1. 1 Project Management Tools Project Kick Offs and Team Building Scott Morrison January 2016

2. 2 Project Kick Offs and Team Building Session Logistics 3.5 hour class We will take 2 breaks throughout the session Please put cell phones on mute or turn off Send an email to me for any questions: scott.morrison@anthem.com Ask questions, actively participate, and try to have some fun!!!

3. 3 Project Kick Offs and Team Building Introductions About the facilitator Born in Columbus, Ohio, moved to Denver in 1979 Worked at US West/Qwest from 1981 through 2001 Held several positions with Qwest (Call center operations, product management, database development, technical project manager, business project manager, program manager, director) Ran own consulting firm providing project management and management consulting services from 2001 to 2006 Been at Anthem from 2006 until today. Currently am a Technical Program Manager working on Health Exchange efforts and large migrations. B.S. at Regis University (CIS major, Business minor), Program Management certification at US West/University of Denver PMP Certified (or best said I am certifiable) Happily married with 2 boys and a grandson Enjoy golfing, camping, and college football Facilitated the following Saturday Workshop classes for the Mile High PMI Chapter: Project Risk Management (2010) Project Organizational Design (2011) Program Risk Management (2012) Leadership for Project Managers, Project Risk Management (2013) Communications for Project Managers (2014) Project Management Tools (2015)

4. 4 Project Kick Offs and Team Building Session Agenda Project Kick Offs 8:30 to 9:30 Break9:30 to 9:45 Team Building Techniques 9:45 to 10:45 Break10:45 to 11:00 Team Exercise 11:00 – 11:35 Closing Items 11:35 – 11:50

5. 5 Project Kick Offs

6. Planning your meeting Your team's first impression of a project can set the tone for success or failure. These planning guidelines will help you make your project kickoff meeting count. Your first project meeting is an opportunity to share your plan for leading the project to a successful completion. You should take advantage of this one-time chance to energize the group, set proper expectations, and establish guidelines that will help you complete the project on time and within budget. If you fail to prepare successfully for this meeting, you’ll put the project at risk right from the start. When you leave the kickoff meeting, everyone on the project team must be on the same page. Your preparation beforehand will determine whether your kickoff meeting will offer the greatest benefit to team members. 6

7. Project Kick Offs Planning your meeting Plan, Plan, Plan!!!! The general who wins the battle makes many calculations in his temple before the battle is fought. The general who loses makes but few calculations beforehand. Sun Tzu 7

8. 8 Project Kick Offs Planning your meeting The format of the meeting should be driven by: The size and complexity of the project The standards of the company Options are: Remote kick off Onsite kick off Your decision is based on: If your team is located in one location, have the onsite meeting If your team is de-centralized, then decide to conduct a remote or onsite meeting based on the size, complexity and priority of the effort Company standards Budget We greatly prefer an onsite kick off for larger and more complex efforts if the budget allows

9. 9 Project Kick Offs Other Considerations Your team can be located in 3 manners: Onsite (everyone is in the same place) Remote, but teams are co-located (Everyone is in Denver, Chicago, and Atlanta) Remote and dispersed (team can be anywhere) Later we will review team building options, but if you are remote but co-located obtain help in facilitating your meeting (perhaps another PM in one of the other teams, a manager, etc) to assist with the execution of the kick off meeting. Project kickoff meetings are more than just a feel good, meet and greet. This is your first opportunity to set expectations across the entire project team, make sure you get this right. Keep things running smoothly in the project kickoff meeting Set up the room/environment properly, make sure the projector’s working, make sure reception knows the names of the clients attending, etc. Have your agenda distributed prior to the meeting No surprises Don’t get derailed, but be flexible as events unfold

10. 10 Project Kick Offs Planning your meeting - Stakeholders Interview Your Stakeholders (Those high level people responsible for, paying for, providing the solution, and receiving the product) To make sure you actually have an understanding of that problem beforehand, do stakeholder interviews and gather requirements immediately following an initial stakeholder meeting, but before the larger, official kickoff meeting. It sounds obvious, but make sure it happens. There are two aspects to the requirements gathering process that are critical for planning a successful kickoff. Use stakeholder interviews to break the ice in a more natural, one-on-one or small group conversation. Then ask some questions that will reveal your interview subjects’ specific, personal hopes and fears for the project—the more brutally honest they are, the better. Assure your interview subjects that certain questions are “off the record,“ and then get them to really explore the relationship between the organizational culture and their project expectations. Who is the one person that will make this project a success, and who is the greatest challenge? If this is a redesign, what worked the last time they tried to do this, and what didn’t? If this is a startup, why haven’t they started up sooner? Questions like these reveal pain points which kickoff activities can confront directly.

11. 11 Project Kick Offs Planning your meeting - Stakeholders Here are a few specific examples of questions we ask stakeholders and why we ask them. What is the one thing we must get right to make this project worth undertaking? Unless you are working with an organization that has already developed a detailed project plan, this question should generate a lot of different answers. Especially if you talk to different departments with different vested interests. Knowing where the specific tensions exist will inform specific activities you can do to define priorities and explore feasibility during the kickoff meeting. How does your organization define success? What is the role of the project in achieving that success? Nothing happens without a larger context. In tough economic times it can be an uphill battle just to secure the budget for a project, and it can be easy to lose sight of why the project was needed in the first place. Knowing the difference between project goals and organizational goals will help you define priorities and scope. If a specific functionality isn’t critical to organizational success, it’s a “nice-to-have” and a good candidate to leave out of your kickoff meeting discussion, and possibly the project altogether.

12. 12 Project Kick Offs Planning your meeting - Stakeholders What aspects of the internal culture or external environment could put this effort at risk to fail? There’s something that everyone thinks is going to derail this project: They just haven’t told you what it is yet. The sooner you know, the better. Have they tried this before, only to fail? If so, why? During the kickoff meeting, you must establish how this project is going to be different than other previous, possibly unsuccessful, attempts. Knowing insider history and the team’s unique understanding of the market in which this website will thrive are the building blocks of differentiation. (Follow up question) Assuming we mitigate that risk, what would exceed your wildest dreams? The flip side of the previous question is that everyone has a fantasy version of the project in their heads. You never know what great ideas might be lurking in those fantasies; ideas that haven’t been shared yet because they were considered too unrealistic or outrageous might be the most exciting ideas.

