Customer Reviews

Quick Team-Building Activities for Busy Managers: 50 Exercises That Get Results in Just 15 Minutes

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
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This book brings together several mutually-supportive elements: managers with heavy, fast-moving schedules; team members who want to feel a greater sense of belonging; and an era that demands higher levels of collaboration....teamwork.

The book is organized into two parts. The first section is instructional; the second section consists of bullet-pointed presentations of fifty short easy-to-run exercises. The opening section has two chapters that are worth the price of the book all by themselves: How to Run a Successful Team-Building Activity and What Could Go Wrong with a Team-Building Activity. What a sense of security this section gives managers: these activities are simple to use...and your experience is practically fail-safe.

Each of the activities is presented using the same format. The bullet-point sections are This is, The Purpose is, Use This When, Materials You'll Need, Here's How, For Example, Ask these Questions, Tips for Success, and Try these Variations. It doesn't get much more comfortable than this! Understanding today's work environment, Miller promises no role-lays, demonstrations, outdoor activities, handouts, or touchy-feely stuff. The activities are organized by areas of need: Communication, Connecting, Cooperation, Coping, Creativity, and Teamwork. A strong index complements the well-organized table of contents, making the volume highly user-friendly.

Recommended for managers and supervisors, as well as training and development professionals. Consultants will also find this tool to be useful as they work to bring people together to achieve results. Everything is explained so that the exercises can be led by laymen or by professionals. A wide variety of tools is offered, enabling the reader/user to choose the experience that will be best for the participants and the circumstances.

Having a Master's Degree in Training and Development, I have read several books on this topic. This book was fun and informative as well as an enjoyable read. I've used several of the excecises and each have proven to be effective. The format is both easy to follow and well presented. It left no questioned unanswered.

This book is terrific and so, so easy to use! How many times are you asked to add some sort of quick teambuiling exercise to a meeting and you have to scour your brain to come up with new ones that won't get groans from the team? This is the perfect solution for on-the-spot energy boosting activities. The author really understands "busy managers!"

For the money, this is one of the best activity books you will find. All of the activities are easy to set up and easy to complete -- but they do all serve a purpose. When the author says that these are 15 minute activities, he means it. I am an independent leadership consultant and I have started using this book over and over again when I present workshops. You'll love it!

Great resource...from the intro chapters that explain clearly and concisely how to run an activity as well as what could go wrong and how to avoid it (or deal with it), to the the 50 activities themselves. Everything is so clear and concise...the whole book is written in bullets. And none of the activities are so out there that you'd be afraid to try them. I've used several with my staff and we've all (even me!) had a great time and grown stronger together.

Unbelievable!! This book is exactly what I have been looking for! I have done successful team building activities in the past, but not to the extent, and with the outcomes I am achieving by using this book. Mr. Miller not only gives you a lot of activity ideas, which most books do, he also gives you easy, quick instructions on how to get the most out of each activity. He makes you visualize the activity taking place and what possible obstacles you might face in doing an activity. Everyone wants to tell you WHAT team building activity to do, but no one tells you HOW to do it. This is what this book provides! Mr. Miller has taught me how to prepare for, conduct, and debrief a very successful activity each time, every time. My employees love it and I love it! Thank you Mr. Miller!!!

Adam Cope

In today's world of do more in less time it's important to find suggestions that are both helpful and insightful. Brian Miller has nailed it! I am committed to providing my associates with a monthly teambuilding session but have often come up short because I am unable to find interesting, relevent and, dare I say, FUN, exercises. This book will make quite a difference in my upcoming meetings. I highly recommend it for all levels of associates. Thanks, Mr. Miller!

I bought this book to help me change the dynamic of weekly staff meetings from complaint sessions into something constructive. My staff was resistant at first, but now they look forward to the exercises.

I find the exercises relevant, memorable for the team and flexible.

This book is great if you have a team that needs work. I would imagine, however, that some of these exercises might be eye-rolling to someone who has basic skills down cold.

I am an Office Manager for a large busy Real Estate Office of 100 Agents and they are all independant Contractors basically and must rely primarily on self motivating activities to assure a sucessful business however it is my job to assist them in every way possible. Our Office meetings are extrememly important in that aspect, I have to try and top myself each week with some NEW Fresh motivational activities which I find in that little book!! It makes my life so much easier and the Agents Love the short but EFECTIVE activities. It's worth whatever I spent for it.

Sometimes when people from the Caribbean buy books written by North American or UK authors, much of the content is not applicable. However I have found many of the exercises in the book to be extremely useful. Am currently running some management training here in the Caribbean where I'm from, and have used a number of the exercises.

They are simple, easy to follow and the great thing is that the author gives you variations you can try, depending on the group you have.

My book will have "dog ears" very soon from frequent use!