Free Team Building Game

The Worst Idea is the Best Idea

INDOOR or OUTDOOR

Objective:

• Supports “out-of-the-box” thinking.
• Fights against "But we've always done it this way!"
• Encourages participation from all team members.
• Creates increasingly open communications.

Development Areas:

• Creativity

• Cooperation

• Problem Solving

• Collaboration

• Communications

Time & Space:            

• Flexible

Participants:

• Groups of any number

Materials: 

• Flip chart or white board

• Note paper & pens/pencils

Preparation and Notes for Facilitator:

• Tell the group that you’re looking for the worst ideas possible and that you want only silly, outrageous thoughts that make no sense at all for a real problem or challenge that the team is currently facing (describe this challenge).

Rules:

• If no one speaks up at first, offer a few suggestions of your own; be sure they are absolutely outlandish.
• When people start shouting out ideas, keep saying “That’s good, but I want something even crazier!” This should allow the team to avoid judging each other’s ideas (which you need to do as well) and also allows you to get a lot of variety in their responses.

Facilitation Notes:

• Once time is up, have everyone look at the ideas on the board and ask them to write down on a piece of paper any ideas on the board that have some kernel of wisdom which your team could adapt to address the new solution or problem. Ask them to use the worst ideas to come up with something that your team could realistically apply. Don’t ask for names on the piece of paper, just get their ideas.
• Have a team volunteer read the ideas aloud and write them on the board.
• Once all the new ideas are on the board, have a discussion about the new ideas.

Debrief questions:

• How did this exercise help you with your thought processes? Did you feel more creative?
• What insights did you learn by focusing only on the wildest ideas?
• How did this process contribute to your coming up with ideas that made more sense?
• What did this exercise point out about the current way we think on this team?

to more team building programs for change management:

The Amazing Race

The Apprentice

Survivor

Millionaire

Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?

Deal or No Deal

The Idol

Pyramid

Jeopardy