HR Games TEAM BUILDING

#1 (I can't remember the name of this, so you'll have to make one up.) This can be done indoors or outdoors. Place seven sheets of paper on the ground in a straight line, spaced about 18 inches apart. The center position is vacant; one person stands on each of the remaining positions/papers, facing the center. (So you have three people lined up in a row at the left, all facing toward the vacant position, then three people at right, facing the other people.) The object of this activity is to end up with the people 'swapped' along the line. In other words, at the end you'll still have a vacant center position, but the three people standing on the positions will be switched and now facing away from the center. The only legal moves are to step forward one square, or to 'leap' around someone to a vacant square. Any extra team members (above the six standing on squares) are coaches or note-takers. I can never remember the answer when starting this activity, but one of the teams always gets it. To win, they must demonstrate the correct procedure for the other teams. (That's why it's good to have a note-taker.) This is always fun and can get a little noisy because people get involved in competing for the win. If you need it to be quieter, you can make a rule that no talking is allowed. This whole activity probably takes 15 minutes until there's a win and correct demonstration. This can illustrate the value of having a leader/observer who's apart from the main action, and also how teams interact to solve a problem. #2 Sherpa's Walk The event organizers should scope out a walking course(s) the day before. A city park works well somewhere where there are sidewalks, benches, tables, possibly trees with low-hanging branches, small hills, other obstacles, but nothing too dangerous like big drop-offs. Your course should go around trees, behind things, etc. - not just a straight line. You will have a designated 'leader' - usually the supervisor or manager of the work unit - and a team of participants. The day of the event, one session leader teaches the designated leader the course, out of earshot and view of the participants. The other session leader gets the team members outfitted with blindfolds (bandanas from a dollar store work well). To start, group members all get in a row, with a hand on the shoulder of the person ahead. The designated leader (who is not blindfolded, but has been shown the course) must 'talk' the group through the course, but may not speak any language to do it. Without any advance discussion, he/she must guide his team through the course using verbal or non-verbal signals that are made up on the spot. For example clapping may mean turn to the right, or a hissing sound may

mean turn to the left. It's very difficult at first, but amazingly, once the team catches on to the leader's improvised 'language,' they get around quite well. The team, incidentally, is allowed to talk - so the team members help each other despite being completely unable to see. This illustrates the way team members can help each other, and also how a new leader might not 'speak the team's language' but can ultimately work well together. ************************************************************************************* One game I like to use is a "Blind Trust Walk". It's great for dealing with "trust", "communication", "teamwork" and "letting go / delegating". It's pretty simple. 1) Get blindfolds (sleep masks or large, cloth napkins folded diagonally work well) 2) Have people pair up and one of them is blindfolded. 3) The other person (non-blindfolded) leads the blindfolded person around the grounds (stay away from roads, traffic or other hazardous areas). You'll have to define the boundaries. Stairs and elevators are fun! 4) The "lead" person cannot talk to the blindfolded person. They may only guide by touch or holding the person's hand or arm. If you have enough time, switch roles and then debrief. Best regards,

Doublets
Can you transform WORK into PLAY by changing one letter at a time? Here's one answer: WORK FORK FORM FOAM FLAM FLAY PLAY There are many other possible solutions to this puzzle. Perhaps yours is more elegant.

The WORK to PLAY puzzle is an example of a Doublets puzzle. Lewis Carroll (who wrote Alice's Adventures in Wonderland) devised Doublets to amuse two young ladies in 1879. (This type of puzzle is also known as Word Ladder, Word Golf, and Word Morph.) This is how a Doublets puzzle works: You start with two words, both with the same number of letters. You link these two words by interposing other words, each of which differs from the previous word by only one letter. You begin by changing one letter in the first word to create a new word. You repeat this process, changing one letter at a time and creating new words, until you end up with the second word. Here's an example from Lewis Carroll that transforms APE to MAN: APE ARE ERE ERR EAR MAR MAN This solution uses five intermediate words to transfer APE to MAN. Here's a better solution that uses just four words to accomplish the same transformation: APE APT OPT OAT MAT MAN Here's another example, this time with four-letter words. The challenge is to transform HEAD to TAIL. Solution: HEAD HEAL TEAL TELL TALL TAIL Your turn now! Here are 10 doublets for you to solve: 1. 2. 3. 4. ARMY to NAVY BALL to GAME BLACK to WHITE CARD to GAME

5. CAT to DOG 6. DOWN to SIZE 7. FOUR to FIVE 8. GRASS to GREEN 9. MORE to LESS 10. TEAM to WORK Check your solutions with ours below. Remember there can be several different acceptable solutions.

