Leading and managing a team is full of rewards activity. But at the same time, it comes with challenges that need to be handled accordingly. Even if we all think we will work in the perfect team, where everyone is getting along with each other, people communicate and solve problems together, this is not always the case.
Teams are made by different people. They have different life experiences, goals, work styles, and ways of communicating. This means that every human reacts differently when exposed to the same stimuli, and this is where a team leader can intervene.
Teams are efficient ways of collaborating and contributing with all the information, knowledge, and resources necessary to achieve their goals. Every team member has its own package of knowledge he can invest in team actions to achieve the team’s goals. But what does happen when the team cohesion is not so strong and the team members are not working efficiently together?
It is time for some team-building exercises. Even though, according to a study by essay writers, most employees run away from team-building exercises, some of them find these exercises really entertaining. Finding the ones that are appealing, challenging, and interesting for your team might be a challenge, as you need to do them with more people.
But if you are wondering which of these team-building exercises are not boring but engaging, here are some ideas put together by a team expert Best Essay Tips.
Organize Informal Meetings
People act differently in all kinds of situations and they adapt their behavior depending on the environment. For example, at work, people are more serious and work-oriented, but usually, a relaxed environment can make everyone show his real self.
The best way to encourage your team to open up and discuss things that are not work-related is by organizing informal meetings. You cannot expect them to discuss their life dreams, fears, or share funny stories from their past during formal meetings at work. So, organizing a barbeque party or just going out with the entire team can make the atmosphere more relaxed.
It is important to keep in mind that, according to a study by BrillAssignment, revealing things about you during informal meetings with colleagues can increase your likeability. Besides, your team members will understand you better and will feel closer to you. It is important to do this not only as a team member but as a team leader too.
It might seem simple, but this is an effective team-building exercise, even though its format is different from the ones most people are used to. And it is also a good activity to start with, as many team members will not perceive it as a team-building activity and thus they will be more inclined to engage in.
Lost at Sea
Many issues can appear during work, especially in big teams where there should be a high level of coordination and cooperation. Often, team members fail to act cohesively and problems can appear. This is exactly what this team-building exercise is about.
There can be more teams that are working on the same goal or just one big team. It is important to not exceed the limit of 5 members per group, as the game will become difficult to handle and facilitate. Lost at sea is about teamwork.
Every member gets a list of items they should rank depending on their importance in the case they are lost at sea. Then, they should work on this list as a group and try to agree to select the most important tools or objects they might need as a group. In the end, the correct list of rankings (made by US Coast Guard experts) should be made public and you should compare individual versus group rankings.
The best thing about this team-building exercise is that it is effective and helpful, as group rankings are usually closer to the truth than individual ones. This means that groups are more effective than individuals, only if they communicate and collaborate. But this happens only if the group is open to listen to everyone’s opinion and ideas and to consider them.
Start with an Ice-Breaker
One of the most important things when starting team-building exercises is to choose an ice-breaker. Ice-breakers are usually short and simple get-to-know games that many trainers choose to do at the beginning of their training or team building sessions.
At the beginning of a team building session, many members might see it as a boring and dull activity they need to engage in but do not really want to. Ice-breakers help people relax faster, communicate, and get to know themselves and their colleagues better.
They are usually the sign that the meeting is informal and relaxing and this gives them motivation and energy to engage in the activities. Among the most popular and easy to do ice-breakers are games about your worst/best dream or job, 5 things about your childhood or yourself, or the most popular one: two truths, one lie.
This is one of the most entertaining ice-breakers and can suck in even the most distant and uninterested team members. Everyone will say two truths and one lie about himself and who gets to guess which one is the lie will take turns. It is a nice activity that will help team members bond more strongly, as they will find out new things about themselves.
The Road to Success
It is important to keep in mind that team-building exercises should treat important issues, such as communication, collaboration, or problem-solving in a funny way. And this is a game that comes with a lot of laughter and fun. You need to make groups of at least 3 people and to bind their hands together.
Then, they should do activities such as writing, painting, cooking, and so on. So, they should acquire high levels of communication and cooperation to accomplish the tasks together. And the skills and abilities they develop during this game will help them during their work too.
Conclusion
Team building exercises are something some employees run away from. This happens mostly because they are not funny, not chosen, or applied correctly. You should begin by organizing informal meetings with the team, just going out and sharing things about yourselves.
Then, ice-breakers should be chosen to break the ice and get to know yourselves better. Lost at sea and the road to success are ones of the funniest and most effective team-building exercises everyone should try.
