Once upon a time, there was a team that struggled with accountability. Despite having talented individuals and a strong mission, they constantly fell short of their goals.
Finger-pointing and blame-shifting were common, and the team’s morale was low. That is until they discovered the power of team-building activities that promote accountability.
Through collaborative storytelling, trust-building cards, and decision-making exercises, the team shifted its focus from individual blame to collective responsibility.
They learned to communicate more effectively, hold each other accountable, and work together towards common goals. As a result, the team’s productivity increased, and they became more successful than ever before.
This story is not unique – many teams struggle with accountability, but by implementing the right team-building activities, they can overcome these challenges and achieve greater success.
Please try out the activities I collected below and see their positive impact on your team.
Take accountability seriously. Make it a core value of your team, and you’ll be able to achieve greater things than you ever thought possible.
Team Accountability Exercises
I have my own favorite team accountability exercises which I often use. These exercises are for accidental facilitators. You can find most of them online and the instructions are easy to understand.
I am in the process of curating some of these games and I am including the instructions. Most of these team building games are self-explanatory.
Small group activities
- Accountability Bingo – A fun game that encourages team members to take responsibility for their actions. Recommended duration: 30-45 minutes.
- Collaborative Storytelling – A creative activity that promotes teamwork and accountability. Recommended duration: 30-60 minutes.
- Personality Test – A personality assessment that helps team members understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses, promoting empathy and accountability. Recommended duration: 30-45 minutes.
- Decision-making Exercise – An activity that encourages team members to make decisions together and hold each other accountable. Recommended duration: 45-60 minutes.
- Trust-building Cards – A card game that promotes trust and accountability. Recommended duration: 30-45 minutes.
Large group activities
- Group Juggling – A fun activity that requires teams to work together to juggle balls, promoting teamwork and accountability. Recommended duration: 30-45 minutes.
- Blindfolded Obstacle Course – An obstacle course that requires teams to rely on each other and promotes trust and accountability. Recommended duration: 45-60 minutes.
- Human Knot – An activity that requires teams to work together to untangle a human knot, promoting communication and accountability. Recommended duration: 30-45 minutes.
- Paper Tower – An activity that requires teams to build a tower out of paper and promote collaboration and accountability. Recommended duration: 45-60 minutes.
- Minefield – An activity that requires teams to navigate an imaginary minefield, promoting trust and accountability. Recommended duration: 30-45 minutes.
Time-based activities
- Daily Accountability Check-ins – Daily check-ins encourage team members to discuss their progress and hold each other accountable. Recommended duration: 15-30 minutes.
- Weekly Team Meetings – Weekly meetings that encourage team members to discuss their progress and hold each other accountable. Recommended duration: 30-60 minutes.
- Monthly Goal Reviews – Monthly reviews that allow team members to reflect on their progress and hold themselves accountable for meeting their goals. Recommended duration: 45-60 minutes.
- Quarterly Team Building Sessions – Quarterly team building sessions that promote communication, collaboration, and accountability. Recommended duration: 2-3 hours.
- Annual Team Retreat – An annual retreat that provides an opportunity for team members to reflect on their accomplishments and hold themselves accountable for their actions. Recommended duration: 1-2 days.
Mixed Activities
- Egg Drop Challenge – An activity that requires teams to design and build a container to protect an egg from a fall, promoting collaboration and accountability. Recommended duration: 45-60 minutes.
- Escape Room – An interactive puzzle-solving game that promotes communication, teamwork, and accountability. Recommended duration: 1-2 hours.
- Improv Workshop – An activity that encourages team members to think creatively and work together to solve challenges, promoting communication and accountability. Recommended duration: 1-2 hours.
- Random Acts of Kindness – An activity that encourages team members to perform random acts of kindness, promoting empathy and accountability. Recommended duration: ongoing.
- 360-degree Feedback – A feedback system that encourages team members to give and receive feedback constructively, promoting accountability and continuous improvement. Recommended duration: ongoing.
- Mentorship Program – A mentorship program that promotes learning, growth, and accountability. Recommended duration: ongoing.
How to Choose the Right Ones for You
- Consider the goals of your team: Before choosing team-building activities, it’s essential to consider your team’s goals. If you want to promote accountability, you need to choose activities that align with this goal.
- Determine the size of your team: The size of your team is an important factor to consider when selecting team-building activities. Some activities work best for small groups, while others are suitable for larger groups.
- Evaluate the time constraints: The duration of the activity is another crucial factor to consider. If you have limited time, you may need to choose an activity that can be completed quickly, while longer activities can be used during longer team-building sessions.
- Consider the level of difficulty: The level of difficulty of the activity is another factor to consider. If the activity is too easy, it may not promote accountability, while if it’s too difficult, it may lead to frustration.
- Take into account the interests and preferences of team members: When choosing team building activities, it’s essential to consider the interests and preferences of team members. Activities that align with the team’s interests can be more effective in promoting accountability.
- Assess the physical limitations of team members: It’s important to take into account the physical limitations of team members, such as disabilities or injuries. Team building activities should be inclusive and accessible to everyone.
- Evaluate the cost of the activity: Finally, you need to consider the cost of the activity, including any supplies or equipment needed. If you have a limited budget, you may need to choose activities that are cost-effective or require minimal resources.
By considering these factors, you can choose team-building activities that are appropriate for your team and promote accountability.
Team building activities that promote accountability are crucial for developing a high-performing team. Incorporate activities that promote accountability into your team-building efforts, and you can help your team become more productive, efficient, and accountable.
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