[one_half]Team building is always important in the contact center, and trainers are always looking for new ways to help their teams bond. Below is an activity that helps teams work together toward a common goal. We did a similar activity at the SWPP conference during a keynote session. Have fun with this one!
Pipeline/Gutter Ball
Description
- This is a group problem solving & communication exercise.
- This activity involves moving marbles or different sized balls or even water down lengths of half pipe or 1”/2”gutters. The trick? Each participant has only one short length of pipe each, and the start and finish points can be separated by an obstacle course!
- Can be done with children of upper primary age, teenagers, and adults in a variety of settings both indoors and outdoors.
- Choose this activity when you need to energize the group into a team, or to emphasize the importance of each member’s actions in a team.
Equipment
- Lengths of half pipe or narrow guttering, marbles or balls, or can also be done using water
Time
- 5 minutes planning
- 5 minutes to 30 minutes action
Brief Description
A teambuilding activity where each participant gets one short length of half pipe, and the group must work together to deliver a marble down the pipes from start point to finish. Requires a high level of communication and teamwork.
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Directions
- As facilitator, you can control how hard or easy to make this task. You can take them over obstacles, down stairs, around trees, etc. If, for example, the group is in the forming stage, put only one minor obstacle in the path and create opportunity for fairly instant experiential success of teamwork. If the team is functioning cohesively, make the obstacle course longer and harder and more physically challenging in order to deepen their experience of what they can achieve together.
- Brief the participants on the start line and the finish point (a distinctive container is helpful), and give them any extra rules you may wish to add to the task, such as: every person must carry the marble at least once; participants need to take turns in a certain order; or both feet must remain on the floor at all times-get creative if you want to add challenge.
- Give the group the pipes and the marble and 5 minutes planning time.
- Allow the group several attempts if you have the time and they have the motivation, or keep it to one attempt and draw out the key points in the debrief
Variations
- Challenge the group to see how fast they can get the marble through the obstacle course. Time the group the first time, and after they see how long it took, ask them to write down how fast they think they can really do it. Then give them another go. Requires debriefing.
- For added problem-solving under pressure, do not give the pipes and marble to the group during planning time.
Can be done indoors with a height factor involved. Use the gutters more like a ramp, and perhaps give one less gutter than the distance. - Frame the activity in terms of a new project which the team needs to respond to both efficiently and effectively, for example: a new client with specific needs; a tender to be put together by a deadline; or a marketing strategy idea that needs to be put into action.
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