Hobbies And Interests
Team-Building Games
Team-building games are the core component of most team-building projects. Playing a single team-building game as part of a meeting or work event can help a group meld together better and think more creatively. When led by a qualified facilitator, team-building games offer a powerful opportunity for members of the group to reflect on group dynamics and relationships, and to improve efficiency.
Types of team-building games include icebreakers, which help strangers or acquaintances get to know each other better on a surface level; trust activities, which help group members build and practice trust in other members of the group; and problem-solving initiatives. Initiative games are central to a team-building project because they require a group to work together to solve a problem. These games usually have no winners or losers, although sometimes they ask the group to compete against itself by improving on its own performance. An example of a simple problem-solving initiative is Human Knot. To play, the group stands in a circle. Each person puts his right hand into the center of the circle and grasps someone else's hand. He then does the same with his left hand. The group must then "untangle" itself without letting go of any hands. Eventually the group should once again be standing in a circle, this time with hands linked.
Team-Building Events
Although a single team-building game can be valuable for a group, team-building events that last at least a full day are even more helpful in developing teamwork. Events that last for several days offer opportunities for a group to connect and bond in a variety of settings by eating together and relaxing together, as well as doing team-building activities. A team-building event can also be a significant project for developing a team because it allows the facilitator to provide many different team-building challenges that help the group grow over the course of the event.
A good facilitator adjusts the activities and discussions to meet the specific needs of the group, making sure that different individuals experience both leading and following, and addressing different group dynamics through activities. For example, if one member of the group frequently takes charge during a problem-solving initiative, the facilitator could change the rules for one initiative, making that person unable to speak during one game. This requires the leader to step back, creating a vacuum that allows other members of the group to step forward.
Team-Building Psychological Activities
A strong team-building project should include more activities than games. Another important component of team-building is activities that allow members to get to know each other and themselves on a deeper level. One example is personality tests such as the Myers-Briggs Personality Test, which gives the test taker an overview of personality traits that describe her. After taking the test, members of the team can discuss the traits that are particularly true for each individual. They can also learn about ways to work best with people of different personality types. For example, according to PersonalityDesk.com, an ESTJ personality type functions best in a structured work environment with clear expectations, while an ENFP personality desires a relaxed environment with room for creativity. As each team member comes to understand how her fellow team members function best, she can provide team members with better support so they all can function most effectively.
Team-Building Reflection Activities
Every team-building project should include reflection and debrief. Playing games and doing activities does little to build teamwork unless members of the group take time to think about what they have learned about themselves and about the team. Debrief activities can be simple and short, or long and in-depth. An example of a simple debrief exercise is Values Clarification. In this activity, the facilitator makes a statement about the values of the group related to an activity the group has recently completed. For example, after finishing a problem-solving initiative, the facilitator could say, "As we played Human Knot, everyone in the group had a chance to be heard." All the members of the group then arrange themselves along a continuum from Strongly Agree to Strongly Disagree. The group then discusses why different people placed themselves where they did and how the group can better express that value in the next activity.