For the Love of Books
Most people have at least one book that they love to read. A book that has had some emotional impact on them and in some way has changed how they think or feel about something.
One way to connect and learn about bonding with your team is by discovering what book(s) they recommend. This team-building activity, “For the Love of Books,” is a simple way to connect with others by sharing a favorite book. An added benefit is that the team gets a list of recommended books to consider.
This team bonding activity is simple and can be done with almost no prep time.
Instructions:
- Ask everyone to bring ONE book that has been very helpful to them and that they’d like to share/recommend to their team.
- At the gathering, ask each person to share their book and briefly tell how that book was helpful to them.
- Determine how much time each person gets and consider using a timer to keep things moving. 2 minutes per person is just enough time to get the gist of the book choice, without going into too many details.
- Collect all the books and take a picture of them and/or capture the names/authors of the books to share with everyone.
- (Optional) Team members can share their books with each other.
I just used this engagement with a group of 8 facilitators at a retreat. We shared books that were spiritual, business-oriented, and pragmatic. Through this process, we learned more about each other’s interests and values. And we all identified with at least one new book that we wanted to read.
Modifications:
- You can do this spontaneously without people bringing a physical book.
- If the team is remote simply ask them to show their books on video.
- You can ask the team members to bring a book about a certain theme (i.e., change, stress, marketing).
- You can also ask them to bring a fictional book that moved them emotionally.
Summary
For the Love of Books is a team bonding activity. Simply ask each team member to share one book they would recommend.
About the Author: Leigh Ann Rodgers, Founder of Better Teams and Forward, is an IAF Certified Professional Facilitator with 20 years of experience in the human development field. Leigh Ann is a skilled meeting facilitator, trainer, and coach working across the globe to help leaders cultivate teams that are happy and high-performing.
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