Free Team Building Game

INDOOR or OUTDOOR

Time:            

• Approximately 30 minutes (more, based on number of participants and length of debrief desired)

Participants:

• Groups of 8 to 12 are ideal, but can be done with larger groups with additional facilitators

Materials: 

• A thin, light-weight stock 10-feet long

Purpose: 

• Group Communications

• Problem Solving

• Patience

• Cooperation

Preparation and Notes for Facilitator:

• Divide the group into 2 (or more even-number) of teams

• Tip: The Helium Stick has a habit of mysteriously 'floating' up rather than coming down. Act surprised and ask what are they doing raising the Helium Stick instead of lowering it! 

The Secret:  The stick does not contain helium.  The secret (keep it to yourself) is that the collective upwards pressure created by everyone's fingers tends to be greater than the weight of the stick.  As a result, the more a group tries, the more the stick tends to 'float' upwards.

Facilitate the activity:

• Introduce the Helium Stick - a long, thin, light rod.

• Ask participants to point their index fingers and hold their arms out at waist level.

• Lay the Helium Stick on their fingers.  Get the group to adjust their finger heights until the Helium Stick is horizontal and everyone's index fingers are touching the stick.

• Explain that the challenge is to lower the Helium Stick to the ground.

• The Rule: Each person's fingers must be in contact with the Helium Stick at all times. Pinching or grabbing the pole in not allowed - it must rest on top of fingers.

• Reiterate to the group that if anyone's finger is caught not touching the Helium Stick, the task must be restarted. 

• Participants may be confused initially about the strange behavior of the Helium Stick.

• Some teams or individuals (most often larger size groups) after 5 to 10 minutes of trying may be inclined to give up, believing it not to be possible or that it is too hard.

• The facilitator can offer direct suggestions or suggest the group stops the task, discusses their strategy, and then has another try.

• Less often, a group may appear to be succeeding too fast.  In response, be particularly vigilant about fingers not touching the pole. Also make sure participants lower the pole all the way onto the ground.  You can add further difficulty by adding a large washer to each end of the stick and explain that the washers should not fall off during the exercise, otherwise it's a restart.

Debrief questions:

1. What was the initial reaction of your team?

2. How well did the team cope with this challenge?

3. What skills did it take to be successful as a team?

4. What creative solutions were suggested and how were they received?

5. What would an outside observer have seen as the strengths and weaknesses of the team?

6. What did each team member learn about him/her self as an individual?

7. What other situations in life or at work are like the Helium Stick?

8. Many times during this activity, people become frustrated with others who aren't lowering the stick, and often choose one person as the culprit. Also, some people give up and let the stick come off their fingers. If either happens, be prepared to discuss how blame or giving up affects teams.

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