As managers we are constantly looking for new and innovative ways to bring our team members together, allowing them to get to know each other in a laid back environment. The next time you have a team meeting, consider breaking your members into groups of 2 or 3 and giving them a series of ditloid puzzles to answer.

Ditloids are small equations made up of letters or numbers that can usually be solved pretty easily. You can use some that are prewritten or have your teams make up ditloits to give the opposing teams. Offer incentives (extra time off) or prizes (lunch, gift certificates, etc) to the team that can answer the highest number of ditloids correctly.

Here are a few examples (and their answers):

• 3  B M (3 blind mice)
• 12 S O T Z (12 signs of the zodiac)
• 50 S I T U S A (50 states in the USA)
• 4 A 20 B B I A P (4 and 20 blackbirds baked in a pie)
• 4 S O A DB (4 strings on a double bass)
• 6 B I A O I C (6 balls in an over in cricket)

Remember, if you make up your own ditloids they shouldn’t be too obscure. They should be based on common phrases used within your organization, for example.

Have fun bringing your team together with a few minutes of entertainment. Who knows – they may just learn a little bit about themselves and about each other!

Thanks again,
Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
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