The video clip below shows a team competing in "The Amazing Race" (a TV program).
Pay close attention to the coaching.
Coach: "Don't give up on me now. Just focus."
Launcher: "I'm not giving up. I'm just frustrated."
Coach: "You got this sister. You are super, super close. Right in the kisser. Show that knight who's boss."
Watermelon Launcher gets hit in the face with a watermelon!
Coach: "Are you okay?"
Launcher: "I can't feel my face. I have the worst headache ever."
Coach: "I don't doubt it."
Launcher: "So what do we do now?"
Coach: "You have to finish."
Launcher: "What?!"
Coach: "There's no out."
Launcher: "I can't even see straight."
Coach: "They don't call this the Amazing Race for nothing."
The coaching provided in this video clip is an example of what I refer to as a "Traditional Leadership Style." This style of leadership places relationships second (or third) and "winning" in the number one spot.
Just imagine this coach leading a team at the office. What do you think her staff turnover would be? How deep would her "trust account" be? (thank you Stephen M.R. Covey)
This style of leadership might have worked during the industrial age but it definitely won't work in the Inspiration Age - - an age where our prosperity (economic, organizational, personal, etc.) is determined by our ability to inspire ourselves, our team, our organizations, our communities, our world.
Learn how to lead using a powerful leadership operating system based on love and abundance HERE.
Here's a classic teambuilding game called the "Spider's Web" that requires a team to start on one side of the web and travel through the holes to finish on the other side of the web.
This teambuilding game requires a high degree of trust and teamwork (and good planning).
Click on the link below to download a 7 page handout containing complete lead-it-yourself directions.
How important is timing and coordination of efforts on your team? Here's a simple no-prop game that can help a team practice and refine these skills.
This teambuilding game called "Ground Slap" and can be played sitting around a table or (preferably) kneeling on the ground in a circle.
The setup is important - - with team members on hands and knees, ask everyone to place their right hand in between the hands of the person to his/her right. The end result will weave everyone's hands together.
Here's the challenge: The leader starts by slapping his/her right hand on the ground which starts a domino effect meaning, the hand immediately to the right must slap the ground and then the hand immediate to that hand must slap the ground, and so on. If someone slaps the ground twice in a row then the direction of the ground slapping domino effect reverses (watch the video and you'll see this happen).
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This teambuilding game - called "Interference" - helps a group explore effective communication and planning.
This game works best with a minimum of 15 people. Create three equal size groups and position them in the playing area.
"Group A" will be the message senders. "Group B" will be the message interferers. "Group C" will be the message receivers. You'll lead three rounds so everyone gets to play each of the three roles.
This is a powerful game and can help a team reveal important truths about communication.
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Over 100 new and different lead-it-yourself teambuilding game write-ups and growing!
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The Trust Fall teamwork exercise is a "classic" teamwork game because it's so effective at helping an individual and a team explore both how it feels to trust and be trusted. The experience creates an opening for the team and the teamwork facilitator to have a real and meaningful discussion about how to create a high trust environment.
This is an advanced activity and should only be led by extremely competent people.
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The A-Frame teamwork game is one of those activities that looks dangerous, especially if you put a rider on the A-Frame. What I like most about this exercise is the give and take required to make the A-Frame "walk". If everyone pulls their rope at the same time then the A-Frame can't move.
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Duct Tape is one of my favorite all purpose tools. You can fix nearly anything with it AND you can lead lots of fun teambuilding games with it!
Here's a teambuilding game called "Trolleys" that is normally done using two long wooden boards. The team stands on the boards and then each team member holds onto a rope attached to the board. Wooden Trolley's are fun to use but they are inconvenient to transport due to size and weight.
The Bandanna, Cup, Marble teambuilding game requires a group of 4 to
8 people to transport a marble sitting atop a cup (upside down) from
point A to point B.
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Directions for leading this teambuilding game
Group Size: 4 to 10 people per bandana
Age Range: Elementary – adult
Intensity: Mental=1, Physical=1
Time: 5 – 15 minutes
Space: Minimal – Medium – Lots
Set Up Time: 60 seconds
Props: For each team of 6-10 people: One plastic cup, one bandana, one marble
Objective
Transport a marble balanced on a cup from one point to another.
Set Up / Preparation
Create groups of about 8 people and supply each group with one bandana, one marble and one plastic cup (the plastic cup should have some kind of lip on the bottom of it). The group surrounds the bandana and holds on to it with both hands along the edges creating a tabletop effective. The cup is now placed up side down on the bandana then the marble is placed on top of / balanced on the cup. The group is now asked to transport the bandana-cup-marble from one point to another.
Rules
If the marble falls off the group must start again.
Everyone must hold on to the edge of the bandana with both hands.
The bandana must be kept tight and flat.
The supplied equipment (props) may not be altered.
No other supplies may be used.
Comments
This is a great activity to do with a small group (6 people) or with large groups (200+ people). It is versatile, inexpensive and easily transported.
Debriefing
I once led this activity at a retreat for a group of school system volunteers (adults). There were about 30 people so I had them form into 3 groups in one of the meeting rooms. After everyone was set to go with the activity, I asked them to place their bandana-cup-marble assembly on a small table in an adjacent room SIMULTANEOUSLY. There was only one doorway and to the other room so the teams were forced to wait on each other. The table was small which forced the groups to communicate and create a plan. I had everyone circle up in their small groups and answer the following questions: What metaphorically is the bandana, cup, marble, and table relative to your job in this organization? I gave the groups 15 minutes to create a presentation, which they would be giving to the other groups. The group loved the activity and loved the discussion as well as the presentations from the other small groups.
Variations
Place obstacles in the path of the group such as a tables or chairs. Consider having the group go up a flight of stairs.
Use a taller cup and a larger, denser ball (like a baseball) to make this lots harder.
Fill a cup of water and balance it on the bandana. If you want to get folks really wet, have them transport the cup by holding the bandana above their heads.
History
I learned this activity from Sam Sikes, author of “Executive Marbles” and “Feeding the Zircon Gorilla”.
Games Archive
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Have you ever played with a wooden table top labyrinth? You have two dials that cause the surface to tilt in any diretion - - this to make a marble move through the labyrinth without falling through a hole.
The Team Labyrinth is like the table top game only better because it requires a team to play.
The Team Labyrinth is made of fabric that accepts the "hook" side of Velcro. The team starts by building the labyrinth - - the walls are made of foam and have "hook" velcro on the bottom so they stick to the fabric. The "hole's" are made from "hook" Velcro (both sides) and will grab/stop the tennis ball size ball.
Build a labyrinth and take it apart. Make it hard or make it easy. I used to build the labyrinth for the team but realized people have as much fun building it as making the ball go through.
I use this activity to get a group looking at the obstacles to success and the strategies to succeed inspite of the obstacles.
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CLICK HERE for a sample teambuilding game write-up.
Buy This Game You can make this game using the instructions found in the IATF Members Only Area (instant access) OR you can purchase the IATF Teambuilding Games Training CDs where you'll find make-it-yourself instructions OR you can purchase this game from Sportime / School Specialty online HERE or you can contact Sportime directly using the info below:
Sportime Phone 800-388-3224 Catalog Item Number: 021766 Cost $94.99 US
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