Quick Team-Building Activities for Busy Managers by Brian Cole Miller

Author:Brian Cole Miller
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: AMACOM Books
Published: 2007-09-14T16:00:00+00:00

STAR POWER

This is …

An activity in which participants form a star shape with a long piece of rope.

The purpose is …

Participants learn to cooperate with each other, have fun, and reinforce communication skills.

Use this when …

Individuals are not cooperating well.

A new group is forming and needs to come together.

The group needs to loosen up, have some fun, and laugh.

Materials you’ll need …

One 40- to 50-foot rope.

Here’s how …

1. Have all participants pick up the rope.

2. They can move their hands along the rope, but they cannot change places with each other.

3. They must form a five-pointed star with the rope in 10 minutes with no rope left over at either end.

For example …

The star may be just the outline of a star or one in which the lines cross over each other, like a star drawn without a pen ever leaving the paper.

Ask these questions …

How does this activity relate to teamwork? (We had to cooperate; We had to agree on things; We had to support the final outcome; We had to listen to each other; etc.)

How did you deal with everyone’s ideas about the way to proceed?

Did anyone emerge as the leader? How did they function?

How did you handle disagreements?

What implications does this have for us back on the job?

Tips for success …

You may want to post a drawing of the star for easy reference. Remember, this will help the team (and you may not want to do that!).

For larger groups (more than 20 participants), form two groups, and have two ropes, OR, simply use a longer rope. Have at least 2-3 feet of length per participant.

Try these variations …

Have them try another shape, a letter, a word, or your organization’s logo.

Blindfold the participants. If you blindfold them all, make the shape much simpler—a square or triangle will be difficult enough. How did the group learn to “see?”

Require that the activity be accomplished without speaking. How did the group manage to communicate? Or, let some speak and some not. How did the group leverage those who could not speak?

Select a leader, and blindfold only that person. How did the leader and group overcome the handicap?

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