What are the best team building activities for improving decision-making skills in a facilitated setting?

Leveraging Nancy Kline thinking environment is a powerful tool that can ignite new thinking especially when all stakeholders are invested by actively listening and participating

Know your audience and be sure the facilitator understands the expected outcome. Creating a space for learning The best facilitator’s host, engage and keep people focused on the outcome in a fun and interactive way. Building into the agenda plenty of time for breakouts and workshops and creating exercises for everyone to participate, depending on the size of the group. As a facilitator check in frequently with the team and gauge the level of engagement and understanding. Helpful to summarize the day and learnings by allowing everyone to debrief on the day and share their thoughts and experiences.

Meine Erfahrung als Moderatorin seit 36 Jahren ist es, dass es hilfreich ist, sich möglichst zurückzunehmen und nur leicht zu steuern. Die Vorbereitung des Settings, den Rahmen geben und die Energie halten ist dann das Wichtigste, sei es bei einer Großgruppenkonferenz oder einer Teambegleitung. Gerne wollen die Teilnehmenden geführt werden, doch hier gilt immer: Weniger ist mehr. Es gilt den Rahmen klar vorzugeben und immer wieder an die Teilnehmenden die Verantwortung zurückzugeben. Nicht ich entscheide, sondern immer die Gruppe.

A facilitated setting refers to an environment or context where a facilitator guides a group through discussions, problem-solving, decision-making, or learning processes. The facilitator's role involves aiding the group in achieving their objectives by fostering open communication, encouraging participation from all members, managing the flow of conversation, and ensuring the group stays focused and productive. Facilitated settings can occur in various settings such as meetings, workshops, training sessions, or team-building activities, aiming to create an inclusive and collaborative atmosphere where participants can effectively work together towards common goals.

Engage teams in a "Escape Room" challenge, fostering problem-solving and collaboration. Conduct a "Simulation Game" mirroring real-world scenarios to enhance strategic decision-making. "Role Reversal" exercises encourage empathy and diverse perspectives, promoting well-rounded choices. "Debate Circles" stimulate critical thinking and articulate reasoning. Implement "Case Study Analysis" sessions to dissect complex situations, enhancing analytical skills. "Outdoor Adventure Challenges" build trust and communication, crucial for cohesive decision-making. Lastly, "Mind Mapping Workshops" facilitate visualizing interconnected ideas, fostering creativity and comprehensive decision-making in a facilitated setting.

By incorporating team-building activities into the decision-making process, teams can develop stronger bonds, improve communication, understand each other's strengths and weaknesses, and practice collaborative decision-making in a low-stakes environment. These activities can contribute to more effective and cohesive decision-making within the team.

First of all, it´s important to distinguish between fun activities as a group, which are important to promote the relationship amongst teams, from a true team-building activity. This last, the one that we´re discussing here, aims to improve communication and show to the group the strenghts of each member, so that people can rely on others for their tasks. Usually, there´s no need to identify the leader in such activities, since someone usually arises as such, although sometimes the leadership of each activity needs to rotate. First, it promotes decision-making skills to the whole group, secondly, it demonstrates that being in charge, is a heavyweight responsability that requires a lot of energy.

In my experience, team building activities for decision-making create a collaborative environment, fostering stronger bonds among team members. For example, during a strategic planning retreat, our team engaged in a decision-making simulation that allowed everyone to contribute ideas and perspectives. This hands-on experience not only improved our decision-making skills but also strengthened our ability to work cohesively when facing real challenges in the workplace.

The Team building activity are very much important. Few are mentioned below: 1. How group behaves. 2. Who will be the leader and who will be the second line of Leader. 3. How group behaves towards negativity and non-performing members. 4. Leadership Styles ( Difference between Leader and Manager) 5. How group take decisions. 6. How group behaves in a stressful condition. 7. Feedback/ Observations from Facilitators to understand from bird's view.

