Any Ideas on team-building activities for 9 people?

Question

This weekend my department will have a team-bulding outing, and I'm part of the committee. However, we need some ideas on activities/games that can help motivate the employees.

Not only that, we want them to pour their hearts out on what problems they are facing (a majority of them will keep hidden inside them), no matter how big or small, and from there we would know what they truely want, what they truely dislike and what they truely want done.

I would appreciate any input in this matter, no matter how big or small ;)

Cheers!

Answer 1

Suggest following:
1. A communication exercise asking to write in a sheet by one individual which shall not be known to others. But he would tell someone secretly and this passing of the information to other members will follow until the last man will have to write what has been said and we can see how oral communiction gets distorted.
2. A small case study with three groups analysing and presenting
3. Pariticipation of all members in a song
4. Bringing out individual brilliance by asking them to come out with their speciality.
5. A small game of "Housee"
6. All these above, of course, with in between snacks and drinks.
The exercise should help in unwinding to relieve the stress of the normal work and improve comradiere.
VR

Answer 2

There are a few things I did in a creativity class that may help. Maybe give small groups a hunk of clay and have them sculpt something without talking for 20 minutes. It really shows how important and how much impact non-verbal communication has.
A few weeks ago my boss held a "marshmellow" meeting. She had written all the issues that she had heard over the past few weeks she had heard from all of us and said anything we said would stay in that room. If we wanted to cuss we could. We just couldn't be mean or scream at each other but if we disagreed with something that somebody said we could throw marshmellows. Let me tell you...those marshmellows went flying! Not everything got ironed out but it was a start. Also there is that trust building exercise where one person will lean back and the whole group is responsible for catching them and not letting them fall. Talk about an exercise in trust.

Answer 3

In the beginning I would stress that it is an open forum and you're looking for everyone to be comfortable. No one will "pour their hearts out" if they don't feel comfortable in the situation.

Scavenger hunts help to make people work as a team. Building something. Even if it's silly. We had a brainstorming session with our team at a big meeting. We broke into little groups and had to brainstorm similarities between a cat and a refrigerator. Yes you heard that correctly.

Answer 4

Hi there! I'm an Executive Assistant for an Internet company and in QI we help an executive offsite and included teambuilding exercises based on Edward De Bono's "Six Thinking Hats" book. I ordered 6 colored hats for all, and we went through exercises discussing issues pertaining to the different hat theories. For example, RED hat is emotion...while wearing the red hat you are suposed to discuss emotional issues, hot topics, vent and get it off your chest. GREEN hat is to come up with creative ideas on how to solve issues...get my drift?

It really worked to categorize issues and solutions, and now when someone is making a RED hat comment, we know what emotions are associated with that. We also have better overall communication as a team.

If you contact me directly, I am happy to share my presentation and ideas with you in depth.

For De Bono's book, check it out on Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316178314/sr=8-1/qid=1153363275/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-4889221-5128802?ie=UTF8

Too bad your outing is this weekend and don't have more time to prepare. If you want hats, I recommend 6 different colored baseball hats...I'm sure you can pick up at any sporting goods store!

The Six Hats theory REALLY works!!! BTW, I am a GREEN hat hence, I am the creative one in the group among a bunch of engineers! Most of my guys are RED or WHITE (Data) driven individuals.

Have fun with it!

Answer 5

I have one that may help them voice and blend together--
Type out all kinds of situations that have and may come up in the workplace--whether it be personal things that one faces and brings in that causes a problem for ones around them...or...something that happens while they are working , etc.
Whether it be serious or silly...mix them up--Do not use any (Known Names) Put silly names into them---
Put the dept. in small groups/ divide them up and get them to pick one or two situations from a hat---then have them discuss them and come up with ways they can deal with and help solve, etc
Bring the group back together again to openly discuss them--If you put some funny ones in--you will surely bring in some laughs and get them to enjoy getting to know each other better!
Have a great weekend!

Answer 6

I was part of this one. It showed how different people , hear the same instructions, and get different results.

Give them all a white sheet of paper, and a pair of scissors. Ask them to close thier eyes. Tell them to fold the paper in half. Ask them to fold again. Tell them to take the scissors and make 3 straight cuts on the fold halfway down. Ask them to cut off the right corners. Then tell them to fold in half one more time and cut off the left corners.

Have them open thier eyes and unfold thier snowflakes. Not one of them will be the same, and it sparks conversation about different approaches towards the same goal. Good luck, sweetie!

Answer 7

Are you willing to talk to one of the top leaders in the marketing industry?

If so he can give you some great team building ideas that will stay with you guys for a lifetime!!!

This guy is awesome!!!! He can motivate a Turtle.

His name is Mr. Brian Smith [phone]
Tell him Charles sent you.

Your welcome . All I do is help people everyday make their dreams come true!!!

Answer 8

go to your local lumber yard they should have all the "rejects" scrap wood you can use and try to build a little play house or even a dog house then donate it to the local animal shelter. good luck with your project=)

Answer 9

A Ropes Course

I can't even begin to describe it.