Business English

kieszonkowy poradnik biznesowo-językowy

Business English

Language Guide

TEAM-BUILDING EXCERCISES

Dear Readers,

Welcome to another edition of BEM’s portable business language guides. This time we get on the once popular bandwagon of team-building. The team-building enthusiasts believe that, as far as such exercises go, the more’s the merrier. A team-building event is an occasion for members of one or different teams to have fun together and get to know each other. To achieve the best business-oriented results however, bear a different proverb in mind as well: two heads are better than one. A well planned team-building session will propagate the merits of cooperation, communication and other teamwork-related behavior.

In this issue, we give you a ready-to-use, do-it-yourself team-building mini-session. Prepare it well and try it out with your team, and we can assure you that something good will come out of it. Not only will your team have a little bit of fun, but you will also give them an idea about some of the skills and attitudes essential for successful teamwork.

We also encourage you to source additional team-building exercises. Publications on the subject, as well as ready-made materials are available on the market in abundance.

Kieszonkowy poradnik biznesowo-językowy

Opracowanie: Daria Frączek

Colorful Media ul. Lednicka 23, 60-413 Poznań

tel. 61 833 63 28, redakcja@business-english.com.pl

The team-building session

When looking to organize a team-building session for your team, make sure to inform them in advance.

Prepare a room spacious enough to accommodate all the people with some room to spare. You will need some working tables and chairs for the participants, obviously, as well as some extra accessories. You will find a list of essential items in the description of each exercise. Some of the tasks will require physical activity. Bearing that in mind, secure some space unoccupied by furniture or other objects.

Make this day a break from regular work. Limit shop-talk and cell-phone use to a minimum. Encourage casual dress, institute a ban on ties. The participants must loosen up and feel comfortable for the whole thing to work out. Exercises aside, provide an occasion for the people to mingle and get to know each other better. Snacks and beverages are welcome!

An important note: the size of the group matters. With too few people, the group will lack energy and the proper dynamics, based on diverse points of view, will not arise. With too many, communication within the group will be hindered and some of the less dominant participants are likely to be excluded. Also, with some exercises, the duration will extend exponentially, and people will simply start getting bored. We recommend that the group be no smaller than four persons and no bigger than twelve. If your team is much bigger, or if a particular exercise requires small groups, try dividing the people into smaller teams. Remember to rotate the participants in between groups from one task to another. Do not allow gangs to form; create opportunities for each person to work with different team members. Check the end of this booklet for some ways of dividing people into groups.

During the session your task is to conduct the exercises, monitor progress and moderate discussions. If you have split people up into groups, spend some time observing each group as they work. In the course of the session monitor the participants’ general mood. Make a short recess when an exercise has been completed if the team seems to tire or lose momentum. Make sure to schedule at least one coffee break. Additionally, we recommend incorporating some simple games into the session. The purpose of these is to shake the people up a bit and let them have some pure unadulterated fun. You will find some ideas for these in this guide. However, feel free to implement ideas of your own!

Schedule

With every session it is important to prepare a schedule so as to avoid overburdening the group. Make sure you have enough time to put what you have planned into action. Some team-building sessions are planned out over two or three days and are an occasion to spend a few days away from work and home, socializing with your colleagues.

Below you will find the schedule for our mini-session. Please note that all the time-frames are approximate and can change depending on the number and activity of the team.

I.

welcome

5’

II.

icebreaker

25’

III.

teamwork

40’

IV.

shake-up

10’

V.

communication

45’

VI.

shake-up

10’

VII.

conflict management

60’

VIII.

shake-up

10’

IX.

interpersonal relations

35’

X.

shake-up

10’

XI.

wrap-up

15’

I. Welcome

Get people to sit down together. Welcome everyone and announce the rules (e.g. no cell-phones during the exercises, no coming late from breaks). Give the general timeframe (how many hours it will take, at what time there will be arecess etc.). If the participants don’t know each other, introduce yourself and get others to do so as well.

II. Icebreaker

The purpose of this exercise is to “break the ice” between team members and get them to talk. The participant warm up for what is to come and, additionally, get to know each other better.