13. 13 Project Kick Offs Planning your meeting – What do we need to do Things to think about when planning your kick off meeting: What are your kickoff goals, objectives and presentation requirements? How much time is required to meet these goals, objectives and requirements? When and where will the kickoff be held and what are the logistical requirements? Are there any known constraints to kickoff timing and logistics and how will they be overcome? What is the available budget? Who will be involved in kickoff planning, preparation and execution? Who are the expected participants in the kickoff event? Who are the critical participants in the kickoff event? What type of information will be presented at the kickoff? How will that information be presented? How will presentation materials be prepared? Will breakout sessions be required? How much time and effort will be required for kickoff planning and preparation? Will the kickoff include team building games and/or exercises? If so, who will be responsible for selecting and executing these games/exercises? How will you know if the kickoff event has been a success?

14. 14 Project Kick Offs Planning your meeting – Items required for success Possible Components/Artifacts for Input to the Meeting Scope of Project (Charter/Business Case) Work Approach (Buy vs build, upgrade vs replace, phased approach) Roles & Responsibilities (Project Organizational Chart and/or RACI) Management Approach (Issues, Change, Risks, Quality, etc.) High Level Achievement Network (Duration & Schedule of Deliverables) Project Schedule / Plan (Milestones, WBS, etc.) Project Status Reviews (Frequency, Participants, Expectations, etc.) Communications Plan Project Constraints, Assumptions, Critical Success Factors Preliminary Risk Assessment and Mitigation Strategies Methodologies, Standards, or Guidelines to Follow Appropriate Technical Documents (Architectural diagrams) Requirements and Process Flows

15. 15 Project Kick Offs Planning your meeting – Your plan The plan/checklist for planning your meeting  Interview stakeholders  Obtain and review project charter  Understand and confirm project funding  Understand and confirm project team members (roles, responsibilities, time commitment and availability)  Understand and confirm project timeline, in light of resource availability identified above (sample timeline format included in this document)  Develop stakeholder communications plan (with input from team members and key stakeholders)  Identify who should be attending kick-off meeting (project team, key stakeholders, project sponsors, others)  Determine the amount of time you’ll need for the kick-off meeting  Notify all meeting participants to understand their availability for a meeting date and time  Arrange meeting room and technology (projector, screen, etc.)  Create meeting materials including: PowerPoint or other presentation Handouts (project charter, timeline, contact lists, other) If needed, create a shared folder for electronic files related to the project. You may want to have a folder for the project team (technical team) and a separate folder for users and key stakeholders. Create access permissions as appropriate.

16. 16 Project Kick Offs Meeting Agenda 1. Introductions – Brief identification of people at the meeting and their area of responsibility A. Team Building Exercise (more to come later) 2. Project Overview – a general overview of the project would include: A. What the project is supporting B. A summary of the stated problem that is being resolved C. A summary of the technology being used on the project D. How the project is funded 3. Project Details A. Scope, Goals, Objectives B. What the project is intended to accomplish (in scope) C. What the project is not intended to accomplish (out of scope) D. Project Timeline – High-level Project Plan I. Key milestones II. Key target dates 4. Identified challenges and risks (an opportunity for a team exercise/breakout session) A. Assumptions B. Dependencies

17. 17 Project Kick Offs Meeting Agenda 5.Project Team Roles & Responsibilities E.Review the of project team members, their contact information, and their roles/responsibilities. F.Don’t forget to talk about yourself as the project manager. G.Everyone needs to know what to expect from you with regard to communication, process, timelines, etc. H.Organizational Chart and RACI I.Note: At the project kickoff meeting, the project manager should bring in any Subject Matter Experts (SME’s) to provide technical information/documentation so they can translate that information into user-friendly terms as needed. 6.Stakeholder Communications – Review the stakeholder communications plan that was developed prior to the meeting. 7.Team Communications Plan (an opportunity for a team building session) 8.Next Steps – Specific instructions to everyone about what is happening next, including what each person is expected to do. 9.Q&A

18. 18 Project Kick Offs Communications Plan Team and Stakeholder Communication Plan Managing team and stakeholder communications is one of the most important tasks for project managers. Consistent, effective communications is critical among everyone involved in the project and the key element in keeping the project on track. Use this outline to plan, track, and distribute the different types of team and stakeholder communications that can occur during the life cycle of a project. Note: The project manager should include team members and key stakeholders in the development of this communication plan to ensure all perspectives are addressed. 1.Identify all team members and key stakeholders that should receive ongoing communications throughout the project. A.Executive Sponsor(s) B.Client Contact(s)/Business Unit Management C.Management Team D.Project Team Members E.Advisory Committees/Working Groups F.Others

19. 19 Project Kick Offs Communications Plan Team and Stakeholder Communication Plan (Con’t) 2.Identify the types of ongoing communication that will be employed. A.Team Meetings/Minutes B.Email Correspondence C.Project Status Reports D.One-on-one Meetings E.Document Retention 3.For each stakeholder identified above, identify the type of communication (from above list) to be used and the frequency of the communication. The more specific you can be about the frequency/schedule, the more effective the plan will be. 4.Define the content of each communication implemented (consider the audience, level of detail needed, metrics, etc.). For example, this PM Framework includes a standard format for project status reports. Team meeting agendas can be similarly standardized for consistency.

