critical thinking for teams

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A Short Guide to Building Your Team’s Critical Thinking Skills

• Matt Plummer

Critical thinking isn’t an innate skill. It can be learned.

Most employers lack an effective way to objectively assess critical thinking skills and most managers don’t know how to provide specific instruction to team members in need of becoming better thinkers. Instead, most managers employ a sink-or-swim approach, ultimately creating work-arounds to keep those who can’t figure out how to “swim” from making important decisions. But it doesn’t have to be this way. To demystify what critical thinking is and how it is developed, the author’s team turned to three research-backed models: The Halpern Critical Thinking Assessment, Pearson’s RED Critical Thinking Model, and Bloom’s Taxonomy. Using these models, they developed the Critical Thinking Roadmap, a framework that breaks critical thinking down into four measurable phases: the ability to execute, synthesize, recommend, and generate.

With critical thinking ranking among the most in-demand skills for job candidates , you would think that educational institutions would prepare candidates well to be exceptional thinkers, and employers would be adept at developing such skills in existing employees. Unfortunately, both are largely untrue.

• Matt Plummer (@mtplummer) is the founder of Zarvana, which offers online programs and coaching services to help working professionals become more productive by developing time-saving habits. Before starting Zarvana, Matt spent six years at Bain & Company spin-out, The Bridgespan Group, a strategy and management consulting firm for nonprofits, foundations, and philanthropists.  

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Critical Thinking for Teams

• Culture | Team Dynamics

99% of college professors say that critical thinking is the single most important concept students need to learn, but most studies show that students leave school unequipped to think critically. The top three skills employers wish new employees could do better are thinking critically , solving problems, and communicating effectively, but we rarely find critical thinking training in the workplace. Critical thinking for teams is a new skill and can make a huge difference. Here are some ideas to improve your collective critical thinking skills. 

Socrates said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” How do you know if the things you do are the right path and the things you believe are true? Here is a quick checklist to get you started.

What is Critical Thinking?

Why do we think? Many researchers say it’s a way to resolve uncertainty. It’s uncomfortable to confront uncertainty in our lives, so we try to figure things out in order to predict and control our surroundings. This takes a lot of work though, and unfortunately we are not very good at thinking systematically and completely. We often default to believing authority or past beliefs without evaluating what we hear to save time and energy. Great news for politicians and marketers, not so great for us.

Critical thinking derives from the ancient Greek word meaning “to judge.” It is a tool to judge the veracity (truth) and the validity (logical structural completeness) of your perceptions. It’s a way to gather and evaluate the information and arguments on which you build your beliefs, make your decisions, and take informed action in your life. 

So how does it work? Four tips to get started.

Get the facts..

It takes a lot of work to get the right facts. We like the intellectual standards that the Foundation for Critical Thinking outlines such as accuracy, depth and breadth. We often dive into these with clients on adventures. When we question assumptions about accuracy, dig for more depth, or cast a wider net for breadth, we often find we did not begin with all the facts. We also tend to misinterpret facts without rigorous examination. A good heuristic is to assume you don’t have the complete picture on the first pass.

Bottom line, there is a lot of noise out there. There are flat out lies, poorly articulated truths, and intentional miscommunications to sift through. You need to find ways to get the complete and true information so that you have solid building blocks for your foundation. Start out by identifying and questioning your assumptions, then push your team to do the same.

Learn how to use logic.

We all think we use logic, but truthfully we do not. In Ancient Greece, logic was core curriculum in school. If you start talking about inductive reasoning today, chances are eyes will glaze over. Most of us have zero formal schooling in logic, but it’s a tool you need to employ as a leader. If you have true facts, but they are not crafted into logical arguments, your beliefs could still be false.

A quick example of faulty logic that comes up often: When it rains, the road is wet (true fact). The road is wet (true fact). It must be raining (false conclusion). Clearly the road could be wet for many other reasons.

For a more immediate example: Lazy people turn in work late (true fact). Knight turned his work in late (true fact). Knight is lazy (I protest)! There are many other reasons I could have turned in my work late, and by assuming instead of asking, my leader will break down our working relationship over time.

Teaching your team basic logic and creating a norm to request logical explanations can eliminate a lot of confusion.

Cast a wide net with a diverse team.

One of the myriad reasons for having diversity on your team is to ensure different perspectives when you solve problems. If everyone looks at every problem as a nail, you’ll start hammering the wrong things. As a leader, it’s your responsibility to find people who have the opposite beliefs from you, buy them a coffee and listen. Critical thinking for teams assumes you have the right information and by sourcing lots of different perspectives, you can get the right basic assumptions more often. 

Reconsider your beliefs regularly.

A core principle of critical thinking is intellectual humility. If you formed your core beliefs and values in high school or college and have not rigorously reexamined them since, you are due for some critical thinking. The moment you believe you are 100% right about something you should rethink it. If this strikes a chord for you, check out the book Think Again by Adam Grant. If your team holds any truths sacred, consider taking down the idols and ensuring you’re not the next Kodak or Blockbuster.

Thinking is like walking, we have all been doing it for a long time and we assume we are all good at it. But if you and your team are not intentionally applying critical thinking frameworks, you are likely not optimized. You might be operating on faulty premises or you could be going full speed in the wrong direction.

Want to spend a half day outside building critical thinking skills?  Fill out this quick questionnaire  to see what a team program might look like for you!

Questions? We'd love to hear from you! 

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• How to build your critical thinking ski ...

How to build your critical thinking skills in 7 steps (with examples)

Critical thinking is, well, critical. By building these skills, you improve your ability to analyze information and come to the best decision possible. In this article, we cover the basics of critical thinking, as well as the seven steps you can use to implement the full critical thinking process. 

Critical thinking comes from asking the right questions to come to the best conclusion possible. Strong critical thinkers analyze information from a variety of viewpoints in order to identify the best course of action.

Don’t worry if you don’t think you have strong critical thinking abilities. In this article, we’ll help you build a foundation for critical thinking so you can absorb, analyze, and make informed decisions. 

What is critical thinking? 

Critical thinking is the ability to collect and analyze information to come to a conclusion. Being able to think critically is important in virtually every industry and applicable across a wide range of positions. That’s because critical thinking isn’t subject-specific—rather, it’s your ability to parse through information, data, statistics, and other details in order to identify a satisfactory solution. 

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Top 8 critical thinking skills

Like most soft skills, critical thinking isn’t something you can take a class to learn. Rather, this skill consists of a variety of interpersonal and analytical skills. Developing critical thinking is more about learning to embrace open-mindedness and bringing analytical thinking to your problem framing process. 

In no particular order, the eight most important critical thinking skills are:

Analytical thinking: Part of critical thinking is evaluating data from multiple sources in order to come to the best conclusions. Analytical thinking allows people to reject bias and strive to gather and consume information to come to the best conclusion. 

Open-mindedness: This critical thinking skill helps you analyze and process information to come to an unbiased conclusion. Part of the critical thinking process is letting your personal biases go and coming to a conclusion based on all of the information. 

Problem solving : Because critical thinking emphasizes coming to the best conclusion based on all of the available information, it’s a key part of problem solving. When used correctly, critical thinking helps you solve any problem—from a workplace challenge to difficulties in everyday life. 

Self-regulation: Self-regulation refers to the ability to regulate your thoughts and set aside any personal biases to come to the best conclusion. In order to be an effective critical thinker, you need to question the information you have and the decisions you favor—only then can you come to the best conclusion. 

Observation: Observation skills help critical thinkers look for things beyond face value. To be a critical thinker you need to embrace multiple points of view, and you can use observation skills to identify potential problems.

Interpretation: Not all data is made equal—and critical thinkers know this. In addition to gathering information, it’s important to evaluate which information is important and relevant to your situation. That way, you can draw the best conclusions from the data you’ve collected. 

Evaluation: When you attempt to answer a hard question, there is rarely an obvious answer. Even though critical thinking emphasizes putting your biases aside, you need to be able to confidently make a decision based on the data you have available. 

Communication: Once a decision has been made, you also need to share this decision with other stakeholders. Effective workplace communication includes presenting evidence and supporting your conclusion—especially if there are a variety of different possible solutions. 

7 steps to critical thinking

Critical thinking is a skill that you can build by following these seven steps. The seven steps to critical thinking help you ensure you’re approaching a problem from the right angle, considering every alternative, and coming to an unbiased conclusion.

 First things first: When to use the 7 step critical thinking process

There’s a lot that goes into the full critical thinking process, and not every decision needs to be this thought out. Sometimes, it’s enough to put aside bias and approach a process logically. In other, more complex cases, the best way to identify the ideal outcome is to go through the entire critical thinking process. 

The seven-step critical thinking process is useful for complex decisions in areas you are less familiar with. Alternatively, the seven critical thinking steps can help you look at a problem you’re familiar with from a different angle, without any bias. 

If you need to make a less complex decision, consider another problem solving strategy instead. Decision matrices are a great way to identify the best option between different choices. Check out our article on 7 steps to creating a decision matrix .

1. Identify the problem

Before you put those critical thinking skills to work, you first need to identify the problem you’re solving. This step includes taking a look at the problem from a few different perspectives and asking questions like: 

What’s happening? 

Why is this happening? 

What assumptions am I making? 

At first glance, how do I think we can solve this problem? 

A big part of developing your critical thinking skills is learning how to come to unbiased conclusions. In order to do that, you first need to acknowledge the biases that you currently have. Does someone on your team think they know the answer? Are you making assumptions that aren’t necessarily true? Identifying these details helps you later on in the process. 

2. Research

At this point, you likely have a general idea of the problem—but in order to come up with the best solution, you need to dig deeper. 

During the research process, collect information relating to the problem, including data, statistics, historical project information, team input, and more. Make sure you gather information from a variety of sources, especially if those sources go against your personal ideas about what the problem is or how to solve it.

Gathering varied information is essential for your ability to apply the critical thinking process. If you don’t get enough information, your ability to make a final decision will be skewed. Remember that critical thinking is about helping you identify the objective best conclusion. You aren’t going with your gut—you’re doing research to find the best option

3. Determine data relevance

Just as it’s important to gather a variety of information, it is also important to determine how relevant the different information sources are. After all, just because there is data doesn’t mean it’s relevant. 

Once you’ve gathered all of the information, sift through the noise and identify what information is relevant and what information isn’t. Synthesizing all of this information and establishing significance helps you weigh different data sources and come to the best conclusion later on in the critical thinking process. 

To determine data relevance, ask yourself:

How reliable is this information? 

How significant is this information? 

Is this information outdated? Is it specialized in a specific field? 

4. Ask questions

One of the most useful parts of the critical thinking process is coming to a decision without bias. In order to do so, you need to take a step back from the process and challenge the assumptions you’re making. 