What's the Use?

Yes, this is an intriguing puzzle but how do I use it in my training session? Read the Toolkit article about simulation games with embedded puzzles in the February 2010 issue. You can incorporate the doublets puzzle in simulation games to explore such concepts as teamwork, diversity, collaboration, and trust.

Solutions to Doublets
1. ARMY ARMS AIMS AIDS BIDS BIDE TIDE TIME TAME NAME NAVE NAVY 2. BALL BALE GALE GAME 3. BLACK BLANK BLINK CLINK CHINK CHINE WHINE - WHITE 4. CARD CARE CAME GAME 5. CAT COT DOT DOG 6. DOWN DOWS DONS DINS DINE SINE SIZE 7. FOUR FOUL FOIL FAIL FALL FILL FILE FIVE 8. GRASS CRASS CRESS TRESS TREES TREED GREED - GREEN 9. MORE LORE LOSE LOSS LESS 10. TEAM TERM DERM DORM DORK WORK

Destination: Innovation by Dimis Michaelides

Purpose
Discover and discuss the value of innovation and the obstacles to achieving it.

Participants
6 to 30

Duration
15-45 minutes

Learning Outcomes

List and discuss different positive outcomes that creativity and innovation can produce List and discuss barriers to creativity and innovation in an organization

Materials
Sheets of blank paper Pens or pencils

Flow
Organize teams. Divide participants into two teams of approximately equal size. Why innovate? Ask members of one team (Team A) to think about this question. Instruct them to write positive outcomes of creativity and innovation on sheets of paper, one outcome on each sheet. Each participant should write at least three of these outcomes on three separate sheets of paper. Ask participants to make airplanes out of their written sheets of paper. What's stopping innovation? Ask members of the other team (Team B) to think about this question. Instruct them to write barriers to creativity and innovation on sheets of paper, one barrier on each sheet. Each participant should write at least three of these barriers on three separate sheets of paper. Ask participants to crumple their barrier sheets to make paper balls.

Flying with flak. Place members of Team A behind a line on one side of the room and explain that they will soon be launching their planes to fly to an Innovation destination point about 8 meters away. Place members of Team B on a line at right angles to the launch path of team A and instruct them to attack the flying planes with their paper balls. Blow a whistle and let the battle begin. War stories. After all planes have been launched and all paper balls have been thrown, instruct participants to form random teams of three to pick up about 4-5 paper planes and 4-5 paper balls. Ask each triad to read the outcomes from the paper planes and select the most important one. Then ask team members to read the obstacles from the paper balls and select the most important one. Ask them to write a story (or a poem) with a happy ending telling how the obstacle was overcome and the innovative outcome was achieved. Encourage teams to imagine reasonable or not-so-reasonable actions and consequences so that their story (or poem) has plenty of drama and a happy ending. After a suitable amount of time give each triad one minute to read out their story or recite their poem. Debrief. Discuss the real battle between innovation and its enemies in organizations. Probe into the real and perceived value of innovation and the real and perceived magnitude of the barriers to innovation. Which barriers are necessary for the efficient existence of the company? What does it take to convince people that the value of innovation is worth the effort to overcome the barriers?

