Team Building Activities Need Not Be Boring

Hear the phrase "team building" and immediately your mind conjures up an image of a conference room where executives are gathering employees to conduct a boring meeting or telling them about the importance of building coordination within team.
As a manager, you have a tough job of balancing roles between a captain, part psychologist, cheerleader, friend, coach and visionary. You may need to go for team building activities to rekindle their inspiration and get them going.
But do you see your employees groaning when you say the word team building? That is because it has been boring till now! Don't limit your activities to just the bored, oops, the board room! Venture out with your employees with these fun activities to see the wonders they can do for your team!
Helium stick
This is a simple looking game but it really isn't so. Line up your employees in two rows facing each other. Tell them to extend their arms and point out their index fingers. Place a long, lightweight rod on their index fingers. Ask the group to keep the stick horizontally balanced.
The team has the challenge of lowering the stick. At all times, all the group member's fingers should be touching it. However, mysteriously, the stick will instead go up because of the upward pressure of the index fingers! The team has to communicate to gradually bring the stick down.
Mine field
Objects are put in random places in an outdoor or indoor setting. Objects such as bowling pins, balls, bags and even furniture in an indoor setting, act as mines. The person has to guide his/her blindfolded partner so they can avoid mines and reach the other end of the 'field' safely.
Zoom
Participants are handed out random pictures. They have to arrange them in a sequence to create a story. However, the game involves a twist. They have to do it without looking at others' pictures. Participants must talk to each other and sort out the sequence of pictures. It requires people to develop perspective talking and communication skills.
Survival scenarios
Ever saw shows like "Lost" and wondered how you would behave in such a situation? Well, this game lets you do that to an extent. Two situations can be created. In the first 'pen and pencil' situation participants have to make a list of survival equipment needed if they are lost at sea or in a desert.
In the second situation, participants have to decide who has to be saved in case a plane crash, nuclear war or oxygen dwindling takes place. These situations allow members to consider all options and make rational decisions.  Be sure and visit The Corner Market-ing Blog  "Enjoy Your Coffee"

Michael Stanley