We all have bias—and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Unconscious biases (also known as cognitive biases) often serve as mental shortcuts to simplify problem solving and aid decision making. But even when biases aren’t inherently bad, you must be aware of your biases in order to put them aside when necessary. 

Before coming to a solution, ask yourself:

Am I making any assumptions about this information? 

Are there additional variables I haven’t considered? 

Have I evaluated the information from every perspective? 

Are there any viewpoints I missed? 

5. Identify the best solution

Finally, you’re ready to come to a conclusion. To identify the best solution, draw connections between causes and effects. Use the facts you’ve gathered to evaluate the most objective conclusion. 

Keep in mind that there may be more than one solution. Often, the problems you’re facing are complex and intricate. The critical thinking process doesn’t necessarily lead to a cut-and-dry solution—instead, the process helps you understand the different variables at play so you can make an informed decision. 

6. Present your solution

Communication is a key skill for critical thinkers. It isn’t enough to think for yourself—you also need to share your conclusion with other project stakeholders. If there are multiple solutions, present them all. There may be a case where you implement one solution, then test to see if it works before implementing another solution. 

7. Analyze your decision

The seven-step critical thinking process yields a result—and you then need to put that solution into place. After you’ve implemented your decision, evaluate whether or not it was effective. Did it solve the initial problem? What lessons—whether positive or negative—can you learn from this experience to improve your critical thinking for next time? 

Depending on how your team shares information, consider documenting lessons learned in a central source of truth. That way, team members that are making similar or related decisions in the future can understand why you made the decision you made and what the outcome was. 

Example of critical thinking in the workplace

Imagine you work in user experience design (UX). Your team is focused on pricing and packaging and ensuring customers have a clear understanding of the different services your company offers. Here’s how to apply the critical thinking process in the workplace in seven steps: 

Start by identifying the problem

Your current pricing page isn’t performing as well as you want. You’ve heard from customers that your services aren’t clear, and that the page doesn’t answer the questions they have. This page is really important for your company, since it’s where your customers sign up for your service. You and your team have a few theories about why your current page isn’t performing well, but you decide to apply the critical thinking process to ensure you come to the best decision for the page. 

Gather information about how the problem started

Part of identifying the problem includes understanding how the problem started. The pricing and packaging page is important—so when your team initially designed the page, they certainly put a lot of thought into it. Before you begin researching how to improve the page, ask yourself: 

Why did you design the pricing page the way you did? 

Which stakeholders need to be involved in the decision making process? 

Where are users getting stuck on the page?

Are any features currently working?

Then, you research

In addition to understanding the history of the pricing and packaging page, it’s important to understand what works well. Part of this research means taking a look at what your competitor’s pricing pages look like. 

Ask yourself: 

How have our competitors set up their pricing pages?

Are there any pricing page best practices? 

How does color, positioning, and animation impact navigation? 

Are there any standard page layouts customers expect to see? 

Organize and analyze information

You’ve gathered all of the information you need—now you need to organize and analyze it. What trends, if any, are you noticing? Is there any particularly relevant or important information that you have to consider? 

Ask open-ended questions to reduce bias

In the case of critical thinking, it’s important to address and set bias aside as much as possible. Ask yourself: 

Is there anything I’m missing? 

Have I connected with the right stakeholders? 

Are there any other viewpoints I should consider? 

Determine the best solution for your team

You now have all of the information you need to design the best pricing page. Depending on the complexity of the design, you may want to design a few options to present to a small group of customers or A/B test on the live website.

Present your solution to stakeholders

Critical thinking can help you in every element of your life, but in the workplace, you must also involve key project stakeholders . Stakeholders help you determine next steps, like whether you’ll A/B test the page first. Depending on the complexity of the issue, consider hosting a meeting or sharing a status report to get everyone on the same page. 

Analyze the results

No process is complete without evaluating the results. Once the new page has been live for some time, evaluate whether it did better than the previous page. What worked? What didn’t? This also helps you make better critical decisions later on.

Critically successful 

Critical thinking takes time to build, but with effort and patience you can apply an unbiased, analytical mind to any situation. Critical thinking makes up one of many soft skills that makes you an effective team member, manager, and worker. If you’re looking to hone your skills further, read our article on the 25 project management skills you need to succeed . 

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How Teams Should Approach Critical Thinking

by Bryn Kelly

Posted on January 18, 2020

Want to know how you and your team can think critically? You’ve come to the right place. By developing your critical thinking skills, you’ll be able to make choices and arguments that are both objective and effective. You’ll also be able to think through and solve difficult problems. Critical thinking skills are important in the workplace , so here we’ll explore seven methods to approach it with your team.

What is critical thinking?

Critical thinking is the process of conceptualising, analysing, synthesising, or evaluating information that you’ve gathered from observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication. It’s about considering the ‘what, where, when, why, who and how’ of something. This’ll help you understand things better and therefore make better decisions, as well as help you recognise and find solutions to complex problems.

If you have critical thinking skills , you’ll be able to:

• Understand the logical connection between ideas.
• Determine whether an argument or idea is important or relevant.
• Recognise, build, and appraise evidence and arguments.
• Find errors or inconsistencies in reasoning.
• Approach problems consistently and systematically.
• Reflect on your own beliefs, values, and assumptions.

Best ways for teams to approach critical thinking

1. question each other.

Questioning what someone says enables you to think critically, so get your team to question each other. For example, if someone makes an assumption or says something you don’t agree with, ask them why they think that way in a non-confrontational manner. If you don’t understand what someone is trying to say or you’re confused, ask them to further elaborate. Asking questions is a great start to thinking critically.

2. Challenge each other’s mental shortcuts

Your brain naturally uses heuristics, or mental shortcuts , to explain what’s happening around you and help you make decisions and solve problems based on limited information. However, this can lead to cognitive biases and personal prejudices. A critical thinker is aware of their biases and prejudices and how they influence seemingly objective decisions and solutions. To make critical thinking possible in your team, you should be aware of and challenge each other’s mental shortcuts.

3. Share and learn critical thinking strategies

There are various critical thinking strategies that you can learn and share with your team. This includes being aware of how you and others think, analysing what someone says or does, using evidence-based reasoning, identifying what isn’t stated, and debating questions and answers. Doing these things can help you and your team think more critically.

4. Use active listening

To become critical thinkers, your team should actively listen to others’ ideas, arguments, and criticisms. This means not thinking of your response or reaction while someone else is speaking. Listening allows you to feel empathy and when you hear someone’s perspective, you can take that information and analyse it. By using active listening skills, you’ll be able to fully understand what someone is trying to tell you because the conversation continues until you can repeat what the other person is trying to say.

5. Look for problems and solve them together

Identifying problems and solving them can also help your team think critically. Once a problem is identified, state it clearly and then figure out what you have to do to solve it. This includes gathering the information you need and analysing it to draw reasonable inferences. Next, consider your options for action and weigh up the advantages and disadvantages of each. Then create a strategy to solve the problem and implement it. Afterwards, review the results and implement change where necessary.

6. Evaluate each other’s strengths and weaknesses

Every member of your team should clearly assess their own and someone else’s strengths and weaknesses, and the impact these may have on any decisions you make. For instance, you could ask questions like: What are you good at? What are you bad at? What do you want to improve on? This can help you assign tasks to the right person and ensure they get done efficiently and effectively.

7. Use foresight

Foresight is the ability to predict the future impact of a decision. Your team should use foresight as far as this is possible so that everyone can make the best decisions and avoid negative outcomes. For example, moving your business to a new location could improve output but you might end up losing skilled workers if the distance is too far. It’s important to consider which of the two is more important and if there’s a way to reduce the conflict.

Develop your critical thinking skills with Deakin’s micro-credentials

Critical thinking can help you evaluate information objectively in order to solve problems and make the right decisions at work. By following these tips, thinking critically will become second nature to you and, in turn, it’ll benefit your team in the workplace.

Critical thinking is an essential skill to have in the workplace and can be gained through learning and practice. Have your existing critical thinking skills recognised, and become an authority in your workplace. Learn more about Deakin’s Critical Thinking Credential today.

Unlocking the Power of Critical Thinking in Team Problem-Solving

• August 15, 2023
• Teamwork & Collaboration

Unlocking the power of critical thinking in team problem-solving is a topic of increasing importance in contemporary organizations. Teams that possess the ability to think critically demonstrate enhanced effectiveness in problem-solving endeavors. This capability facilitates the identification and resolution of problems in an efficient manner, ultimately leading to the development of innovative solutions. Moreover, critical thinking fosters a positive and constructive team culture, equipping teams with the necessary skills to mitigate risks. Managers play a pivotal role as role models for critical thinking, while creating a safe environment that encourages team members to contribute to the conversation. By employing probing questions, skepticism can be challenged, enabling the emergence of new perspectives. Shifting the team culture towards problem-solving, maintaining focused and on-track discussions, and promoting active listening and respectful communication are key elements in fostering critical thinking. Additionally, providing clear guidelines for feedback, recognizing and rewarding critical thinking efforts, and cultivating a culture of continuous improvement and learning contribute to the facilitation of effective problem-solving within teams.

Table of Contents

Key Takeaways

• Critical thinking in teams leads to more effective problem solving.
• Managers should lead by example and emphasize the importance of critical thinking.
• Teams should shift their culture towards problem-solving rather than problem identification.
• Effective communication strategies, such as active listening and fostering diverse perspectives, are essential for unlocking the power of critical thinking in team problem-solving.

The Importance of Critical Thinking in Team Problem-Solving

The importance of critical thinking in team problem-solving lies in its ability to enhance problem-solving effectiveness, promote innovation, foster a constructive team culture, and mitigate risks. Teams that can think critically are more effective problem solvers, as critical thinking helps them identify and solve problems efficiently. Encouraging critical thinking also leads to innovative solutions, as team members are encouraged to think outside the box and explore different perspectives. Furthermore, critical thinking fosters a positive and constructive team culture, where team members feel empowered to contribute their ideas and opinions. Additionally, teams that think critically are better equipped to mitigate risks, as they are able to identify potential pitfalls and develop proactive strategies to address them. Overall, promoting critical thinking in teams is crucial for achieving optimal problem-solving outcomes. Strategies for promoting critical thinking in teams include leading by example, setting new norms for problem-solving, creating effective communication strategies, and recognizing and rewarding critical thinking efforts.

Leading by Example: Managers as Role Models for Critical Thinking

Managers who serve as role models for critical thinking contribute to the development of a team culture that values innovative problem-solving. As influencers within the team, managers play a crucial role in shaping the mindset and behaviors of their team members. By demonstrating and promoting critical thinking in their own decision-making processes, managers set the tone for the entire team. Through their actions, managers emphasize the importance of logical reasoning, evidence-based analysis, and creative problem-solving. They encourage team members to challenge assumptions, think outside the box, and consider alternative perspectives. This creates a culture of critical thinking where individuals feel empowered to contribute their ideas and solutions. By creating such a culture, managers inspire and enable their teams to tackle complex problems effectively and generate innovative solutions.