Title

“Inspiration”

Materials:

A number of pictures or photographs (at least one per person) depicting people, animals or landscapes etc. Illustrations cut out from magazines or newspapers are a good idea. Additionally: notepaper and pens.

Duration

introduction/individual work:

5 minutes

discussion/wrap-up:

20 minutes

Introduction/individual work:

Give instructions: “In a minute each of you will choose a random picture from the pool I’ve prepared. Your task is to compare or contrast yourself against what you see in the picture.”

The participants pick one picture each by chance; make sure they don’t see the pictures when choosing. Take one for yourself as well. In this exercise you not only moderate and monitor but participate as well. “You now have 5 minutes to prepare. After this time you will present your ideas to the group.”

Discussion/wrap-up

When allotted time has elapsed or all of the participants have completed work, say: “Now, it’s time to talk. Let’s start with me and move clockwise.” After each person has spoken, encourage group-members to discuss. Was there anything surprising? Have they learnt anything new about each other? If there are little or no comments, direct the questions to individuals.

III. Teamwork

In this task the group wrestles with a problem to solve. The aim is to get them to exchange information and brainstorm.

Title

“The tallest tower”

Materials:

a set of cubic building blocks (app. 100 pieces)

Duration

introduction/performance:

20 min

discussion/wrap-up:

20 min

Introduction/performance

Give the instruction: “You will work in teams. Your task is to design a tower made of the building blocks you see here. Every extra block in height earns you 5 points; make the tower as tall as possible. Each block you use costs you 2 points, therefore you have to use as few blocks as possible. The tower has to stay up for at least 10 seconds. The team with the most points wins. You now have 10 minutes to prepare.

You can use the blocks to practice during that time, but you have to dismantle your work after that time has elapsed. You will then present your work by constructing the tower again from scratch. The team with the most points wins. If the tower collapses during the build or holds less than 10 seconds, you lose.”

Divide the group into two teams. The teams work separately, without being able to see each other’s work. After the time has elapsed, the teams build their towers in turn. Announce the winning team. Have the group knock the towers down and tidy up.

Discussion/wrap-up

Have each of the participants share their thoughts with the group. What could have been done differently? What hampered their individual performance and input? Underline the merits of working as a team, sharing knowledge and bringing others in.

IV. Shake-up

“Celebrity” Prepare a number of paper party hats and pens (if you can’t get party hats, small post-it notes will do). Each participant thinks of a name of a well known person (a celebrity dead or alive) or a storybook character writes it on a hat. Collect the hats and put them on the heads of the participants randomly, so that the name written upon them is seen by the group, but not by the persons wearing them. Each person in turn tries to guess the name written on their hat. To do that they gather information from the group, asking questions starting with “am I” or “am I not”; the group can only answer with a “yes” or a “no” (e.g. “am I male?”, “am I a singer?” etc.). Every time a participant gets a ‘yes’ answer, they can ask another question. Once they get the answer ‘no’, it’s the turn of the next person in the group. Keep going until everyone has guessed who they are - although you might want to cut it short after a time limit, to put some people out of their misery.

V. Communication

This exercise is built to show the importance of communicating in a clear and understandable way in order to achieve desired results. It also shows the importance of adjusting the way you communicate to the recipient of the message.

Title

“Blind spots”

Materials:

Square pieces of cardboard (ca. 20 by 20 cm each), drawing pins, a number of cards with simple patterns drawn on them (e.g. a square with a dot inside it, a circle with a triangle inside, a rec-

tangle with a line drown through), blindfold.