Porque antes de coordinar acciones con un equipo, necesitamos coordinar sus emociones. Alinearnos detrás de un ánimo común que nos permita trabajar en sintonía. Unos con otros, no unos contra otros.

I don´t believe in team-building events. Companys that don´t promote open communication through the year, with a 360º feedback culture, where people feel confortable to expose their vulnerabilities, so that others can step in and help/teach, and then expect that for a few thousands of dollars, in a one-off event, somehow compensate for all of that, are just wasting money. These events work like a pay-raise. It´s effect lasts for a couple of weeks and it´s done. Sorry to add here such a contraditory comment, but it´s my strong conviction that a lot of companys are managing this the wrong way.

All thing starts with the type of organization and their vision. Few Organisation do what they say. Some have written the values at the walls but don't follow. Generally among different activities we need to consider number of staff, level of staff, time, different activities which requires involvement of all, role of second leadership etc. Before choosing activities need to discuss with management what values and how they are looking into it. Otherwise activities will bring positive impact in the staff where as at the right place i.e. Organizational level, there is no chance to follow the same.

I don't look at decision-making needing a team building activity. I would hold a facilitated session to identify what the issue/problem/subject is that needs a decision. I would also work with the person who is looking for the decision and help to determine who needs to be involved in the decision making, then help to create the agenda to get to that desired outcome.

Selecting the most suitable team-building activities for decision-making involves considering several factors to ensure they align with the learning objectives, desired behaviors' and expected outcomes. One should consider the following aspects: 1. Variety and Adaptability 2. Engagement, Inclusivity and Interest 3.Consideration for Time and Resources 4. Impactful Debrief and Reflection 5. Meaningful, Relevant and applicable

Depende cada cultura y cada clima. Lo que no cambia es que es necesario diseñar ejercicios simples que permitan al equipo ir construyendo juntos en etapas. Cada ejercicio tiene que estar encadenado con el siguiente para que vayan avanzado hacia lograr los productos de sesión. Los ejercicios de team building que se elijan deberían aportar a crear un espacio emocional de apertura y acercamiento para que las personas puedan ir entregando su contenido con libertad y escuchando con respeto para generar el diálogo necesario que genere compromiso con las decisiones que se tomen.

Outdoor Survival Challenges: wilderness survival simulations or orienteering exercises require teams to work together to navigate and overcome obstacles, fostering collaboration and shared decision-making under pressure. Escape Room: Escape rooms provide teams with challenges that require problem-solving and decision-making skills to progress. Participants must communicate effectively, delegate tasks, and make decisions collectively to escape within a set time frame. Role-Playing: Role-playing, such as business simulations or crisis management exercises, allow team members to step into different roles and confront realistic challenges. These situations encourage critical thinking, negotiation, and consensus-building among team members.

I am a big fan of using consensus and coalition building activities in these settings and am a huge fan of Emergent Strategy and how practitioners in those spaces talk about supporting collective-decision making. One example is collaborative visioning. This type of activity encourages groups to engage in imagination work. It involves collectively dreaming up and articulating a shared vision for the future. This kind of exercise helps align the group's values and aspirations, which "should" directly influence strategic decision-making from the top-down and bottom-up.

I took part in a team building/ decision making event put on by NASA’s facility in Dayton. They take you through several simulations where you and your crew have to make critical decisions so you can make it back to earth. I also remember finding something similar on the Internet.

Solving Multiple puzzles, Tower building games, Bridge Building games, Solving some case studies, Presentation of case studies through role play.

Here are a few examples of team-building activities specifically geared towards improving decision-making skills: 1. The Marshmallow Challenge: Teams are tasked with building the tallest freestanding structure using spaghetti, tape, string, and a marshmallow on top. This activity encourages creative problem-solving, collaboration, and adaptability when decisions need to be adjusted. 2. Blindfolded Obstacle Course: Divide the team into pairs, where one member is blindfolded, and the other gives directions to navigate through an obstacle course. This activity emphasizes communication, trust, and decision-making under uncertainty. These are facilitated within a pre define time frame and team needs to complete it with a sense of urgency.

