Team-building exercises help engineering teams:
- Identify and align on shared values and principles
- Discuss how those values relate to their work
- Apply values to decision-making, prioritization, and problem-solving
By developing a shared understanding of core values, teams can tackle challenges with a unified, values-driven approach.
Key Benefits of Team-Building Exercises:
- Foster open discussions and collaboration
- Enable informed decisions aligned with values
- Promote effective prioritization based on values
- Cultivate a cohesive, values-centered team culture
The 12 exercises covered include:
- Identify Your Team's Core Values
- Value Cards Exercise
- Making Values Actionable
- Value Collage
- Company Quiz
- Business Mapping
- Value Hunt
- Company Mission Statement
- Merging Game
- Sharing Real-Life Examples
- Growth Principles
- Value Debate
| Exercise | Time | Group Size | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Value Cards | 30-60 mins | 5-15 people | Easy |
| Making Values Real | 60-90 mins | 5-15 people | Medium |
| Value Collage | 60-90 mins | 5-10 people | Medium |
| Company Quiz | 30-60 mins | 10-20 people | Easy |
| Business Mapping | 60-90 mins | 5-10 people | Medium |
| Value Hunt | 60-90 mins | 10-20 people | Medium |
| Company Mission | 60-90 mins | 5-15 people | Medium |
| Merging Game | 30-60 mins | 10-20 people | Easy |
| Valuable Story | 60-90 mins | 5-15 people | Medium |
| Growth Principles | 60-90 mins | 5-10 people | Medium |
| Value Debate | 30-60 mins | 10-20 people | Hard |
By regularly reinforcing shared values through these exercises, engineering teams can build trust, foster innovation, prioritize quality work, and cultivate a healthy, values-driven culture that supports successful projects.
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1. Identify Your Team's Core Values
Time Required
- 30-60 minutes
Exercise Overview
This exercise helps engineering teams define and align on their shared values. Each team member lists their personal values, then shares and discusses them as a group. The goal is to find common ground and collectively establish a set of core values that will guide the team's behaviors and decision-making.
Benefits
- Encourages self-reflection on individual values
- Surfaces diverse perspectives within the team
- Facilitates open dialogue and understanding
- Establishes a unified set of team values
- Provides a framework for consistent decision-making
- Strengthens team cohesion and alignment
Steps
- Individual Reflection: Each team member takes 5-10 minutes to brainstorm and write down their personal values.
- Group Sharing: Team members take turns sharing their values and explaining why they are important.
- Discussion: As a group, discuss the shared values and identify common themes or overlaps.
- Consensus Building: Through open dialogue, work towards consensus on a set of 5-7 core values that will guide the team's behaviors and decisions.
- Documentation: Document the agreed-upon core values and ensure all team members have a copy for reference.
| Value | Description |
|---|---|
| Collaboration | Working together effectively, sharing ideas, and supporting one another. |
| Integrity | Being honest, ethical, and taking responsibility for our actions. |
| Innovation | Embracing new ideas, thinking creatively, and continuously improving. |
| Quality | Delivering high-quality work and taking pride in our craftsmanship. |
| Respect | Treating everyone with dignity, valuing diverse perspectives, and fostering an inclusive environment. |
2. Value Cards Exercise
Time Required
- 60-90 minutes
Exercise Overview
The Value Cards exercise helps teams explore, discuss, and align on their shared values. It involves a deck of cards, each displaying a different value (e.g., integrity, teamwork, quality). The exercise encourages open dialogue and consensus-building around the values that matter most to the team.
Steps
- Distribute the value cards among team members.
- Ask each person to select 5-7 cards representing values they consider essential for the team.
- Have team members share their chosen values, explaining their reasoning.
- As a group, discuss the commonalities and differences in value priorities.
- Through facilitated discussion, work towards consensus on a set of 5-7 core values that will guide the team's behaviors and decision-making.
- Document the agreed-upon core values for future reference.
Benefits
| Benefit | Description |
|---|---|
| Self-Reflection | Promotes understanding of individual value systems |
| Open Communication | Surfaces diverse perspectives and fosters open dialogue |
| Team Alignment | Facilitates alignment around shared values |
| Decision Framework | Establishes a clear value framework for consistent decision-making |
| Team Cohesion | Strengthens team unity and a sense of shared purpose |
3. Making Values Actionable
Time Required
- 60-90 minutes
Exercise Overview
This exercise focuses on turning the team's core values into specific, observable actions that can be applied in daily work. It involves the following steps:
- Review the team's core values identified earlier.
- For each value, team members suggest real-world examples of how that value could be demonstrated through work processes, decision-making, and interactions.
- As a group, discuss and agree on 2-3 key behaviors that exemplify each core value.
- Document these agreed-upon behaviors as a "Values in Action" guide for the team.
