Fig Tree

Problem solving; Decision making; Team maintenance; Leadership

Teamwork can be frustrating, especially if you think you can solve the problem quicker yourself! Every team member has to balance the desire to do things their own way with the need to access a wider range of skills and knowledge. Every team leader needs to understand team member behaviour. Are ideas being built up or knocked down? Is the team accessing all the skills available to it by engaging everyone in the process?

• A card based logic puzzle for groups of 8-12 members.
• It comes with cards for two groups.
• Needs between 45 and 90 minutes depending on the group dynamics and the outcome required.

Sister Teams

Leadership; Departmental-functional relationships (communication); Team management

"We could have done that if you had bothered to ask!" When individual groups forget that they are part of a wider team co-operative opportunities pass unseen; there is duplication of effort: time and money are wasted: in extreme cases there is deliberate unhelpfulness. Sister Teams uses a number of individual but related tasks to demonstrate how a team that is determined to fulfil its own agenda and offer no assistance to others will jeopardise its own results and that of associated groups.

• A collection of inter-related tasks for three teams of between 6-8 members each.
• Needs between one and a half and two hours.

Superteam Challenge

Team building; Team management; Leadership; Decision-making

Are you looking for a substantial team building exercise that will get the participants out of work mode while reinforcing some of the basic skills invloved in good team work - planning, organisation, communication? This exercise is excellent, as part of a course or conference.

• A collection of varied tasks for teams of up to 10 members each.
• Where materials are needed there is sufficient for three teams.
• The activity is flexible in duration and can last anything from 2-8 hours depending on the tasks selected.

Symbol Game

Communication; Leadership; Problem solving; Team management; Decision-making

A chain is only as strong as its weakest link; so too is a team. To succeed in this task every member of the team must undestand what is being done and why. If the team is unable to achieve this then their differences will be exposed and they will fail. If the exercise is used with an appointed leader then failure will result in simulated dismissal.

• A card based exercise for groups of 5-9 members.
• It comes with cards for two groups
• Needs about 75 minutes including discussion time.

Value of T

Leadership; Problem solving; Team management; Decision-making

Information is scattered amongst the group so that everybody knows something but nobody knows the whole picture. What is the objective? How can each team member contribute to achieving success? Has the team leader got the skill to open a fruitful discussion? Will the team be encouraged to present their ideas effectively?

• A card based exercise for groups of 6-12 members.
• It comes with cards for two groups.
• Needs between 45 and 90 minutes including discussion time.