Team building retreats can become successful provided the right activities are embraced. Tossing a beach ball, questions in a box, and standing in a group are some of these exercises.

1. Team Building Retreats – Activities that Make a
Real Difference!
Team building retreats can become successful provided
the right activities are embraced. Tossing a beach ball,
questions in a box, and standing in a group are some of
these exercises.
Activities to improve corporate team performance should include proactive and
practical methods for building trust, resolving conflicts, problem solving, and
negotiation. Before participating in the activities, there must be a preparation
session so that members can be in their comfort zone. This is the reason team
building retreats must embrace some simple and effective exercises to set and
create a stress-free ambiance. To learn more, keep reading this article.
Play with a Beach Ball
First purchase a beach ball that is large and can be
inflatable. Blow up, and with the help of a marker, write up
several instructions and commands on the ball. The commands should be
lighthearted and motivate participants to provide information about them. This is
an effective activity and can be implemented if you are planning for management
retreats. Now, what should be the commands like? Well, it can be anything such
as describing an office training room, telling a favorite joke, a favorite movie
dialogue, or a favorite hobby. Once all instructions are written, the facilitator
must instruct the participants to stand forming a circle. Each person tosses the
ball to the other. The other member who catches it must choose the instruction
that is near to his or her left thumb. After the person describes that has been
instructed, the ball is tossed to the next member until all have got an opportunity
to participate.
The purpose of this exercise is to ascertain whether team members within an
organization are able to follow simple instructions, execute them, and most
important giving opportunity to all.

2. Questions in a Box
Each member is given a small piece of paper and pen. One has to
write down a question about another teammate to know him or
her better. Questions should be so framed so that the answer is a
little descriptive, and not merely a yes or no. Each piece of paper should have only
one question. When all the questions have been written, the papers should be
folded and put inside a box. The group should sit in a circle. Participants should be
asked to pick one paper at a time to answer the question. The box should be
passed on so that all get an opportunity to speak. This activity is useful for
employees who are introvert. By speaking in an open platform like this will help
such individuals gain confidence, improve communication skills, and team
members can get to know each other well.
Standing in a Group
Standing in a group is an activity which can be implemented by
the facilitator of team building retreats. The purpose is to
understand the significance of building trust and working in collaboration to
achieve a common objective. Participants need to stand in a circle facing their
backs to each other. All of them need to sit on the floor in the same manner.
Once the group is seated, the facilitator instructs the group to stand up all
together so that no one remains seated on the floor. This is a useful exercise to
learn how to work in unity.
What are your experiences on such exercises? Please feel free to comment.