Are you in search of some business leadership games for your employees?
Leadership development is crucial for any organization to thrive and grow. It not only helps in creating a positive work culture but also improves employee engagement, productivity, and overall performance. But let’s be honest, traditional training methods can sometimes be dull and uninteresting. That’s where experiential learning activities come into the picture. They make learning fun, interactive, and effective.
In this article, let’s see 10 business leadership games that you can incorporate into your employee development program. These activities can help in developing essential leadership skills and foster teamwork among your employees.
10 Business Leadership Games for Your Employees
Here are some helpful leadership games that you can implement in your business.
#1. The Decision Dilemma
This activity requires employees to work together and make a group decision. It helps in developing skills like problem-solving, critical thinking, and effective communication.
Time: 10-20 minutes
Materials: None
Participants: 3-6 people per group
Instructions
- Divide your employees into teams and present them with complex scenarios or business challenges.
Example scenarios:
Should the company invest in new technology or focus on expanding its customer base? Should the team prioritize launching a new product or improving an existing one?
- Ask each team to discuss the scenario and make decisions collectively, considering different options, evaluating consequences, and making informed choices.
- Encourage critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration as teams work together to navigate the Decision Dilemma.
Debrief
Encourage the teams to share their decision-making process, discuss alternatives, and reflect on the outcomes of their decisions. Explore the factors that influenced their choices and discuss the importance of considering different perspectives when making decisions as leaders.
#2. Survival Scenario
This game simulates a survival situation, where employees have to work together to overcome challenges and achieve a common goal. It helps in developing skills like teamwork, adaptability, and problem-solving.
Time: 10-20 minutes
Materials: List of items needed for survival (tent, rope, water purifier, etc.)
Participants: 3-8 people per group
Instructions
- Present the scenario to your employees: They are stranded on an island with limited resources and must use their critical thinking skills to survive until rescue arrives.
- Provide a list of essential items that they can choose from (or create their own).
- Ask them to discuss and decide as a team which items they will choose and how they will use them to survive.
- Encourage creativity, collaboration, and effective communication as teams work together to overcome challenges.
Debrief
Discuss the decision-making process of each team, the importance of teamwork in challenging situations, and how different perspectives can lead to a successful outcome. Ask employees to reflect on what skills were most helpful in this activity and how they can apply them in real-life leadership situations.
#3. Lego Building Challenge
This fun activity uses Legos to foster creativity, communication, and problem-solving skills. It also helps in developing the ability to delegate tasks effectively.
Time: 10-20 minutes
Materials: Lego blocks and individual building instructions for each team
Participants: 3-8 people per group
Instructions
- Divide the employees into teams and provide them with identical Lego sets and building instructions.
- Each team must choose a leader who cannot touch the Legos but can only give verbal instructions to their team members.
- The leader must communicate clearly and effectively to guide their team in building the structure shown in the instruction manual.
- The first team to complete the Lego structure wins.
Debrief
Discuss the importance of effective communication, delegation, and teamwork in achieving a common goal. Ask the employees to reflect on any challenges they faced during this activity and how they overcame them.
#4. Company Trivia
This activity is a fun way to test your employees’ knowledge about the company and its values. It promotes team bonding, leadership skills, and a deeper understanding of the organization.
Time: 10-20 minutes
Materials: List of trivia questions related to the company’s history, values, products/services, etc.
Participants: 3-8 people per group
Instructions
- Divide the employees into teams and provide them with a list of trivia questions related to the company.
- Each team must work together to answer the questions correctly within a given time frame.
- The team with the most correct answers wins.
Debrief
After the game, discuss the importance of knowing and understanding the company’s values, history, and products/services. Ask the employees to reflect on any new information they learned during the activity and how it can help them be better leaders within the company.
#5. Reverse Charades
This game is a fun twist on the classic charades that promotes teamwork, creativity, and effective communication.
Time: 10-20 minutes
Materials: List of actions or phrases for employees to act out (e.g., “making a sales pitch,” “giving a presentation,” etc.)
Participants: 3-6 people per group
Instructions
- Divide the employees into teams and provide them with a list of actions or phrases to act out.
- Instead of one person acting out, the whole team must work together to act out the phrase while one person guesses.
- Set a time limit for each round and keep score.
Debrief
Discuss the importance of effective communication and teamwork in completing tasks successfully. Ask the employees to reflect on any challenges they faced during this activity and how they overcame them.
#6. The Coin Flip Game
This activity focuses on decision-making under uncertain conditions and highlights the importance of adaptability and quick thinking. It challenges participants to evaluate choices and reflect on their ability to lead in unpredictable scenarios.
Time: 10-15 minutes
Materials: Coins (one for each group)
Participants: 3-6 people per group
Instructions
- Provide each team with a coin and a list of scenarios where decisions must be made (e.g., hiring a new employee, launching a new marketing campaign, or choosing between two business strategies).