Encouraging Team Contribution and Creating a Safe Environment

To foster an inclusive and collaborative environment, it is important to create a culture in which all team members feel valued and encouraged to actively contribute their insights and perspectives. Team engagement and psychological safety play crucial roles in encouraging team members to contribute effectively. Team engagement refers to the level of involvement, commitment, and enthusiasm that team members have towards their work and the team’s goals. When team members are engaged, they are more likely to actively participate in problem-solving discussions and offer valuable insights. Psychological safety, on the other hand, refers to the belief that one can speak up, take risks, and express their ideas without fear of negative consequences. Creating a safe environment where team members feel psychologically safe encourages them to share their thoughts, opinions, and suggestions freely, leading to more effective problem-solving outcomes.

Using Probing Questions to Challenge Skepticism

Using probing questions can challenge skepticism and encourage new perspectives in problem-solving discussions. By questioning assumptions, individuals are prompted to reconsider their preconceived notions and explore alternative viewpoints. This process stimulates creative thinking and fosters a more comprehensive analysis of the problem at hand. Probing questions can help uncover hidden biases and challenge established beliefs, allowing for a more objective evaluation of potential solutions. Furthermore, by encouraging individuals to think beyond the obvious, these questions can inspire innovative ideas and unconventional approaches to problem-solving. Challenging skepticism through probing questions promotes a culture of critical thinking and intellectual curiosity within the team, ultimately leading to more effective and efficient problem-solving outcomes.

Shifting Team Culture From Problem Identification to Problem-Solving

Shifting the team culture from primarily identifying problems to actively engaging in problem-solving allows for a more proactive and solution-oriented approach. This shift in team dynamics emphasizes the importance of problem-solving approaches over simply identifying problems. By focusing on problem-solving, teams can effectively address challenges and find innovative solutions. This change in culture fosters a more productive and collaborative environment, where team members actively contribute to the problem-solving process. It encourages the exploration of different perspectives and ideas, leading to more comprehensive and effective solutions. Shifting the team culture towards problem-solving approaches also enables teams to be more proactive in mitigating risks and addressing issues before they escalate. Overall, this change in team culture promotes a positive and constructive atmosphere, enhancing the team’s ability to solve problems efficiently and effectively.

Establishing a Positive Tone and Rewarding Critical Thinking

In the previous subtopic, we discussed the importance of shifting team culture from problem identification to problem-solving. This transition is crucial in enabling teams to effectively tackle challenges. In the current subtopic, we will explore the significance of establishing a positive tone and rewarding critical thinking within the team. By doing so, teams can foster an environment that encourages innovation and facilitates effective problem-solving. Here are five key points to consider when establishing a positive culture and incentivizing innovation:

• Recognize and appreciate team members’ critical thinking efforts.
• Provide incentives or rewards for innovative problem-solving.
• Celebrate successful problem-solving outcomes as a team.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement and learning.
• Create an environment where diversity of perspectives is valued.

Encouraging Open and Constructive Discussions

Encouraging open and constructive discussions within a team facilitates effective collaboration and the generation of innovative solutions. Creating an inclusive environment that fosters brainstorming sessions is crucial in harnessing the power of critical thinking. By allowing all team members to freely express their ideas and perspectives, a broader range of possibilities can be explored. This inclusive approach promotes diversity of thought, which is instrumental in problem-solving. Furthermore, facilitating brainstorming sessions allows for the exploration of multiple solutions and encourages creative thinking. When team members feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and opinions, they are more likely to contribute valuable insights and challenge conventional thinking. This ultimately leads to a richer and more comprehensive analysis of the problem at hand, resulting in innovative and effective solutions.

Fostering Collaboration and Teamwork for Innovative Solutions

Promoting a collaborative and cohesive team environment facilitates the generation of innovative solutions. Effective collaborative problem solving requires a strong focus on teamwork dynamics. By fostering collaboration and teamwork, teams can tap into the collective knowledge and expertise of its members, leading to more innovative and effective solutions.

To foster collaboration and teamwork for innovative solutions, teams can:

• Encourage active participation and engagement from all team members.
• Foster a culture of open communication and trust, where ideas and perspectives are valued.
• Provide opportunities for team members to collaborate on projects and tasks.
• Establish clear roles and responsibilities to ensure effective collaboration.
• Implement regular team-building activities and exercises to strengthen teamwork dynamics.

Developing a Shared Understanding of Problem-Solving Goals

Developing a shared understanding of goals related to effective and efficient resolution of issues is essential for fostering a cohesive and productive team environment. By establishing a clear and common understanding of problem-solving goals, teams can align their efforts towards achieving desired outcomes. This shared understanding ensures that all team members are on the same page and working towards a common objective. It promotes collaboration and cooperation among team members, enabling them to pool their collective expertise and resources to tackle complex problems. Having a shared understanding of problem-solving goals also helps in prioritizing tasks, allocating resources, and making informed decisions. It serves as a guide for the team, providing a roadmap for problem-solving activities and ensuring that efforts are directed towards the most critical issues. In conclusion, developing a shared understanding of problem-solving goals is crucial for teams to work together effectively and efficiently.

Effective Communication Strategies for Solutions-Oriented Conversations

Effective communication strategies play a crucial role in facilitating conversations focused on generating solutions. When teams are engaged in problem-solving, it is essential to establish clear and effective communication channels. Here are some techniques that can enhance communication and promote a solutions-oriented approach:

Active listening techniques: Encourage team members to listen attentively and actively engage with each other’s ideas. This includes maintaining eye contact, asking clarifying questions, and paraphrasing to ensure understanding.

Effective feedback strategies: Provide constructive feedback that is specific, timely, and focused on the solution rather than personal criticism. Encourage open and honest communication, where team members feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and ideas.

Foster a collaborative environment: Create a space where team members can freely express their viewpoints without fear of judgment. Encourage respectful and inclusive discussions that value diverse perspectives.

Establish clear communication guidelines: Define expectations for communication, such as using clear and concise language, avoiding jargon, and providing context when necessary.

Utilize technology: Leverage communication tools and platforms that facilitate collaboration and enable real-time feedback and discussion.

Keeping the Conversation Focused and on Track

Maintaining a clear and focused conversation is essential for teams to stay on track and achieve their problem-solving goals. Keeping the conversation focused and on track is crucial to ensure that the team remains productive and efficient in their problem-solving efforts. When team members are easily distracted or veer off-topic, it can hinder progress and lead to wasted time and energy. To keep the conversation focused, team leaders can set clear agendas and goals for each discussion, ensuring that all participants are aware of the intended outcomes. Additionally, active listening and respectful communication play a vital role in maintaining focus. By actively listening to others and avoiding interruptions, team members can ensure that the conversation stays on track and relevant to the problem at hand. Overall, keeping the conversation focused and on track is vital for teams to effectively address problems and achieve successful outcomes.

Encouraging Active Listening and Respectful Communication

Encouraging active listening and respectful communication fosters a collaborative and inclusive team environment. By implementing effective techniques and guidelines, teams can enhance their problem-solving capabilities and promote a culture of open dialogue. The following are key strategies for encouraging active listening and respectful communication:

• Practice active listening techniques such as maintaining eye contact, nodding, and summarizing to show understanding and engagement.
• Establish guidelines for respectful communication, emphasizing the importance of avoiding interrupting, speaking over others, or using derogatory language.
• Encourage team members to ask clarifying questions and seek additional information before forming judgments or responding.
• Foster a culture of empathy and understanding, where team members actively listen to diverse perspectives and acknowledge the value of different viewpoints.
• Provide opportunities for reflection and feedback, allowing team members to express their thoughts and concerns in a respectful manner.

Providing Clear Guidelines for Feedback

Establishing clear guidelines for feedback promotes a structured and constructive approach to communication within teams. Effective feedback plays a crucial role in enhancing team problem-solving and decision-making processes. Clear guidelines ensure that feedback is specific, objective, and focused on behaviors and outcomes rather than personal attributes. These guidelines also emphasize the importance of providing both positive and constructive feedback, creating a balanced approach that encourages growth and improvement. By setting clear expectations for feedback, teams can foster a culture of open communication and continuous learning. Additionally, clear guidelines help team members understand how to give and receive feedback effectively, reducing the likelihood of misunderstandings or conflicts. Overall, providing clear guidelines for feedback enables teams to maximize their problem-solving potential by facilitating meaningful and productive communication.

Recognizing and Rewarding Critical Thinking Efforts

Recognizing and rewarding the application of analytical reasoning and logical evaluation within a group setting contributes to a culture that values and promotes effective decision-making processes. Incentives for critical thinking and professional development opportunities play a crucial role in fostering a team environment that encourages and rewards the use of these skills. By offering incentives for critical thinking, such as bonuses or recognition, team members are motivated to engage in analytical reasoning and logical evaluation. Additionally, providing professional development opportunities, such as training or workshops, allows team members to enhance their critical thinking skills and stay updated with the latest problem-solving techniques. These incentives and opportunities not only benefit the individuals, but also contribute to the overall success of the team by enabling them to make more informed and effective decisions.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can trigger words be used to promote solutions-oriented thinking in team problem-solving.

The use of trigger words can promote solutions-oriented thinking in team problem-solving by stimulating creative thinking, enhancing brainstorming techniques, facilitating collaboration, improving problem-solving skills, fostering critical thinking, encouraging open-mindedness, focusing on solutions, optimizing team dynamics, enhancing communication skills, and streamlining the decision-making process.

What Are Some Examples of Incentives or Rewards That Can Be Offered to Team Members for Innovative Problem-Solving?

Incentive options for rewarding innovative problem-solving in teams include monetary bonuses, recognition awards, career advancement opportunities, training and development programs, and team celebrations. Creative rewards can also include flexible work arrangements or additional time off.

How Can Managers Create a Safe Environment Where Imperfect Ideas Are Welcomed?

Creating psychological safety and promoting open communication are key strategies for managers to create a safe environment where imperfect ideas are welcomed. This fosters an atmosphere of trust and encourages team members to freely express their thoughts and contribute to problem-solving.

How Can Diverse Perspectives Be Valued and Encouraged in Team Problem-Solving Discussions?

Diverse perspectives can be valued and encouraged in team problem-solving discussions by creating an inclusive environment that recognizes the importance of different viewpoints. This fosters participation and generates innovative solutions through collaborative and respectful exchanges.

What Are Some Strategies for Fostering a Culture of Continuous Improvement and Learning in a Team?

Strategies for fostering a culture of continuous improvement and learning include implementing continuous improvement strategies, creating a learning culture, encouraging knowledge sharing, providing opportunities for professional development, and promoting a mindset of ongoing learning and growth.

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Team Building Exercises – Problem Solving and Decision Making

Fun ways to turn problems into opportunities.

