
Time
Approximately 20 minutes.
Instructions
1. Before the activity, take the puzzles out of their boxes, and put each one
in its own bag. Take three pieces out of each jigsaw and distribute them
among the other bags.
2. Once youve assembled your team members, ask them to get into groups
of between three and six.
3. Give each team a jigsaw puzzle bag. You shouldnt say that youve removed
any pieces.
4. Instruct the teams that they have 10 minutes to put together their jigsaws.

When the groups realize there are pieces missing, they might ask for your help.
All you should tell them is that all of the pieces are available in the room, and they
must do whatever is necessary to complete their task. Dont give any more advice,
as the participants should try to come up a solution on their own.
Make sure you avoid encouraging the teams to compete against one another.
The purpose of this activity is for them to realize the importance of working with
different teams, even when they each have their own agendas. Any element of
competition that people feel is because of their own assumptions about the
purpose of the task. After the activity, challenge this, and emphasize how your
team should be careful of thinking that theyre competing with others in the
workplace after all, youre all working toward the same goal.
Once the exercise is over, talk with your team members about what they learned
from the experience. Consider asking these questions:
What did you think the exercise was all about when it started?
Did you think you were meant to compete against the other teams or work
with them? Why?
When did you realize that some of the jigsaw pieces were missing? What
was your reaction?
How did you respond to other teams asking for your jigsaw pieces or
offering to give you some of theirs?
What can you take from this exercise and apply back at work?
Exercise 2: The Rest of the Story

In this activity, team members share a personal story about something theyre
wearing or carrying with them.
The exercise originally appeared in the book, The Big Book of Team Motivating
Games, by Mary and Edward Scannell.
Uses
This exercise allows team members to get to know one another on a personal
level. It can help build trust, and break down barriers within a group.
People and Material

Time
Around five to10 minutes.
Instructions
Divide your team into groups of four or five. Each person should tell a true story
about something he is wearing or carrying. This could be a piece of jewelry, a
wallet, an item of clothing, or something in his bag or pockets.

Break the ice by taking the lead and sharing a personal story about something
youre wearing or carrying. This will show the group what youre looking for, and it
will help members feel more comfortable when it comes to their turns.
Once youve finished the exercise, talk with your team about it. Consider asking
these questions:
How did you feel sharing your stories?
How has the exercise changed how you see your teammates?
How else can we help people develop trust in one another?
Exercise 3: Common Values

In this activity, your team members have to lay out some ground rules for working
productively and positively together.
This activity originally appeared in the book, The Big Book of Leadership Games,
by Vasudha Deming.
Uses
The Common Values exercise can be used at the beginning of any group session
to promote teamwork and trust, remind people of their common values, and help
strengthen communication skills.

Flip chart.
Marker pens.
Time
Instructions
1. Explain to your group that the purpose of this activity is to decide on some
guidelines that reflect the collective values of the team. Once these are
agreed, members will be expected show these in this, and subsequent,
group sessions.
2. Ask participants to get into groups of three or four. Tell them they have
around five minutes to talk through the rules that they agree they should
all adhere to. For example, they should treat each other with respect, meet
deadlines, and keep promises.
3. Once the time is up, go around the groups and write their rules on the
flip chart.

The success of any group session (whether its a team meeting, a training
session, or just an everyday situation) often depends on people agreeing

and adhering to guidelines. This is why it is important to discuss the teams
expectations upfront.
Once you have your list of expectations, ask your team to explore the benefits
of each one. For instance, for the expectation getting everyone to contribute, a
benefit is that everyone will feel involved and will likely adhere to the guidelines.
You could also discuss the implications of people not following the rules, and the
effect this would have on the teams morale and productivity.
Once youve all discussed the expectations, ask your team to group these together
into common themes or values, and identify its top five. You can write these up on
a flip chart the next time it convenes, to remind everyone of what they agreed.

5.6. Creative-Thinking Exercises
Sometimes, even the most creative teams can get stuck in a rut and find it difficult
to think of fresh ideas.
The two exercises in this section will get your teams creative juices
flowing, re-energize people, and encourage them to consider ideas from
different perspectives.
Exercise 1: Rolestorming*
In this activity, team members are asked to approach a problem or issue from the
viewpoint of someone else. This could be a world leader, a celebrity, a hero even
a family member.
Rick Griggs developed the Rolestorming method in the early 1980s. Dr Arthur
VanGundy then described it in his 2004 book, 101 Activities for Teaching
Creativity and Problem-Solving.
Uses
The Rolestorming activity is a form of role playing it forces everyone to look at
problems or issues from different perspectives, similar to the Perceptual Positions
exercise. This can spark fresh ideas and bring energy to a brainstorming or
problem-solving session.

