This exercise requires metal washers, an ample amount of string, tennis balls and bowls or cups. It stimulates inter-group cooperation and communication. The activity allows individual qualities such as leadership to naturally emerge. It emphasizes the importance of each group member's contribution.
The larger group is divided into teams of six people. For each group, six sections of string are firmly tied to a washer. The string segments are three inches in length. Groups should be instructed to form a circle around the washer, with each member holding a piece of string. A tennis ball is placed on the washer. A cup or bowl is placed 20 to 30 feet from each group. The team must communicate and coordinate their efforts to walk the tennis ball to the bowl and drop it in. If the ball drops, the group must return to the starting point and try again.
Teamwork Olympics fosters social bonding. When the goal is reached, the principle of success through teamwork is reinforced. This activity can foster a healthy competitive spirit in larger groups. Finishing time should not be emphasized but the groups with the best communication and coordination will finish the fastest.
These activities are typically hosted by hired professionals. Ropes courses encourage groups to overcome fear and solve problems. A low ropes course uses ropes, beams and cables fastened to trees or poles. Large groups can be divided into smaller units of six to eight people. There are many variations on this activity. Teammates may be asked to climb a short wall of webbed netting or shimmy across a single rope between two trees. The low ropes shimmy has teams of six to eight holding hands and grasping at hanging ropes. The team must effectively work together to reach the other side.
Team building activities are not limited to physical events. Problem solving tasks help groups develop brainstorming, critical thinking and task efficiency. The hosts of the activity can creatively invent problem-solving activities or traditional methods can be employed. A common method involves getting a large group together and selecting one person to tell a story about their life that may be true or false. The rest of the group is allowed five minutes to ask yes or no questions pertaining to the statement. The group is then asked to collectively determine if this statement is true. This activity can enhance the personal relationships in the group and lighten the mood between coworkers.
There are many simple activities that can bolster group efficiency. In one task, groups are given a helium stick and asked to lower it to the ground with their index fingers. Strong group skills deter the stick from its tendency to rise . A trust building exercise involves breaking the large group into small teams and blindfolding one team member. The rest of the group must verbally guide the blindfolded person to an object or location. Hosts can also create their own scenarios and games that reinforce solid teamwork.