More Team Building Games

Here are some more team building games to help you with employee motivation.

Name In the Pocket

This is one of the best team building games to illustrate how easy we let our fear of rejection stops us to get what we want. This is a useful game for any team, but it works better if the people do not know one another that well.

I’ve used this activity successfully in the past with all kinds of people, but especially with sales teams and Emotional Intelligence training.

Benefits of this team building game

• People see clearly that their fear of rejection can stop them from getting what they want

• People realized that if you are not emotionally aware, you become besieged with ego-centered distractions

• Participants realize that they unconsciously avoid situations that will cause them discomfort in the present moment

• Participants see how easily they operate from a viewpoint of safety, defense and avoidance

Time Needed

20 minutes

Number of Participants

Any number higher than 12...the more the better

Materials needed

A piece of paper and a pen for each person

Set-Up

Like all team building games, the set up is important.

• Let the whole group sit in a circle on their chairs. There should be no tables in front of them…just chairs

• Each person writes down the name of another person in the group that they want to get to know better.

• Each person can only write down one name (No back-up names)

• Everyone fold their piece of paper and put it in their pockets

Process

• On the word “go”, each person have 2 minutes to go to the person, who’s name is in their pocket, and do whatever is necessary (within the limits of the game) and make that person his/her partner.

• When everyone has their partner, they sit next to one another in the circle

• No groups of three or more are aloud...only pairs. (All team building games has one vital rule, and this is that rule of this game)

• After 2 minutes, ask everyone to settle down and sit next to their partner in the circle

Common Name-In-The-Pocket Strategies

Like with all team building games, there is a natural strategies that MOST (not all) people follow. Here they come

Analysis Paralysis

This is the strategy of thinking without doing. "Hey this won’t work. Obviously, everyone can’t get the partner they want." You never leave your chair and the game passes you by.

The Eighth-Grade Dance

"Somebody, please pick me!"...and you wait for someone to come and get you.

U-Turn

You are walking towards Paul. As you approach him, John comes up to him and he turns to talk to John. Without even breaking the stride, you do a U-Turn and turn to Frank: "Frank, will you be my partner?" And you think, "Yeah, Frank will be a great partner. I can learn from him", and, "Paul...I don’t need him anyway!" (Right?)

"Thank Goodness" Strategy

You think, "This is going to be the most awkward of all team building games. And I want him as my partner. I hope he says yes. What if he doesn’t want me, what will I do...?" Then another person grabs you, and you hug her and say, "Thank Goodness"

"I Don’t Want To Hurt You" Strategy

You’re going towards Paul, and then someone picks you! "Oh Shucks"...you really wanted to be with Paul, but if you says no, the other person’s feelings will be hurt. He won’t like you, may reject you, and you have to work with him (all made-up stuff)..."Okay” you say, "I’ll be your partner."

"Awful Worst Fear" Strategy

You make it all the way to Paul, and in your most open, vulnerable way, you tell him, "Your name is in my pocket" and Paul says, "Gee, that is sooo nice...but I really wanted to be with Jane. I need at least to check with Jane. If she doesn’t want to be with me, I’d be delighted to be your partner. You can be my second choice." You walk away saying, "I’m embarrassed to death"

Debriefing This Team Building Game

The following debriefing questions might be useful, but, like with all the other team building games, feel free to add you’re own

• Who actually got the person that they wanted in the first place?

• What was your strategy?

• How did you feel during those two minutes?

• Were you aware of your emotions?

• What would you do differently if you have to do the game over again?

• Where do you apply this same strategy in other areas of your life?

• What have you missed out on, because of this strategy?

• Is there anything you will do differently in the future?

The Zin Obelisk

This is one of the best team building games to improve the flow of communication in any group. It is especially helpful to get people to involve the less assertive members of the team.

Benefits Of This Team Building Game

• People learn to improve group communication

• People learn to listen to all members of the team, not just certain members, as we see so often in group dynamics

• Non-assertive members of the team realize that their input is just as valuable as all the other members of the team

• The group see the value of group problem-solving

  Time Needed

  45 Minutes

  Number of Participants

  5 to 30

  Materials Needed

  • A copy of the Zin Obelisk Group Instruction Sheet for each participant.

