Month: December 2015

Minefield team building is a game designed to improve communication game. Your group of people will be divided into pairs and follow the instructions below. Each pair will be prompted to trust each other to listen carefully; this is key to succeeding!

• Open communication provides everyone equal participation in the achievements of the business. Constructing an atmosphere of open communication is instrumental in building team morale and allows for a flow of energy, creativity and problem-solving amongst your company. It establishes an environment where all employees have a clear understanding of the companies goals and what needs to be done to accomplish these goals.
• Collaboration in the workplace has long been revered as a sign of an effective, high-functioning team. Not very long ago, success in collaboration meant breaking down cubical and office walls and pushing for employees to work together 24/7. Although this approach worked for many employees, others felt stifled.
• These qualities assist in reducing messy office politics and decrease workplace conflict, making for a healthier, happier workforce.

MINEFIELD!

Tools Needed:

Common office items and a clear space

Time:

8-12 minutes

Instructions:

1. Divide the group into pairs. One partner will be blindfolded while the other will focus on guiding their teammate from beginning to end through this dicey course without setting off any mines.
2. Use water bottles, boxes, markers, chairs, etc. to create an obstacle course of “mines” within your clear space.
3. The teammate guiding their partner is restricted from accessing the course and can only provide verbal instruction to assist their partner as they traverse through the obstacles.

Depending on the number of people you have and how difficult you want this activity to be, you can vary the number of pairs trying to complete the course at the same time so that pairs have to work harder to listen to each other and communicate clearly.

Tis’ the season to start brainstorming corporate holiday party ideas. These parties are more often mocked than appreciated, feared more than longed-for, but they are a steadfast ritual during the holiday season. These gatherings can be fun and festive if everyone is conscious in behaving well; letting too many people get wild could end in disaster.

Whether or not you’re a social butterfly, holiday parties are a great way to relax and get to know your coworkers on a different level. Some are newbies in the world of the company holiday party, while others are seasoned vets. Whichever describes you, attending can be rewarding and fruitful.

Hosting a party that shows your appreciation for a year of hard work without breaking the bank isn’t easy. So here are some simple yet effective ideas to try at your next office bash!

Organize a dessert swap.

Anyone who’s interested in participating can whip up some desserts and trade with others at the event!

Hold a Contest.

Orchestrate a competition for things such as most festive socks or ugliest sweater.

Coordinate a gift exchange.

There’s a myriad of creative ways to exchange gifts! Some familiar examples include Cobweb party (Victorian era game), White Elephant, Secret Santa, or a “musical chairs” gift exchange!

Give door prizes

Raffle off some prizes like gift cards, ornaments or smartphone docks. Be creative! You can also give out gifts under humorous perquisites, like “the first person to bring me a #2 pencil” or “person with the most keys.” Think outside the box, the whole reason you’re having is for fun!

Have Fun

The important thing is to have a great time. Some of these ideas will help get your holiday party rolling! This is a time for your employees to relax and enjoy. Be sure to show them your appreciation for all their hard work they put in throughout the year, and make sure everyone gets a gift!

Good communication is key at any company and an integral part of office dynamics. Not only does it create more efficiency and less frustration team members, but it is also helpful to your employees in forming stronger relationships.

These three elements are ideal for both the companies revenue and office morale. Fortunately, effective office communication is rather simple to achieve if you understand these basic principles:

• Improving communication between colleagues and supervisors involves effort on the part of all staff members.
• Staff members in leadership roles guide the communication practices based on how they organize the office and interact with their employees.
• Leaders must evaluate current communication efforts and identify those areas that need the most improvement.

Try this!

Chatterbox is a simple yet effective communication skills activity your team can use anytime.

Tools needed: None.

• Divide your group into pairs and have them spread apart.

• Provide the pairs with a topic to chat about.

• Each person will have a specific time (two minutes) to talk nonstop without interruption.

• Their partner will just listen, and when the specified time is up they are given a few moments (one minute) to discuss what they heard. The duo then reverses roles. The talker becomes the listener and vice versa to perform the above task.

The Results

Following these rules and guidelines will effectively ensure each participant has a fair time to speak. The listener can only digest what the speaker is saying, while the speaker is free to talk about the subject without interruption. This is a quick and simple way to develop participants into confident speakers and attentive listeners.