20. 20 Project Kick Offs Communications Plan Team and Stakeholder Communication Plan (Con’t) The Stakeholder Communication Plan can be easily developed in a chart format. The following sample chart can be used as a guide for the project manager. It is important to talk with project team members and key stakeholders as you prepare this plan. CommunicationPurposeAudienceAuthorVehicleFrequency Status ReportsTo keep key stakeholders informed of progress, issues, and solutions. Management, client contact Project managerEmailMonthly Team meetingsTo ensure all team members are apprised of progress, changes, and current priorities Project team members Project managerFace-to-faceWeekly, Wednesdays 9:00 – 10:00 Email Communications To distribute meeting minutes, alert team members to document changes posted, share information and answer questions between meetings. Project Team members, Client contact, management Project team members, Client contact, management EmailAs needed Shared Project Folder Retains all current project documentation. Project team members Project Manager, project team members Upload revisions within 24 hours of the change. External Communications Any required communications external to the project team. The publicCorporate communications, legal, project team members VariedAs needed

21. 21 Project Kick Offs Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated. Confucius

22. 22 Project Kick Offs Other Uses for Modified Kick Off Formats 1.A major change in the effort (re-casting the effort) Scope or direction Sponsor or a new sponsor has changed the scope or plans First deployment is no longer Omaha, it’s now New York The apartment complex is no longer $100K units for a $100M build, now we have a $500M effort with $200K units and an office complex An audit revealed many issues with the effort resulting in changes with the project leadership team, tracking and monitoring and controls A new vendor/partner You have a new general contractor for the $500M construction effort There is a new software lead/contractor for the $80M, 4 year effort 2.Moving to complex phases/cycles Use of a modified kick off approach can be used when moving to project phases: Utilize the milestones within the phase to build an agenda that addresses the areas required to successfully complete the phase Coordinating the testing cycle. Sometimes we are confronted with challenges with testing that are limited by time constraints (testing within the release management timeline). We can modify the items required in the agenda to reflect tasks in the project plan and conduct a meeting to plan the testing cycle. Invite all involved teams members and walk through the items required for the testing cycle: data, environments, command centers, defect logs, define meetings for status, etc. 3.A field oriented/physical event If we are faced with an event such as bringing up 3 retail offices in a week in Atlanta a planning exercise several weeks before may help us to prepare for the challenges of the event. Identifying items needed for the event Contingencies for items that will stop the deployment (risk management)

23. 23 Team Building Tools

24. 24 Team Building Tools Great teamwork makes things happen more than anything else in organizations. The diagram representing McGregor's X-Y Theory helps illustrate how and why empowered teams get the best results. Empowering people is more about attitude and behavior towards staff than processes and tools. Teamwork is fostered by respecting, encouraging, enthusing, caring for people, not exploiting or dictating to them. At the heart of this approach is the mutual respect, compassion, and humanity to work. People working for each other in teams is powerful force, more than skills, processes, policies. More than annual appraisals, management-by-objectives, the 'suits' from head office; more than anything. Teams usually become great teams when they decide to do it for themselves - not because someone says so. Something inspires them. It's a team thing. It has to be. The team says: Okay, can make a difference. We will be the best at what we do. We'll look out for each other and succeed - for us - for the team. And we'll make sure we enjoy ourselves while we're doing it. And then the team starts to move mountains.

25. 25 Team Building Tools Four Different Types Of Team Building Tools If you’re planning on giving your employees a team building exercise to perform it’s important to understand the four different types of team building, not only for a particular skill but also for the size of your team. By understanding the goals you wish to gain from your team building, it’s easier to determine which task will have the most effect. 1. Personality-Based Team Building Personality based team building comes in various forms but one of the most common is a personality questionnaire where you not only learn about your own personality but also the personality of other members of your team. This information can then be used for discussing different action steps and working relationships within the company. 2. Activity-Based Team Building Activity based team building involves a carrying out challenging tasks, usually in an outdoor setting e.g. mountain climbing, trekking etc. These activities requite teamwork from all other members in order to be successful with the challenge. The idea behind this type of team building is the success seen during the activity can be brought into the office through the new relationships that have been created. The lessons learnt during the challenges can also be transferred to the workplace. 3. Skills-Based Team Building Skills based team building involves members of the team in a workshop developing a certain skills. Skills can include receiving criticism, dealing with conflict, effective team meetings and more. By developing these skills during the workshop it’s possible to create a more effective team if the skills learnt are applied throughout the workplace. 4. Problem Solving-Based Team Building Problem solving based team building is usually performed at an outside event but can also apply to an indoor task. The goal of this team building exercise is to help the team solve certain problems given by an outside facilitator. The group will then need to identify the challenges and possible solutions while trying to work as effectively as possible to solve the problem.

26. 26 Team Building Tools Quizzes Language diversity and general knowledge quiz, for each question, what is the 'non- English' word that was adopted into English, from the source language(s) shown: Beer brewed for storing/keeping - from German? Lager (originally lager-bier - lager = storehouse) Long story - from Old Norse? Saga Massacre of an ethnic group - from Russian/Yiddish? Pogrom (the word referred originally to Russian massacre of Jewish people) Joy in the misfortune of others - from German? Schadenfreude (from the root word meanings harm and joy) Courage - from a rude Spanish metaphor? Cojones (pronounced 'co-honez' - meaning testicles) Group journey in specific continent - from Kiswahili? Safari (Kiswahili is East African) Hot steam bath - from Finnish? Sauna Happiness or blissful death through enlightenment (literally 'blowing out') - from Sanskrit? Nirvana (less correctly from Indian or Hindu - Sanskrit is the ancient Indo-European language, used in Indian Hindu and classical writings, which persists today in Indian religious and scholarly work - Nirvana meant in Sanskrit 'blowing out [destructive feelings such as greed and hatred]') Soft leather heelless shoe whose sole is upturned to form sides - from Virginian Algonquian? Moccasin (also from other Native American Indian languages) Military ruler, and Mitsubishi 4x4 - from Japanese? Shogun

27. 27 Team Building Tools Quizzes Christmas quiz What date is St Stephen's Day? 26th December In Charles Dickens' novel A Christmas Carol, who was Scrooge's dead business partner? Jacob Marley The song White Christmas was first performed in which 1942 film? Holiday Inn London's Trafalgar Square Christmas tree is traditionally given by which country? Norway In the song The Twelve Days of Christmas, '...my true love brought to me nine...' what? Ladies dancing Name the original eight reindeer from the 'Twas the night Before Christmas' poem? Comet, Cupid, Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Donner, Blitzen (or Dunder and Blixem - The poem is alternatively titled A Visit from St Nicholas. 'Twas the night Before Christmas' is the first line. The poem was first published anonymously in 1823 and is commonly attributed to Clement Clarke Moore, although some believe Henry Livingston was the true author. Rudolph was created later in 1939 by copywriter Robert May for the Montgomery Ward department store chain, as the main character in a free Christmas promotional story, which extended the 1823 poem, and was subsequently turned into the popular song Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Incidentally Donner and Blizten mean Thunder and Lightning in German.) Which Christmas carol includes the lyrics '...To save us all from Satan's power, when we were gone astray..'? God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen The character Jack Skellington appears in which 1993 Tim Burton film? The Nightmare before Christmas What color are the berries of the mistletoe plant? White In the inspirational 1946 film, It's a Wonderful Life, what's the name of George Bailey's guardian angel? Clarence Oddbody