Duration

introduction/performance:

25 minutes

discussion/wrap-up:

20 minutes

Introduction/performance

Divide the group into pairs and distribute one blindfold, one piece of card-board and a handful of pins per pair. Each pair will need a separate work-space; if you do not have enough tables for each, have them use the floor (provide sitting mats or cushions). Give the instruction: “Your task is to replicate a certain pattern using the cardboard base and pins you have received. You will work in pairs. One person in each pair will play the role of the ‘constructor’. This person’s job is to assemble the pattern by inserting the pins into the cardboard base, based on the verbal instructions they will receive. In course of the task they will be blindfolded and will not be allowed to speak to the person giving the instructions. They will not be allowed to see the pattern beforehand. The other person of each pair will play the role of the ‘designer’. They will each receive a template for a specific pattern. Their job is to tell the ‘constructor’ what to do, so that they are able to assemble the pattern according to the template. The ‘designer’ will not be allowed to touch the ‘constructor’ or the construction materials.” The pairs decide who will play each role; the ‘constructors’ put their blindfolds on. When they are ready, give one pattern to each of the ‘designers’ and signal the group to begin work. After each pair has completed their task, have them remove the pins and flip the piece of cardboard to the other side. The persons in each pair switch roles and do the same task, having received a different pattern to work with.

Discussion/wrap-up

After all the pairs have completed their task, ask them to give their thoughts and impressions. What was most difficult for the ‘constructor’, what could the ‘designer’ have done differently to make the job easier? Direct the team’s attention to how this situation might be similar to everyday life. Underline how important it is to make sure you have been understood correctly. Note: the pairs in which the “designer” takes time to explain to the “contractor” what they are trying achieve, as opposed to only giving simple instructions, tend to obtain better results. Point that out to your team.

VI. Shake-up “Fortune teller”

Each of the participants has to come up with a question they would ask a fortune teller and write it down on a slip of paper. Collect all the slips and redistribute randomly. Each person tries answering the question they have received.

VII. Conflict management

In this exercise the participants get the occasion to play the part of one of the sides involved in a conflict. It also has a twist to it...

Title

“The factory”

Materials:

separate workspaces for each two teams and room for the whole

group to gather; optionally: notepads, pens

Duration

introduction/performance:

40 minutes

discussion/wrap-up:

20 minutes

Introduction/performance

Divide the group into two teams. Give the instructions: “The town Boranville is the seat of a government-owned chemical factory. The factory has recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. The technology utilized there is no longer state-of-the-art and the production process is far from environment-friendly. The facility has long been a thorn in the side of environmentalists, being the source of toxic leaks polluting nearby grounds. Moreover, the plant is unprofitable and requires continuous subsidies from the local government. It would take a substantial sum to modernize the plant, with unknown prospects on the returns. On the other hand, the plant is the main employer in the region. People for two or more generations back work or have worked at the factory; whole families rely on the income from it. Moreover, most of the local businesses cater to the locals. A loss of income on the part of the plant’s employees would strike a severe blow to local trade. You will work in two teams, one playing the part of government representatives, the other of the local community representatives. Your task is to negotiate an agreement on the matter of the plant’s future. Remember, the current state of things cannot be sustained, therefore, your ultimate goal is to achieve agreement.” Assign the two roles to the groups. “Both teams will now have 15 minutes to work separately. Think of your goals and prioritise them; suggest possible solutions to the problem; decide what you can offer your opponents to sweeten the pill.” The teams work separately; after 15 minutes they gather back together. “The talks begin now. You have 25 minutes to present your arguments and try to achieve agreement.” When the time has passed, signal the teams to stop. Were they able to achieve agreement? Wrap-up

Have each of the teams reveal what their priorities were. Underline the importance of finding out the other side’s areas of interest when working with others, as well as when dealing with customers. Address each person in turn: are they satisfied with the result of the talks; what, in their opinion, was done right and what could have each of the teams have done differently? Suggest some possible solutions to the issues that came up in course of the talks.

VIII. Shake-up “Prohibited”

Prepare a number of flashcards. Each has to contain a phrase or an idiom and a list of prohibited words (you will find a few examples below). The participants in turn get up and choose a flashcard at random. Their task is to present the phrase or idiom verbally, however they are not allowed to use any of the words written on the card. The group has to guess the buzzword. If they happen to break the rules or the group is unable to figure out the phrase or idiom, the person presenting has to pick another flashcard and start again.