Any size group works well for this exercise. People can work individually, in
pairs, or in small groups.
A list of role models, each written on a small slip of paper. There should be
one for each person.
Paper and pencils for participants to jot down notes.
Time
Typically around 15-20 minutes.
Instructions
1. Ask everyone on your team to take a slip of paper out of a hat.
2. Make sure people know who their role model is before you begin the
activity. If they dont, let them choose again.
3. Ask the group to think of a problem (it could be work-related or something
in the news). Members must try to solve it by thinking like their role
models: how would they approach the problem? Give them 10 minutes to
generate ideas.
4. Once the time is up, discuss each persons or groups approach to the issue.
source is.

Jot down everyones ideas on a large whiteboard. Talk to them about how this
activity helped them think outside of their normal thinking patterns, and come up
with more creative ideas. How could your team use this approach regularly?
You can repeat this exercise using other creative thinking techniques like
Provocation and Random Input, to increase the variety of ideas.
Tip:
Use role models that everyone is familiar with. Keep in mind that you dont
have to use business leaders. Well-known figures from literature, history,
movies, politics, and pop culture work just as well. Some examples include:
Richard Branson. Superman.
Shakespeare. Hillary Clinton.
Steve Jobs. Mahatma Gandhi.
Exercise 2: Debate
Psychology Professor Charlan Nemeth, of Berkeley and the London Business
School, challenges the orthodox view of brainstorming. Her research showed that
the instruction not to criticize the ideas generated can be counterproductive.
Instead, brainstorming participants who freely debated came up with significantly
more and better ideas, both in their meeting and afterwards, than their
counterparts who conformed to the usual rules. Nemeths theory is that dissent
invigorates our thinking, even if it can feel difficult.
Uses
This exercise gives your team the chance to experience increased creativity
through debate. Together theyll practice being open to hearing and suggesting
new ideas, and help break down barriers to their performance in the future.

A small- to medium-sized group of people.
A scribe who is good at quick and accurate note taking.
A whiteboard, sticky notes, flipchart, pens or similar, for easy, visible
note taking.
Time
20 minutes for the active session, plus 10-20 minutes for the debrief and
action planning.
Instructions
1. Present your team with a problem to solve. This could relate to the
workplace or not. For example, How could production times be cut in the

print department? or, How could more young people be encouraged to
vote in elections?
2. Ask them to suggest as many ideas as possible in the time and tell them
that they can be as imaginative as they like.
3. Also tell them to challenge, test and even criticize each others ideas.
4. At the end of the session, ask each person to write down any ideas they
didnt share at the time or that have come to mind since.
5. Ask how the group is feeling, for example: enthused, engaged and proud,
or confused, anxious and angry?
6. Plan with the group what should happen next.
Tip:
During the debate, guard against the criticism becoming personal. You could
use the Constructive Controversy model to keep the discussion on track.

If the problem is related to a real work-based issue, dont waste everyones hard
work! The group might like to use Multi-Voting to decide which ideas theyd like
to take forward and plan how youre going to collect any more ideas that arise for
people after the event.
Avoid forcing people to share their ideas publicly if they really dont want to.
Instead, discuss whether and how debating stimulated their thoughts or shut
them down. You could suggest that the group construct a team charter for future
brainstorming events with the aim of opening up new perspectives for all.

5.7. Problem-Solving and Decision-Making Exercises
Problem solving can make up a large part of what many teams do every day.
Members ability to solve problems quickly and creatively can make a significant
difference to the success of the team, and of your organization.
The two exercises in this section can improve your teams confidence in its ability
to solve problems.
Exercise 1: A Team of Consultants*

A consultants job is to provide expert advice to clients. In this exercise, everyone is
working as a consultant for the rest of the team.
This exercise originally appeared in the book, Quick Team-Building Exercises for
Busy Managers, by Brian Cole Miller.
Uses
This exercise helps spur on creative problem solving in your team. It highlights
the importance of teamwork, and the value that people can gain from seeking
others advice.

This activity works well with any size group.
Paper and pens for each person.
Time
Flexible, typically 15 minutes.
Instructions
1. Get people to sit around a table.
2. Give them two minutes to write down a problem theyre facing at work.
3. When theyre finished, instruct them to pass their papers to the left.
4. Give them one or two minutes to read the problem now in front of them,
and write a piece of advice or a potential solution beneath it.
5. After this, pass the papers to the left again and repeat the process. Keep
going until participants have their original piece of paper back.