28. 28 Team Building Tools Quizzes Christmas quiz What are the names of the three wise men said to have brought gifts to the baby Jesus? Balthazar, Melchior, Caspar (or Gaspar - Interestingly the Bible does not states state their names, nor even the number of wise men: "...there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem... and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh..." from Matthew 2:1 and 2:11. Thanks A Russell.) What is New Year's Eve called in Scotland? Hogmanay What Christmas item was invented by London baker and wedding-cake specialist Tom Smith in 1847? Christmas cracker In what year was Band-Aid's Do They Know It's Christmas the UK Christmas chart-topping record (bonus point each for the years of reissue success by Band Aid II and Band Aid 20)? 1984 (bonus points - Band Aid II was 1989, Band Aid 20 was 2004) In which modern country is St Nicholas's birthplace and hometown? Turkey (St Nicholas, bishop 'Nikolaos of Myra', 270-343AD, was born a Greek, i.e., of Greek parents in Patara, Lycia. He lived in and was bishop of Myra, Lycia. Patara and nearby Myra, in Lycia, or fully Lycia et Pamphylia, were then technically provincial territory of the Roman Empire with no specific country name. Patara became ruins centuries ago. Where the ancient town of Myra stood, now stands the Turkish town/district of Demre, Antalya Province, Turkey) Who wrote How the Grinch Stole Christmas? Dr Seuss From which country does the poinsettia plant originate? Mexico Who is officially credited as the author of Auld Lang Syne? Robert Burns How many points does a snowflake have? Six What is the name of the cake traditionally eaten in Italy at Christmas? Panettone

29. This simple exercise format is adaptable for a wide variety of training and development situations. Cut the questions from the grid below, or create your own. Fold each question and put them into a box, or the middle of a table. Members of the group must then in turn take a question, read it aloud, and offer an answer. Before moving to the next question, the group should discuss, refine and agree the correct answer. You can expand the exercise by splitting the group into teams and giving points and offering incorrect answers as bonus questions. Tips and variations: Keep the exercise flowing - don't become stalled for a long time on discussion or disagreement which cannot be resolved correctly and quickly. Make notes of issues which cannot be agreed correctly/satisfactorily, especially those with potentially serious implications, or which highlight a serious development/awareness need. Optionally allocate responsibility for delegates to check and report back to the group later in the day/course about unresolved questions. Ideally the facilitator should know/research the answers to all questions before running the exercise. Optionally ask the group to create the questions - for example, one question to be contributed per delegate, which works well where inter-departmental awareness is a development need. (If anyone draws out their own question they should pick another.) 29 Team Building Tools Company Quiz Game

30. Question grid (devise your own as appropriate): 30 Team Building Tools Company Quiz Game Our top-selling product by value?Our top-selling product by profitability?Our biggest customer by value?Our biggest supplier by value? Our staff grievance procedure first point of contact? Our receptionist name(s)? Our company ownership is public / private / partnership / social enterprise /other? Our CEO / MD is? Our company head of legal department is? Our customer services telephone number is? Our health and safety information is held where exactly? Our COSHH (or equivalent) information is held where exactly? Where can customers / staff park bicycles? How many days holiday are new starters entitled to in the first year? What is our policy on trade union membership? What is our policy on the minimum / living wage? What are our opening hours? Where is the outside rallying point for fire evacuation? Who is our PR agency? What is our main industry trade association? Who is responsible for on-site first aid? Where is our corporate governance policy?When was our company founded?Who founded our company?

31. Take 30 minutes and discuss the “rules” in small teams. Also known as 'The Ten Rules For Being Human' Rule One - You will receive a body. Whether you love it or hate it, it's yours for life, so accept it. What counts is what's inside. Rule Two - You will be presented with lessons. Life is a constant learning experience, which every day provides opportunities for you to learn more. These lessons specific to you, and learning them 'is the key to discovering and fulfilling the meaning and relevance of your own life'. Rule Three - There are no mistakes, only lessons. Your development towards wisdom is a process of experimentation, trial and error, so it's inevitable things will not always go to plan or turn out how you'd want. Compassion is the remedy for harsh judgment - of ourselves and others. Forgiveness is not only divine - it's also 'the act of erasing an emotional debt'. Behaving ethically, with integrity, and with humor - especially the ability to laugh at yourself and your own mishaps - are central to the perspective that 'mistakes' are simply lessons we must learn. Rule Four - The lesson is repeated until learned. Lessons repeat until learned. What manifest as problems and challenges, irritations and frustrations are more lessons - they will repeat until you see them as such and learn from them. Your own awareness and your ability to change are requisites of executing this rule. Also fundamental is the acceptance that you are not a victim of fate or circumstance - 'causality' must be acknowledged; that is to say: things happen to you because of how you are and what you do. To blame anyone or anything else for your misfortunes is an escape and a denial; you yourself are responsible for you, and what happens to you. Patience is required - change doesn't happen overnight, so give change time to happen. Rule Five - Learning does not end. While you are alive there are always lessons to be learned. Surrender to the 'rhythm of life', don't struggle against it. Commit to the process of constant learning and change - be humble enough to always acknowledge your own weaknesses, and be flexible enough to adapt from what you may be accustomed to, because rigidity will deny you the freedom of new possibilities. 31 Team Building Tools Cherie Carter-Scott's Rules of Life