Flashcard examples

black jaguar

raw deal

monkey business

dark

wild

brutal

unfair

ape

deal

colour

large

agreement

scam

mess

venture

feline

big

business

trick

chimpanzee

mischief

cat

animal

con

swindle

gorilla

trouble

IX. Interpersonal relations

This exercise shows how easy it is to misjudge others. It also creates conditions for team-members to exchange information and get to know each other better.

Title

“What are you like”

Number of

participants

any number

Materials:

blank sheets of paper; slips of paper with the name of each team

member written on it; a list of adjectives used to describe people (you will find a sample list below)

Duration

introduction/individual work:

15 minutes

discussion/wrap-up:

20 minutes

List of adjectives

accepting /əkˈseptɪŋ/

akceptujący innych

active /ˈæktɪv/

aktywny

aggressive /əˈɡresɪv/

agresywny

approachable /əˈprəʊtʃəbl/

przystępny

attentive /əˈtentɪv/

troszczący się, dbały

bossy /ˈbɒsi/

apodyktyczny

brave /breɪv/

odważny, śmiały

calm /breɪv/

spokojny

candid /ˈkændɪd/

otwarty, szczery

carefree /ˈkeəfriː/

beztroski

careless /ˈkeələs/

niestaranny, nieuważny

conciliatory /kənˈsɪliətəri/

ugodowy

confident /ˈkɒnfɪdənt/

pewny siebie

consistent /kənˈsɪstənt/

konsekwentny

controlled /kənˈtrəʊld/

opanowany

cooperative /kəʊˈɒpərətɪv/

współpracujący

crazy /ˈkreɪzi/

zwariowany

creative /kriˈeɪtɪv/

twórczy, kreatywny

critical /ˈkrɪtɪkl/

krytyczny

cynical /ˈsɪnɪkl/

cyniczny

discreet /dɪˈskriːt/

dyskretny

domineering /dɒmɪˈnɪərɪŋ /

dominujący

emotional /ɪˈməʊʃənl/

emocjonalny

flexible /ˈfleksəbl/

elastyczny

forthcoming /fɔːθˈkʌmɪŋ/

rozmowny

friendly /ˈfrendli/

przyjacielski

generous /ˈdʒenərəs/

wspaniałomyślny

hardworking /hɑːdˈwɜːkɪŋ/

pracowity

hilarious /hɪˈleəriəs/

zabawny

ill-mannered /ɪlˈmænəd/

źle wychowany

immature /ɪməˈtjʊə(r)/

niedojrzały

insecure /ɪnsɪˈkjʊə(r)/

niepewny siebie

intelligent /ɪnˈtelɪdʒənt/

inteligentny

introverted /ˈɪntrəvɜːtɪd/

zamknięty w sobie

invested /ɪnˈvestɪd/

zaangażowany

irresponsible /ɪrɪˈspɒnsəbl/

nieodpowiedzialny

irritating /ˈɪrɪteɪtɪŋ/

irytujący

joyful /ˈdʒɔɪfl/

wesoły

kind /kaɪnd/

życzliwy

logical /ˈlɒdʒɪkl/

logicznie myślący

mature /məˈtʃʊə(r)/

dojrzały

meticulous /məˈtɪkjələs/

dokładny, staranny

observant /əbˈzɜːvənt/

spostrzegawczy

passive /ˈpæsɪv/

pasywny, bierny

polite /pəˈlaɪt/

uprzejmy

predictable /prɪˈdɪktəbl/

przewidywalny

prejudiced /ˈpredʒədɪst/

uprzedzony, nietolerancyjny

proper /ˈprɒpə(r)/

zachowujący się właściwie

prudent /ˈpruːdnt/

rozważny

reasonable /ˈriːznəbl/

rozsądny

reliable /rɪˈlaɪəbl/

odpowiedzialny

remarkable /rɪˈmɑːkəbl/

oryginalny, niezwykły

self-aware /selfˈəˈweə(r)/

samoświadomy

self-conscious /selfˈkɒnʃəs/

skrępowany

serious /ˈsɪəriəs/

poważny

sincere /sɪnˈsɪə(r)/

szczery

sociable /ˈsəʊʃəbl/

towarzyski

spontaneous /spɒnˈteɪniəs/

spontaniczny

talkative /ˈtɔːkətɪv/

gadatliwy

tolerant /ˈtɒlərənt/

tolerancyjny

trusting /ˈtrʌstɪŋ/

ufny

trustworthy /ˈtrʌstwɜːði/

godny zaufania

understanding /ʌndəˈstændɪŋ/

wyrozumiały

unimpressive /ʌnɪmˈpresɪv/

przeciętny

unpredictable /ʌnprɪˈdɪktəbl/

nieprzewidywalny

unreasonable /ʌnˈriːznəbl/

nierozsądny

untrustworthy /ʌnˈtrʌstwɜːði/

niegodny zaufania

well-mannered /welˈmænəd/

dobrze wychowany

worried /ˈwʌrid/

zatroskany

Introduction/individual work

Each participant receives a blank sheet of paper and the list of adjectives. Give instructions: “Write your name at the top of the sheet. Write <I am> at the left hand side of the page and <I am not> at the right hand side. Out of the list of adjectives you have received choose five that are the most like you and write them down on the left. Then choose five that are the most unlike you and place them on the right. You have five minutes to complete your task.” When the time has elapsed, or all the people are done, collect the sheets. Have each of the participants draw a slip of paper with a name. Make sure they haven’t gotten their own name.

