Preface: How to Use the Games in This Book
I like to tell clients that they’re investing in my company for all the mistakes we’ll not make because we’ve already made them in the past. You’re buying this book to avoid all the mistakes we’ve already made. This chapter has a checklist for you to follow when planning any digital team-building game. Think about a PIPE when you first begin—something that you can use to guide your teammates to a successful outcome on the other side (if you don’t get clogged along the way). PIPE stands for:
- Purpose—Why are you holding this team-building event? What clear goals do you have for it? What do you want the results to be?
- Initiatives or Team-building games—Which games best match your goals, number of people, time available, and technology available?
- Preparation—How can you best prepare yourself and your teammates so that the team-building activity gives you the greatest odds of success?
- Event—How can you execute the best team-building event and achieve your team goals?
Purpose
Asking yourself the preceding questions is the most important step in using this book. I often ask people what their purpose is—especially for team building—and they often don’t have an answer for me. Many times they give vague responses such as, “Build my team,” “Communicate better,” “Have less conflict,” “Understand one another better,” or “Have fun.” Although these are all valid goals, today’s business climate makes it critical to look at return on investment for ...