32. Rule Six - "There" is no better than "here". The other side of the hill may be greener than your own, but being there is not the key to endless happiness. Be grateful for and enjoy what you have, and where you are on your journey. Appreciate the abundance of what's good in your life, rather than measure and amass things that do not actually lead to happiness. Living in the present helps you attain peace. Rule Seven - Others are only mirrors of you. You love or hate something about another person according to what love or hate about yourself. Be tolerant; accept others as they are, and strive for clarity of self-awareness; strive to truly understand and have an objective perception of your own self, your thoughts and feelings. Negative experiences are opportunities to heal the wounds that you carry. Support others, and by doing so you support yourself. Where you are unable to support others it is a sign that you are not adequately attending to your own needs. Rule Eight - What you make of your life is up to you. You have all the tools and resources you need. What you do with them is up to you. Take responsibility for yourself. Learn to let go when you cannot change things. Don't get angry about things - bitter memories clutter your mind. Courage resides in all of us - use it when you need to do what's right for you. We all possess a strong natural power and adventurous spirit, which you should draw on to embrace what lies ahead. Rule Nine -Your answers lie inside of you. Trust your instincts and your innermost feelings, whether you hear them as a little voice or a flash of inspiration. Listen to feelings as well as sounds. Look, listen, and trust. Draw on your natural inspiration. Rule Ten -You will forget all this at birth. We are all born with all of these capabilities - our early experiences lead us into a physical world, away from our spiritual selves, so that we become doubtful, cynical and lacking belief and confidence. The ten Rules are not commandments, they are universal truths that apply to us all. When you lose your way, call upon them. Have faith in the strength of your spirit. Aspire to be wise - wisdom the ultimate path of your life, and it knows no limits other than those you impose on yourself. 32 Team Building Tools Cherie Carter-Scott's Rules of Life

33. Break into small teams and take 30 minutes and discuss Don’s agreements Agreement 1 Be impeccable with your word - Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love. Agreement 2 Don’t take anything personally - Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won’t be the victim of needless suffering. Agreement 3 Don’t make assumptions - Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life. Agreement 4 Always do your best - Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse and regret. 33 Team Building Tools The Four Agreements - Don Miguel Ruiz's Code For Life

34. For a fun icebreaker, ask people to introduce themselves individually, in turn, as a kitchen gadget (or kitchen- drawer item) which represents their own personality and strengths. Guide participants to naming their chosen gadget/item and then offering (no more than three) brief points as to their (the gadget's/item's) main purpose, strengths, characteristics, etc., which should be a representation of him/herself (at work or home or in life generally, which may be determined by the facilitator depending on wider aims). The exercise is for groups of any age or size, subject to splitting large groups into self-facilitating subgroups. Alternatively, for a single large group and very quick review, (and potentially for a very large conference group), reveal the chosen gadgets collectively with a 'straw poll' of people's chosen kitchen gadgets (ask people to hold up their hands when you call out the different gadgets), to arrive at numbers/percentage mix for the whole audience (and then potentially invite suggestions as to how this reflects the character of the organization/grouping). You can also offer a prize to anyone correctly predicting the most popular (1st,2nd,3rd) gadgets chosen by the group (entries on slips of paper, passed to the facilitator, and checked later). For individual explanations beware of extended presentation/discussion time, which can take a lot longer than you imagine, so for group sizes of about 7 people or more, consider giving a firm and brief time limit for each person's explanation. The exercise is fun and very quick and easy to facilitate, but it's also a useful and interesting activity because self-perceptions can alter and clarify greatly when explored from a radically different perspective (such as imagining oneself as a kitchen gadget). 34 Team Building Tools Kitchen Gadget Icebreaker

35. This is a simple quick and easy exercise that people will enjoy, and which also demonstrates the importance of structuring and organizing information to maximize the effectiveness of communications. It's mildly competitive too, which increases engagement and fun. The activity is for groups of about eight people - minimum five, maximum a dozen. Split larger groups into self-facilitating teams. Materials required - pens and paper. Preparation - zero (other than understanding and planning it). Duration - about 30 seconds plus a review of 2-5 minutes as a quick activity, or 10-15 minutes review/discussion for more depth. Instruction to group - (Tell the group...) Listen to and remember what each person says. Take it in turns to say what you'd like to drink: (tea, coffee, with or without milk, with how many sugars or without, or water, still or sparking). When you've heard everyone's drink requests, (individually) write them down on a piece of paper, as correctly as you can recall them, including who wants what, rather than just a list of the choices. We will then see who remembered the drinks order most accurately. Review - 1. Who remembered the most accurately? (Review what people have written. Congratulate/reward the winner.) 2. Ask the group to consider/discuss what helped or hindered their own memorizing process. 3. Ask the group what sort of system/structure would help memorization of these drinks orders? Extend this to the importance of structuring information of all sorts - especially random unstructured details - to help people access, absorb, retain and use it. The principle is widely applicable, widely ignored, and therefore a major opportunity to improve the effectiveness of communications, including to oneself. 4. To extend the activity/review to more depth - Ask the group what sort of structured systems of information and communications can improve our ability to absorb and retain information better. 35 Team Building Tools The 'Tea and Coffee Memory Game'

36. This is a quick simple activity for small groups, or for larger groups if split into self-facilitating teams. The purpose of the exercise is two-fold - first it will relax and re-energize people (especially if they've been sat around a table for a couple of hours or more) - secondly it will get people on their feet, outside in the fresh air, doing something radically different, being very creative, entailing self-expression and fun. The underlying 'skill' purpose of the activity is to demonstrate and promote creativity. Creativity is a much neglected capability - it's crucial for problem-solving and initiative/assertiveness, which are major development needs/opportunities for virtually every work role. Instruction to group - Take a break outside in the fresh air for five minutes. Stretch your legs. While you are outside find a pebble or small stone and think of a story or meaning for it. As wild or zany or radical or simple or complex story/meaning as you wish. Review - Ask people to (briefly) tell their stories/meanings about their pebbles/stones to the group. (There are no right or wrong answers - enjoy and marvel at what people can invent. And see how some people can quickly become very attached to a pebble... because it now has a meaning for them - they created the story/meaning - the ownership of something you create yourself is often a very powerful effect.) Optionally discuss how this activity is different to typical work tasks. (It's utterly creative - you are making something completely new and being 100% proactive, rather than processing something and being mostly reactive, as in typical work tasks). Creativity inevitably entails self-expression - this can make it hugely empowering and fun, even for serious work situations - did we see examples of self-expression in the stories and meanings that people created for their pebbles? Creativity - using the right side of our brains - is crucial for lots of work, but often neglected (many organizational cultures do not understand and value creativity, and many work situations can make us think that only designers and artists have to be creative). Creativity is extremely valuable in problem-solving, and using personal initiative, together with all aspects of organizational/people/business development. Creativity is a huge component of leadership. It enables leaders to innovate, pioneer, envision, solve challenges, make decisions, reconcile competing things, achieve cooperation, inspire, communicate, etc, etc. It's a capability that we can all improve. 36 Team Building Tools The "This Pebble Is..." Exercise