Benefits
| Benefit | Description |
|---|---|
| Clear Roadmap | Provides a practical guide for living the team's values daily |
| Shared Understanding | Ensures everyone understands how values translate into actions |
| Accountability | Defines observable behaviors for team members to follow |
| Consistent Decision-Making | Strengthens alignment and consistency in team decisions |
| Commitment Reinforcement | Reinforces the team's dedication to its core principles |
4. Value Collage
Time Needed
- 60-90 minutes
What It Is
The Value Collage exercise lets team members visually show their understanding of the company's core values through a creative collage. Here's how it works:
- Give each team member a poster board, scissors, glue sticks, and materials like magazines, newspapers, colored paper, and arts and crafts supplies.
- Assign each person one of the company's core values to illustrate through their collage.
- Allow enough time for everyone to create their collage, expressing their interpretation of the assigned value creatively.
- Have each team member present their collage to the group, explaining the symbolism and meaning behind their artistic representation.
Benefits
| Benefit | Description |
|---|---|
| Creative Expression | The collage format lets individuals tap into their creative side, making the experience more engaging and memorable. |
| Shared Understanding | By sharing their interpretations, team members gain insights into how colleagues perceive and relate to the company's values. |
| Open Discussion | The exercise naturally leads to open discussions about the nuances and applications of the values, deepening everyone's understanding. |
| Team Bonding | The collaborative and interactive nature of the activity helps strengthen the team's bond and sense of unity. |
| Value Alignment | Visualizing and discussing the values reinforces their importance and encourages team members to align their actions with these principles. |
5. Company Quiz
Time Needed
- 30-60 minutes
Preparation
- Make a list of questions about the company's history, culture, products/services, and industry knowledge.
- Split the questions into categories or rounds.
- Get materials ready, like a presentation or handouts with the questions.
How It Works
- Split the team into smaller groups or have individuals participate.
- Present the quiz questions, either verbally or visually.
- Give time for teams or individuals to discuss and provide answers.
- Keep score and announce the winning team or individual.
- Discuss the correct answers and share extra insights or trivia related to the questions.
Benefits
| Benefit | Description |
|---|---|
| Knowledge Sharing | Team members share knowledge and learn from each other, promoting continuous learning. |
| Company Engagement | Questions about the company's history and culture help employees feel more connected. |
| Team Bonding | The interactive and competitive nature brings team members together, boosting camaraderie and team spirit. |
| Cross-Functional Collaboration | Mixing team members from different departments or roles facilitates cross-functional understanding. |
| Skill Development | Depending on the topics, the quiz can help develop problem-solving, critical thinking, and industry knowledge skills. |
6. Business Mapping
Time Needed
- 60-90 minutes (flexible)
Preparation
- Gather materials: whiteboard or large paper sheets, sticky notes, markers
- Identify key business areas or processes to map out
How It Works
- Divide participants into small groups of 3-5 people
- Assign each group a specific business area or process to map
- Groups brainstorm and write relevant terms, activities, or values on sticky notes
- Groups arrange sticky notes on the board/paper to visually represent the workflow, relationships, or hierarchy
- Each group presents their business map, explaining the logic and connections
- Encourage discussion, feedback, and questions from other participants
Benefits
| Benefit | Description |
|---|---|
| Shared Understanding | Promotes understanding of business operations and values across teams |
| Cross-Team Collaboration | Facilitates knowledge sharing and collaboration between different teams |
| Identify Improvements | Helps identify gaps, inefficiencies, or areas for improvement in processes |
| Align Priorities | Aligns teams on company priorities and core principles |
| Develop Skills | Develops strategic thinking, problem-solving, and process mapping skills |
7. Value Hunt
Time Needed
- 15-30 minutes
Preparation
- Make a list of items, places, or activities related to your team's core values
- Split participants into groups of 3-4 people
How It Works
- Give each group the list of value-related items/places
- Set a time limit and start the "value hunt"
- Groups search for and locate the listed items/places, taking photos as proof
- The first group to collect all items wins!
