Are you in search of some delegation team building activities?
Effective delegation skills are critical for any successful leader. It requires an understanding of team members’ strengths and clear communication of expectations. When done right, it is a powerful tool to boost productivity in the workplace.
In this article, let’s see 10 effective delegation exercises that you can try in your workplace. Not only do they enhance productivity, but they also empower employees and bolster teamwork.
10 Delegation Team Building Activities
Here are some delegation activities that you can incorporate into your workplace:
#1. The Strengths Grid
This activity focuses on identifying individual strengths and utilizing them in task delegation.
Time: 10-20 minutes
Materials: A whiteboard and markers
Participants: 3-8 members in a group
Instructions
- Draw a grid on the whiteboard with four quadrants labeled as “Strengths,” “Areas to Improve,” “Not Interested In,” and “Interested In.”
- On sticky notes, each group member should write down their strengths, areas they want to improve, tasks they are not interested in, and tasks they are interested in.
- Have them place the sticky notes in the respective quadrant on the grid.
Debrief
Reflect on the importance of recognizing and utilizing individual strengths in effective delegation. Discuss how this exercise can help improve task distribution within a team.
#2. The Delegation Wall
This activity can help employees visualize delegation and encourage open communication within the team.
Time: 15-20 minutes
Materials: Sticky notes, markers, and a whiteboard
Participants: 3-8 members in a group
Instructions
- Hand out sticky notes and markers to all the group members.
- Ask each person to write down the tasks they typically handle on a sticky note. Then, they can place them on the whiteboard.
- Let each group discuss which tasks can be delegated to others. Then, have them place those sticky notes under the respective group member’s name.
Debrief
Discuss how delegating tasks can improve efficiency and allow group members to focus on their strengths. Emphasize the importance of open communication and trust within a team.
#3. Role Reversal Exercise
In this activity, roles are swapped to give individuals a taste of different responsibilities.
Time: You decide
Materials: Job description cards, and note-taking materials
Participants: Pairs
Instructions
- Pair up the participants and have them swap roles for a set task. For instance, a salesperson can switch roles with an accountant.
- Provide the pair with a job description card for their new role.
- Ask them to complete the task within a set time frame while taking notes on any challenges they face.
Debrief
Identify how role reversal helped in understanding others’ responsibilities. Discuss how this awareness can lead to more thoughtful delegation.
#4. The Planning Puzzle
This is an engaging group challenge that reinforces the necessity for collaborative strategic planning. It also shows the importance of effective delegation in real-world project management scenarios.
Time: You decide
Materials: Puzzle pieces, and a timer
Participants: 3-6 people per group
Instructions
- Distribute equal amounts of puzzle pieces to every team, and instruct them to complete the puzzle.
- Team members must identify which pieces they need and which they can delegate to other teams in exchange for the correct ones.
- Set the timer. Now, teams begin the negotiation as well as the exchange process, aiming to assemble their puzzle section before time runs out.
Debrief
Discuss the importance of communication, delegation, and teamwork in achieving a common goal. Emphasize the value of effective strategic planning and negotiation skills in successful project completion.
#5. Building Blocks
This exercise encourages creativity and innovative thinking in a collaborative setting. It is one of the amazing delegation team building activities.
Time: 10-20 minutes
Materials: Building blocks like LEGO
Participants: Small groups of 3-6 individuals
Instructions
- Provide each group with an equal set of building materials.
- Challenge them to construct a model representing an abstract concept or solving a problem. For example, “Build a representation of communication in the workplace” or “Design a solution to improve team productivity.”
- Encourage teams to brainstorm and delegate tasks, incorporating everyone’s ideas into the final product.
- After the time is up, have each group present their model and explain their thought process.
Debrief
Discuss how thinking outside the box and collaborating with others can lead to creative solutions. Highlight the value of diverse perspectives in problem-solving and how this approach can be adopted to address challenges in the workplace.
#6. Concept Hatchery
In this exercise, employees brainstorm solutions to business-related challenges, encouraging collaboration.
Time: 10-20 minutes
Materials: Whiteboards, and markers
Participants: Small groups of 3-6 people
Instructions
- Break the participants into small groups.
- Provide each group with a problem statement relevant to your business. For example, “How can we improve customer satisfaction?”
- Give some time for each group to come up with as many ideas as possible. Encourage participants to write their ideas on the whiteboard.
- Finally, have each group present their ideas to the other groups.
Debrief
Discuss the importance of creativity and how it can lead to innovative solutions. Emphasize that every idea, no matter how small or unconventional, can lead to a breakthrough.
#7. Creative Carousel
This activity is designed to encourage rapid idea generation followed by collaborative refinement.
Time: You decide
Materials: Paper, and pen
Participants: Groups of 4-8 people
Instructions
- Each participant starts by writing a unique idea on a piece of paper.
- After a set amount of time, everyone passes their paper to the person on their left.
- The next person adds to or refines the idea they received and this process continues until the paper returns to the original author.
- Allow time for each participant to present their final idea to the group.
Debrief
Discuss how the exercise showcased the importance of collaboration and collective intelligence. Highlight the value of constructive feedback in fostering an environment of continuous improvement and innovation.
#8. Scavenger Hunt
This activity encourages employees to complete the task at hand by delegating responsibilities amongst themselves.
Time: 15-30 minutes
Materials: A list of items to find
Participants: Groups of 3-6 people
Instructions
- Divide the participants into teams.
- Give them a list of items to find in a designated area.
- Set a time limit and have teams return within that time.
- The team with the most items found wins.
Debrief
Reflect on how each team communicated, delegated tasks, and managed their time. Discuss the importance of effective communication and delegation in achieving a common goal. Consider how these skills can be applied in a work setting to improve productivity and teamwork.
#9. Blind Drawing
This exercise highlights the importance of precise communication and following directions.
Time: 15-20 minutes
Materials: Paper, pens, and a collection of simple images
Participants: Pairs
Instructions
- Break the participants into pairs. One person on each pair is Partner A and another person is Partner B.
- Partner A receives a picture and describes it to Partner B, who cannot see the image.
- Partner B attempts to draw the image based solely on Partner A’s description.
- After the time limit, compare the drawings to the original images.
Debrief
Reflect on how specific and clear communication resulted in more accurate drawings. Discuss how this level of detail can enhance effectiveness when delegating tasks.
#10. The Consequences Game
This exercise highlights the importance of effective delegation in avoiding mistakes and achieving desired outcomes.
Time: You decide
Materials: Task cards with incomplete or incorrect information
Participants: 3-6 individuals in a group
Instructions
- Divide the participants into groups.
- Assign each group a task card with incomplete or incorrect information. For example, the task card might say, “Create a social media post for our new product launch.” However, the product name might be missing from the card.
- Set a time limit and have the groups complete their assigned task with the given information.
Debrief
Reflect on how clear instructions could have prevented mistakes and improved the outcome of the task. Explore the strategies for effective delegation and how it can lead to a more accountable team.
Want Some Unique Team Building Activities?
If you want some unique activities for your employees (both in-person and virtual), you can get my new e-book:
Or Want Some Unique Leadership Development Activities?
If you want some unique activities to equip your employees with leadership skills, qualities, and mindset, you can get my new e-book:
Final Words
For a leader, delegation is essential because it empowers employees, builds trust, and promotes a culture of shared responsibility. By bringing these exercises into your workplace, you can see a marked improvement in team dynamics and innovation. Ultimately, this will help you drive productivity to new heights.