37. Overview This card sorting exercise is a fun way to assess priorities. It also allows you to compare the priorities of two different sub groups, such as an agency and a client, or two departments within an organization. Materials & Requirements Index cards with pre-printed ideas/topics on them Sharpies for each participant A meeting room large enough where everyone can sit around a single table Steps 1.Put all of the features and functionality for the website onto individual index cards. Create a set of cards for everyone attending the exercise. Ideally there should not be more than 20 cards, less is ideal. 2.Seat everyone around the table. When assessing variance in priorities between organizations, it’s good to alternate seating. It helps people get to know each other and it prevents the awkwardness of someone deciding something has a low priority in front of a coworker or supervisor. 3.Have each person sort the cards in order of their perceived priority, with the highest priority cards at the top of the pile and the lowest at the bottom. 4.Each person should take the 3 lowest priority cards and put a hash mark in the upper right hand corner. They then should pass the cards to the person on their left, who should incorporate them into their pile. 37 Team Building Tools Prioritization Card Sort

38. 5.Variation: on the first pass, allow everyone to take the most important and least important card, write “save” and “remove” on them, respectively, and set them aside. Later these high and low priority cards are a good tool for facilitating a follow-up discussion. 6.Repeat the prioritization sort and passing of low priority cards 2 to 3 more times. Pass fewer cards each time, e.g. 2 cards in round 2, and 1 card in round 3. 7.After the final passing round, have everyone puts a number indicating the overall priority in the upper left hand corner, and their initials in the lower right hand corner. Their initials later can be used to indicate what sub group they belong to for assessing variance. 8.Collect all cards and put them into a spreadsheet for analysis. If you did the variation outlined in step 5, lay those cards out and facilitate a discussion around common choices and outliers. Analysis of Data Total the number of passes for each card. A large number of passes indicates that the entire group shares a low priority, where conversely no passes indicates a high priority. If you assess the average ratings (the number in the upper left corner subtracted from the total number of cards, e.g. out of 10 items, a priority 1 item would get 10 points, and then average points across participants), it will give you another measure of group priority. Segment sub groups and run similar numbers to assess variance, and note that those ideas or topics might be harder to add or remove to the project for future discussion. 38 Team Building Tools Prioritization Card Sort

39. Zombie Escape For: Creative Problem Solving & Collaboration Skills What You’ll Need: 1 rope, 1 key, and 5-10 puzzles or clues, depending on how much time you want to spend on the game Instructions: Gather the team into a conference room or other empty space and “lock” the door. Beforehand, select one team member to play the zombie — dead eyes, arms outstretched, muttering “braaaaiiiinnnnssss” and all. The volunteer zombie will be tied to the rope in the corner of the room, with 1 foot of leeway. Once the game starts, every five minutes the rope restraining the hungry zombie is let out another foot. Soon, the zombie will be able to reach the living team members, who will need to solve a series of puzzles or clues to find the hidden key that will unlock the door and allow them to escape before it’s too late. Battle of the Airbands For: Team Bonding What You’ll Need: Speakers, smartphone or mp3 player Instructions: Ever seen one of Jimmy Fallon’s famous lip sync battles? Expand the idea to a full battle of the airbands. Split your group up into teams of 3-4 people and let them decide who will be the singers, guitarists, drummers, etc. Give them some time to choose, rehearse, and perform a lip synced version of whatever work- friendly song they like. If they have a few days, teams can dress up or bring props. After the performances, teams can vote on the winner (with the caveat that no one can vote for their own band). Or, let a neighboring department in on the fun and have them choose the winner.Jimmy Fallon’s famous lip sync battles 39 Team Building Tools Activities and Games

40. A Shrinking Vessel For: Creative Problem Solving What You’ll Need: A rope, blanket, or tape to mark a space on the floor Instructions: Make a space on the floor and have your whole group (or a set of smaller teams) stand in that space. Then gradually shrink the space, so the team will have to think fast and work together to keep everyone within the shrinking boundaries. Back-to-Back Drawing For: Communication Skills What You’ll Need: Paper, pens/markers, printouts of simple line drawings or basic shapes. Instructions: Split your group into pairs and have each pair sit back to back. One person gets a picture of a shape or simple image, and the other gets a piece of paper and pen. The person holding the picture gives verbal instructions to their partner on how to draw the shape or image they’ve been given (without simply telling them what the shape or image is). After a set amount of time, have each set of partners compare their images and see which team drew the most accurate replica. Office Trivia For: Team Bonding What You’ll Need: 20-25 trivia questions about your workplace Instructions: “What color are the kitchen tiles?” “How many people are in the IT department?” “How many windows are there in the entire office?” “What brand are the computer monitors?” “What month of the year is most common for birthdays among our employees?” Come up with a series of questions specific to your workplace and test your team’s knowledge. 40 Team Building Tools Activities and Games

41. Marshmallow Spaghetti Tower For: Creative Problem Solving & Collaboration Skills What You’ll Need: 20 sticks of uncooked spaghetti, 1 roll of masking tape, 1 yard of string, and 1 marshmallow for every team. Instructions: Using just these supplies, which team can build the tallest tower? There’s a catch: the marshmallow has to be at the very top of the spaghetti tower, and the whole structure has to stand on its own (that means no hands or other objects supporting it!) for five seconds.There’s a catch Community Service For: Team Bonding & Icebreakers What You’ll Need: A few hours out of the workday Instructions: Participate in Adopt-a-Family programs during the holidays, organize a beach clean up, take on a community beautification project — find an activity that appeals to your team or reflects your company values, get out of the office, and do some good for your community and your team.project Salt and Pepper For: Communication Skills What You’ll Need: Tape, a pen, a small piece of paper for each person, and a list of well-known pairs (think peanut butter and jelly, Mario and Luigi, or salt and pepper). Instructions: Write one half of each pair on the sheets of paper (Mario on one piece, Luigi on another, and so on). Tape one paper to each person’s back, then have everyone mingle and try to figure out the word on their back. The rule: they can only ask each other yes or no questions. Once they figure out their word, they need to find the other half of their pair. When they find each other, have them sit down and find three things they have in common while the rest of the team continues. 41 Team Building Tools Activities and Games

