10 Core Values Exercises for Teams (With Debrief)
Are you looking for some core values exercises for your teams?
As you know, core values are guidelines that define the behavior and objectives of a company. Aligning employees with these values is crucial. The reason is that it provides them with a deeper understanding of the company’s purpose and direction, ultimately inspiring them to work towards a common goal.
In this article, let’s see 10 core value training activities that you can use in your team building sessions. These exercises will help you foster a positive and productive work environment, driving long-term success for your organization.
Here is an overview of the sections in this article:
- What are Core Value Exercises, and How Do They Benefit Your Teams?
- 10 Core Values Exercises for Teams
- FAQ
So, let’s get started!
What are Core Value Exercises, and How Do They Benefit Your Teams?
Core value exercises are interactive activities that help team members understand, connect with, and apply an organization’s values. By incorporating these exercises into your work routine, you can:
Foster Collaboration and Trust: Encourage team members to work together towards a common goal.
Deepen Cultural Understanding: Strengthen employees’ grasp of your company’s principles and values.
Informed Decision-Making: Help employees make choices that align with your organization’s culture and values.
Boost Team Morale and Unity: Create a sense of shared purpose and camaraderie among coworkers.
10 Core Values Exercises for Teams
Here are some core values team building exercises that you can try with your employees.
Before conducting these activities, consider the following factors to ensure success:
Clear Objectives: Define what you want to achieve with the activity to tailor it to your team’s specific needs.
Team Profile: Consider the team’s size, age, and cultural background to ensure the activity is inclusive as well as effective for all participants.
Activity Relevance: Align the activity with your organization’s core values to maximize impact and relevance.
Participant Engagement: Design activities that encourage active participation from all team members to foster a sense of ownership and engagement.
Effective Debrief: Plan for a thorough debrief to reinforce learning and connect the activity to the organization’s core values.
So, let’s go!
#1. Value Collage
This activity helps your teams express their understanding of the company’s core values. Through creative expression, employees can connect with and reflect on how these values impact their work.
Time: You decide
Materials: Poster board, sticky notes, and markers
Participants: Groups of any size
Instructions
- Ask each team member to pick one value to illustrate on the poster board.
- Provide supplies and time for them to create their collage.
- After some time, have everyone share their piece with the team and explain what it means to them.
Debrief
Figure out ways to bring your team closer together by understanding each other’s interpretation of the company values. Additionally, discuss how everyone can use these interpretations to reinforce the company’s main principles in their daily tasks.
You can also read: 10 Values Clarification Exercises for Your Employees
#2. Company Quiz
This exercise helps your employees understand how to apply the company’s guiding principles in their daily tasks. It also tests their knowledge and encourages critical thinking.
Time: You decide
Materials: Company core value handouts, and printed copies of the quiz (related to each value)
Participants: Groups of any size
Instructions
- Given a few minutes to review the company values, distribute copies of the quiz to each group.
- Allow some time for them to answer the questions.
- Award points for correct answers, and the group with the most points wins.
- If there is a tie, come up with tie-breaker questions that require reflection.
Debrief
Use this debrief as an opportunity to discuss how the company values can be applied in everyday work situations. Encourage your employees to think critically about how they impact their job functions and challenge them daily.
You can also read: 10 Team Building Activities to Inspire a Shared Vision
#3. Business Mapping
This activity helps your employees visualize the company’s fundamental principles. It allows them to creatively illustrate the connections between values and practices.
Time: You decide
Materials: Whiteboard, markers, and post-its
Participants: Groups of any size
Instructions
- Distribute markers and post-it notes to each team member.
- Now, they should brainstorm words that represent the company values.
- Have them place post-it notes on the whiteboard to map out each word and its corresponding value.
Debrief
Explore the connections between individual words and core values. Also, discuss how each value can be universally applied throughout the organization.
#4. Value Hunt
This activity encourages teams to find items, places, or activities related to the company’s core values. It helps them creatively engage with and apply the organization’s values in a fun way.
Time: 10-20 minutes
Materials: Pen and paper
Participants: 3-8 people per group
Instructions
- Give each group a list of items or places related to core values.
- Set a time limit and then have groups start the scavenger hunt.
- When they find an item or place, they must take a picture as proof and check it off their list.
- The group that collects all the items first wins!
Debrief
During the debrief, discuss how this activity was connected to core values and identify lessons learned from it. Encourage teams to reflect on how they can apply these values in their daily work and future projects.
#5. Company Mission Statement
This exercise encourages teams to create inspiring mission statements based on the company’s guiding principles. It promotes creativity, collaboration, and a deeper understanding of the company’s purpose.
Time: 10-15 minutes
Materials: Pen and paper
Participants: 3-8 people per group
Instructions
- Ask each team to come up with a mission statement based on the company’s values.
- Allow them some time to brainstorm their mission statement.
- Have each team present their mission statements to the other teams.
- Allow the teams to vote on the most inspiring mission statement.
Debrief
Discuss how this activity was connected to corporate values and identify lessons learned from it. Explore how these mission statements can be used to guide decision-making and inspire employees in their daily work.