Talk to your team members about the advice they received from their colleagues.
Consider asking these questions:
How do you feel about being called upon to give advice?
Were you able to offer something constructive to your teammates?
How do you feel about asking for teammates help?
Were you surprised at the amount and quality of the advice you received?
source is.

Some of your team members might not have been able to think of a piece of
advice, or a possible solution. If they get stuck, ask them to write down a few words
of encouragement or support instead.
Exercise 2: Create Your Own*

In this exercise, teams must create their own, brand new, problem-solving activity.
Uses
This game encourages participants to think about the core elements of the
problem-solving process. It builds skills such as creativity, negotiation, decision
making, communication, and time management. After the activity, team members
should be better equipped to work together and to think on their feet.

Ideally four or five people in each team.
Paper, pens and flip charts.
Time
Around one hour.
Instructions
1. As the participants arrive, you announce that, rather than spending an
hour on a problem-solving activity, they will be coming up with an original
one of their own.
2. Divide them into teams and tell them that they have to create an activity
or one-day event that will work well in their organization. The activity,
however, must not be one that they have already participated in, heard of,
or previously tried.
3. After an hour, each team must present its new activity to everyone else,
and outline its key benefits.

There are four basic steps in problem solving: defining the problem, generating
alternatives, evaluating and selecting alternatives, and implementing solutions.
Help your team to think creatively at each stage, by encouraging people to consider
a wide range of options before deciding on the best one. If ideas run dry, introduce
an alternative brainstorming technique, such as brainwriting. This allows them to
develop one anothers ideas, while giving them an equal chance to contribute.
After the presentations, talk to your team about the different decision-making
processes it used to create its activities. Consider asking these questions:
How did people communicate and manage their time?
How did they keep their discussion focused and arrive at their decisions?
Would they have changed their approach in hindsight, after hearing the
other presentations?

All of these make people evaluate their experience and consider alternative ways
of working in the future.
Tip:
Groupthink is a common issue that arises in team decision making. This can
happen when a group places a desire for mutual harmony above a desire
to reach the right decision, which prevents people from fully exploring
alternative solutions.
If there are frequent unanimous decisions in any of your exercises, groupthink
may be an issue. Suggest that your team investigates new ways to encourage
members to discuss their views, or to share them anonymously.

5.8. Morale Building Exercises
At times, you may need to rebuild morale in your team. This might be because of
a stressful work environment, a significant setback, or a situation where people
need a pick-me-up in the middle of a project.
The two exercises in this section will help participants loosen up, find meaning in
their work, and laugh.
Exercise 1: Similar and Different*

In this activity, team members discover what they have in common, as well as
some of the ways that make them unique.
This activity originally appeared in the 2014 e-book, Really Fun Team Building
Games, by Jeff Millett.
Uses
The exercise is a great morale-booster for existing groups. Use it when team
members are feeling stressed, to help reinforce group bonds, and to get people to
temporarily switch off and re-energize.

Enough people to form at least two groups of between five and eight.
A notebook and pen for each team.
Time
Around 15 minutes.
Instructions
1. Ask your people to get into teams. Instruct them that they must come up
with as many similarities within their teams as possible in five minutes.
One person should make a list during the discussion.
Tell the teams that similarities should not be too obvious for example, if
the group members are all female, that would be too obvious!
2. Once five minutes is up, ask one person from each team to read the
list aloud.
3. Next, ask each team to come up with one or two ways that its members are
different from one another. For instance, perhaps someone has an unusual
hobby, or a qualification that sets her apart. Again, ask one person to write
these down.
4. After five minutes, ask someone from one of the teams to read each
difference aloud. The other group must then try to guess who is being
referred to in the other team. Repeat this with the other team until you
have gone through their list too.
source is.

Its easy for us to forget the similarities we share as a team, and this often happens
during times of stress or when workloads are high. This exercise should help
reinforce those team bonds!
After the activity, start a discussion about what participants learned. Consider
Were there any similarities that one team came up with and not the other?
Do these apply to the other team as well?
Were you surprised by any of the similarities, or by how many there were?
How easy did you find coming up with ways in which you are unique?
What did you discover about team members that you didnt know before?
Exercise 2: Selling Your job*

We all need reminding of the positive aspects of our jobs every now and then. In
this exercise, team members get a chance to sell their roles to one another.
Uses
This is a simple and fun activity that encourages people to look at the positive
aspects of their jobs, and what they do well. Use it to remind them of the value
they bring to the team, and to the organization.