Hand out new blank sheets. Give instructions: “Each of you has drawn a name of one of your colleagues. Write their name at the top of the sheet; then write <he/she is> at the left hand side of the page and <he/she is not> at the right hand side. Out of the list of adjectives you have received choose five that describe them best and write them down on the left. Then choose five that are the least like them and write them down on the right. You have five minutes.” When the time has elapsed, or everyone has finished, collect the sheets. Hang all the sheets up on a wall or a blackboard. Place the sheets with the same name on them together.

Discussion/wrap-up

Discuss each person in turn. Point out the similarities and the differences between the self-description and the one made by the colleague. Get the two to talk and help clarify differences. Find out where they originated from and help achieve agreement if needed. Your role in this exercise is to point out how the way we see ourselves is sometimes different from the way we are seen by others and the misunderstandings arising thus. Underline how you can work better with others by taking a closer look, as opposed to relying on the superficial. Remark on stereotypes and impressions affecting our judgment. Stereotypes are nature’s way of making quick and safe decisions (e.g. something different can be dangerous, therefore it is safest to avoid or attack it), however they are no longer viable in relation to modern reality. Point to the importance of clearing up differences as soon as they arise.

Note: This exercise might bring out conflict that is already there. In such a case it is your job not to let things go too far and to reign in slanging matches or any inappropriate behaviour. If the group seems on edge and you are not feeling up to managing it, do not put strongly negative-commutated adjectives on your list and exclude the “is not” part from the exercise (prepare the alternative list in advance). Instead concentrate on getting the people to say something nice about each other.

X. Shake-up “Balloon”

Prepare a balloon filled with air. The team stands in a circle. Their task is to keep the balloon in the air without using their hands. Any person who lets the balloon touch the floor drops out.

XI. Session wrap-up

Announce the end of session. Ask each participant in turn about their thoughts and comments. Have they gained anything from the day’s work?

Thank the team for their participation and input.

Partitioning groups

Prepare a bag of marbles in equal parts of two or more colours.You need as many marbles as there are team members, and the amount of colours should match the amount of teams you plan on having. The participants draw one piece each. Divide the group into teams according to the colours.

Have each person think of one number in between 1 and 50. Next, have the group members stand in a row according to the mathematical order of those numbers. In case any of the group members name the same number just let those persons stand next to each other in any order. Divide the group in half (or more equal parts) according to the order in which they are standing.

Choose two or more team captains (e.g. use the ‘winner’ and the ‘loser’ from the last shake-up). Prepare slips of paper with the names of the other members of the group. The captains draw a name each in turn to pick their teams.