May 2, 2013
During school, talking amongst your classmates was discouraged. Chatty Cathy was always sent to sit in the corner, facing the wall, and in high school that became detention.
Within team environments in the workplace however, you want good communication. Talking is encouraged, expected, and required.
Enhance collaboration and productivity with this team building communication exercise.
Imagine a baseball game in which two outfielders are running for the same pop fly, opting against communicating with each other. Not only would that result in a painful collision, ouch!, but their error would prove detrimental to the team as a whole.
You’ve experienced this at work before. Two people are working on overlapping projects that will basically get you to the same place in the end. Time is wasted. Often, conflict arises. Even worse, you may need to invest even more time in clearing up confusion from the miscommunication.
Now that winter is over, it’s time to get your team out in the sun and get them communicating. Here’s a fun team building communication exercise that can help your team unlearn the silent ways of the classroom and rediscover their voices together.
Splash! Team Building Communication Exercise
The object of the game is simple. Team members will need to effectively communicate with each other to get as many water balloons into the target trash bin as possible. Teams will consist of two members each.
One team member will be seated and blindfolded: they are the pitcher. This team member must utilize his/her listening skills to find the trash bin and aim for the center with their water balloons.
The other team member will overlook the trash bin in goggles and rain gear: they are the guide. This team member must utilize his/her communication skills to help the pitcher hit the trash bin with water balloons.
There must also be an unbiased score keeper, as it may be difficult to count balloons after they have been thrown.
Remember that show Double Dare? This is a bit like one of those physical challenges, minus the pies in your pants!
Communication Tools:
- Water balloons
- Ponchos
- Blindfolds
- Goggles
- Trash bins
- Prize(s)
- Chair(s)
How to Splash! Communicate:
Set Up: Place a chair, along with a balloon bucket about ten yards away from the trash bin. Walk the blindfolded pitcher over to his/her throne and seat them. This is important. They should not be seated before they are blindfolded. Dress the guide in their splash proof attire and position them behind the trash bin.
Play Ball: In order to establish an understanding of positioning between teammates, the first pitch is free. After that, the guide must provide instructions and directions on how to get the pitcher to make ten out of the ten allowed pitches. (Okay maybe a perfect game is overly ambitious). The guide may not touch the trash bin and must stay positioned directly behind it.
The Results: The winner is determined by most “made” pitches into the trash bin. Winning will be a direct result of effective use of communication skills, or a mutant ability to see through blindfolds….
Regardless of who wins on the day, your whole team will have taken another positive step in working as a team by participating in this team building communication exercise and enhancing their skills.
