There are all kinds of corporate team building games out there, and they are each designed to do different things. Some team building games, for example, are designed for core personnel and managers, and these activities are meant to enhance their relationships with their subordinates and each other. Other team building games are designed for entry level personnel to help them integrate with their corporate environment. Finally, there are corporate team building games which are designed to give unskilled personnel new skills and qualifications. So in analyzing the benefits of team building games, there’s little doubt about their versatility with regards to employee development.
For the purposes of this article, however, we will examine corporate team building games, which can be applied to any group of people or personnel. These types of games are known as multi-dimensional exercises, and their purpose is to establish a training system that impacts any type of team, at several levels.
These types of activities don’t have a very definite goal (unlike those games which are given to specialists and managerial personnel) but they do have a relatively high learning curve, and are designed to help team learn practical workg skills. Multi-dimensional activities are usually designed to prevent players from succeeding the first time, just like many activities in real work situations. And because these challenges are built into the activities, it forces players to engage in “gap analysis” which in turn forces them to examine their situation and create a strategy to “where they would like to be.”
3 Corporate Team Building Games
Climbing the Corporate Ladder
This particular game requires quite a bit of planning, skill and raw courage to perform. In this game, team members are require to work together in order to meet their goals, which is to climb up a short ladder or a rock wall that has been set up for this particular activity. The higher each team gets, the more points they accumulate.
The ladder or rock wall is usually quite steep, and the entire activity usually lasts between 45 to 60 minutes, so team players only have a limited amount of time to finish a challenging task. Aside from speed and agility the “Corporate Ladder” game also requires strategic planning, and requires each team member to coordinate effectively with the larger team in order to advance. Creativity as well as group problem solving are also required in order to maximize team performance.
This process may sound easy at first, but it is quite difficult for anyone who has no mountain climbing experience. Furthermore, team members are expected to scale the ladder or rock wall with a certain amount of coordination, and they will only get their points as a team. Rewards will not be given for individual performance, which basically requires each group to coordinate their advance.
The Numbers Game
In contrast to the Corporate Ladder Game, the Numbers Game (or “I’ve Got Your Number”) is a more light hearted activity that involves large groups of people seated inside secure setting. The objective behind this particular game is simple. The players are each given a certain pattern of numbers and letters which they will then need to spread all across the room with increasingly complicated restrictions. The more players there are during a particular game, the more patterns will be used by each player. Those players who accomplish their patterns resourcefully, win.
Take note that this activity can only be performed inside a building or facility, which means that it’s generally not used for corporate outings. Still, the Numbers Game is a relatively good exercise whenever the opportunity presents itself. This game usually lasts 45 minutes, and it involves around 20 to 300 people. The more people are engaged in the exercise, the more interesting the outcome will be. So this is a good activity to try if you want to hold your team building exercises in a conference hall. The goal of the entire activity is to encourage team coordination, strategic planning, improved teamwork as well as flexibility to unpredictable situation. It also encourages members to adapt to pressure and to use whatever available tools they have to accomplish their tasks.
Gridlocks Systems GameÂ
In this game, players are divided into four teams, each of which are given a mini-cart which they will then use during the activity. The goal of the Gridlocks System game is to prevent a situation where a “Gridlock” occurs. In order to prevent this situation from happening, each player in each team will have to plan strategically in order to achieve their goals. They will need to act as a team and to choose whether to serve the interests of their own team or to try a more cooperative strategy.
The team building goals behind the Gridlock Systems game is to establish team awareness, effective communication and flexible tactics for the trainees. It also encourages strategic planning among potential leaders and helps ordinary players understand the importance of time management. However, the most important characteristic of this activity is that it encourages the creation of an effective competitive strategy, one which helps players find an optimum outcome for all players involved.
This game usually has around a hundred players, and it lasts for around 60 to 90 minutes. However, this game is not advisable for very large groups people, as numerous teams and players reduces the effectiveness of the game and increases each team’s chances of creating a gridlock early on in the game. Nevertheless, if you have a reasonably small group of people and is an ideal activity for teams which need to learn more communication and strategic skills.
Conclusion
The three team building games mentioned here offer a glimpse of how multi-dimensional team building games work, and what most of them aim to achieve, which is to build up each personnel’s skills and abilities in relation to a much a larger team. By establishing these
corporate team building games, organizations are able to more easily implement effective multi-dimensional activities for all of their personnel.
