Are you in search of some hands-on leadership activities for adults?
Hands-on exercises are valuable tools that help employees develop essential skills and qualities that make them effective leaders. These activities provide opportunities for experiential learning, fostering teamwork, communication, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
In this article, let’s see 12 hands-on leadership activities that you can try in your workplace. These exercises can be conducted during team building sessions, training programs, or even in the day-to-day work environment.
12 Hands-on Leadership Activities for Adults
Here are some hands-on leadership exercises for adult groups.
#1. The Perfect Pitch
In this activity, employees prepare and deliver persuasive pitches for a fictional product or service. It helps to develop communication, creativity, and problem-solving skills.
Time: 10-20 minutes
Materials: Flipchart or whiteboard, and markers
Participants: 3-6 people per group
Instructions
- Divide the participants into small groups. Next, assign each group a fictional product or service to pitch to potential clients or investors.
- Give each group some time to develop a pitch that highlights the unique features, benefits, and target audience of their product/service.
- Each group then presents its pitch in front of the other teams.
- After each presentation, allow time for constructive feedback and discussion on how to improve the pitch.
Debrief
Discuss the importance of effective communication and persuasion in leadership. Encourage the participants to reflect on their pitching skills and identify areas for improvement.
#2. The Vision Board Exercise
This activity encourages participants to explore their leadership aspirations and align them with a clear, visual representation of their goals.
Time: You decide
Materials: Magazines, scissors, glue, markers, and poster boards
Participants: 4-10 people per group
Instructions
- Provide the participants with the materials and ask them to create a vision board that represents their leadership goals, values, and aspirations.
- Encourage them to include images, words, and symbols that resonate with their personal leadership style or the impact they want to have as leaders.
- Allow time for participants to share their vision boards with the group, explaining the significance of the elements they chose.
Debrief
Discuss how having a clear vision can guide decision-making and motivate teams. Highlight the connection between self-awareness and effective leadership. Encourage the participants to reflect on how their vision aligns with their current actions and what steps they can take to bring their vision to life.
#3. Blindfold Navigation
This activity emphasizes trust, communication, and collaboration, which are essential leadership qualities.
Time: 10-20 minutes
Materials: Blindfolds, and obstacles (e.g., chairs, cones, or boxes)
Participants: Pairs
Instructions
- Set up an obstacle course in a space large enough for navigation.
- Pair up the participants, with one person blindfolded and the other acting as a guide.
- The guide must provide clear verbal instructions to help their blindfolded partner navigate through the course without touching any obstacles.
- Once the blindfolded participant successfully completes the course, switch roles and repeat the exercise.
Debrief
Discuss the importance of clear communication, trust, and guidance in leadership. Encourage the participants to share how they felt when giving and receiving instructions and how this relates to real-world leadership situations.
#4. Role Reversal
This activity helps participants understand different perspectives, fostering empathy and adaptability in leadership.
Time: You decide
Materials: None
Participants: 3-6 people per group
Instructions
- Divide the participants into small groups and assign roles based on typical workplace dynamics (e.g., manager, employee, client, etc.).
- Present a scenario involving a workplace challenge or conflict, and ask the participants to act out the scenario while staying in their assigned roles.
- After a few minutes, have the participants switch roles and replay the scenario from the new perspective.
Debrief
Reflect on how participants’ perceptions changed when they switched roles. Highlight the importance of empathy, listening, and adaptability in leading diverse teams.
#5. The Balloon Tower
This activity encourages creativity, strategic thinking, and collaboration, all of which are vital for effective leadership.
Time: 15-20 minutes
Materials: Balloons and masking tape
Participants: 3-6 people per group
Instructions
- Divide the participants into small teams. Next, provide each team with a set number of balloons and a roll of masking tape.
- The task is to build the tallest free-standing tower possible using only the materials provided within the time limit.
- At the end of the activity, measure each team’s tower to determine the winner.
Debrief
Discuss the strategies used by each team and what challenges they faced. Highlight how creativity and resource management play a role in leadership.
#6. Active Listening Exercise
This simple yet powerful activity focuses on improving listening skills, a critical component of effective leadership.
Time: 10-15 minutes
Materials: None
Participants: Pairs
Instructions
- Pair up the participants and have one person share a personal story or experience for 2-3 minutes while the other person listens without interrupting.
- After the speaker finishes, the listener must summarize the story, highlighting key points and emotions they noticed.
- Switch roles and repeat the process.
Debrief
Discuss how effective listening can build trust and improve team dynamics. Encourage the participants to reflect on their listening habits and identify ways to enhance them.
#7. The Paper Plane Challenge
This activity enhances problem-solving, innovation, and teamwork by encouraging participants to create and test their ideas.
Time: 15-20 minutes
Materials: Sheets of paper and a target (e.g., a box, basket, or taped area on the floor)
Participants: 3-6 people per group
Instructions
- Split the participants into small teams. Next, provide each team with the same type and number of sheets of paper.
- The goal is to design and create paper planes that can fly the farthest or hit the target.
- Teams can test and modify their designs during the activity.
- At the end, teams take turns flying their planes and scoring based on distance or accuracy.
Debrief
Discuss the importance of experimentation, adaptability, and teamwork in achieving goals. Highlight how leaders can foster innovation within their teams.
#8. The Leadership Circle
This activity encourages participants to identify and develop their leadership strengths and areas for growth. It also promotes self-reflection.
