QUICK TEAM-BUILDING ACTIVITIES FOR BUSY MANAGERS

[Pages:184]QUICK TEAM-BUILDING ACTIVITIES FOR BUSY MANAGERS

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QUICK TEAM-BUILDING

ACTIVITIES FOR

BUSY MANAGERS

50 Exercises That Get Results in Just 15 Minutes

BRIAN COLE MILLER

AMERICAN MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION New York | Atlanta | Brussels | Chicago | Mexico City | San Francisco

Shanghai | Tokyo | Toronto | Washington, D. C.

Special discounts on bulk quantities of AMACOM books are available to corporations, professional associations, and other organizations. For details, contact Special Sales Department, AMACOM, a division of American Management Association, 1601 Broadway, New York, NY 10019. Tel.: 212-903-8316. Fax: 212-903-8083. Web site:

This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional service. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Miller, Brian Cole, 1956? Quick teambuilding activities for busy managers : 50 exercises that get

results in just 15 minutes / Brian Cole Miller. p. cm.

Includes index. ISBN 0-8144-7201-X 1. Teams in the workplace--Training of. 2. Group relations training. 3. Communication in organizations. Problems, exercises, etc. 4. Interpersonal communication. Problems, exercises, etc. 5. Group games. I. Title.

HD66 .M544 2004 658.4/02 21

2003011316

? 2004 Brian Cole Miller All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America.

This publication may not be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in whole or in part, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of AMACOM, a division of American Management Association, 1601 Broadway, New York, NY 10019.

Printing number 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

CONTENTS

Acknowledgments ix Introduction 1

Part I. Getting Ready

CHAPTER 1. How to Run a Successful Team-Building Activity 7

STEP 1. BEFORE: SELECT AN ACTIVITY THAT'S GOOD FOR

YOUR TEAM 7

STEP 2. BEFORE: PREPARE FOR YOUR TEAM-BUILDING

ACTIVITY 8 STEP 3. DURING: EXPLAIN THE ACTIVITY TO THE TEAM 9

STEP 4. DURING: CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING BEFORE

BEGINNING 11 STEP 5. DURING: RUN THE ACTIVITY 12 STEP 6. DURING: DEBRIEF THE ACTIVITY 13

STEP 7. AFTER: REINFORCE THE LEARNING BACK ON

THE JOB 14 CHAPTER 2. What Could Go Wrong in a Team-Building Activity 17

Part II. The Activities

CHAPTER 3. Communication: Listening and Influencing 29 $2 NEGOTIATION 30 CARD TRIANGLES 33 LISTEN UP 35 ME, MYSELF, AND I 38 ORIGAMI 40 SHARED VALUES 42 WASHING MACHINES 45

QUICK TEAM-BUILDING ACTIVITIES FOR BUSY MANAGERS

v

CHAPTER 4. Connecting: Getting to Know Each Other 49

A DAY IN THE LIFE . . . 50 GOSSIP TIME 52 HUMAN BILLBOARDS 54 MY N.A.M.E. 56 A PENNY FOR YOUR THOUGHTS 58 RATHER THAN 61 READY, SET, REORGANIZE! 63 SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES 66 SWEET STORIES 69

CHAPTER 5. Cooperation: Working Together as a Team 73

CATCH! 74 PASS THE CARD 77 POPCORN 80 PUZZLED 82 SILENCE IS GOLDEN 85 STAR POWER 87 TIED! 89 UNITED HEARTS 91

CHAPTER 6. Coping: Dealing with Change 95

CHANGE TIME LINE 96 GUESS AND SWITCH 99 INDEX TOWERS 102 MACHINES 104 MAKEOVERS 106 NUMBERS 108 PUZZLED THUMBS 110 SIMON SEZ 113

WRONG-HANDED PICTURE

115

vi

QUICK TEAM-BUILDING ACTIVITIES FOR BUSY MANAGERS

CHAPTER 7. Creativity: Solving Problems Together 117

SEVEN HANDS 118

BALLOON SCULPTURES

CARD STACK 123 CONSULTANTS 126 IMPROVE THIS 129

ONE-WORDED STORIES

PAPER SHUFFLE 135

121 132

CHAPTER 8. Teamwork: Appreciating and Supporting Each Other 137

BLAME GAME 138 BUT NOTHING (FEEDBACK) 141 BUT NOTHING (IDEAS) 144 FIRST IMPRESSIONS 147 JUNK TO JEWELS 150 KUDOS 152 LABELS 155 RAINBOW OF DIVERSITY 158 WHAT I LIKE ABOUT ME 160 ZYX 163

Index 167 About the Author 171

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