Avoid the Lame, Enjoy the Game: Virtual Team Activities Part Two

Examples of things that work and things that don’t.

This is “virtually” useless for team building. Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash

Team-building activities are a common tool used by well-meaning managers to try and improve their team’s performance and member satisfaction. However, not all activities are created equal. As I stated in Part 1, a lot of team-building activities are lame. Seriously lame. In Part 1, I outlined three things that should be considered prior to selecting a team-building activity:

• Start with your “why” before you pick your “what.”
• Know your people.
• Pick an activity that lends itself to the virtual world.

In Part 2, we’ll talk about the good and the bad when it comes to team activities. I’ll provide a few examples of “lame” activities and talk about why they are lame. Then, for my paid subscribers, I’ll provide “good” activities and describe in detail why they are ones you should consider using.

Why Bother with Activities?

With so many lame activities out there, you might wonder if they are worth the effort at all. But good activities have been shown to improve communication, collaborative skills, and productivity, while reducing stress and turnover in teams. So, it’s worth the time to find the “good” ones. Before we look at the good ones…