For effective group decision making, I rely on the tried and true process learned in kepner tregoe. The key is alignment of the group on the criteria and ranking before evaluating the options. As well as discussing the risks of going with the option that scores highest. It’s a proven way to mitigate bias, and drive group decisions that is documented for all to speak to or return to at a later time if need. I’ve also shared this method to support my daughter in her college decision, with the family for our decisions on vacation destination, car purchases, and countless friends looking at their next career role.

Set the context, create a positive and safe environment, encourage participation before starting the activities. Once done, provide clear directions, set the timeframe, hand over the material if any and ensure everyone participates. In between, keep giving a reminder of the time left and observe people in action. After the activity, have a debrief - ask participants to share their thoughts and insights and close it with learnings and how they can implement it in their day to day life.

Allow for tension and conflict. Often this is avoided because it can be challenging to navigate as a facilitator. However, allowing for participants to struggle with the issue and have healthy debates can cultivate critical.thinking leading to more innovative solutions. It also can build a health culture for communication - a culture that respects diverse perspectives and sees disagreement as a step in identifying the best solution.

Use realistic scenarios with the team. You can design activities where team members work through scenarios that closely mimic real-life challenges they might face in your organization. This hands-on method allows the team to engage in critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and consensus-building. It will ensure that the skills learned during the workshop can be directly applied in their daily work.

Setting context, ground rules, norms, time frame, roles of different members are essential for a group to take decision. Facilitator may help to settle all these things. Time to time different elements will be added in the activities. Facilitator will observe the overall process and later will share the incidences in Hera and now. Interpretations and feedbacks can also be provided

I find it so useful for a team to learn the traffic light method of making decisions, so simple n powerful🚦 An idea is discussed n then it's time to decide. Ask each member to say green if they really like the idea, red if they don't, yellow if they are ok with it (gets every voice into the space in one minute) If there are folks who say Red (not often) then the team works to understand and see if there are acceptable approaches (so empowering, as each person can reject an idea if they feel strongly). Then ask folks who said yellow if there is a way to make the idea more green. Some say they are ok the way it is, and others will give a tweak to the idea for consideration (develops ownership) Sam Kaner's levels of agreement is similar.

I was once told that when you’re managing a real team in all it’s absolute meaning, if someone breaks a leg, others will carry that person on their shoulders and you, as a manager, won’t even know that that has happened. Have in mind that you don’t want to promote protagonists or stars, you want to promote team-work.

I use something similar called “fist to five”. Same concept -using 0(fist) up to 5 fingers (vote). Anyone with 3 or less can raise concerns otherwise it moves forward.

If you want to promote decison-making skills, decrease the level of hierarchy amongst your teams. This means that you want to create an environment where leadership is not imposed. If you made your job as manager correctly, you will have a team based on people which strenghts are not exactly the same (this applies in less technical jobs). In a natural way, leadership will change according to the topic on the table. Roll-play will highlight this in a natural way and the team will, in the future, allow leadership on each situation, to whom they recognize as the most competent, for that specific situation.

1. Silent Puzzle Assembly: Non-verbal communication through puzzle solving. 2. Reverse Brainstorming: Generate ideas by exacerbating problems first. 3. Improv Theater Workshop: Enhance adaptability through improv exercises. 4. Cryptic Treasure Hunt: Decoding clues for critical thinking in a treasure hunt. 5. Parallel Thinking Hats: Structured decision-making with diverse thinking styles. 6.Escape Room with Constraints: Adapt strategies with added challenges in escape rooms. 7. Storytelling Roulette: Cohesive decision-making in a rotating storytelling exercise. 8. Random Object Integration: Create solutions using unrelated objects for unconventional thinking. Each activity is designed for unique team-building experiences.