To inject some laughter in an otherwise dry meeting and keep the team’s attention I recommend this team-building activity. This works with any team size and requires about two minutes of explanation. You will need prepared BINGO cards (see these virtual versions of the cards, free for up to 30 players), pens and M&M’s, Skittles. or other candy game pieces (optional).
Start with a space large enough for each team member to see the others. Create a “BINGO card” for each team member. (For teams who are used to working with each other and have developed their own team terminology, you can hand out the card and ask them to fill in the blanks with their own words.)
At the beginning of the meeting, hand out the Cliché BINGO cards to each team member. Ask the team members to check off words as they are used in the team meeting. (Note: you cannot check off a word you used – it has to be said by someone else.) When someone checks off five words in a row – horizontal, vertical or diagonal – yell out “BINGO!”
Debrief and Summarize
At the end of the team meeting, debrief the activity:
- How do these clichés add value to the conversation?
- How did this game affect your use (or decision not to use) these clichés?
- How might we apply these lessons to our team’s work?
Variation
You can also add a bit of sugar to the mix with some M&Ms. or Skittles to help the team check off their words!
To make your own, distinctive BINGO cards, fill each box with a team cliché such as:
At the End of the Day
Ball Park
Benchmark
Best Practice
Bottom Line Core
Competencies
Customer-Driven
Customer Focus(ed)
Empower
Fast Track
Game Plan
Go the Extra Mile
Hardball
Infusion
Knowledge Base
Leverage
Low Hanging Fruit
Mindset
Movers and Shakers
Out of the Loop
Paradigm Shift
Proactive
Put This One to Bed
Results-Driven
Revisit
Slippery Slide
Strategic Fit
Stretch the Envelope
Synergy
Take that Offline
Think Outside the Box
The Big Picture
Total Quality
Touch Base
Turn the Corner
24/7
Value Added
Win-Win
Don’t forget to make the space in the middle of each sheet a “free space.” Note: if you don’t want everyone to have the same BINGO card, you can make several versions with different words.
If you like this activity, check out my book, Team Energizers, for 49 other team activities!
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Team Activity: Motivational Bingo
Networking Activity with Coffee Cups