Benefits
| Benefit | Description |
|---|---|
| Reinforces Values | Helps participants connect team/company values to real-world examples |
| Encourages Teamwork | Promotes collaboration and working together as a group |
| Fun Learning | Adds an enjoyable, interactive element to the learning process |
| Practical Application | Helps participants understand how abstract values apply in practice |
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8. Company Mission Statement
Time Needed
- 30-60 minutes
Preparation
- Gather employees from different teams and levels
- Review the existing company mission statement (if available)
- Prepare questions to discuss the company's purpose, values, and goals
How It Works
- Split participants into small groups of 4-6 people
- Ask each group to draft a new mission statement based on their understanding of the company
- Have groups present their mission statements and explain their thought process
- Discuss to identify common themes and areas of alignment or disagreement
- As a team, collaboratively refine and finalize a new mission statement that resonates with everyone
Benefits
| Benefit | Description |
|---|---|
| Shared Understanding | Helps employees develop a common understanding of the company's purpose and direction |
| Employee Involvement | Involving employees in the process fosters commitment to the mission |
| Accurate Reflection | Ensures the mission statement reflects the company's values and goals |
| Clear Guidance | Provides a clear statement to guide decision-making and actions |
| Team Collaboration | Encourages collaboration, communication, and shared ownership of the company's mission |
9. Merging Game
Time Needed
- 45-60 minutes
Preparation
- Split the team into smaller groups of 3-5 members
- Give each group a set of value cards or a list of core values
How It Works
- Each group talks about and picks their top 5-7 values they think are most important for the team
- Groups take turns presenting their chosen values and explaining why they picked them
- After all groups have presented, discuss to find common values across groups
- As a team, combine the separate value sets into one unified list of 6-10 core values
- Talk about how these shared values can guide the team's behaviors, decisions, and collaboration
Benefits
| Benefit | Description |
|---|---|
| Open Discussion | Allows team members to understand each other's perspectives |
| Shared Vision | Aligns the team around clear guiding principles |
| Team Unity | Strengthens team cohesion and commitment to living the agreed values |
| Decision Framework | Provides a framework for decision-making and conflict resolution |
| Trust and Accountability | Enhances trust, respect, and accountability within the team |
10. Sharing Real-Life Examples
Time Needed
- 45-60 minutes
Preparation
- Ask team members to think about a recent situation where someone demonstrated one of the team's core values through their actions
- Have them note down key details about the situation, the actions taken, and the positive impact it had
How It Works
- Each team member takes turns sharing their real-life example with the group
- As the story is told, others actively listen and identify the specific value(s) demonstrated
- After each story, have a brief discussion on:
- The value(s) exemplified and why they are important
- How the actions taken positively impacted the team or project
- What lessons or insights can be gained from the experience
- Encourage team members to ask questions and share their perspectives
- Conclude by summarizing the key values reinforced through the shared examples
Benefits
| Benefit | Description |
|---|---|
| Brings Values to Life | Real examples help team members understand how values translate into actions |
| Fosters Understanding | Sharing stories deepens everyone's understanding of the team's core values |
| Highlights Positive Behaviors | Team members learn from and can emulate the positive behaviors demonstrated |
| Strengthens Team Bonds | Sharing personal experiences helps build stronger connections within the team |
| Provides Learning Opportunities | Diverse experiences offer valuable lessons and insights for the entire team |
11. Growth Principles
Time Needed
- 45-60 minutes
Preparation
- Print out value cards or make a list of potential values related to your team and engineering work.
- Set up a space where team members can move around and work in small groups.
How It Works
- Split into small groups of 3-5 people.
- Each group reviews the value cards/list and talks about which values are most important for helping the team grow and improve.
- Groups agree on their top 5-7 "growth values" and be ready to explain their choices.
- Come back together and have each small group present their selected growth values, giving reasons for their choices.
- As a full team, identify the top 3-5 shared growth values that everyone can commit to upholding.
- Discuss specific behaviors and actions that show each of the chosen growth values in practice.
- Team members volunteer personal examples of when they embodied one of the growth values.
Benefits
| Benefit | Description |
|---|---|
| Promotes Growth Mindset | Encourages a culture of continuous learning and improvement |
| Aligns Team Values | Unites the team around key values that drive skill development |
| Feedback Framework | Provides a structure for giving and receiving constructive feedback |
| Knowledge Sharing | Encourages sharing knowledge and mentoring within the team |
| Embraces Challenges | Reinforces the importance of taking on challenges to expand capabilities |
12. Value Debate
Time Needed
- 30-60 minutes
Preparation
- Make a list of core values important to your engineering team or company.
- Split the team into two groups, assigning each group to argue for or against one of the core values.
How It Works
- Each group prepares their arguments, considering the potential pros and cons of upholding or rejecting the assigned core value.
- The two groups engage in a structured debate, with one group presenting their arguments in favor of the value, while the other group argues against it.
- Encourage team members to respectfully challenge each other's arguments, ask questions, and consider different perspectives.
- After the debate, discuss the exercise and its implications for the team's values and decision-making processes.