Any size group will work well with this activity.
A stack of retail catalogs for inspiration.
A notebook and pen for each person.
Time
Around 20 minutes.
Instructions
1. Let participants know that theyre going to describe their jobs as if they
were selling them to someone. They can use the product descriptions in
the catalogs for inspiration.
2. Give them 15 minutes to complete their job descriptions. Then ask them to
share what they wrote with the group.

Before this activity, write up your own fun description of your job to read out to
your team; this will give people a sense of what their own might sound like. It can
be helpful to treat jobs as products, and describe them as such. Team members
can also take a tongue-in-cheek, humorous look at their roles.
Heres a short example:

Revolutionary and cutting edge project manager lead your team with boldness and
with a compelling vision of the future! This innovative new tool allows you to take
talented professionals and inspire them to work toward a common goal, all the while
cutting through annoying office politics and in-fighting.

5.9. Leadership Exercises
Leaders need to set direction, build an inspiring vision for the future, and develop
their team members potential. They must have strong communication, delegation
and decision-making skills, as well as the ability to adopt a flexible leadership style.
The two team-building exercises in this section will help you identify people with
the potential to be future leaders. They also give team members the chance to
learn leadership skills, and use them in their current roles.
Exercise 1: Here's What I Would do*

In this activity, ask team members to brainstorm ways to make their team,
department or organization better.
This exercise originally appeared in the book, The Big Book of Leadership Games,
by Vasudha Deming.
Uses
The exercise empowers people, by encouraging them to take the lead on making
changes theyd like to see at work.

Any size group will work with this exercise.
A flip chart and marker pens.
A notebook and pen for each team member.
Time
Typically around 15 minutes.
Instructions
1. Start the activity by getting your team to make a list of its customers,
whether they are inside or outside the organization.
2. Put team members into groups of three or four, and tell them they can
make the rules for managing their customers. How can they serve these
customers better?
3. Give the groups five to 10 minutes to brainstorm the changes, big or small,
that they would make to improve the customer experience. They should
express these changes positively, for example, I would make our contracts
more customer-friendly by adding a five-day grace period for changes
or cancellations.
4. When time is up, bring the groups together to discuss their ideas. Agree
which ones can be acted upon quickly, easily and successfully; make a plan
for delivering these; and then support them as they deliver their plan.
source is.

How you follow through is an important part of this exercise. Make sure each team
has selected one preferred idea, and give participants the power to implement
it. Encourage them to delegate tasks, gather information and agree their own
communication channels, so they can stay on top of one anothers progress.
Its also important that you keep track of how theyre doing but dont
micromanage. Remember, the goal is to give your team members autonomy and
freedom to take the lead on these initiatives. This will help build their leadership
skills, and boost their self-confidence.
Exercise 2: The Leadership Challenge*

The aim of this activity is for participants to recognize that every leader can
be a manager, but not every manager is a leader. This exercise is particularly
appropriate for new and emerging leaders, to help them identify the difference
between management and leadership.
Uses
Use this exercise to encourage participants to discuss what makes a good
manager and leader. They must then identify their own strengths, and decide how
they can improve.

Any size group will work with this exercise.
A deck of competency flash cards for each participant (as described in the
Manager vs. Leader table, on the next page).
Blank flash cards.
Marker pens.
Flip chart.
Star stickers.
Dot stickers.
Paper.
Pens or pencils.

Manager vs. Leader Table
Manager Leader
Has a short-term outlook Has a long-range vision
Focused on how and when Questions what and why
Looks at the bottom line Looks at the horizon
Copies others Has new ideas
Supports the status quo Embraces change
Does things right Does the right thing
Concentrates on improvement Concentrates on innovation
Relies on position or authority for power Power comes from personal influence
Technically proficient Expert at selling the vision
Strong at administration Skilled at dealing with ambiguity
Demonstrates skill in supervision Demonstrates skill in persuasion
Concentrates on tactics Focused on strategy
Draws up operating procedures Establishes policies
Analytical approach to decision making Intuitive decision-maker
Wary of risks Accepts risks
Relies on base of data and facts Goes with gut feelings
Builds success through quality control Builds success through motivation and incentive
Prefers to stick to the rules Looks to change to game
Plans all of the details Plans the strategy to deliver the vision
Sets benchmarks of performance Sets standards of excellence
Designs plans to achieve results Plots the future direction by studying trends

Time
Flexible, but generally about one hour.
Instructions
1. Divide participants into pairs.
2. Give each pair a stack of pre-prepared competency flash cards, and a small
number of blank ones. Ask them to organize their cards into two columns:
one for leadership, and the other for managerial, competencies. (The
Warren G. Bennis quote that Managers do things right. Leaders do the
right thing will help people decide.) They have the discretion to add new
competencies on the blank cards and eliminate any that they dont think
fit into either category.
3. After the pairs have finished, bring the team back together to discuss the
different answers. Each pair should record its answers on its own flip chart
so that everyone can see.
4. Next, pass out the sticker sheets of stars and dots. Ask each person to place
stars next to the competencies they think theyre good at, and put dots
next to no more than five areas that they can improve in.