By the Mind Tools Content Team

Whether there's a complex project looming or your team members just want to get better at dealing with day-to-day issues, your people can achieve much more when they solve problems and make decisions together.

By developing their problem-solving skills, you can improve their ability to get to the bottom of complex situations. And by refining their decision-making skills, you can help them work together maturely, use different thinking styles, and commit collectively to decisions.

In this article, we'll look at three team-building exercises that you can use to improve problem solving and decision making in a new or established team.

Exercises to Build Decision-Making and Problem-Solving Skills

Use the following exercises to help your team members solve problems and make decisions together more effectively.

Exercise 1: Lost at Sea*

In this activity, participants must pretend that they've been shipwrecked and are stranded in a lifeboat. Each team has a box of matches, and a number of items that they've salvaged from the sinking ship. Members must agree which items are most important for their survival.

Download and print our team-building exercises worksheet to help you with this exercise.

This activity builds problem-solving skills as team members analyze information, negotiate and cooperate with one another. It also encourages them to listen and to think about the way they make decisions.

What You'll Need

• Up to five people in each group.
• A large, private room.
• A "lost at sea" ranking chart for each team member. This should comprise six columns. The first simply lists each item (see below). The second is empty so that each team member can rank the items. The third is for group rankings. The fourth is for the "correct" rankings, which are revealed at the end of the exercise. And the fifth and sixth are for the team to enter the difference between their individual and correct score, and the team and correct rankings, respectively.
• The items to be ranked are: a mosquito net, a can of petrol, a water container, a shaving mirror, a sextant, emergency rations, a sea chart, a floating seat or cushion, a rope, some chocolate bars, a waterproof sheet, a fishing rod, shark repellent, a bottle of rum, and a VHF radio. These can be listed in the ranking chart or displayed on a whiteboard, or both.
• The experience can be made more fun by having some lost-at-sea props in the room.

Flexible, but normally between 25 and 40 minutes.

Instructions

• Divide participants into their teams, and provide everyone with a ranking sheet.
• Ask team members to take 10 minutes on their own to rank the items in order of importance. They should do this in the second column of their sheet.
• Give the teams a further 10 minutes to confer and decide on their group rankings. Once agreed, they should list them in the third column of their sheets.
• Ask each group to compare their individual rankings with their collective ones, and consider why any scores differ. Did anyone change their mind about their own rankings during the team discussions? How much were people influenced by the group conversation?
• Now read out the "correct" order, collated by the experts at the US Coast Guard (from most to least important): - Shaving mirror. (One of your most powerful tools, because you can use it to signal your location by reflecting the sun.) - Can of petrol. (Again, potentially vital for signaling as petrol floats on water and can be lit by your matches.) - Water container. (Essential for collecting water to restore your lost fluids.) -Emergency rations. (Valuable for basic food intake.) - Plastic sheet. (Could be used for shelter, or to collect rainwater.) -Chocolate bars. (A handy food supply.) - Fishing rod. (Potentially useful, but there is no guarantee that you're able to catch fish. Could also feasibly double as a tent pole.) - Rope. (Handy for tying equipment together, but not necessarily vital for survival.) - Floating seat or cushion. (Useful as a life preserver.) - Shark repellent. (Potentially important when in the water.) - Bottle of rum. (Could be useful as an antiseptic for treating injuries, but will only dehydrate you if you drink it.) - Radio. (Chances are that you're out of range of any signal, anyway.) - Sea chart. (Worthless without navigational equipment.) - Mosquito net. (Assuming that you've been shipwrecked in the Atlantic, where there are no mosquitoes, this is pretty much useless.) - Sextant. (Impractical without relevant tables or a chronometer.)

Advice for the Facilitator

The ideal scenario is for teams to arrive at a consensus decision where everyone's opinion is heard. However, that doesn't always happen naturally: assertive people tend to get the most attention. Less forthright team members can often feel intimidated and don't always speak up, particularly when their ideas are different from the popular view. Where discussions are one-sided, draw quieter people in so that everyone is involved, but explain why you're doing this, so that people learn from it.

You can use the Stepladder Technique when team discussion is unbalanced. Here, ask each team member to think about the problem individually and, one at a time, introduce new ideas to an appointed group leader – without knowing what ideas have already been discussed. After the first two people present their ideas, they discuss them together. Then the leader adds a third person, who presents his or her ideas before hearing the previous input. This cycle of presentation and discussion continues until the whole team has had a chance to voice their opinions.

After everyone has finished the exercise, invite your teams to evaluate the process to draw out their experiences. For example, ask them what the main differences between individual, team and official rankings were, and why. This will provoke discussion about how teams arrive at decisions, which will make people think about the skills they must use in future team scenarios, such as listening , negotiating and decision-making skills, as well as creativity skills for thinking "outside the box."

A common issue that arises in team decision making is groupthink . This can happen when a group places a desire for mutual harmony above a desire to reach the right decision, which prevents people from fully exploring alternative solutions.

If there are frequent unanimous decisions in any of your exercises, groupthink may be an issue. Suggest that teams investigate new ways to encourage members to discuss their views, or to share them anonymously.

Exercise 2: The Great Egg Drop*

In this classic (though sometimes messy!) game, teams must work together to build a container to protect an egg, which is dropped from a height. Before the egg drop, groups must deliver presentations on their solutions, how they arrived at them, and why they believe they will succeed.

This fun game develops problem-solving and decision-making skills. Team members have to choose the best course of action through negotiation and creative thinking.

• Ideally at least six people in each team.
• Raw eggs – one for each group, plus some reserves in case of accidents!
• Materials for creating the packaging, such as cardboard, tape, elastic bands, plastic bottles, plastic bags, straws, and scissors.
• Aprons to protect clothes, paper towels for cleaning up, and paper table cloths, if necessary.
• Somewhere – ideally outside – that you can drop the eggs from. (If there is nowhere appropriate, you could use a step ladder or equivalent.)
• Around 15 to 30 minutes to create the packages.
• Approximately 15 minutes to prepare a one-minute presentation.
• Enough time for the presentations and feedback (this will depend on the number of teams).
• Time to demonstrate the egg "flight."
• Put people into teams, and ask each to build a package that can protect an egg dropped from a specified height (say, two-and-a-half meters) with the provided materials.
• Each team must agree on a nominated speaker, or speakers, for their presentation.
• Once all teams have presented, they must drop their eggs, assess whether the eggs have survived intact, and discuss what they have learned.

When teams are making their decisions, the more good options they consider, the more effective their final decision is likely to be. Encourage your groups to look at the situation from different angles, so that they make the best decision possible. If people are struggling, get them to brainstorm – this is probably the most popular method of generating ideas within a team.

Ask the teams to explore how they arrived at their decisions, to get them thinking about how to improve this process in the future. You can ask them questions such as:

• Did the groups take a vote, or were members swayed by one dominant individual?
• How did the teams decide to divide up responsibilities? Was it based on people's expertise or experience?
• Did everyone do the job they volunteered for?
• Was there a person who assumed the role of "leader"?
• How did team members create and deliver the presentation, and was this an individual or group effort?

Exercise 3: Create Your Own*

In this exercise, teams must create their own, brand new, problem-solving activity.

This game encourages participants to think about the problem-solving process. It builds skills such as creativity, negotiation and decision making, as well as communication and time management. After the activity, teams should be better equipped to work together, and to think on their feet.

• Ideally four or five people in each team.
• Paper, pens and flip charts.

Around one hour.

• As the participants arrive, you announce that, rather than spending an hour on a problem-solving team-building activity, they must design an original one of their own.
• Divide participants into teams and tell them that they have to create a new problem-solving team-building activity that will work well in their organization. The activity must not be one that they have already participated in or heard of.
• After an hour, each team must present their new activity to everyone else, and outline its key benefits.

There are four basic steps in problem solving : defining the problem, generating solutions, evaluating and selecting solutions, and implementing solutions. Help your team to think creatively at each stage by getting them to consider a wide range of options. If ideas run dry, introduce an alternative brainstorming technique, such as brainwriting . This allows your people to develop one others' ideas, while everyone has an equal chance to contribute.

After the presentations, encourage teams to discuss the different decision-making processes they followed. You might ask them how they communicated and managed their time . Another question could be about how they kept their discussion focused. And to round up, you might ask them whether they would have changed their approach after hearing the other teams' presentations.

Successful decision making and problem solving are at the heart of all effective teams. While teams are ultimately led by their managers, the most effective ones foster these skills at all levels.

The exercises in this article show how you can encourage teams to develop their creative thinking, leadership , and communication skills , while building group cooperation and consensus.

* Original source unknown. Please let us know if you know the original source.

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How to avoid groupthink on your team

Team cohesiveness is a good thing – until it sabotages creativity. Here’s how to ensure a desire for consensus doesn’t come at the price of critical thinking.

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Two (or more) brains are better than one, right? That’s true – unless all of those brains end up thinking the exact same thoughts at the exact same time. 

That’s groupthink: a collective phenomenon that can hinder your team from benefiting from all of the diverse perspectives, experiences, and ideas you should be tapping into.

But what exactly is groupthink? Why is it bad? And most importantly, how can you prevent it? Here’s how to stop the mind meld and encourage independent thinking on your team. 

What is groupthink?

This is how effective teams navigate the decision-making process

Groupthink occurs when a group of people prioritize consensus over critical thinking during the decision-making process . 

Rather than poking holes in each other’s arguments, voicing doubts, analyzing potential consequences, or offering new ideas and suggestions, group members simply nod along and agree with each other.

This doesn’t only happen on teams full of weak-minded pushovers – any team, under the wrong circumstances, could fall victim. Here are a few factors we know trigger the phenomenon:

• Team members don’t feel psychologically safe to dissent or disagree
• Team members are under heavy pressure to make a decision
• Team members don’t feel they have the right knowledge to contradict the status quo
• Team culture favors harmony and cohesion over conflict and dissent

All of those can inspire people to skip the hard conversations and go along with the group – even if the decision isn’t the best way forward. 

What is an example of groupthink?

Crack open a history book and you’ll find plenty of examples of groupthink. The Bay of Pigs Invasion , the Challenger disaster , and the Vietnam War are all commonly cited examples of times when groups conformed to bad decisions. 

Fortunately, while groupthink can happen in any sort of work setting, it’s usually not quite so disastrous. Here are a couple of ways you might see groupthink show up during decision-making at work: 

• Your team is finalizing the timeline for a new product launch. The schedule is ambitious (and likely completely unrealistic), but everybody is so enthusiastic that you keep your lips zipped, join in on the anticipation and excitement, and skip voicing your concerns.
• During a team meeting, your manager asks your team to choose which project you should prioritize next. One vocal member of your team makes the case for a project. You and other team members came to the meeting with your own ideas, but this person is on a roll and it seems easier to just go with their suggestion, even if it’s not the most pressing project on the team’s list.
• Your team prepared for a major customer event that’s happening outdoors. When the venue asked a few weeks ago if you’d like to rent tents in case of inclement weather, everybody brushed it off. When it unexpectedly rains the day of, you’re all caught off guard with absolutely no backup plan.