Benefits
| Benefit | Description |
|---|---|
| Critical Thinking | Promotes critical thinking and effective communication skills |
| Diverse Viewpoints | Encourages team members to consider different perspectives |
| Value Understanding | Fosters a deeper understanding of the team's core values |
| Collaboration | Enhances collaboration and teamwork through constructive dialogue |
| Improvement Areas | Helps identify potential blind spots or areas for improvement in the team's value alignment |
Exercise Comparison
Here's a simple comparison of the different team-building exercises:
| Exercise | Time | Group Size | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Value Cards | 30-60 mins | 5-15 people | Easy |
| Making Values Real | 60-90 mins | 5-15 people | Medium |
| Value Collage | 60-90 mins | 5-10 people | Medium |
| Company Quiz | 30-60 mins | 10-20 people | Easy |
| Business Mapping | 60-90 mins | 5-10 people | Medium |
| Value Hunt | 60-90 mins | 10-20 people | Medium |
| Company Mission | 60-90 mins | 5-15 people | Medium |
| Merging Game | 30-60 mins | 10-20 people | Easy |
| Valuable Story | 60-90 mins | 5-15 people | Medium |
| Growth Principles | 60-90 mins | 5-10 people | Medium |
| Value Debate | 30-60 mins | 10-20 people | Hard |
Key points:
- Time: Most exercises take 60-90 minutes, with some shorter (30-60 mins) or longer options.
- Group Size: Ideal for groups of 5-20 people, with some better for smaller (5-10) or larger (10-20) teams.
- Difficulty: Ranges from easy (e.g., Value Cards, Company Quiz) to medium (e.g., Making Values Real, Value Collage) to hard (Value Debate).
When choosing an exercise, think about your team's size, time available, and desired challenge level. Easier exercises can be good warm-ups, while harder ones promote deeper talks. Mix and match based on your goals.
Final Thoughts
Team-building exercises are a great way to strengthen the values that guide your engineering team. By getting your team involved in activities that encourage open talks, working together, and agreeing on core principles, you build a team culture centered around shared values.
These exercises don't just help identify and explain shared values - they also provide a framework for putting those values into action. When teams understand and live by the values that guide their work, they can make better decisions, prioritize effectively, and tackle challenges with a unified approach.
Moreover, these activities create chances for team members to connect on a deeper level, build trust, and appreciate different perspectives. A strong sense of unity and shared purpose can boost morale, engagement, and overall job satisfaction, ultimately contributing to the success of your engineering projects.
Making team-building exercises a regular practice is an investment in your team's growth and the long-term health of your engineering culture. By continuously reinforcing and aligning with your core values, you create an environment where innovation, quality work, and a shared commitment to success can thrive.
Benefits of Team-Building Exercises
| Benefit | Description |
|---|---|
| Shared Understanding | Helps teams identify and agree on core values |
| Practical Application | Provides a framework for putting values into action |
| Informed Decision-Making | Enables teams to make decisions aligned with values |
| Effective Prioritization | Allows teams to prioritize tasks based on values |
| Unified Approach | Promotes a cohesive approach to tackling challenges |
| Deeper Connections | Creates opportunities for team members to connect |
| Trust-Building | Fosters trust and appreciation for diverse perspectives |
| Boosted Morale | Strengthens team unity and shared purpose |
| Increased Engagement | Contributes to overall job satisfaction |
| Successful Projects | Supports the success of engineering initiatives |
| Healthy Culture | Cultivates a values-driven engineering culture |
| Continuous Growth | Encourages ongoing reinforcement and alignment with values |
| Innovation and Quality | Fosters an environment for innovation and quality work |
| Shared Commitment | Builds a shared commitment to success |
FAQs
What is a values exercise for team building?
A values exercise for team building is a group activity that helps teams:
- Identify their core values and principles
- Discuss how those values relate to their work
- Agree on shared values to guide their actions
Some common examples include:
- Value Cards: Team members select cards with values (like integrity or innovation) and discuss how those values apply to their work.
- Value Brainstorming: Teams create a list of potential values and narrow it down to their top priorities.
- Case Studies: Teams analyze real-world scenarios and discuss how their values would influence their approach.
The goal is for teams to develop a shared understanding of their values. This allows them to:
- Make decisions aligned with those values
- Prioritize tasks based on their values
- Tackle challenges with a unified, values-driven approach
| Exercise Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Value Cards | Select value cards and discuss how they relate to work |
| Value Brainstorming | Create a list of potential values and prioritize them |
| Case Studies | Analyze scenarios and discuss how values influence the approach |
Benefits of Values Exercises
| Benefit | Description |
|---|---|
| Shared Understanding | Teams identify and agree on core values |
| Informed Decisions | Decisions are made aligned with values |
| Effective Prioritization | Tasks are prioritized based on values |
| Unified Approach | Teams tackle challenges with a values-driven approach |
| Open Discussion | Exercises encourage open discussions and collaboration |
| Alignment | Teams align on guiding principles for their work |
Values exercises help teams:
1. Identify their core values and principles
2. Discuss how those values relate to their work
3. Agree on shared values to guide their actions and decision-making
The exercises foster a shared understanding of the team's values. This enables teams to make informed decisions, prioritize tasks effectively, and tackle challenges with a unified, values-driven approach.