People often use the terms management and leadership interchangeably,
but each has distinct skill sets. Managers typically focus on current tasks and
processes, while leaders inspire people about the future. Leaders must be able
to motivate and coach their people, and build teams to help them deliver the
organizations long-term goals.
This exercise encourages participants (particularly those new to leadership roles)
to think about their leadership and management skills. Discuss the leadership
competencies, give them time to think about their strengths and weaknesses, and
help them identify how they can improve.
If the group comprises new leaders, ask them to share some of the challenges they
have faced as they moved into their roles, and to think about the kinds of obstacles
they might come up against in the future. You might encourage them to use a
Personal SWOT Analysis after the exercise to explore these ideas further.

6. Moving on...
In this toolkit, we've outlined a number of different exercises you can use to build a
more productive and harmonious team. However, if you want to truly change how
your team operates and see lasting results, you need to train team members and
build their skills regularly not just once or twice a year.
The team here at Mind Tools has worked hard to create a toolkit that youll find
informative, practical and easy to use. If you have any suggestions on how we can
improve it for the future, please let us know at editorial@mindtools.com.
We hope you enjoy applying what you've learned, and that the exercises will help
you build a more creative, cooperative and productive team for the future.
James Manktelow
CEO
MindTools.com

7. References
Deming, V. (2004) The Big Book of Leadership Games, New York: McGraw-Hill Education.
Diversity and Dialogue. Communication and Trust-Building Exercises [online]. Available
here. [Accessed 27 March 2015].
Miller, B.C. (2003) Quick Team-Building Exercises for Busy Managers, New York:
AMACOM.
Millett, J. (2014) Really fun Team Building Games, Kindle edition. [Accessed
25 February 2015.]
Nemeth, C.J., Personnaz, B., Personnaz, M., and Goncalo, J.A. (2004) The Liberating
Role of Conflict in Group Creativity: A Study in Two Countries, European Journal of
Social Psychology, Volume 34, 2004. (Available here.)
Scannell, E. and Scannell, M. (2009) The Big Book of Team Motivating Games:
Spirit-Building, Problem-Solving and Communication Games for Every Group, New
York: McGraw-Hill.
VanGundy, A. (2004) 101 Activities for Teaching Creativity and Problem-Solving,
San Francisco: Pfeiffer.
Trademark Information
Skype is a trademark of Skype/Microsoft (see www.skype.com and www.microsoft.com). We have
no association or connection with these organizations.

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Team-Building Activities Toolkit

Team-Building Activities Toolkit

This e-book is published by:

Mind Tools Ltd, 2nd Floor, 145-157 St John St, London,

Copyright Mind Tools Ltd 2015. All rights reserved.

Mind Tools is a registered trademark (US 4,566,696,

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Please contact copyright@mindtools.com if youve

Cover image iStockphoto/Ailime.

1. Introduction: Team-Building Activities 1

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Team-Building Activities Toolkit | Mind Tools 1

Areas I Need to Work on:

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The Benefits of Team Building

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Strategy and Planning

Culture/Positive Work Environment

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1. Does anyone on my team have physical limitations that I need to consider?

2. What is my budget for the activity?

3. How much time do I have to invest in it?

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1. Do team members know how to communicate effectively? If not, what

5. Do team members work together effectively? If not, what affects their

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7. Do people who want to be in a leadership role feel comfortable taking on

8. Are team members tolerant of one another? Do they respect diversity

9. Do people have fun during brainstorming sessions, or are these meetings

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Exercise 1: Getting to Know you*

People and Materials

Advice for the Facilitator

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People and Materials

Advice for the Facilitator

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People and Materials

Advice for the Facilitator

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Exercise 1: The Blindfold Game*

People and Materials

Advice for the Facilitator

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People and Materials

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Exercise 3: Listen up!

People and Materials

Advice for the Facilitator

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Exercise 1: Stereotype Party*

People and Materials

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Advice for the Facilitator

Exercise 2: What are YOU Talking About?

People and Materials

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Advice for the Facilitator

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