Objective:
The Guess Who Team Building Exercise aims to promote communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills within a team.
Participants will work together to uncover the mystery identity of a “secret person” by asking strategic yes-or-no questions.
This activity encourages creative thinking, active listening, and teamwork, fostering a sense of camaraderie among team members.
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Problem Solving Skills
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Change Leadership Skills
Sales Skills
Materials Needed:
- Whiteboard or large flip chart.
- Markers.
- Post-it notes or index cards.
- Name tags.
Instructions:
- Preparation:
a. Prepare a list of diverse and well-known personalities, fictional characters, or historical figures (one for each participant) on separate index cards or Post-it notes. Avoid choosing figures that are too obscure or difficult to guess.
b. Randomly distribute the cards to participants, ensuring each person keeps their cards hidden from others. Each participant is now assigned a “secret identity” to conceal. - Setting the Stage:
a. Gather all participants in a meeting room or a designated space.
b. Hand out name tags to each participant but ask them not to write their real names. Instead, have them write the name of the personality/character on their assigned card. - Game Rules:
a. Explain the rules to the participants:- The objective is to figure out the “secret identity” of the person on their card by asking yes-or-no questions.
- They can only ask questions that can be answered with “yes” or “no.”
- Encourage participants to ask creative and strategic questions to narrow the options quickly.
- Emphasize that everyone must actively participate and contribute to the discussion.
- Team Formation:
a. Divide the participants into small teams (ideally 4-6 people per team).
b. Teams will collaborate to guess the secret identities of all their members. - Start the Game:
a. Give the teams time to discuss their secret identities within their groups.
b. Teams take turns asking a yes-or-no question about one of their members’ secret identities.
c. The card owner should respond with a “yes” or “no” accordingly. - Discussion and Strategy:
a. Encourage teams to analyze the answers given and discuss potential possibilities.
b. Teams should focus on asking questions that help eliminate many options at once or narrow down the potential identity significantly. - Time Limit:
a. Set a time limit for the game to prevent it from going on indefinitely (e.g., 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the number of participants and complexity of identities). - Reveal:
a. Gather all teams together after the time limit expires.
b. Each team takes turns revealing the identities they guessed correctly. - Debriefing:
a. Facilitate a debriefing session to discuss the experience and insights gained during the game.
b. Highlight the importance of effective communication, collaboration, and teamwork in achieving the common goal.
c. Celebrate the successes and discuss any challenges faced.
Remember that the success of this team-building exercise lies in fostering a positive and inclusive environment where all participants feel engaged and valued.
Have fun, encourage creativity, and use the activity as an opportunity to strengthen team members’ connections.
With 30+ years of experience, Catherine Fitzgerald, B.A., M.A., PGDip, founded Oak Innovation in 1995. Catherine received her Bachelor’s degree and Master’s from University College Cork. She holds qualifications in Professional Development And Training from University College Galway. She is completing a second Master’s from University College Cork. Since 1995, clients include Apple, Time Warner, and Harvard University.
