“A game is just an excuse for a debrief”, says Thiagi – game and performance training guru.
Here’s a great game to play which will lead to fascinating debriefs regarding leadership development, communication skills training, and team-building.
“Ball” is the name of the game, and it’s one any group can play. I first learned “ball” in my Foundation 1 improv class at BATS Improv in San Francisco. Since then, I’ve played ball to begin almost every single improv class I’ve taken. Beyond it being a ton of fun, it’s also a great physical warm-up and a way to foster a group mind.
To play, all you need is a plastic or koosh-like large ball.
1. Grab your group and stand in a circle so that everyone can see each other.
2. One person starts with the ball and hits it in the air.
3. Each time the ball is hit/touched by a member of the group, the players count together in unison (1, 2, 3, and so on). The goal of the game is to keep the ball in the air without it touching the ground. Everyone must count together out loud, and a player may not hit the ball twice in a row (like the rules of volleyball).
4. If the ball falls, or if a player touches the ball twice in a row, the game resets and counting starts over again at 1.
5. The goal is to work together as a team and see how high of a number your team can get to.
Try this game with your team and see how you do. What strategies did you use? Most importantly, what can this game teach us about leadership, communication skills, commitment, and team-work? Check in Monday for some results.