#6. Merging Game
This team building exercise encourages collaboration and helps employees to come up with shared values. It fosters open communication and helps team members identify commonalities that unite them.
Time: 10-20 minutes
Materials: Multiple index cards
Participants: 2-8 people per group
Instructions
- Provide each of your participants with multiple index cards and ask them to write one personal value on each card.
- Divide the participants into small groups.
- Have each person share their values and use a collaborative approach to create a list of values for the group.
Debrief
See if the generated values align with your team/company’s actual principles. Also, decide as a group if any of your actual principles should be modified.
#7. Valuable Story
This activity encourages teams to create stories that demonstrate the company’s principles. It fosters creativity and collaboration while reinforcing core values in a memorable way.
Time: 10-15 minutes
Materials: Pen and paper
Participants: 3-8 people per group
Instructions
- Ask each team to come up with a short story based on the company’s principles.
- Allow them a few minutes to brainstorm their story.
- Then, have them present their stories to the other teams.
- Allow the teams to vote on the story which best exemplifies the principles of the company.
Debrief
During the debrief, discuss how this activity was connected to business principles and identify lessons learned from it. Encourage teams to reflect on how these stories can be used to inspire and guide others in the organization.
#8. Secret Code
This activity encourages groups to create secret codes based on the company’s guiding principles. It also promotes creative thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration.
Time: You decide
Materials: Pen and paper
Participants: 3-8 people per group
Instructions
- Ask each group to create a secret code based on the company’s core values.
- Have them present their codes to another group.
- Allow groups to decipher each other’s codes. The first one to do so wins.
- Finally, have the groups exchange their secret codes and stories with each other.
Debrief
During the debrief, discuss how this activity was connected to values and identify the lessons learned from it. Explore how the creative process and problem-solving strategies can be applied to real-work challenges.
#9. Growth Principles
This activity helps explore and redefine the company’s guiding principles for growth. It encourages open discussion and collaboration to align current values with future aspirations.
Time: 10-20 minutes
Materials: Index cards and markers
Participants: Groups of any size
Instructions
- Ask each team member to write down their definition of the company’s core principles on index cards.
- Spread all the index cards out on a table and group similar ones together.
- Ask each person to write down their wish principles (who the company aspires to be) on another set of index cards. Then, they can share these with their team and group similar cards as before.
- Finally, let them discuss ideas or solutions on how to minimize the differences between the core and wish principles.
Debrief
Identify what your team’s core and wish principles are, as well as ways to bridge any disconnection that may exist between them. Also, identify any new workplace practices or systems you can use to better uphold them.
#10. Value Debate
This exercise encourages teams to practice debating a core value. It promotes critical thinking, public speaking, and collaboration.
Time: You decide
Materials: Pen and paper
Participants: 3-8 people per group
Instructions
- Ask each team to come up with a position in favor of or against a specific core value.
- Have them present their arguments to the other teams.
- Allow them to challenge or question each other’s arguments and vote on which one they found to be the most persuasive.
Debrief
After the activity, encourage teams to reflect on their findings and discuss how this exercise was connected to core values. Also, identify the lessons learned from the activity, and how it influenced team dynamics.
Want Some Unique Leadership Development Activities?
If you want some unique activities to equip your employees (both in-person and virtual) with leadership skills, qualities, and mindset, you can get my premium e-book:
Or Want Some Unique Team Building Activities?
If you want some unique activities for your employees (both in-person and virtual), you can get my premium e-book:
Final Words
Plan meaningful core values team building activities to help your employees understand and appreciate your company’s main principles. These activities will help your teams work together more effectively and be better prepared to tackle any challenges that may arise, resulting in increased productivity.
FAQ: Core Values Exercises
You might have these questions in mind.
How do you teach company values to new employees?
While teaching your new employees, it is important to explain your mission and values in an engaging way. You can incorporate your company’s main principles into team building activities such as problem solving games, role playing scenarios, or brainstorming sessions. This helps new employees understand and internalize the values, setting them up for success in their roles.
What are some good core values training activities?
Some good core value training activities include Business Mapping, Merging Game, and Value Collage. These activities can help employees to better understand the company’s principles while also practicing important teamwork skills. You can tailor these activities to fit your organization’s specific values and goals for maximum impact.
How long should core values team building activities last?
The duration of activities depends on their complexity and objectives. Typically, 10-30 minutes is a good range, with 10-20 minutes often being ideal. Keep it concise and engaging to maximize impact.
How often should these activities be conducted?
These activities should be conducted regularly, such as weekly or monthly, to reinforce company values and promote a strong team culture. This can be achieved through various formats, such as workshops, team outings, or creative projects. By making core values a consistent part of your culture, you can build a stronger, more unified organization.
How can we measure the effectiveness of these exercises?
You can measure the effectiveness of these exercises by conducting surveys, gathering feedback from employees, and tracking changes in team performance. This can help identify areas for improvement and refine future group activities. Regular assessment will ensure your efforts remain impactful and aligned with your organization’s goals.
Like this article on “10 Core Values Exercises for Teams”? Feel free to share your thoughts.
