I like to use this team activity to encourage active listening and creativity.
Team Size
Groups of 6 to 10 people
Time Required
10 to 15 minutes, depending on team size
Materials
- Eight to ten various household objects, such as toys, sports equipment,
a book or cooking utensils
Physical Setting
A space large enough for the team to gather (sit or stand) around a table in
the center
Process
Display all the objects on the table, visible to all. Ask a volunteer to select
one object and tell the team a short story about the object and take no longer than
a minute.
Ask another team member to select a second object and continue the story,
tying in the new object into the story. Again, no longer than a minute.
Continue until all objects have been selected and all team members have
contributed to the story.
Debrief and Summarize
- After all have had a chance to participate, debrief the activity:
- What did you like about this activity?
- What made the story work?
- As individual contributors, what contributed to the success of the story?
- Did the team members help each other? How?
- What would have made the process work better?
- How might we apply these lessons to our team’s work?
