What are some team building exercises that improve adaptability and flexibility?

1 Switch Roles

This exercise involves assigning each team member a different role or task than their usual one, and asking them to perform it for a certain period of time. For example, a marketer could take over the sales calls, a developer could write the blog post, or a manager could handle the customer service. The goal is to expose team members to different perspectives, challenges, and skills, and to encourage them to learn from each other. This exercise can help team members to appreciate the diversity of their team, to develop empathy and understanding, and to adapt to new situations.

2 Scavenger Hunt

This exercise involves creating a list of items or clues that team members have to find or solve within a limited time. The items or clues can be related to the team's work, goals, or values, or they can be random and fun. The team can be divided into smaller groups or pairs, or they can work as a whole. The goal is to stimulate team members' creativity, curiosity, and problem-solving skills, and to challenge them to work together under pressure. This exercise can help team members to explore new possibilities, to overcome obstacles, and to flex their mental muscles.

3 Improv Games

This exercise involves playing improvisational games that require team members to act out scenarios, characters, or stories on the spot. The games can be based on prompts, suggestions, or rules that are given by a facilitator or by other team members. For example, a game could be to create a scene based on a random word, to continue a story that someone else started, or to change the genre or mood of a scene. The goal is to encourage team members to be spontaneous, expressive, and playful, and to collaborate with each other. This exercise can help team members to boost their confidence, to communicate effectively, and to cope with uncertainty.

4 Change Plans

This exercise involves creating a plan for a project, task, or event, and then introducing random changes or disruptions that force team members to revise their plan. The changes or disruptions can be realistic or unrealistic, and they can be announced in advance or at the last minute. For example, a change could be to reduce the budget, to change the deadline, or to add a new requirement. The goal is to test team members' resilience, flexibility, and decision-making skills, and to challenge them to adapt to changing circumstances. This exercise can help team members to evaluate their options, to prioritize their actions, and to embrace change.

5 Build Something

This exercise involves giving team members a set of materials, tools, or instructions, and asking them to build something within a certain time. The materials, tools, or instructions can be simple or complex, and they can be related or unrelated to the team's work. For example, a team could build a tower with spaghetti and marshmallows, a model of their product with Lego bricks, or a prototype of their service with paper and scissors. The goal is to stimulate team members' imagination, innovation, and collaboration skills, and to challenge them to create something new. This exercise can help team members to experiment, to learn from failure, and to innovate.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?