So, not quite as catastrophic as some of those classic examples throughout history. But prioritizing allegiance and obedience over reasoning and rationale can have serious consequences for teams. 

What are the pitfalls of groupthink? 

So what do those consequences actually look like? Groupthink can lead to some not-so-great outcomes, including:

• Poor decision-making: One of the biggest drawbacks of groupthink is that it hinders quality decision-making and problem-solving. The group becomes so focused on not rocking the boat that they’re willing to go along with what is ultimately a poor decision without any protest. 
• Lack of diverse perspectives: When people resist speaking up, the group misses out on different experiences and ideas. That limited view only gets worse as group members feel like they need to continue to censor themselves. In fact, research shows that groupthink is more likely to happen on homogenous teams. When groups already share a lot of similarities, they want to preserve that sense of unity. 
• Overconfidence: There’s power in numbers, and groupthink can fuel a sense of superiority – as if the team is bulletproof and couldn’t possibly fall victim to a bad decision. The group is always right. Those overinflated egos can get the team into some precarious situations they’re completely unprepared for. 

Is groupthink always bad?

Groupthink gets a bad rap, but it’s not always detrimental. It all depends on the stakes of the decision. If your team is faced with a low-pressure choice that’s not super consequential (like what to order for lunch or where to host your next offsite), a desire for cohesion can actually reduce conflict and encourage faster, smoother decision-making.

Ask yourself this: Do you need the best decision, or just a decision? If it’s the latter, groupthink isn’t always such a bad thing.

What are the characteristics of groupthink?

Groupthink can cause some problems on teams, but it’s also tough to recognize. After all, in the heat of the moment,  it never feels bad when your whole team is agreeing, high-fiving, and getting along. 

Fortunately, Irving Janis – the research psychologist who originally coined the term “groupthink” in 1972 – outlined eight symptoms of groupthink that can help you identify it on your own team:

• Illusions of invulnerability: The group feels impenetrable and like they’ll never have to deal with any fallout from their decisions.
• Illusions of unanimity: The group assumes that all decisions are unanimous without even asking for other opinions or perspectives. 
• Mindguards: A subset of group members appoint themselves as the group’s protectors – the ones who will keep any dissenting opinions or negative views at bay. 
• Pressure on opposing views: The group subtly or directly applies pressure to people who voice concerns or doubts to shut down those opinions and encourage conformity. 
• Rationalization of the group’s decisions: The group avoids, ignores, or completely shuts down any negative feedback or contradictory opinions and justifies that by highlighting the upsides of their own decision. 
• Self-censorship: The group members keep quiet even when they have an idea or criticism, because they’ve learned that the cohesion of the group is more important than their own contribution. 
• Stereotyping of the out-group: The group shares unquestionably negative views of anybody who disagrees with their decisions. 
• Unquestioned belief in the morality of the group: The group feels that they’re unquestionably noble, principled, and always right. 

How to avoid groupthink: 3 strategies to encourage critical thinking 

Whenever you’re working as part of a team, there’s the potential for groupthink to creep in. Fortunately, there are a few strategies you can use to encourage individual thought without increasing conflict. 

As a baseline, consider focusing on consent versus consensus . Atlassian’s own Modern Work Coach Mark Cruth explains, “consent allows a team to acknowledge that not everyone will (or should) agree with an idea, but focuses on ensuring an idea won’t be detrimental to the team’s goals. It helps a team build an experimentation mindset around their work.”

1. Prioritize psychological safety

Fostering psychological safety – which is when team members feel secure in disagreeing, making mistakes, or offering bold suggestions without the fear of judgment or repercussions – is one of the best ways to combat groupthink.

People are more likely to speak up when they feel like they have the permission and encouragement to do so. Makes sense, right? 

There are plenty of ways you can breed this sense of security on your team, including:

• Using a democratic leadership style to include people in decision-making
• Actively soliciting feedback and opinions – especially ones that are different from the group’s. Mark suggests a technique called the 1-2-4-All method to generate and combine ideas until a final idea emerges.
• Modeling vulnerability by openly sharing your own mistakes and missteps
• Treating failures or problems as learning opportunities rather than threats 

You could also consider allowing people to submit contributions or suggestions anonymously, as that gives team members a built-in sense of protection. However, proceed with caution here. If people are only willing to speak up when their identity isn’t attached, that’s a solid indicator that there’s not a high degree of psychological safety on your team. 

Mark also notes that “psychological safety isn’t something you can do … it’s only achievable through consistent action.” Take care and be deliberate about creating an environment where psychological safety can thrive. “Becoming clear about how you communicate and share feedback will help psychological safety grow within your team,” Mark says.

2. Minimize stress and pressure

Research shows that groupthink is way more prevalent when groups feel stressed. They’re under the wire to make a decision and move forward, so it’s easier (not to mention faster) to go along with the consensus. That’s preferable to dragging the process out, particularly when they’re eager for a resolution. 

In contrast, when you make an effort to mitigate the amount of pressure your team is under, they have more time and space to debate and discuss. This could mean:

• Building adequate time for brainstorming, problem-solving, and decision-making into your project timelines
• Ensuring all team members have manageable and reasonable workloads
• Reducing the number of urgent or time-sensitive decisions the team needs to make
• Clarifying which decisions are high-impact and which aren’t as consequential, so the team can react accordingly 

Of course, things still happen and fires crop up. But the more you can manage the amount of stress on your team, the less likely they are to grit their teeth and default to groupthink just to get through it. 

3. Encourage independent thought

Use divergent thinking to generate fresh ideas in your next brainstorm

Kind of a no-brainer: getting everybody to think for themselves is obviously the best way to keep groupthink far away from your team. But how do you actually get people to think independently? You can try:

• Brainwriting : In brainstorming sessions, team members get a set amount of time to independently write down their ideas alone before sharing with the bigger group. Research shows that most people are actually most creative when they work alone, and one small brainwriting study proves that a little bit of quiet time generates more and better ideas. 
• Six Thinking Hats : In this exercise, team members wear different “hats,” a metaphor for thinking about a problem or decision with different perspectives. The entire team wears the same “hat” at the same time, which you’d think would encourage groupthink. Instead, it provides an opportunity to explore a decision from all sides, encouraging exploration and questions rather than shutting them down. 
• Designate a dissenter: Want to get some more controversial suggestions or opinions in the mix? Assign someone the role of the dissenter when your team is in a discussion. This person is required to ask questions, poke holes, and offer constructive criticism. Will it be a little uncomfortable at first? Sure. But it keeps people on their toes and models healthy and respectful dissent for the rest of the team. 
• Mark also suggests the Disruptive Brainstorming Play from the Atlassian Team Playbook, “to help flip traditional brainstorming on its head. The goal of the play is to add enough variety and unpredictability to the brainstorming process to prevent groupthink from setting in.”

Regardless of the type of divergent thinking exercise you use, your goal is to get your team to start thinking more independently – and the exercise gives them a framework (as well as explicit permission) to do something that might not be the norm on your team: think outside the box. 

Don’t let cohesion sabotage creativity

There’s a lot of value in having diverse perspectives, experiences, and ideas on your team. But you only benefit if people openly share their out-of-the-box (or even controversial) suggestions.

“So many people misunderstand ‘cohesion’ as ‘being nice to each other,’” Mark says. “But cohesion is really the same as that bond we feel with close friends and family members, where we inherently trust the other people on our team even if we disagree with them. And when we do disagree, we let them know! Cohesion is about kindness, and not hiding how we feel because we know our thoughts are welcomed no matter what.”

Groupthink can keep those kinds of conversations locked down, because team members find it easier to stick with the group than to voice their own thoughts, concerns, or constructive criticism. 

Think there’s absolutely no way it could happen on your team? Do a gut check and see if that’s actually true – or if you’re simply more comfortable thinking that way. 

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Empowering high-performance teams with the overall team effectiveness framework.

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Nico Röpnack, CEO of Lighthouse Consultings , Expert in Transformation & High-Performance Teams Champion of Operational Excellence.

In the rapidly evolving business landscape, characterized by technological advancements and organizational complexities, the essence of high-performing teams has become increasingly paramount.

The development of the overall team effectiveness (OTE) framework represents a pioneering approach, offering a nuanced tool for enhancing team dynamics. I recently introduced this framework at a management conference in Germany and led a small workshop with 20 people. Drawing on extensive professional insights and inspired by seminal works such as Jeffrey Liker's principles and Harvard Business Review's deep dives into organizational behavior, I developed the OTE framework for cultivating environments conducive to exceptional team performance.

This framework emphasizes four critical dimensions: innovation, decision making, agility and collaboration, each designed to propel teams toward unparalleled success.

1. Innovation

Innovation, the linchpin of competitive advantage, demands a culture where risks are embraced and failures are viewed as milestones towards success. The OTE framework underscores the importance of diversity in thought and the freedom to explore, essential for fostering creativity.

A prime example can be found in Google's "20% time" policy , which empowers employees to dedicate a portion of their workweek to passion projects, leading to breakthrough innovations like Google News.

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With this aspect of the OTE framework, business leaders should evaluate the systemic support for creative endeavors; this challenges organizations to dismantle barriers to innovation such as rigid hierarchical structures and a lack of psychological safety that stifles idea sharing.

2. Decision-Making

Effective decision-making is a hallmark of high-performance teams, blending speed with inclusivity to navigate through uncertainty. The OTE framework examines the mechanisms in place for making collective, informed choices, emphasizing the need for clear communication channels and a shared vision.

For instance, Amazon's "disagree and commit" principle exemplifies a culture that values decisive action after inclusive deliberation, ensuring agility in execution while fostering a sense of unity and purpose.

When focusing on this metric, aim to identify and mitigate common obstacles such as information silos and a prevailing culture of indecision, advocating for an environment where accountability is embraced.

3. Collaboration

At the core of high-performance teams lies an unparalleled capacity for collaboration, transcending departmental boundaries to foster a culture of shared knowledge and mutual growth. The OTE framework places a significant emphasis on the mechanisms and platforms facilitating such collaborative endeavors.

In today's digital age, the increasing reliance on collaborative work management (CWM) platforms underscores the critical need for strategies and tools that enable seamless interaction and integration across various functions within an organization. As CEO of a company that specializes in these tools, I've seen firsthand how offering a versatile environment where teams can not only coordinate tasks and projects but also share insights and lessons learned in real time can be beneficial.

This shift toward comprehensive, digitally-enabled collaboration reflects a broader organizational imperative: to break down silos and cultivate a workspace where information flows freely and collective efforts are amplified.