42. Masterpiece Murals For: Team Bonding & Icebreakers What You’ll Need: Pre-drawn canvases, paints and brushes, a drop cloth or tarp Instructions: Give each member of your team a canvas and brush, and let everyone create a colorful masterpiece on their canvas. Once they’re dry, they can be put together and displayed in your office as a mural, or placed throughout your workspace. Afternoon at the Races For: Collaboration Skills What You’ll Need: One pinewood derby car kit for each team, chalk for start and finish linespinewood derby car kit Instructions: Have teams build and race their own mini pinewood cars. If you want, go all out and let teams create mascots and themes, and host a mini-tail gate with snacks and music. Toxic Waste For: Creative Problem Solving & Collaboration Skills What You’ll Need: 1 small and 1 large bucket, 1 rope, 1 bungee cord loop, 8 bungee cords, 8 plastic or tennis balls Instructions: Use the rope to make an 8-foot circle on the ground that represents a toxic waste radiation zone. (You can make the radiation zone bigger to increase the difficulty.) Put the balls in the bucket and place it in the center of the circle to represent the toxic waste. Place the large bucket about 30 feet away. Teams must use the bungee cords to find a way to transfer the toxic waste balls from the small bucket to the large bucket within a certain amount of time (15-20 minutes). Anyone who crosses the line into the radiation zone will be “injured” (you can blindfold them, or make them hold one hand behind their back), or “die” (must sit out for the rest of the game). Dropping toxic waste balls will similarly result in injury, and spilling the entire bucket means everyone on the team is dead. Solution for referees: Attach the bungee cords to the bungee loop, then have everyone hold and pull on the cords to stretch the loop and guide it over and down around the toxic waste bucket. Loosen the cords to contract the bungee loop so it grips the bucket. Use the cords to lift the bucket and tip the balls into the large “neutralization” bucket. 42 Team Building Tools Activities and Games

43. Company Coat of Arms For: Team Bonding What You’ll Need: Paper, pens, markers Instructions: Have teams create your company coat of arms. In the first space, draw something that represents a recent achievement. In the second space, draw something that reflects your company values. In the third space, draw something that represents where you see the company going in the future. Post the finished coat of arms in your office. Campfire/Memory Wall For: Team Bonding & Icebreakers What You’ll Need: Post-It notes or a whiteboard Instructions: Write a few general work-related topics on the white board or on sticky notes posted to the wall: “My first day,” “Teamwork,” “Work travel,” etc. Gather your team together and have everyone choose one of the topics and share a story from their time with your company to laugh and bond over shared experiences. Or, pass out sticky notes and have everyone write down positive memories of working together or special team accomplishments. They can use words or pictures to record these memories. Then have everyone share their memory and post it on the wall, forming a positive memory cloud. Frostbite For: Creative Problem Solving & Collaboration Skills What You’ll Need: 1 packet of construction materials (like card stock, toothpicks, rubber bands, and sticky notes) for each team, an electric fan Instructions: Your teams of 4-5 are no longer sitting in your office, they’re Arctic explorers trekking across the frozen tundra! Have each team elect a leader to guide their expedition. When a sudden storm hits, the team must erect an emergency shelter to survive. However, both of the team leader’s hands have frostbite, so s/he can’t physically help construct the shelter, and the rest of the team has snow blindness and is unable to see. Give each team a set of construction materials and start the timer. When time runs out, turn on the electric fan’s arctic winds and see who successfully built a shelter that will keep them safe. Adjust the difficulty with sturdier construction materials (provide popsicle sticks instead of toothpicks, etc.), by changing the fan’s settings, or by having the fan running while the team constructs their shelters. 43 Team Building Tools Activities and Games

44. Minefield For: Creative Problem Solving & Collaboration Skills What You’ll Need: An empty room or hallway, and a collection of common office items Instructions: Use boxes, office chairs, water bottles, etc. to create an obstacle course of “mines” within your empty space. Divide the group into pairs, where one partner is blindfolded. The other must guide that person from one end of the course to another without setting off any mines. The person guiding their partner cannot enter the course and must only use verbal instructions to get their partner through. Depending on the number of people you have and how difficult you want this activity to be, you can vary the number of pairs trying to complete the course at the same time so that pairs have to work harder to listen to each other and communicate clearly. Egg Drop For: Creative Problem Solving & Collaboration Skills What You’ll Need: A carton of eggs; basic construction materials like newspapers, straws, tape, plastic wrap, balloons, rubber bands, popsicle sticks, etc.; tarp or drop cloth, parking lot, or some other place you don’t mind getting messy! Instructions: Divide the group into teams and give each one 20-30 minutes to construct a carrier that will keep an egg safe from a two-story drop (or however high you choose). If you end up with a tie, gradually increase the height of the drop until you’re left with a winner. Scavenger Hunt For: Collaboration Skills & Team Bonding What You’ll Need: Set course and series of clues Instructions: If you want to get a bit more high-tech, you can set up text messages, riddles, websites, or email addresses with auto-responses to provide clues and generate custom QR codes with this free online QR code generator. Make sure at least one person on each team has a smartphone with a QR code reader app and let them loose in search of your codes.free online QR code generator 44 Team Building Tools Activities and Games