  • A set of Zin Obelisk Information Cards for the group (thirty-three cards per set).

  Team Building Game Set-Up

  • Everyone sits around a table

  • Every person receive a Zin Obelisk Group Instruction Sheet

  • Distribute the Zin Obelisk Information Cards randomly so that each participant gets an equal amount of cards/information.

  The Zin Obelisk Instruction Sheet

  In the ancient city of Atlantis, a solid, rectangular obelisk, called a Zin, was built in honor of the goddess Tina. The structure took less than two weeks to complete. The task of your team is to determine on which day of the week the obelisk was completed. You have twenty-five minutes for this task. Do not choose a formal leader. You will be given cards containing information related to the task. You may share this information orally, but you may not show your cards to other participants.

  The Zin Obelisk Information Cards

  Make a set of thirty-three cards by typing each of the following sentences on a 3”x5” card:

  The basic measurement of time in Atlantis is a day. An Atlantian day is divided into schlibs and ponks. The length of the zin is 50 feet. The height of the zin is 100 feet. The width of the zin is 10 feet The zin is built of stone blocks. Each block is 1 cubic foot. Day 1 in the Atlantian week is called Aguaday. Day 2 in the Atlantian week is called Neptiminus. Day 3 in the Atlantian week is called Sharkday. Day 4 in the Atlantian week is called Mermaidday. Day 5 in the Atlantian week is called Daydoldrum. There are five days in an Atlantian five days in an Atlantian week. The working day has 9 schlibs. Each worker takes rest periods during the working day totaling 16 ponks. There are 8 ponks in a schlib. Workers each lay 150 blocks per schlib. At any time when work is taking place there is a gang of 9 people on site. One member of each gang has religious duties and does not lay blocks. No works takes place on Daydoldrum. What is a cubitt? A cubitt is a cube, all sides of which measure 1 megalithic yard. There are 3 and a half feet in a megalithic yard. Does work take place on Sunday? What is a zin? Which way up does the zin stand? The zin is made up of green blocks. Green has special religious significance on Mermaidday. Each gang includes two women. Work starts at daybreak on Aquaday. Only one gang is working on the construction of the zin. There are eight gold scales in a gold fin. Each block costs 2 gold fins

  Process

  • Distributes to each team member a copy of the Zin Obelisk Group Instruction

  • After the members have had time to read the instruction sheet, you distribute a set of Zin Obelisk Information Cards randomly among the team members. The team begins the task.

  • Nobody is aloud to gather the all the cards in front of them. Everyone should keep their cards. They can only share what’s on the card verbally.

  • The team completes the task

  • As with all team building games, debrief the game.

  Debriefing Questions

  • What behavior helped the group accomplish the task?

  • What was the pattern of communication?

  • What behavior hindered the group in completing the task?

  • How did leadership emerge in the team?

  • Who participated most?

  • Who participated least?

  • What feelings did you experience as the task progressed?

  • What suggestions would you make to improve team performance?

  

  Answer and Rationale

  Ah. I bet you are wondering what the answer is. Here it comes, but just remember that one shouldn’t focus too much on the outcome or success of team building games…it’s in the process where you will find the value.

  The answer is Neptiminus.

  Rationale

  • The dimensions of the Zin indicate that it contains 50,000 cubic feet of stone blocks.

  • The blocks are 1 cubic foot each; therefore, 50,000 blocks are required.

  • Each worker works 7 schlibs in a day (2 schlibs are devoted to rest).

  • Each worker lays 150 blocks per schlib, therefore each worker lays 1050 blocks per day.

  • There are 8 workers per day; therefore, 8,400 blocks are laid per working day.

  • The 50,000th block, therefore, is laid on the sixth working day.

  • Since work does not take place on Daydoldrum, the sixth working day is Neptiminus.

  
  There you have it

  If you are looking for more team building games, you can follow this link.

  And if you want a step-by-step process on how to conduct your own team building program by integrating these activities, follow this link

  And If you know of any other powerful team building games, please share it with us below. It would be great if we can learn from one another.
  

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