TEAM BUILDING - Communication Exercises for Team Building

by Kyra Sheahan, Demand Media

Team-building activities can strengthen communication in the workplace.

Communication is a fundamental aspect of teamwork and is relied upon for successful business accomplishments. According to AllBusiness, a website for business managers, employers want to build team communication because better communication breeds a more productive workplace. If you’re looking for a way to develop your crew’s communication skills, team-building activities are a good way to strengthen employee interactions while offering a fun and educational atmosphere.

Treasure Hunt

Stage a treasure hunt for your employees to complete. Begin by splitting employees into small teams and providing them with a treasure map. Each team will have to follow the instructions on the map to find the treasure at the end of the game. This activity teaches teams how to follow directions, listen to one another, develop leadership strategies and work together to accomplish a unified goal.

Story Circle

Story Circle is an activity that requires employees to take turns telling a story. For this game, assemble employees into a full circle and begin the activity by saying, “Once upon a time.” The person on your right should pick up where you left off. When he finishes his sentence, the next person in the circle must continue the story. Go around the circle as many times as you want before you conclude the story. This activity will strengthen your team’s listening skills and let employees practice how to formulate quick, sensible responses. According to Innovative Team Building, team-building exercises should break down personal barriers, which Story Circle does by inspiring creativity.

Ball Toss

For this activity you will need a soft or spongy ball, which will be used for tossing. Form your team of employees into a circle, and throw the ball at one of them. Whoever catches the ball must state their favorite color. That person tosses the ball to someone else in the circle. The catcher of the ball has to restate the previous color and add another color of their choice. The third person to catch the ball must restate all the previous colors and add another. The object of the game is to memorize the list of colors, which will be more challenging as the list gets longer. This activity aims to improve listening skills and help employees learn how to stay focused when the pressure is on.

Project Race

Split employees into small teams and give them a project to complete. Instruct the groups to assign roles for each person on the team and begin working on the project. The first team to complete the project wins. This activity teaches employees about the importance of communication, and how effectively communicating with one another will help them work together to get any type of job done.