45. Plane Crash For: Creative Problem Solving & Collaboration Skills What You’ll Need: 20-30 minutes Instructions: Imagine this: the plane carrying your team has crashed on a desert island. Teams must choose only 12 items from around the office that they think would be most useful in their survival, ranking each item in order of importance. Alternatively, have individuals make their selections first and then have the group discuss and come to a consensus. Spider Web For: Creative Problem Solving & Collaboration Skills What You’ll Need: String and tape Instructions: Tape two pieces of string across a doorway, one at about three-and-a-half feet and the other around five feet. This string is the poisonous spider web. Teams must get all their members through the opening between the strings without touching it. Increase the difficulty by taping more pieces of string across the doorway. Paper Plane Contest For: Collaboration Skills What You’ll Need: A long hallway, tape to mark launch line, measuring stick, card stock Instructions: Each team gets a piece of card stock to construct a paper plane. Show them a variety of airplane designs and let them work together to construct one they think will fly the farthest. Add to the fun by decorating the planes before launch. The team whose plane flies farthest wins all the glory!variety of airplane designs 45 Team Building Tools Activities and Games

46. Whose Office Is It, Anyway? For: Team Bonding & Icebreakers What You’ll Need: Internet connection, file sharing tool Instructions: Have your team members send a photo of their home offices, and then have everyone guess whose workspace is whose. Keep the game going with photos of everyone’s coffee mugs, desktop backgrounds, or the view outside their window. Conference Call Trivia For: Team Bonding & Icebreakers What You’ll Need: Internet connection Instructions: Divide into teams and play trivia. You can find good trivia questions and answers online, or pull out some Trivial Pursuit cards. It’s a great way to learn about people’s non-work interests and personalities.trivia questions and answers online Online Multiplayer Games For: Creative Problem Solving & Collaboration Skills What You’ll Need: Internet connection Instructions: Pick a game that will let your team work together to strategize and problem solve, like Travian or1066, or browse the many free and paid co-op games on Steam. Use your computer’s built-in microphone and speakers to chat, or use headsets.Travian1066co-op games on Steam 46 Team Building Tools Activities for Remote Teams

47. Charades or Catchphrase via Video Hangout or Skype For: Collaboration Skills & Team Bonding What You’ll Need: Internet connection, video chat app Instructions: Divide your group into two teams, and play classic party games like Charades or Catchphrase via video call. You can send everyone the link to an online Charades or Catchphrase ideas generator that will provide word prompts for you.online Charades or Catchphrase ideas generator Online Karaoke Party For: Team Bonding & Icebreakers What You’ll Need: Internet connection Instructions: Let loose with an online karaoke party! Use the built-in microphones and speakers on your computers to challenge teammates to a karaoke battle, compare high scores, or just have fun showing off your singing skills.online karaoke party 47 Team Building Tools Activities for Remote Teams

48. 48 Team Building Tools

49. 49 Team Exercise

50. This flexible easy-to-run activity is ideally for groups/teams of about eight people, or you can easily adapt the exercise for different group numbers. Split large conference groups into self-facilitating teams of about eight. The exercise can be run with a group as small as four. The activity purpose is - to explore life priorities, aims, needs, dreams, etc., (depending on the overall purpose of the course/meeting) to enable discovery, sharing, and evaluation of personal wishes/needs, and other people's wishes/needs to consider personal value systems alongside other people's value systems and to negotiate and agree compromises for collective values/wishes/needs, etc. Duration guide - 30 minutes for 8 people. The facilitator can control this activity easily by stipulating times allowed for each stage, by which people have to make their decisions. There is no particular penalty for failing to reach agreement by the time allowed - the sense of wanting to achieve agreement is typically sufficient incentive (beside which, without agreement participants are effectively unable to progress to the next stage). Preparation - Hardly anything is required - as a minimum you need just some blank cards, or stiff paper, postcard size or a bit bigger, and pens/pencils. Sufficient for each delegate to have 5-6 cards to write/draw on. Alternatively and additionally, to add an extra dimension and stimulate more senses, you can compile a big 'box of bits and pieces' (as in the 'this is me' exercise above) to represent very symbolically the things that people consider important in life (for example a lemon or potato could represents food or nature, a car key could represent cars or transport or mobility, and a house key could represent security or a home - people may attach/explain their own meanings to symbolic bits and pieces, and/or to hand-drawn images or words). 50 Team Building Tools 'Life Dreams Negotiating' Game

51. The activity requires each delegate to choose three things that they consider most important in their lives, and then afterwards to discuss and negotiate with another person to agree a revised set of three things that satisfies their life- needs/wishes of the two people as a pairing. Each pairing then repeats the process with another pairing, to agree a four-person set of three things. And then the whole group (say of eight people) must discuss and agree a set of three things, which satisfies the entire group. If you have a group of ten then you can ask people to work in threes alongside pairs. A group of nine could be split into 3 x 3, and then brought together as a whole. It's flexible provided you follow a basic joining together pattern in one or two steps, culminating in a whole group discussion/agreement. Each 'thing' is represented by a card (postcard size or a bit bigger) carrying word or drawing, or by a physical item, like the ones used in the 'this is me' / 'box of bits and pieces' exercise above. The exercise begins by people creating these cards - initially their individually chosen three things - or by selecting and attaching a meaning to three 'bits and pieces' from the box. Review: Explore issues and feelings arising during and after the activity, for example: Ease/difficulty of selecting three things. Ease/difficulty in agreeing compromises and understanding other people's selections. How our feelings towards different things might have altered during the exercise. Levels of cooperation and competitiveness experienced, witnessed. What are common priorities/needs? What are immovable needs, if there are any? And lots of other issues which can arise depending on your surrounding purpose, and the nature of the group. 51 Team Building Tools 'Life Dreams Negotiating' Game

52. 52 Closing

53. 53 Team Building Tools Closing Plan your meeting Recognize the importance of the event Be flexible, but stay focused on your outcome Be creative Be open to input (it’s the beginning to creating a high performing team) There are many resources available to the success of the event: Online research Hire a consultant to help facilitate the event Bring in experts to help Have fun!!!

54. Team Building Activities https://www.wrike.com/blog/ultimate-guide-team-building-activities/ BusinessBalls.com Kick Ass Kickoff Meetings, by Kevin M. Hoffman August 03, 2010, Published in Business, Project ManagementKevin M. Hoffman Elements for a Successful Project Kickoff Meeting, a blog post by Brent Mason Four Different Types Of Team Building http://www.teamup.co.nz/four-different-types-team-building/ 54 Team Building Tools References