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Human Resource Development

Homeland Security

Details
Time Required- Activity: 20 minutes, Debrief: 20 minutes (minimum)
Group Size: 8 – 20 participants
Space: A large, relatively flat open space at least 30 feet square. This activity is suitable for both indoors or outdoors.
Materials: One Toobeez set, 60-70 tennis or ping pong balls

Description
There are four teams, each of which has to place all of the tennis balls from central location in its team’s square Once all the balls are in a team’s square, that team wins.

homeland security.jpg

The Activity Setup
1. Make five equal size triangles out of Toobeez. (Use two blue, one green, and three connector spheres for the four outer triangles. Use four red, one green, and five connector spheres for the middle triangle.)
2. Arrange the five Toobeez triangles on the ground, and arrange them in the shape similar to five dots on a side of dice. Spread them on the floor so the outer triangles are each at least ten feet from the center one.
3. Place all balls in the middle (neutral) triangle.
4. Divide into four even teams.
5. Have each team pick a triangle and gather by it.
Facilitator’s Choice… Making Teams
This activity can be enriched by creating team identities which match your population. For example, if you’re facilitating a corporate group, you might have a “design team” and an “engineering team,” a “management team” and a “union team.” Likewise, if you’re facilitating a diverse group you may break out a team based on gender or age. Be creative.
NOTE: AVOID having four captains pick their people (were you ever picked last?).

Instructions

Facilitator Script
In this activity, your goal is to place all the tennis balls in your team’s square. Once you have all the balls, you win. You must follow these rules:
1. There is no throwing or tossing of the balls.
2. All the balls must be out of the middle before you can take them from other squares.
3. No defending the squares.

The Debrief
Opening: The intention of this activity is to develop teamwork and cooperation. However, it offers many lessons, so let the participants share with you what they learned as well as their comments as to the purpose of the activity.

  • What was the point of this exercise?
  • Where in your professional life do you work on or with teams? How do you deal with them?
  • What was the biggest challenge of this activity?
  • What did you learn? How can you apply that to your professional life?

Closing: This activity is a platform for action. Teamwork is when your individual accomplishment contributes to the team objectives. To succeed, one must place the focus on the greater group’s goal.

Concluding Questions

  • What did you learn about teamwork, cooperation, and advancing creativity?
  • What could have been done differently?
  • Where in your professional life do you work with teams, and what can you now do differently to increase success?

Action Plans

  • How many ways can you apply what you learned in this activity to: Everyday management, Strategic partnerships, Meeting objectives
  • Based on your new experiences and insights, what could be different in going forward?
  • What three action steps (with specific, measurable results) will you take this month to begin incorporating what you’ve learned into your daily routine?

For additional instructions and modifications click HERE.