Customer Reviews

Executive Marbles & Other Team Building Activities

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Like many resource books, "Executive Marbles" offers a little something for everyone. If you are looking to purchase an "everything I could ask for in one resource book" this is not for you. If you are looking for a few new ideas to begin or enhance your personal bag of tricks, this book will likely deliver.

I had some difficulty with the written explanation of some of the activities. Less isn't always more. More detailed descriptions would have been helpful. Also, the lack of helpful diagrams and the limited descriptive photos might be troublesome for visual learners.

There is a helpful chart in the front of the book detailing the recommended group sizes for each activity. The team size information would have been even more helpful had it also been included with each individual write up. Less flipping back and forth.

There are a couple initiatives that have been used frequently in our programs since having purchased this book. We have had tremendous luck with "Insanity" in particular.

If you are developing a resource library, this selection may not become your most referenced book, but it is not likely to gather dust on a shelf. A decent resource and a decent value.

Be sure you know what you're getting into before you buy this book! Yes, there are a few (emphasize "few") good ideas, but the presentation is horrible. Sikes is obviously a skilled facilitator. It looks like he self-published this book and he should have hired an editor. Here are the problems you need to be aware of before you slap down the $$$.

1. There is no indication of how much time each activity runs. 5 minutes? 3 hours? He never says.

2. THe format is inconsistent. MOST chapters have the following headings: Props, objective, history, preparation, instructions, facilitator notes, variations. Generally a good outline (although "time" would have been good, too). Several activities omit the preparation section. A few (like the one on p. 52) only have "props" and "facilitator notes." A few include another section called "Scenario" (which is a subsection of "instructions"). The activity on p. 129 goes from Props to Objective. The Objective section is seveal pages long...why? Because he floated from Objective to preparation to instructions to facilitator notes, but never clearly.

3. On p. 82, titled "SUrvival of the Fittest" we get none of the categories above, but just a copy of a silly email about squishing M&Ms. There is no explanation as to why this is in here (it almost feels like it's something the author had on his computer and during his text-merge it got included into the book by mistake--again, get an editor/proofreader!).

4. There are 30 activities in the book. 3 of them (ok, that's 10%!!!) start with this: "Warning: do not use this activity unless you have a clear working knowledge of the equipment used for the activity (i.e., tying knots, belaying, attaching carabiners to safety anchors, using rope pullies, harnassing)." Exactly! These activities would have you literally hoisting participants off the ground in harnasses. Not exactly helpful for 99.9% of us facilitating teambuilding who dont want to be sued.

5. ALong the same lines of danger, the activity "Hot Air Balloons" requires a lighter, camp stove fuel, etc. Yes, you would literally be playing with fire on this one!

6. I haven't counted, but roughly half of the activities must be done outside.

7. He is frequently unclear in his instructions. For example he indicates for a small group to do this, and for a larger group to do that. How small is small? How large is large??

That said, there actually are a few activities that may work for me, but i was so frustrated with the sloppy writing, gross assumptions, and ridiculous props necessary (seat harnesses, fuel/lighter, etc), that i had to get on amazon and warn others before they make the same mistake i did this book. Note, Sikes' other book suffers from the same problems as this one does, just not as bad.

Go for more practical books by Alanna Jones, Brian Cole Miller or Ed Rose.

And Mr. Sikes, please find an editor or at least a proofreader if you publish again, i'd love to really understand and use some of what look like really great ideas!

Having Read all of Karl Rohnke's Books (Silverbullets). Sam brings and exciting energy to Adventuring Gaming and Corporate Gaming. Anywhere from Executive Marbles to Hot Air Ballons. A must!