Participants in collaborative games have a wonderful opportunity to work closely with their colleagues to achieve a common goal in a safe and controlled environment. The tasks to be completed force players to analyze what makes a team function well and why each person must have a role within the team. But even more importantly, participants discover their own strengths and weaknesses, fears, and (hidden) capabilities.

The activities are designed according to a succession plan, so that mistakes and lessons from one game serve the group in solving the theme of the next game.

But the learning resulting from this activity does not end at the end of the lesson, but only begins! The real task, although not always obvious, is to apply the conclusions drawn by participants from the games in everyday life. The ability to collaborate well with others ensures permanent benefits and provides the means to achieve personal goals.

17.1. Cleaning the Playground

The Equipment Checklist attached to the Lesson Plan is checked. Eyelets are counted, untied, shaken, and dried, then folded.

Balls, ropes, strings, etc., are gathered from the entire area.

All ropes, strings, etc., are untangled. Water is emptied from bottles.

Any damaged auxiliary materials are noted for repair or replacement, etc., for the next session. All materials are neatly packed into a box (bag).

Any rubbish is collected and disposed of, the room is aired out, etc.

After the Team-building lesson, there should be no (visible) traces left at the scene!

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17.2. Team-building in the Workplace

Team spirit is not only created during Team-building courses and is not limited to words or festive commitments.

If the atmosphere created by the “boss” at the workplace, or by teachers in the classroom, or by the coach in the team, etc., does not support the emergence and development of such a mindset, then games or training sessions (briefings) in the mountains will be in vain, as people easily forget and revert to old habits.

Here are some ideas for a leader of a productive or administrative unit (but also for a teacher, or a coach, etc.), to motivate and consolidate the team they lead (the level of awards is indicative):

1. Display job tasks with the names of those responsible and the completion dates in a visible place. Quarterly, organise a ceremony for signing the acknowledgment of the tasks in the work plan and visibly display the table with signatures.
2. Motivation is intrinsic. Ask teammates to come up with new ideas and use them.
3. Ask the team to come up with 50 new ideas, which will be rewarded with RM50 each, then with another 50 new ideas – which will be rewarded with RM100 each.
4. Choose the “employee of the month …” and create a visible place for them: a special reserved spot in the locker room/wardrobe, a reserved parking spot, etc.
5. Identify people who do their job well and tell them so sincerely, clearly, and promptly.
6. Never underestimate the value of a personal “thank you.”
7. When communicating with them – look them in the eye, don’t dominate them.
8. Relationships with subordinates should be humane
9. Spend 90% of your time and energy on leading 90% of the team members. If a member doesn’t want to participate – leave them behind.
10. Results are measured with results.
11. Create a direct connection between results and reward.
12. Reward unexpected results.
13. Celebrate with the team, even without any official reason.
14. Communicate professional information gathered at seminars and conferences you attend. Bring souvenirs from such delegations and share them with teammates.
15. Remember the birthdays and other anniversaries.
16. Invite subordinates to have lunch together, ask them how things are going and what needs to be done to improve.
17. Have fun! Use small games, celebrations, anniversaries, etc., for this.
18. Organise a lesson with an external teacher about an activity unrelated to the team’s usual work, such as decorating cakes, mending clothes, team-building, etc.
19. Ask customers and collaborators to give positive feedback about the team’s work and make them public.
20. Celebrate mistakes, because: the harder someone falls, the higher they’ll bounce!
21. Conduct a survey on customer satisfaction and reward the winner (with a travel ticket, a certificate, etc.).
22. Encourage criticism, but ask the critic to bring 3 possible solutions along with pointing out a problem.
23. The answers to our problems are here – ask your teammates.
24. Help employees identify a path for successful career advancement. There should always be two job offers available, stimulating employees’ self-improvement.
25. Periodically invite a subordinate to a higher-level meeting, and if any relevant issues arise during the discussion, ask for their opinion.
26. Ask subordinates what they want and what they enjoy.
27. Help subordinates become better (qualified, etc.).
28. Reward employees who read professional books: RM 20 for each book (up to 3 books; verify if they’ve been read).
29. Share professional and organisational news with teammates.
30. Find out what authorisations or certificates for skills enhancement your teammates want and help them obtain them. Possibly purchase the necessary manuals with company funds and organise a study group.
31. Find out what certificates for skills enhancement your teammates want and help them obtain them. Possibly purchase the necessary manuals with company funds and organise a study group.
32. Select subordinates with promotion potential and periodically have them shadow the activities of supervisors at the target hierarchical level (after obtaining permission from them!). Ask for the opinions and proposals for solutions to the problems encountered during the day from those subordinates.
33. Help subordinates improve their CV, showing them what they have learned by working with the team and with you.
34. Try to provide assistance personally, not just through delegation.
35. Praise publicly, with great emotion.
36. Criticise in private, without emotional outbursts.
37. Develop close relationships with other services and departments within the company/organisation.
38. Look at the team solution and “from the outside,” then focus on what we observed.

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