Home | Business | Communication | Team Building

How Word Games can Help with Team Building

By: Brian Middle Click author's name for more of his/her articles

The idea of word games is a general phrase meaning any exercises that consist of words as opposed to physical action. This may involve exercises related to vocabulary, or it may possibly involve role-playing and problem solving.

An Example of a Word Game
One popular game involves putting two acceptable words together to form a new word, not already part of modern vocabulary. The game starts with an explanation of what portmanteau words are, and then the team builder asks employees to make their own new word, according to the claimed purpose. Yes, everything has a purpose, especially in business. The reasons why a team would have to come up with a new word could be: a new brand name or corporation, a new product, a new initiative (plan) for a corporation, a name for a major organisational problem that needs to be addressed, a name to describe valuable elements, benefits, advantages in employees, or negative behaviour by clients, or the name of a conference.

What is involved in the creation of these portmanteau words? far more than just guess work. Players would have to research word origins, word definitions, shared interpretation of words, how words are used in communication, as well as a more innovative and efficient use of language. This activity may sound complex but since many of the game specifics are flexible, it is a word game that can be used for all ages and levels of experience.

Other Word Games
Word exercises could also refer to personality tests, for example the Chain Link Game (called by a hundred different names) where players answer a series of questions that act as quick personality tests. Players name word associations after hearing another word, pick people to associate with colours and choose numerical sequences. What follows is a thorough psychological examination, which is somewhere between the truth and a far-fetched fantasy, in which a person's career, outlook on life and even love life are detailed. Some chain link exercises even incorporate names of popular songs into personal associations and thus can affiliate what a person is thinking with the song he or she lists. This is another type of word game that can be extremely fun and is effective as an ice breaking activity.

One necessary element to remember is that word exercises are adaptable. You must not adapt your team building goals to fit the game, rather adapt the game to give further attention to your main points. You can adapt the game according to the size of your team, according to exercises and topic matter that you wish highlighted, and according to the objectives that you're stressing.

Article Source: ABC Article Directory

About The Author: Chillisauce.co.uk is a organisation specialising in organising bespoke team buildingexercises.All our team building exercises include a wide selection of venues appropriate for your activity and conference requirements and a wide selection of of actvities for example Crystal challenge, it's a knockout, challenge 100,themed treasure hunts.