Through this lens of the OTE framework, I suggest leaders evaluate the organization's commitment to fostering cross-departmental collaboration. Make sure you understand the importance of adopting technologies that enhance connectivity and streamline collaborative processes. By addressing the barriers to effective teamwork, organizations can unlock new dimensions of performance, driving innovation and achieving strategic goals with unprecedented cohesion and efficiency.

Agility in the contemporary business context signifies the capacity to swiftly adapt and pivot in response to emerging challenges and opportunities. The OTE framework's agility dimension is inspired by agile development methodologies , advocating for flat team structures that enhance responsiveness.

The success of Spotify's squad model , which organizes teams around specific features or products, illustrates the effectiveness of empowering small, cross-functional teams to operate with autonomy, thereby accelerating product development cycles. When considering this component of the OTE, assess the organization's procedural and cultural flexibility, aiming to overcome bureaucratic inertia and resistance to change.

The OTE framework can be a comprehensive tool for diagnosing and enhancing the elements that underpin high-performing teams. By meticulously assessing innovation, decision-making, agility and collaboration, organizations are equipped to foster an environment where teams can truly excel.

As businesses navigate the complexities of the modern workplace, I've found the OTE framework offers a blueprint for building resilient, innovative and cohesive teams capable of achieving extraordinary outcomes. Embrace the OTE framework and embark on a transformative journey towards cultivating high-performance teams within your organization. Discover the potential that lies in a strategic, data-informed approach to team development.

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10 Team-Building Games That Promote Critical Thinking

Students may improve their capabilities in critical thinking and other skills that will help them be successful in the contemporary job by participating in Team-building games for critical thinking. Students who value collaboration (and who will go on to become employers!) have higher levels of motivation and creativity.

It is common knowledge that kids like collaborating in groups very lot. Why don’t we make it into a game instead? Games are often a better option than brain training activities for helping children develop lateral thinking. However, brain training activities may be employed. Implementing these strategies in your classes can help students become more critical thinkers and more successful collaborators.

Here are 10 Team-Building Games That Promote Critical Thinking;

1. minefield.

Minefield Team-building games for critical thinking is a time-honored exercise that has been shown to foster better communication and a sense of trust among participants of all ages. It requires the construction of an obstacle course as well as the grouping of the students into different teams. Students take turns navigating the “minefield” while wearing blindfolds and relying only on the support of their classmates to find their way. You might also encourage kids to use certain terms or hints in order to make it more challenging for them or to utilize information that is related to the topic in order to make it more interesting to them.

2. If You Build it

This exercise in establishing teams may easily be adapted to fit your needs. To get started, separate the children into teams and give each group an equal quantity of a certain substance. Some examples of this material are pipe cleaners, bricks, dried spaghetti, and marshmallows.

After that, you should assign them a project to work on. The challenge may take on a variety of forms, such as “which team can build the biggest castle that is also structurally sound?” Which side has the capacity to build the greatest number of castles in the least period of time? You may recycle this exercise throughout the year by modifying the challenge or the resources to correspond to other subject areas in the curriculum.

3. It’s a Mystery

Since many children, especially younger ones, like a good mystery, why not challenge them to solve it in a way that encourages them to collaborate with one another? It would be helpful to offer each child a numbered clue. The youngsters need to cooperate in order to find the answers to the clues in order to allow themselves enough time to solve the mystery, such as the case of the missing mascot. It’s possible that in order to solve the “case,” they’ll need to go about the room and look in other areas for additional clues.

Zoom team-building games for critical thinking is an old standby when it comes to games for constructing teams, and the many advantages that come with playing the game make it even more interesting. The children are seated in a circle, and one child gives each child an image of an item from Zoom.

The game begins with one child relating a story based on the image that they are holding, and the next student continues the story from where the previous student left off. The game helps youngsters improve their creativity, critical thinking, and communication abilities by compelling them to create the tales on the spot and challenging them to think critically about what they’ve written.

5. Save the Egg

During this team-building games for critical thinking, each team of three or four persons will have the opportunity to drop their egg from a certain height. They need to devise strategies that will prevent the egg from cracking while it is in the air. They are free to use whatever items or apparatus of their choosing to effect a soft landing for the egg or to guarantee that it settles in an unharmed state.

Because this one has the potential to get ugly, it is essential to choose a site that is risk-free and where no one will be worried about hurting valuable school property.

6. marshmallows-game

7. Go for Gold

The teams compete to achieve the same objective in this Team-building games for critical thinking, which is similar to the game “If you create it,” but rather than having the same resources, the teams have access to a huge quantity. For instance, the objective may be to construct, consisting of pipes, rubber tubing, and cardboard, a machine that, with the only assistance of gravity, can move a marble from point A to point B in a certain number of stages.

Although learning through textbooks is essential, teachers also have a responsibility to ensure that pupils can interact effectively with one another. Exercises that focus on fostering a sense of teamwork are an effective way to do this, and there is no sign that this fad will ever die out.

8. Keep it Real

Because it is founded on a straightforward concept that encourages conversation and problem-solving, this open-ended model functions as an efficient examination tool for students. Give the students the mission to identify and address a genuine issue that exists in their own schools or communities. For the purpose of assisting youngsters in defining their own boundaries, some restrictions, such as time limits, material limits, and physical limitations, might be put on them.

9. Shrinking Vessel

Critical thinking may be tough to understand after undergoing brain training, but after participating in exciting Team-building games for critical thinking like the shrinking vessel, it quickly becomes second nature. The participants will first be split up into smaller groups to begin the exercise. Every group is going to have to coordinate their efforts so that they can fit into a smaller and smaller area until there is no more room. Cones or a rope might be used to define the perimeter of the area. Playing this game will teach you how to collaborate with others to find solutions to challenges.

10. The Worst-Case Scenario

Students are split up into two or more groups, and each of those groups is given a tough scenario to solve. Some examples of these scenarios include being abandoned on a barren island or becoming lost at sea. They are then given the instruction to collaborate with one another within their teams in order to find a solution to the challenge and ultimately emerge triumphant. The children have to come up with a strategy in order to guarantee that everyone will live through the worst-case scenario.

In this particular situation, the students may be quizzed about the things that they will need in order to do the task, in addition to any other passages that they may come across. The fact that youngsters are required to cooperate with one another helps in the development of their ability to solve problems and teaches them the importance of working together as a team through Team-building games for critical thinking.

Bottom line

To achieve the highest productivity at work, Team-building games for critical thinking are conducted in distinct corporate games. However, these games can boost efficiency in the study if undertaken in a classroom atmosphere. They help students to break the monotony in the learning environment. We hope our blog helped you to get new ideas regarding Team-building games for critical thinking. You can implement them in your next session within the classroom.

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Strategic Thinking Exercises for Teams: Enhance Collaboration and Decision-Making

In today’s fast-paced business environment, teams need to be adept at strategic thinking in order to stay ahead of the competition and navigate complex challenges. Strategic thinking exercises are crucial for fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and adaptability within teams. These exercises enhance communication, encourage creative problem-solving, and equip team members with tools and techniques to effectively assess and address current and future situations.

By incorporating strategic thinking exercises into team-building activities and professional development programs, companies can empower their employees to become better decision-makers and contribute to the organization’s overall growth and success. From brainstorming sessions to interactive workshops, there is a wide array of exercises available for teams of all sizes and from diverse industries.

Key Takeaways

• Strategic thinking exercises foster innovation and adaptability in teams.
• Enhancing strategic thinking skills improves decision-making and problem-solving abilities.
• Leveraging online platforms and addressing competitive challenges are key aspects of effective strategic thinking training.

Understanding Strategic Thinking

Strategic thinking is a crucial skill for individuals and teams in any organization. It involves developing a long-term perspective on the organization’s goals, challenges, and opportunities. By adopting a strategic mindset, team members can make informed decisions and develop plans that align with the organization’s overall vision.

Teams that effectively use strategic thinking skills are better equipped to navigate complex situations, anticipate future challenges, and adapt to changes in the business environment. At the heart of strategic thinking is the ability to identify patterns and trends, think deeply about potential repercussions, and explore creative solutions to problems.

There are several elements that contribute to developing a strategic mindset within a team. Firstly, encouraging open communication and collaboration among team members is essential. Having an environment where everyone feels comfortable sharing ideas and opinions can lead to more diverse and innovative thinking.

Secondly, it is important to cultivate a culture of continuous learning. By staying informed about industry trends, technological advancements, and competitors’ strategies, teams can better anticipate future challenges and proactively adapt to new situations.

Thirdly, strategic thinking involves understanding the bigger picture and how each team member’s individual actions contribute to the overall success of the organization. By promoting a shared sense of purpose and aligning individual objectives with the organization’s goals, teams can work more effectively towards a common vision.

Lastly, integrating strategic thinking exercises into team meetings and workshops can be an effective way to enhance the team’s strategic mindset. These exercises can help them practice their strategic thinking skills and develop actionable plans for facing various challenges. Exercises such as scenario planning and quantifying statistics can be particularly useful in promoting strategic thinking among team members.

In conclusion, developing a strategic mindset within a team is a vital aspect of organizational success. By cultivating an environment that promotes open communication, continuous learning, a shared sense of purpose, and regular strategic thinking exercises, teams can equip themselves with the necessary skills to navigate complex situations and ensure the organization’s long-term success.

Importance of Strategic Thinking for Teams

Strategic thinking is a crucial skill that enhances a team’s ability to tackle complex challenges and drive organizational growth. When a team practices strategic thinking exercises, it encourages collaboration, communication, and innovative problem-solving for the whole organization. It goes beyond the capabilities of individual team members, fostering a comprehensive understanding of the business landscape and identifying opportunities for growth and improvement.

Team cohesion and effective leadership are essential components of strategic thinking. When a team works together, it can generate new ideas, explore various perspectives, and devise creative solutions to complex problems. This collaborative approach ensures that each team member contributes their unique abilities and insights, resulting in a more coherent and well-rounded strategy.

Effective leadership plays a crucial role in promoting strategic thinking among team members. Leaders who possess a clear vision and who encourage open dialogue can inspire their team to think critically about long-term goals and objectives. It creates an environment where individuals feel comfortable sharing their ideas and challenging the status quo. This, in turn, fosters a culture of continuous improvement and innovation within the organization.

By embracing strategic thinking exercises, teams can effectively assess internal and external factors, identify potential obstacles, and devise plans to overcome them. Additionally, it enables teams to anticipate future trends and adapt their strategies accordingly, ensuring sustainable growth in an increasingly competitive landscape.

In conclusion, the implementation of strategic thinking exercises within a team offers numerous benefits, including improved communication, collaboration, and decision-making. It empowers teams to tackle challenges proactively and drive their organization forward on the path to success while fostering a culture of continuous learning and innovation.

