5 15-minute workshops
We all know that a happy team is an effective team. Finding that balance between fun and productivity is often a knifes edge, but as a manager or event planner you have the power to ensure people are on the productive side of things, while still having fun.
You can complete these micro workshops and team building activities to help improve communication within a team, to redefine and align goals, and to identify new leaders or improve leadership skills.
Why only 15 minutes?
We also all know that time is money. Running regular 1 hour sessions isn't feasible in many businesses, however a 15 minute activity can be done first thing in the morning, during slow afternoons or whenever you need an energy break.
Short team building activities
- Alphabet Brainstorm: The host selects a topic and picks a letter. The players or teams come up with any work or phrase starting with the letter. Topics can range from "things around the office" to "countries we work with" or "technology we use"
- Pattern Recognition: Sitting around a boardroom, or in a circle, the first person states "I am going on a holiday and I am bringing a ..." followed by and item or action. The next person asks "can I come if I bring a ...". The aim of the game is for everyone to guess the pattern. For example the first person may say "I am going on a holiday and I am bringing an apple". The next person may guess the pattern is fruit, or circular objects or items that require a "an" instead of "a". The last person to get to the answer normally has the most laughs.
- Spiderweb: Someone volunteers to share a few sentences about their interests. A new person volunteers with a link to that interest and adds their own. Continue this for as long as you feel.
- Story Scramble: For every particpant, fold a piece of paper so there are four even sections above each other. Set a timer for 30 seconds. The first person is to write a sentence within the time limit, then pass the paper to the individual next to them. They have 30 seconds to write another sentence and then fold over the sentence before theirs, before passing it on. You will only ever see the sentence above where you are to write, and you end up with some interesting stories. An alternate version of this game is to draw a monster and you can only see a portion of the total drawing.
- Word Chain: Start the word chain as the host by announcing the theme and picking an item, for example "fruit" and "apple". The next person needs to add to the theme in 15 seconds. Each player is out when they can't add to the list of items, or adds something that is already mentioned.
Bonus Game: Book Covers
This game works perfectly for virtual teams or in-office teams.
Ask each person to come up with a name for their autobiography and why they chose that. This will tell a lot about the person, and can uncover some new skills or interests that your team can leverage.
