Team Building Excercises

Team Superfluous is a machine and like all machines sometimes it could use a little oil. We all have been working incredibly hard on this game and we are all tired, grumpy, and frustrated due to our workloads. For the past 4-14 weeks (depending on when you joined the group) we have had to change our work processes and time lines to include our teammates in a class where we get to experience working as a team for what could be categorized as the first time. Some of us prefer to work alone, only with certain people, or in pairs. Even our assigned roles in the team require us to work
by ourselves or with only 1 or 2 other people in the group of 9 that has been assembled.

I propose that we participate in a team building exercise or two on Thursday, with the substitute's permission, after the critique. If that isn't possible I think that the team should put the idea on the table to be implemented at another time. By doing this we may be able to sharpen our teamwork skills and improve communication in the team. All of which could stand some improvement.

Possible Exercises:


Human Knot:

The team stands in a circle and extends their right hand and grabs another team member's hand, as if they are going to shake hands, they then extend their left hands and grab another hand. The team must then work together to, without releasing anyone's hand, untangle themselves and form a circle.

Green Glass Door:

Team members take turns guessing what can be taken through the "green glass door" while a facilitator, someone from outside the group, decides on the pattern of what would be allowed through. An example of a possible pattern would be items that have double letters, so apples would be allowed through but not oranges, Jelly but not Jam, etc..... The team must work together to guess what the pattern is and during their respective turns can either guess or select an item to be taken through the door.

Robot:

One team member is a "controller" who must navigate one or two of their teammates, the "Robots", to a designated point or goal by giving unvoiced commands such as patting their head to stop, their shoulder to turn left or right, etc... The "Robots" are blindfolded. This may improve trust and team work, especially if the team members are paired with someone they do not normally work with.

Question Cup:

Team mates write down questions to be put in a cup and each team member draws a question and answers it honestly. Rules could be changed so that every team member must answer all the questions pulled. Also any time a question is asked concerning personal opinions, such as "What prominent problem do you think should be addressed within the team?", there is to be no dissent from the other team members as it is a personal opinion and all issues can be addressed after the exercise.

Common Threads:

The team splits up into pairs or mini teams of 3 and must, within a given time period, find at least 5-10 things they have in common. The team or pair that discovers the number of required things in the allotted as well as the most creative things, wins.

Back 2 Back Drawing:

The team is divided into pairs, If there is a 3rd person that person becomes the observer, then sit back to back with each other. One of he pair has a pencil and paper while the other is given a picture of an object, the member with the picture of the object must then describe it to his/her partner who must then draw the object exactly as it seen in the picture. So one member cannot just say what the object is and win.

Ah So Koh:

Start with the group standing (or sitting) in a circle. Use hand gestures for the folowing:

• Ah (hand under the chin palm facing the floor)
• So (hand at forehead, in salute fashion), and
• Ko (arm and hand out in front of you pointing at another player).

One person starts with “Ah” (hand to neck). The direction the hand is pointing, that person follows with “So” (hand to forehead). Similar, the direction of the hand signals that person to do “Ko”. And so on... If someone “messes up” or forgets to act they are “outta the game.”

At that point, they step out of the circle, and the person to the right has a silent 3 second count to start the game again with “Ah”.

Game continues until 2-3 people are left (up to you whether the last 2 compete for AhSoKo champion title!).

One Optional way to continue to involve everyone: The people who get “out” can become “hecklers” whose job it is to try to get the others to mess up. Rules of being a heckler are, hecklers must stay on the outside of the circle, cannot obstruct vision, physically touch anyone, or be cruel.

These are the ones that I feel would be most helpful, efficient, and doable in a small period of time. What do you guys think? If we were to do 1 or 2 of these which ones would you want to do?