Top 7 Team Building

You have recruited the members of your team. You created your goal. You have developed a plan and timetable. Now the trick is to get all those unique individuals working together towards a common goal. Given the diversity of personalities, communication skills and personal agendas different members bring with them to the team, get your team to work together can be a challenge.

Try these exercises consolidation team to get your team off on the right foot.

1. Jigsaw scrambled. Before the arrival of the team, put a puzzle on each table. To manage the time factor, the large-piece puzzles for children of approximately 100 pieces. Withdraw 5 pieces of each puzzle and move to another table. As the team arrives, the gap between members of tables. Charger teams to complete their puzzle, by any means, in the shortest amount of time possible. Like puzzles are completed and the teams are making pieces are missing, they will be forced to negotiate with other teams to complete their puzzle. This exercise promotes flexibility, communication, negotiation and cooperation.

2. Creative Assembly. Purchase 3-D punch-out kits wooden dinosaur puzzle. Divide the team into groups of 2 to 4. Without comment or instruction, giving each group the unpunched pieces of the puzzle, a puzzle complete by the group. Do not let the group see the boxes, pictures or instructions or in any way identify what you have. Load each group to mount his project, telling them that they can not use what is in front of them. You get some interesting buildings and the creation, a lot of laughs and a few good natured frustration, especially with the winged dinosaur kits. When time is up, ask each group to describe its construction. In this exercise, creative thinking, brainstorming, problem solving, cooperation and consensus will certainly have a workout.

3. From the hand lightly. Divide the team in groups of 4 to 6. Hand each group 4 tennis balls. Tell them that each person must treat all 4 balls in the shortest possible time. Do this several times, each time asking, "How can you do it faster?" This exercise will clear progress of the passage of a line of balls down, around a circle, a few drops ball and the main drag. Team of practical cooperation, quick thinking and creative problem solving in the exercise.

4. Going Up. Divide the team into groups of 2 to 6. Give each person for an 8 1 / 2 "x 11" sheet of paper and a 5 "band of masking tape. Charger each team to build the highest-possible structure. This exercise promotes cooperation, creative thinking, problem solving, consensus, leadership and the division of labor.

5. Gnome Dome. Divide the team into groups of 2. Give each group 20 gumdrops and toothpicks 12. Load each group to build a dome. The problem-solving skills, creative thinking, cooperation (and snacks) will be used during this exercise.

6. Poisonous Web. Stretch a piece of rope through a door frame, setting the chassis or connecting wall with tape. You will need two pieces of rope, 3 feet off the ground, the other 4 1 / 2 feet off the ground. You create a "window" of 18 inches wide you describe the team as a "spider's web poisoned." The team must work together to get all members through the opening without touching the rope. They must be crossed, and not under or over the strings. If a team member touches on the rope or the other, the whole team must go back to the beginning and try again. This exercise strengthens cooperation, leadership, creativity and problem solving. It also forces team members to trust and depend on each other.

7. Hang Ups. Hand each person a wire hanger. Tell the group, they can work independently or form their own groups. To ask them to do something useful for their hangers. Set a time limit of 5 to 15 minutes. Have each person or group to describe his "tool" and its use. This exercise will indicate what your team members are leaders born or natural as well as socialites who are more timid and may need to be drawn when working with the group.