Exercises to Enhance Strategic Thinking Skills

Scenario Planning Exercise

Scenario planning is a vital part of strategic thinking exercises that allow team members to envision multiple futures and identify possible changes to the organization’s environment. This exercise pushes participants to think critically and creatively about a range of alternative outcomes and develop contingency plans for each scenario. Scenario planning not only prepares team members for change but also encourages them to be more flexible and adaptable in their strategic decision-making.

Brainstorming Sessions

Brainstorming sessions are essential for fostering a culture of innovation and creativity within an organization. These sessions give team members the opportunity to share their ideas, thoughts, and insights on various topics and challenges. To maximize productivity, it’s important to create a supportive and open environment in which participants feel comfortable to think freely, take risks and question conventional ideas. The goal of brainstorming is to generate as many different ideas as possible, leading to comprehensive problem-solving and enhanced strategic thinking.

Vision Statement Development

Creating a clear and inspiring vision statement is an important element of strategic thinking exercises. The vision statement provides a long-term direction for the organization, serving as a foundation for future planning, decision-making, and measuring progress. Developing a vision statement requires the team’s collaboration, intellectual commitment, and dedication to the organization’s mission and values. By involving team members in the development of this vision, organizations can better align their collective goals and aspirations, ultimately leading to a more cohesive and effective strategic plan.

Leveraging Online Platforms for Training

As remote work and virtual collaboration become increasingly prevalent, many organizations are turning to online platforms to facilitate strategic thinking exercises for their teams. These platforms offer a convenient and accessible way for team members to develop and refine their strategic thinking skills while working together in a virtual environment.

Harvard ManageMentor

One of the leading online leadership training platforms is Harvard ManageMentor . This comprehensive program, developed by Harvard Business School, offers a wide range of courses designed to help professionals at all levels improve their strategic thinking abilities. Fortune 500 companies often use this platform to train their teams and enhance their strategic capabilities.

Participants in the program can access interactive modules, multimedia resources, and real-life scenarios that simulate real-world challenges faced by business leaders. Upon completion of each course, participants earn badges that can be showcased on their LinkedIn profiles and resumes to highlight their strategic thinking expertise.

LinkedIn Learning

Another popular platform for online leadership training is LinkedIn Learning . This platform hosts a vast library of courses taught by industry experts, many of which focus on strategic thinking, team-building exercises, and problem-solving techniques.

LinkedIn Learning courses often include video lessons, practical exercises, quizzes, and valuable insights from experienced professionals. Participants can develop their strategic thinking abilities by engaging with these resources and working on their skill sets individually or as a part of a team. Like Harvard ManageMentor, LinkedIn Learning also awards badges upon course completion, which can be added to users’ profiles, demonstrating their commitment to professional development.

By leveraging these online platforms, teams can develop their strategic thinking capabilities in a flexible, convenient, and impactful manner. Organizations that prioritize strategic thinking training will be better equipped to navigate the complex business landscape and excel in their respective industries.

Addressing Competitive Challenges

In today’s fast-paced business environment, teams must continually adapt their strategic thinking skills to tackle competitive challenges. Addressing issues such as disruptive competitors and new market opportunities requires a well-thought-out plan, a focus on clear communication, and effective initiative implementation.

The first step in addressing competitive challenges is to identify potential disruptive competitors in the market. Disruptive competitors, such as startups or new technologies, can challenge established players by offering innovative, cost-effective solutions. Teams must analyze the market landscape and develop strategies about how to maintain their competitive edge.

One approach for dealing with disruptive competitors is to focus on strengthening the team’s communication skills. Ensuring that all team members understand the company’s vision, goals, and strategy can foster a sense of unity and purpose. Moreover, effective communication can enable the team to better respond to changes in the market or address unforeseen challenges.

A critical aspect of addressing competitive challenges is to shift the team’s mindset to a proactive stance. Instead of simply reacting to market changes, teams should explore new market opportunities and initiate targeted strategies aimed at generating growth and staying ahead of the competition. This can involve conducting market research, identifying customer pain points, and exploring potential partnerships or acquisitions.

Fostering a culture of strategic thinking within the team can greatly improve the team’s ability to navigate competitive challenges. Encouraging open discussion of ideas and implementing regular strategic thinking exercises can promote innovation and collaboration among team members. This collective mindset can help the team anticipate potential challenges and develop more effective initiatives.

In summary, addressing competitive challenges requires teams to be proactive, communicate effectively, and foster a culture of strategic thinking. By staying attuned to market dynamics and continuously refining their strategy, teams can confidently navigate uncertainties and maintain a strong competitive position.

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Skill-based team building

5 critical thinking team building activities for adults [research-based]

This just in: Critical thinking is one of the top 10 job skills of the future.

While that's not entirely shocking, most leaders aren't sure how to develop critical thinking. If you're one of those people, we've compiled five activities that will sharpen your team's skills and bring them closer together.

Dive deeper:   Reverse-engineering Google - Team building for high-performance teams.

How employers see critically thinking employees 

Thanks to critical thinking, you can stand out during the recruitment process and excel throughout your career. But what makes a powerful workplace critical thinker?

In 2020, the Journal of Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues (JESI) published a phenomenography study dedicated to an average employer's expectations from their workers . 

It identified 3 most-valued "categories" of critical thinking at the workplace : 

• Decisions to act here and now. Quick decision-making makes problem-solving and crisis management easier. To master this type of critical thinking, you need to take responsibility for your actions and opinions. 
• Verified and assured decisions to act. Here, team players driven by the company's values stand out. Learn to manage conflicts, highlight each others' strengths, and work as a team for the good of the organization. 
• Innovative decisions for operational improvement. This aspect of critical thinking encourages you to work with others and socialize, finding solutions that will improve the existing processes in your company. 

As you can imagine, it's pretty difficult to come up with a training that would cover all three specifics at once. Instead, work on each of the critical thinking categories on their own.

Anna Kvasnevska

Team Building Expert & Writer

Large groups

Prep required

Share fun facts and bond with a team quiz

Have your participants choose from a list of questions they’d like their coworkers to answer about them, before watching as they guess the right answer.

share-fun-facts-and-bond-with-a-team-quiz

Run a guided recognition activity

run-a-guided-recognition-activity

Organize a virtual cooking class

Hire a professional chef to help your team cook a delicious lunch or dinner. May be difficult for co-workers with families. To find providers and get tips, read our blog about virtual cooking classes.

organize-a-virtual-cooking-class

Hire a stand-up comedian

hire-a-stand-up-comedian

No items found

Table of contents

Stop googling ideas. Get a long-term team building plan.

Critical thinking team building games to practice acting here and now.

According to the JESI research, this type of critical thinking directly relates to your internal inspiration and courage. You need to believe that what you decide is right and act accordingly . 

Classical team building activities like survival simulation and escape rooms are perfect for this practice. 

1. Take part in survival simulation activities

Survival simulation challenges your on-the-spot decision-making. This type of exercise puts you in situations where you need to think fast as if your life depends on it. 

2. Go to an escape room

Carefully scripted challenges of modern escape rooms work similarly to the survival simulations. It forces you to act here and now, knowing that your decisions will affect the rest of the team.

This kind of team building is perfect for remote teams , as you can do the most sophisticated escape rooms online ! 

Critical thinking team building activities for adults who want to make verified decisions

This type of employer-oriented critical thinking helps you understand professional activities better. Here, it's not just about finding the right solution. Instead, it's about discovering as many solutions as possible and justifying them . 

Try team building activities dedicated to research and group problem-solving, like the timely classics: SWOT analysis or group debates. 

3. Make a SWOT analysis together

SWOT analysis is a popular marketing framework for analyzing a project's Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. It encourages research, outside-of-the-box reasoning, and teamwork. So it also makes a fruitful critical-thinking team building experience! 

4. Hold a debate

Another great way to practice making verified decisions is by holding a debate-style team building event. This way, you'll get valuable experience backing up your statements with facts. Also, you will practice public speaking and argumentation - the other two highly-valued professional skills.

Build engaged teams with zero effort

Critical thinking team building activities to promote innovation.

You can use critical thinking to drive innovation and change. Innovators feel safe sharing their ideas and are ready to become leaders . For this, focus on team building activities that promote communication , creativity, and empathy . 

There are many team building activities for work that promote these behaviors. But today, we wanted to share the one that encourages innovation particularly well:

5. Create a vision board with your team

Think of a company you'd be proud to represent. Brainstorm the values it stands for. Present the opportunities it opens for the employees and the clients. Highlight the good things you already have. And think about what you could do as a team to turn it into reality. 

This powerful team building exercise works on many levels:

• It allows you to appreciate the benefits you may be taking for granted ;
• It demonstrates what goals and values you share with your team ;
• It creates a sense of direction for the positive impact you could have on the company;
• It promotes creativity, critical thinking, and trust among the participants. 

All these critical thinking team building activities work for remote teams as well as the on-site ones and are affordable ! All you need is a reliable virtual conference platform (like Veertly !) and some of the must-have software to make your online team building feel like a face-to-face one. 

Have fun and drive the change you want to see! 

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• Team Building

12 Mind-Blowing Team Building Exercises To Supercharge Teams

Senior Writer for HR and Remote Work

Amidst the flurry of activity that is common to a busy workplace, it’s easy for staff to become isolated from their colleagues, and interpersonal relationships often take a hit at the workplace. Team building exercises are one of the best solutions for this kind of disconnect. By introducing games and challenges that promote cohesion and camaraderie, teams interact with each other more often, stay more productive, and happy. In this post, we’ve put together 12 different activities to boost morale and improve working relationships, ranging from critical-thinking exercises like brain teasers and murder mysteries to collaborative puzzles like escape rooms.

In this blog

1. why are team building exercises essential in workplaces.

Team building exercises for work colleagues promote functional communication, providing the scaffolding for more effective working relationships. By creating a sense of trust and unity, they encourage employees to have open, frank discussions with one another that can ultimately speed up the process of finding solutions to any project issues that arise.

2. Team Building Exercises for Bonding

2.1. human knot.

The Human Knot is one of the most popular team building exercises because it’s simple to explain and requires no prep of any kind. The activity generally takes about 15 to 20 minutes and can only be performed in person, rather than virtually.

Divide everyone up into groups of between 5 and 10 people. Have each group stand in a circle, then ask them to reach out their right hand to clasp the right hand of another person. Now ask them to reach out their left hand to grasp a different person’s left hand. Once that’s done, each group must try to untangle themselves without releasing the hands they are holding.

This game develops clear communication and group discussion, as it’s impossible to untangle everybody without cooperation. It’s also an interesting way to probe which members of staff are good at solving spatial problems and which ones are naturally inclined towards assuming a leadership role.

2.2. Gutterball

Also known as the Pipeline game , gutterball is a fast-paced game that can take as little as a minute or as long as 10 minutes, depending on the level of difficulty. It does require specific equipment, but this can be cheaply purchased online .