Destination: Innovation as a Framegame

This framegame can be used for exploring any organizational issue that involves a positive goal and negative barriers. The air battle might make a good metaphor for these clashes. Change the title of the game appropriately. (Examples: Destination: Quality, Destination: 2010 Sales Targets, Destination: Trust, Destination: First Quarter Profits)

Amoeba Race This is a fun-filled race which requires close physical contact, group co-operation and competition. The group forms a biological cell, that is, cell wall, protoplasm and nucleus. A person who has good eyesight can be made the nucleus. He is supposed to sit on someone's shoulders as a look out. Others can stand together surrounding the nucleus. These people become the protoplasm. Some team members should surround the protoplasm and face outwards. Their elbows should be linked together forming the cell wall. Try to build a block or maze and ask the amoeba group to travel along the given track. The group should then split into two amoebas and the new group should have its own nucleus. Have an amoeba race to spice things up.

Zoom and Re-zoom This activity helps build communication and problem solving skills in the team. A problem is given to the team. A story is made up, which contains the solution. The team is handed out pictures in a sequence, linked to the story. Each team member tries to explain his picture and find a link among the group. This requires patience and good communication skills. The story is linked and a solution to the given problem is found out. Helium Stick This activity is a good team building exercise. Bring a long, lightweight helium stick. Helium weighs lighter than air, thus, can float in the air. Ask the team members to stand in a straight line. Place the helium stick on their extended index fingers. Make sure they do not hold or pinch the stick between their fingers. The task is to lower the stick to the ground. The stick floats up rather than moving down. The group needs to be patient, work in tandem and try to bring the stick down (which is easier said than done!). The trick is, there is no helium gas-filled in the stick. The collective pressure that is exerted by the fingers is more than the weight of the stick. This causes it to float up mysteriously. Limited Senses This is a rather difficult game but one which will be lots of fun. The obstacles should be removed from the area, where the game is supposed to be played. Hand over each participant one number, which they are to keep secret. Try and jump the series, for example, 1,2,4,5,3,6,7,10,8,9 and so on. Blindfold the participants and ask them to find the numbers before and after them without seeing or talking to each other. They can clap, stomp or do anything to find the missing link. It is great to see many people come up with innovative ways to express themselves. Welded Ankles This activity leads to communication, leadership skills and teamwork. Mark a straight line with bright paint or use a bright-colored rope. The game is that the team has to walk from start to finish, maintaining contact of the ankles. If anyone from the group loses contact, the game has to be re-started. Share it All This is a very simple team building activity which can help develop team spirit in the corporate atmosphere. Divide all the people in groups of four or more as per the team strength. Make sure that the groups formed do not contain people who are always seen together. People who generally do not interact much with each other should be put in one group. Ask every team member to share his three most impressive moments in the company. Ask the team member to try to find common experiences with each other as they share their experiences. After all the small groups have finished sharing the experiences within themselves, ask the group to interact with all the other groups. This is a great activity, which will help bring colleagues closer and result in a better work atmosphere as well. Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/fun-team-building-activities.html

Our experts ensure your safety while carrying out following activities:

Races, Relays, Tag: Spider races, cartwheel races, newspaper races, animal relays, car relays an awesome and interesting collection of the best races, relays and tag games available. Cooperative Games: Ambush, backlash, Blanket toss are games full of activities and initiatives, which will help to teach cooperation amongst group. Active Games: Balloon battle, backlash, cricket One way of running the excitement out of the participants. Sometimes it takes a fun, full energy games to help their learning. Circle Games: Donkey Dodgeball, Elephant, Giraffe, Palm Tree If there is one thing all leaders and guides love, its a circle. These games have been put together to make a circle fun as well as great places to carry out debriefing. Moderate Games: Games which are somewhere in between Just great for any occasion. Passive Games: Games like Buzz, Chicken picks are a great selection of games which can be used at night time or for trying to slow the mood down. "Investing in an employee's mental well-being pays rich dividends" When people are stressed at work, it tends to make them less productive. It hampers their confidence and lowers general morale at the workplace. All these factors further add to the dissatisfaction of the employee. A company that invests in activities team building exercises, outdoor programmes and employee engagement activities that inspire workers, sends a strong message that it cares about their emotional and mental well-being. Such activities keep people creative, charged and driven. The returns on investment in an employee are multi-fold; they cut down attrition, people are happier, and enjoy healthier interpersonal relationships. Their sense of achievement is higher. They function with renewed enthusiasm and spirit.