Games Index

Articles about Group Games, Initiatives & Other Experiential Group Activities

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Articles about Why & How to Play Group Games

Why team building doesn't work and how you can build your team
(Hildy Gotlieb, 2001, help4nonprofits.com)

Argues that team building (and retreats) don't work because they fail to get to the heart of underlying problems.  Team building programs tend to focus on playing games, which participants dislike because they are contrived.  Successful team building efforts instead focus on recognizing underlying negative issues in workplace settings and involving participants in ways of cooperatively working on the tasks agreed to be most important.

Team building is about discovering how people think and work
(Heng Kai, 2004)

Making people work together by playing games is not enough.  The real use of such activities to reveal how people think and behave.

Programme design for leadership training
(Roger Greenaway, 2004)

Offers 10 tips for maximizing opportunities for developing leadership in experiential training programs.

Why play games when there's work to do?
(Fletcher, A., 2002)

A well-written introduction and overview of the use of cooperative group games, including activity descriptions.

Workshops for motivation, teambuilding, & improving performance
(Alan Chapman, 2004)

A useful, basic set of guidelines for running workshops.  Suggests a workshop format, but encourages flexibility and creativity.

Articles about the psychology of play
(James Neill (ed.), 2004)

As adults and children in Western society there is seemingly less and less time for unstructured play.  These articles remind us of the benefits of play.

Drum circles for team building
(Michael Regan, AP, 2004)

Describes some of the benefits and criticisms of drum circles as part of workplace training.

Team building articles
(EI Network Newsletter, 2003)

40+ articles on the what, whys, wherefores, and how tos of team building programs

Team building articles
(www.teamworkusa.com)

5+ articles on the what, whys, wherefores, and how tos of team building programs

Introductory outdoor education articles
(James Neill (ed.), 2004)

15+ articles which engage in the what, whys, wherefores, and how tos of outdoor education.