Quick Team-Building Activities for Busy Managers, 2nd Edition

Book description

Every team needs a regular dose of team spirit to function at its best. That's why managers turn to these easy and effective activities for building camaraderie and cohesion. Now in its second edition, Quick Team-Building Activities for Busy Managers addresses the problems that drag down group productivity and helps teams:

    • Collaborate successfully
    • Cope with change
    • Solve problems
    • Communicate better
    • Boost creativity
    • Leverage diversity
    • Nurture healthy competition
    • And more

    Each of the 50 exercises takes just minutes to prep, and most call for everyday items like pens or paper clips. No elaborate training sessions or prepared presentations required. Simply scan the instructions explaining how to run the session, what problems might crop up, and which questions to ask to drive the lessons home. The results are immediate: sullen teams find sparkle, nervous teams gain confidence, teams of strangers get to know one another.

    New and updated activities get everyone, including virtual teams, working together with purpose and a little bit of fun—fifteen minutes of the workday very well spent!

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Title
  3. Copyright
  4. Contents
  5. Acknowledgments
  6. Introduction
  7. Part I. Getting Ready
    1. Chapter 1. How to Run a Successful Team-Building Activity
      1. Step 1. Before: Select an Activity That’s Good for Your Team
      2. Step 2. Before: Prepare for Your Team-Building Activity
      3. Step 3. During: Explain the Activity to the Team
      4. Step 4. During: Check for Understanding Before Beginning
      5. Step 5. During: Run the Activity
      6. Step 6. During: Debrief the Activity
      7. Step 7. After: Reinforce the Learning Back on the Job
    2. Chapter 2. What Could Go Wrong in a Team-Building Activity
  8. Part II. the Activities
    1. Chapter 3. Communication: Listening and Influencing
      1. Card Triangles
      2. Copy Cat
      3. Listen Up
      4. Me, Myself, and I
      5. Napkins
      6. Origami
      7. Shared Values
    2. Chapter 4. Connecting: Getting to Know Each Other
      1. Gossip Time
      2. Human Billboards
      3. My N.A.M.E.
      4. Neighbors
      5. A Penny for Your Thoughts
      6. Rather Than
      7. Ready, Set, Reorganize!
      8. Similarities And Differences
      9. Sweet Stories
    3. Chapter 5. Cooperation: Working Together as a Team
      1. Catch!
      2. Count Off
      3. Floor Designs
      4. Helium Stick
      5. Pass the Card
      6. Popcorn
      7. Puzzled
      8. Star Power
    4. Chapter 6. Coping: Dealing with Change
      1. Bridges and Towers
      2. Change Time Line
      3. Index Towers
      4. Machines
      5. Makeovers
      6. My Abc’s
      7. Numbers
      8. Puzzled Thumbs
      9. Squares
    5. Chapter 7. Creativity: Solving Problems Together
      1. Balloon Sculptures
      2. Card Stack
      3. Consultants
      4. Improve This
      5. Magic Carpet Ride
      6. One-Worded Stories
      7. Paper Shuffle
    6. Chapter 8. Teamwork: Appreciating and Supporting Each Other
      1. Blame Game
      2. But Nothing (Feedback)
      3. But Nothing (Ideas)
      4. Envelopes
      5. First Impressions
      6. Junk to Jewels
      7. Kudos
      8. Labels
      9. Thank-You Cards
      10. What I Like About Me
  9. Index
  10. About the Author
  11. Free Sample Chapter from Into the Storm by Dennis N.T. Perkins with Jillian B. Murphy

Product information

  • Title: Quick Team-Building Activities for Busy Managers, 2nd Edition
  • Author(s): Brian Cole Miller
  • Release date: March 2015
  • Publisher(s): AMACOM
  • ISBN: 9780814436349