Time: You decide
Materials: Flip chart paper or whiteboard, and markers
Participants: 4-10 people in a group
Instructions:
- Arrange the participants in a circle and provide everyone with a marker and a sheet of paper or access to a shared board.
- Ask each participant to write down one leadership quality they believe is their greatest strength and one they want to improve.
- Go around the circle and have each participant share their responses with the group.
- Discuss common themes or unique qualities that emerge, emphasizing the diversity of leadership styles. Encourage the participants to think about how they can leverage their strengths and work on their improvement areas moving forward.
Debrief
Reflect on how self-awareness plays a critical role in leadership. Discuss the value of acknowledging both strengths and weaknesses to foster personal growth and effective team dynamics.
#9. Building Bridges
This activity emphasizes collaboration, strategic planning, and communication as essential leadership traits.
Time: You decide
Materials: Assorted building supplies (e.g., wooden blocks, popsicle sticks, tape, glue, string, etc.)
Participants: 3-8 people per group
Instructions:
- Divide the participants into teams and provide them with building supplies. The goal is to construct a bridge that spans a specific distance and can hold a certain weight (e.g., a small book or several coins).
- Teams must plan and execute their designs within the time limit, ensuring they meet the set criteria.
- Once the building phase is complete, test each team’s bridge for stability and strength.
Debrief
Discuss the planning and execution strategies teams used and how they adapted to challenges. Highlight the importance of collaboration and structured communication in achieving shared goals.
#10. The Core Values Game
This activity encourages participants to identify and prioritize their core values, essential for effective leadership decision-making.
Time: 15-20 minutes
Materials: Deck of cards with common values (e.g., honesty, respect, empathy, etc) written on them
Participants: 3-8 individuals per group
Instructions
- Shuffle the deck and distribute one card to each group member. Ask them not to reveal their value yet.
- In a clockwise direction, have each person share a time when they displayed or witnessed their assigned value in action.
- Once everyone has shared, ask the group members to arrange themselves in the order of priority based on how essential their values are to them.
Debrief
Discuss the importance of aligning personal values with leadership decisions and actions. Encourage the participants to reflect on how they can incorporate their core values into their leadership roles.
#11. The Silent Line-Up
This activity helps participants develop non-verbal communication skills and fosters team cohesion.
Time: 10-15 minutes
Materials: None
Participants: Any number of people per group
Instructions
- Ask the participants to line up in a specific order (e.g., by height, birthday, or alphabetical order of their first name) without speaking.
- They must rely on gestures, facial expressions, or other non-verbal methods to organize themselves.
- To add a challenge, place a time limit or restrict participants from using certain gestures.
Debrief
Reflect on how non-verbal communication impacted their ability to complete the task. Discuss how reading body language, expressions, and other non-verbal cues can enhance leadership and teamwork. Highlight the importance of adapting communication styles to different situations.
#12. Empathy Mapping
This activity encourages participants to consider the perspectives and feelings of others, strengthening emotional intelligence.
Time: 15-20 minutes
Materials: Large sheets of paper, markers, and a template divided into sections for “Says,” “Thinks,” “Feels,” and “Does”
Participants: 3-8 individuals in a group
Instructions
- Provide each group with a scenario involving a team challenge or conflict.
- Ask the participants to create an empathy map for a team member in the scenario, filling in each section with observations or assumptions about what that person might say, think, feel, and do.
- Once the maps are complete, discuss their insights as a group.
Debrief
Highlight how understanding others’ perspectives can improve communication, conflict resolution, and decision-making. Discuss the role of empathy in building strong, cohesive teams.
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:
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 new e-book:
Final Words
Effective leadership extends beyond individual activities—it requires a continuous commitment to growth, self-awareness, and interpersonal understanding. The exercises outlined above serve as tools to foster these qualities, but true progress comes through consistent practice and reflection. So, you should regularly seek feedback from your teams. This will help you identify the areas for improvement and opportunities to leverage their strengths.
FAQ: Hands-on Leadership Activities
You might have these questions in mind.
What are the key benefits of incorporating hands-on leadership activities?
Hands-on leadership activities offer several benefits, including the opportunity to gain practical experience and practice leadership skills in real-life scenarios. These activities also promote collaboration, communication, and trust within teams while helping leaders develop self-awareness and identify the areas for growth. Additionally, they stimulate creativity and problem-solving skills, allowing leaders to approach challenges with innovative solutions.
How can I adapt these activities to a virtual or hybrid environment?
To adapt leadership activities for virtual or hybrid environments, utilize collaborative tools like video conferencing and virtual whiteboards. For example, replace physical bridge-building with a digital design challenge using diagramming software, and conduct empathy mapping on a virtual whiteboard. Provide clear instructions and allocate time for participation to ensure inclusivity and engagement among participants.
How do I measure the effectiveness of leadership activities?
Measuring the effectiveness of leadership activities involves evaluating both immediate outcomes and long-term impacts. Start by gathering feedback from participants through surveys or group discussions to assess their experiences and identify key takeaways. Observe changes in team dynamics, communication, and collaboration during and after the activities.
Where can I find more hands-on leadership activities?
You can find additional hands-on leadership activities on our e-book: The Empowering Guide of Unique Leadership Development Activities: 100 Fully Customizable Exercises That You Can Conduct with Any Group of Employees, Anywhere