Team Building Activity – Quotarian

Imagine you are in an all-day team building meeting and serious conversations are taking place.  The feeling in the room is intense as the team talks about challenging issues.  Then, suddenly, someone makes a comment that causes everyone to burst into laughter.  The tension is temporarily released, the team is smiling, and positive energy fills the room.

Why not document those funny comments so you can savor them just a little longer? 

All you need is someone to play the role of “Quotarian” and oversee documenting those funny quotes on a chart.  Others can document too, of course.  At the end of the meeting, you’ll have a list of funny quotes to review together and laugh once again. 

Not only is this fun at the moment, but it is building positive team memories and connections.  Some quotes may live on for years to come.

Below are some of the funny quotes that came from our Leadership Strategies Core Team meeting. Keep in mind, they probably won’t be funny to you because you weren’t there and don’t have the context.

• “Color that in a little bit”
•  “Octo-gorilla, Gazelephant”
•  “Stay off the gel, that’s what happened to me”
•  “It’s that Denver Life”

Summary

What makes this a team bonding activity is that you must be an “insider” for these to be funny and make sense.  If you read the list of quotes from my meeting, they will likely be meaningless; however, for me, they trigger a fun memory because I was there and have the context behind the quote. A basic human need is to belong and feel connected to others.  This simple, funny tool is a powerful way to unite others in a light-hearted way.

Source:  Michael Wilkinson is a Certified Master Facilitator™ and the founder and Managing Director of Leadership Strategies, Inc. His unique talent, skills, and passion for facilitation form the core of his company’s mission and are the reasons for which he is much sought after as a facilitator, trainer, and speaker.