More Quick Team-Building Activities for Busy Managers

BRIAN COLE MILLER is the principal of Working Solutions, Inc., a management training and consulting firm whose clients include Nationwide Insurance, Kellogg's, and the Ohio State University. He is the author of Keeping Employees Accountable for Results and other popular books.

• CONTENTS Acknowledgments ix Introduction 1 Part I. Getting Ready CHAPTER 1.How to Run a Successful Team-Building Activity 7 Step 1. Before: Select a pertinent activity for your team 7 Step 2. Before: Prepare for your team-building activity 8 Step 3. During: Explain the activity to the team 10 Step 4. During: Check for understanding before beginning 12 Step 5. During: Run the activity 13 Step 6. During: Debrief the activity 14 Step 7. After: Reinforce the learning back on the job 16 CHAPTER 2.What Could Go Wrong in a Team-Building Activity 17 Part II. The Activities CHAPTER 3.Welcoming: Introductions and Icebreakers 31 Bet You Didn't Know This 32 Cell Phone Rings 35 Haiku 38 Hangman 40 Heads or Tails 43 Human Poker 46 I am . . . 50 Kids' Stuff 53 Pennies and Dice 56 Scramble 59 Word Count 62 CHAPTER 4.Battling: Games That Teach Healthy Competition 65 Balloon Battle 66 Chopsticks 69 Cotton Balls 72 Higher Lower 75 Marshmallow Dodge Ball 78 Snake Eyes 81 Tablecloth 85 Tall Towers 88 Team Scores 91 Unshuffle 95 CHAPTER 5.Teamwork: Challenges That Require Cooperation 99 Buttermilk Line 100 CONNECTIONS 103 CROSSING THE LINE 106 DOLLAR BILL 109 HOUSE 112 LETTER #27 115 LICENSE PLATES 117 ONE SYLLABLE 120 PUZZLED VISION 123 REACH FOR THE STARS 126 STICK IN THE MIDDLE 128 CHAPTER 6. Creativity: Challenges That Encourage Out-of-the-Box Thinking 131 ABCs 132 FAILURE STRATEGIES 135 FISHBOWL 138 FIST 140 JOB TITLES 143 MONSTERS 146 NEWSPAPER COSTUMES 148 SECRET AGENDA 151 STATUE MAKER 154 THE SWAMP 157 CHAPTER 7. Support: Activities to Appreciate and Help Each Other 161 Anonymous Feedback 162 GARBAGE 166 ONE WORD 169 POSITIVE ENVELOPES 172 SECRET COACH 175 TOMBSTONE 178 TOTEM POLES 181 TROPHIES 184 Index 187 About the Author 191