Divide everyone up into teams of about 5 people and give each person a piece of gutter pipe, as well as one ball per team. The goal is for the quintet to move the ball from the start line to the finish line as quickly as possible without dropping it. The team that does this in the fastest time is the winner.

In some variations, teams must start all over again when they drop the ball, but if you’re looking for quick team building activities, this rule can be set aside in favor of a time penalty for each drop. While gutterball doesn’t require the same problem-solving skills as the human knot, it does necessitate skilled teamwork to keep the ball flowing down the piping.

2.3. Scavenger Hunt

Scavenger hunts are a flexible team-building activity that can be played in person or virtually, in small groups or large ones. There are many variations, some taking just an hour while others occupy half a day, but all the scenarios promote team bonding and resourcefulness.

If you are playing remotely, the game can be played in teams using breakout rooms . Gather everyone together on a video conferencing platform and reveal a set of items that they must find within their house. This list can be either a straightforward checklist or take the form of cryptic clues . Set a time limit for team discussions and strategizing (about 5 to 10 minutes), before letting people loose to find the items (another 5 to 10 minutes). Once the time is up, reconvene everyone and award points for each item completed. The team with the most points is declared the winner.

If you prefer an in-person scavenger hunt, the easiest way to manage it is via a professional company like Wildgoose , who will take care of all the planning and hosting, or using an app like Scavify , which allows organizers to build their journeys.

3. Critical Thinking Team Building Exercises

3.1. cast away.

How would you survive on a desert island? That’s the crux of this game, in which each person is allowed to choose 5 items that they would desire to have while trapped on an isolated island. These items can be practical or frivolous, but in either case, will reveal something about the mindset and personality of each participant.

Cast Away works well in both in-person and remote settings. In general, each person should be given 1 to 5 minutes to speak, including any time given over to questions from colleagues and any resulting discussions.

3.2. Brain Teasers

Warm up the mind with some classic brain teasers that are equally fun for virtual or in-person gatherings. There are lots of different kinds of puzzles that can be found for free online to include as part of a mini-game, including rebuses , quick crosswords , spot the difference , and riddles .

These 5-minute team building activities can be played by as many people as are present, either individually or divided into teams. After the time is up, reveal the answers and find out who fared the best. Brain teasers stimulate creativity, cognition, and concentration, which is why they are usually best used at the beginning of a team-building session or meeting.

3.3. Murder Mystery Game

Murder mystery games bring employees together for an exciting adventure that requires group problem-solving. Following in the footsteps of classic whodunnit detectives, teams must use a series of clues to figure out an elaborate homicide with multiple suspects and misleading red herrings.

It’s possible to purchase murder mystery packs so you can run your sessions with the team in the office, but it’s usually more entertaining to have a professional host oversee proceedings. Companies like Hooray Teams , for example, have several virtual murder mystery options, including a country manor, and Hollywood mystery. These are great for remote and hybrid teams to stay engaged.

4. Fun Icebreaking Team Building Exercises

4.1. guess the drawing.

Bringing the artistic side of the staff to the surface, Guess the Drawing is an entertaining activity that is great for blowing off steam and encouraging staff to relax and socialize.

Divide participants into 2 or 3 teams. Each player takes it in turn to draw an image based on a prompt , which their teammates must guess within a minute. The game continues until everyone has had a turn at drawing.

This game can be played with as many people as desired, though bear in mind that the number of participants will affect the length of the game. If playing in person, prepare a whiteboard for people to draw upon. If playing online, video-conferencing sites like Zoom have built-in virtual whiteboards , or there are websites like Drawize that facilitate free screen sharing for team play.

4.2. Would You Rather

An amusing icebreaker that helps employees get to know one another better, Would You Rather is a speculative question game that asks people to choose between two hypothetical scenarios.

To get the game started, prepare a list of questions beforehand. These can be as work-oriented or as light-hearted as desired. For example, “Would you rather be James Bond or Jack Reacher?” or “Would you rather have more work than you could ever complete or hardly have any work at all?”

The game works best as a 10-minute introductory activity, to be followed with more skills-based games. To ensure people stay engaged, keep groups to sizes of no more than 20.

4.3. Charades

Charades is a dinner party favorite that can be adapted easily for a work setting. The object of the game is for players to act out a song, book, movie, or phrase so that their teammates can correctly identify the word or words. Create your suggestions from common office lingo or use a random charade generator to prompt staff.

Nudging staff to express themselves solely through gestures is a great way to nurture creative thinking and nonverbal communication, all wrapped up in a laugh-filled social atmosphere.

Charades can be played virtually or in person with as many people as you like, though the optimum number of participants is between 10 and 15, divided into groups of 4 or 5. Games usually last between half an hour and an hour.

5. Team Building Activities for Collaboration

5.1. minefield.

A paired activity that relies on solid peer-to-peer communication and trust, Minefield requires a blindfolded person to traverse an obstacle course with the help of their partner. The goal is to make it from the start line to the finish without touching any of the objects in the way.

If the space is available, you can set up several identical obstacle courses and have pairs race through. Alternatively, time how long it takes each pair to safely navigate the minefield.

This activity normally takes around 30 to 45 minutes to complete, depending on the complexity of the obstacle course and the number of participants. To ensure that staff don’t spend too long waiting around, it’s best played with at most 16 people or 8 pairs.

5.2. Escape Room Challenge

Popularized over the last decade or so, Escape rooms are collaborative puzzles that rely on lateral thinking and teamwork for success. Participants must use their problem-solving skills to work out how to break out from a dungeon, a haunted mansion, or numerous other eerie settings.

Escape rooms can be played in person at a location that has been specially designed for the purpose or virtually with the help of hosted platforms like Hooray Teams for remote teams in mind.

Most escape rooms last about 60 minutes and have been created for groups of between 4 and 8 people, though some cater for larger parties.

5.3. Jigsaw Puzzle

Go back to the basics with one of the simplest team building activities for small groups, a jigsaw puzzle. Jigsaw puzzles have been shown to improve memory, problem solving, and concentration while simultaneously reducing stress, making them a relaxing all-rounder for team bonding.

For an activity that lasts about 30 minutes to an hour, a 100-piece jigsaw should be sufficient for four people. If there are larger numbers of participants, consider purchasing several 50-piece puzzles and seeing which team can finish first.

While jigsaws can be played online , they work best when undertaken in person. This way, employees can discuss what pieces they need for their section of the puzzle and physically swap the required parts, bringing the collaborative aspect to the fore.

6.1. What are good team building exercises?

There are loads of fantastic team building exercises to choose from, such as problem-solving games like escape rooms and murder mysteries, ice breakers such as would you rather and office bingo, and field days involving physical activities like tug of war and sack races. Choose pursuits that meet your team-building objectives, whether those are skills development or social bonding.

6.2. What is team building skills?

Common skills that can be promoted and developed during team building include active listening, group problem solving, critical thinking, collaboration, and leadership. Above all, team building is an opportunity for staff to get to know one another on a deeper level, which helps develop empathy and interpersonal rapport.

6.3. What are the 4 main types of team building activities?

While there’s no definitive list of the 4 main types of team building activities, the 4 principal areas that group games encompass are communication, problem solving/critical thinking, team bonding, and fun/relaxation.

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Spring 2024 | Critical Thinking for Team Leaders

The Broad College of Business Executive Development Programs offers Critical Thinking for Team Leaders to help meet an ongoing demand for critical thinking skills among those who lead teams and those who build teams. After attending this program, participants will be able to utilize new strategies for effective problem solving and decision making. As a consequence, they will be empowered to prevent their usual problems and avoid different, oncoming challenges. By maximizing critical thinking and reasoning, individuals will enhance their most important resource and the ultimate competitive advantage — their minds.

CRITICAL THINKING FOR TEAM LEADERS APRIL 24-25, 2024

“NOTHING AFFECTS YOUR LIFE MORE THAN THE WAY YOU THINK.” – MICHAEL R. RIP Assistant Professor, Department of Management, MSU Broad College of Business

OUR MISSION We create and disseminate knowledge through collaboration, developing global transformational leaders who positively impact organizations and society. OUR VISION To be a top-of-mind business school as reflected by the recognition of our brand, the reputation of our people, and

PROGRAM INTRODUCTION The current business landscape can most accurately be characterized as a swiftly moving, data-laden realm, fraught with elevated levels of uncertainty. The ability to diagnose and solve problems through critical thinking is more important to team leaders and business success than ever. According to Forbes Magazine , the World Economic Forum and businesses across a wide range of industries, critical thinking is among the top three skills most in demand in the workforce. The Broad College of Business offers Critical Thinking for Team Leaders to help meet this demand. During these two-day, in-person work sessions, individuals and teams are challenged to identify cognitive bias and expand their thinking to improve problem prevention and problem-solving. Participants are provided a toolkit of practical decision-making strategies and research-based reasoning models, all of which can be immediately applied on the job. WHO SHOULD ATTEND? Are you making decisions and choices that impact people, processes, policies, and key outcomes for your department or organization? No matter where you are in the organization, people often do not realize the impact of their decision-making until a problem arises or an unexpected reaction catches them off guard. The Critical Thinking for Team Leaders program is for those who are responsible for anticipating and addressing problems that may hinder business productivity and outcomes. Former participants include senior leaders and front-line managers who are helping others analyze and resolve problems in both the short and long term. Critical thinking is essential to strategic planning success.

the rankings of our programs.

Executive Development Programs Michigan State University [email protected] execed.broad.msu.edu 517-353-8711

CRITICAL THINKING FOR TEAM LEADERS

PROGRAM FACULTY Michael Rip , PhD, is a faculty member in Broad College’s Department of Management and is the founding director of the Healthcare Management program. He is also the founder of MindLeap, a framework based upon the integration of research across many disciplines, including cognitive psychology, clinical medicine, public health, epidemiology, neuroscience, social science, and strategic intelligence analysis.

KEY LEARNING OUTCOMES • Understand and apply the two modes of thinking - instinctive and critical • Identify and avoid the pitfalls of common sense • Apply a disciplined and structured process for critical thinking • Practice and employ problem prevention

COST $2,395 – program fee (includes materials, meals, and a certificate of completion) $1,995 – early bird registration (available 30 days prior to the program start date) LOCATION Henry Center for Executive Development 3535 Forest Rd, Lansing, MI 48910

SCHEDULE Day 1 | October 11, 2023

• Cognitive Biases That Affect Your Decision Making • The Causes of Group Think and How to Avoid Them 1-4:30 p.m.

• The Pitfalls of Instinctive Thinking • Using Instinctive Thinking to Make Better Decisions

Day 2 | October 12, 2023

1-4:30 p.m.

• Workplace Issues: Resolution & Prevention • Critical Thinking Case Study Using the 6-Step MindLeap Strategy

• Applying Ingenious Thinking to Your Performance and Production • Bringing It All Together and Sustainable Practices

Schedule and content subject to change

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