- Teams must flip the coin to determine their decision for each scenario (e.g., heads for option A, and tails for option B).
- After making their decision based on the coin flip, teams discuss how they will implement the choice and adapt to any challenges or uncertainties that may arise.
- Encourage critical discussions around whether the coin flip outcomes align with their instincts, values, or prior knowledge, fostering self-awareness and strategic thinking.
Debrief
Reflect on the decision-making process and how uncertainty impacts leadership and teamwork. Discuss the importance of adaptability and how to manage outcomes even when decisions are made randomly.
#7. Leadership Quotes Reflection
This activity encourages participants to reflect on the qualities of great leaders and connect those qualities to their leadership style. It promotes self-awareness, inspiration, and a deeper understanding of leadership principles.
Time: You decide
Materials: A selection of leadership quotes (printed or displayed digitally)
Participants: Groups of any size
Instructions
- Provide each group with a list of leadership quotes (or display them for everyone to see).
- Ask the participants to choose a quote that resonates with them and discuss it within their group.
- Encourage the participants to share why they chose the quote, how it reflects their own leadership style, and how they can apply the lessons from the quote in their daily work.
Debrief
Reflect on the common themes among the chosen quotes and discuss what qualities make a great leader. Encourage the participants to think about how they can incorporate these qualities into their own leadership style.
#8. Feedback Poker
In this game, participants exchange feedback cards and engage in constructive discussions. It aims to improve their interpersonal skills and provide valuable feedback.
Time: You decide
Materials: Feedback cards (printed or provided digitally), and poker chips/any other tokens as points
Participants: Groups of any size
Instructions
- Provide each participant with an equal number of feedback cards and a set of poker chips.
- Ask the participants to exchange feedback cards with others based on their interactions during the day (e.g., someone gave helpful advice, someone showed great teamwork skills, etc.).
- Participants must give their feedback in a constructive manner, using specific examples and suggestions for improvement.
- After giving feedback, participants receive a poker chip/token from the person they gave feedback to. The goal is to collect as many chips/tokens as possible.
Debrief
Reflect on the feedback given and received, and discuss how it can help the participants improve their interpersonal skills. Encourage the employees to give specific examples of how they plan to incorporate the feedback they received into their work.
#9. Leadership Scavenger Hunt
In this activity, participants work in teams to complete various leadership-related challenges. It helps with promoting leadership skills, communication, and teamwork.
Time: 15-20 minutes
Materials: List of challenges, and a smartphone with camera capabilities
Participants: 4-8 people in a team
Instructions
- Provide each team with a list of leadership-related challenges (e.g., find someone who has mentored others, take a photo with someone who has strong communication skills, etc.).
- Teams must work together to complete as many challenges as possible within the given time frame.
- Encourage the teams to communicate effectively and delegate tasks to complete the challenges efficiently.
Debrief
Reflect on the teamwork and leadership skills displayed during the activity. Discuss how effective communication and delegation can lead to the successful completion of tasks.
#10. Role Reversal Challenge
This activity encourages participants to step into someone else’s role to gain empathy and a deeper understanding of different perspectives within the workplace. It builds emotional intelligence, adaptability, and problem-solving skills.
Time: You decide
Materials: Role descriptions and scenarios (written or digital)
Participants: Groups of 4-8 people
Instructions
- Assign each group member a workplace role different from their own (e.g., manager, team member, HR representative).
- Provide scenarios or problems that require the group to collaborate and resolve together, while acting in their assigned roles.
- Encourage the group members to fully embody the roles by considering the responsibilities, challenges, and priorities typical of that role.
- After the activity, ask everyone to reflect on the dynamics and challenges of their temporary role.
Debrief
Discuss how each role contributes to the overall success of a team or organization. Reflect on how understanding different perspectives can improve collaboration and problem-solving.
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Or Want Some Unique Team Building Activities?
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Final Words
As a leader, it is essential to continuously develop and improve your employees’ skills. These games provide opportunities for growth, self-awareness, and teamwork while promoting a positive and engaging work culture. By incorporating these activities into your leadership development program, you can foster a more effective and collaborative team that is ready to tackle any challenges that may arise. Remember to tailor these activities to fit your specific goals and the needs of your team.
FAQ: Business Leadership Games
You might have these questions in mind.
Q: Can these games be modified for virtual teams?
A: Yes, many of these games can be adapted for virtual teams by using video conferencing tools, shared documents, and digital platforms. For example, a virtual scavenger hunt can involve finding and sharing pictures or videos related to leadership challenges instead of physically completing them.
Q: Are these activities suitable for all levels of employees?
A: Yes, these activities can be useful for employees at all levels. You can modify the complexity and depth of the tasks to suit different levels, ensuring that everyone is challenged and engaged.
Q: How often should these activities be implemented?
A: The frequency of implementing these activities will depend on your organization’s goals and resources. However, it is essential to have regular opportunities for leadership development, so consider incorporating these activities into your training programs or scheduling them periodically throughout the year.