Leadership skills help build memorable events and high engagement among participants; skills like listening, negotiating, conflict resolution, and empathy through these activities.
The leadership activities aim to develop these essential leadership skills.
Leadership activities are important in building a bond among attendees. A survey shows that 90% of employers say a sense of community is key to success. Participating in leadership activities helps build a sense of belonging. As a result, a reduced turnover rate.
What is a leadership activity?
Leadership activity is a structured activity designed to develop and enhance the leadership skills of participants. These activities are used in different settings like corporate, school, team building, and more.
Leadership activities aim to work on the leadership skills of participants in a fun and engaging way. Participating in leadership activities facilitates the development of self awareness regarding leadership concepts, one’s strengths, and areas for improvement.
Moreover, these activities cultivate a sense of teamwork, motivating individuals to collaborate, capitalize on each other’s strengths, and construct unified and harmonious teams.
Elements of a Good Leadership Activity
A good leadership activity ensures that the activity aligns with the context and needs of the participants. Developing leadership skills requires active listening to what other team members need. Activities must take into account the different leadership styles per group and adapt accordingly.
Team building activities should also have the right balance of challenge and fun to keep participants engaged. To ensure that the activity has an impact, moderators set a reflection period per activity for debriefing and insights.
60 Leadership Development Activities for Different Groups
Leadership activities for corporate teams
Boost team morale and productivity with tailored team building and leadership activities that fit the team culture. From icebreaker games to dealing with more complex work issues, you can take inspiration from these leadership development activities.
1. The Catching Game (Otten, 2020)
The mechanics of this activity is that one blindfolded catcher will stay in the middle of a play area or room on his knees. Every team member will gather in one straight line from the other side of the room.
The goal is for every player to cross the other side of the room or area without getting caught by the catcher in the middle. The catch? Each player must move through their knees or hands and feet.
Once a player is caught, they must remain frozen at their spot until after the game. When a catcher catches some players, the players will then join the catcher as additional catchers.
Continue playing rounds until every player has been caught and only one remains. You can add variations like adding music to each walker to make it easier for the catcher to catch them.
Through this activity, team members learn to stay alert and be on the lookout for any activity.
2. Selling Each Other (Otten, 2020)
The art of selling encourages ownership of the product or idea you are trying to sell. Learning the art of selling helps develop the communication skills of individual team members.
How this activity works is that the group will be divided into pairs. Each person decides who Person A or Person B is. Person A will ask interview questions to Person B that will highlight positive things about the person.
Questions can range from “What is the most positive compliment you received?” to “What is your key strength in what you do?”, “What leadership qualities do you think you possess?”. After a few minutes, the role can switch with Person B asking the questions to Person A.
After that, each duo will enthusiastically present their partners to the group. The audience can ask questions about what was presented. After that, each person can present themselves to the group too.
Doing this activity enhances each person’s presentation skills. Furthermore, it practices each person’s active listening, empathy, and interpersonal skills.
3. TED Talk Analysis
TED talks are inspirational talks by experts and motivational speakers that discuss different relevant topics. The team can choose a specific TEDx topic that applies to their situation. The format of the conversation can be a small group roundtable discussion where a facilitator can ask open-ended questions about the TED talk.
4. Leadership Book Club
A leadership book club is a productive activity that promotes continuous learning. You can choose leadership books and discuss topics on successful leadership, leadership philosophy, and more. Book clubs encourage team bonding and provide a safe space for vulnerability and exploration of ideas.
5. Escape Room Challenges
Boost team collaboration and problem-solving skills with an escape room challenge activity. An escape room can have a storyline that encourages problem-solving and clear communication.
The theme of the escape room can be related to a company’s mission or value. Through active participation, employees can better connect with the lessons learned upon the completion of the activity.
6. Circles (Otten, 2020)
Circles is an interesting team-building activity that gets your team members to reflect on their stand on various topics. Construct a large circle using tape, and then add a smaller inner circle within the larger one. The outermost circle can be labeled as “PANIC”, inside the circle is labeled as “CHALLENGE”, and the innermost circle as “COMFORT”.
The moderator will read a statement, and members will position themselves within the circle that corresponds to their feelings. An example of an opening statement can be “cliff diving”. Statements can vary from fun icebreaker statements to leadership styles.
Facilitators can take the lead in the discussion and ask how the participants can move from the outer circles to the inner circle. The discussion facilitates the brainstorming of ideas and the sharing of vulnerabilities that strengthen the group dynamics.
7. Change Perspective (Good & Fayden, 2018)
Problem-solving skills are an important trait for effective leadership. Sometimes, one needs a change in perspective to have a better understanding of the different angles of a situation.
Start with a topic that the group aims to discuss. This can be a topic or problem that the group needs to brainstorm or find a solution to. Have a list of roles in the group like “Manager, New Customer, Competitor, Old Employee, New Employee, New Competitor”.
The group will engage in a conversation based on the role they play. After one round, each participant can change roles and have the conversation again.
This practices their ability to think in different hats and perspectives.
8. Poor Customer Service (Good & Fayden, 2018)
Enhance your team’s communication skills with this activity. Every team leader and team member must have the skills on what to say and not to say to a customer. This leadership training helps with that.
A facilitator will say a poorly worded customer service statement and the participant can rephrase the statement in a more positive way. An example of this can be “You don’t know what you’re talking about” to “Thanks for sharing your thoughts”.
The next person can say another negative customer service statement and the next person will convert it into a positive statement.
The practice of converting negative statements into more customer-friendly ones helps customers be more conscious about their words when dealing with difficult situations.
9. Story Building (Webb, 2015)
Storymaking is a classic team-building exercise to enhance one’s creativity. This activity starts with participants forming a circle. The facilitator prompts a participant to kick-start a story with three sentences. The first three sentences can discuss the setting, theme, characters, etc. The next person will share a sentence to continue the story.
After a few minutes, a person can narrate the story that the group has made. The facilitator can ask reflection questions on the experience of the participants during the process of the activity.
Leadership activities for kids
Leadership activities bring a lot of benefits to kids. These activities help in forming their personal development, social skills, and conflict resolution skills at a young age. Leadership games also give opportunities for kids to realize their leadership style and develop valuable leadership qualities.
10. Conflict Resolution Skits
Conflict Resolution skits not only entertain but also serve as an avenue for young kids to understand conflict at a young age. Kids can learn the value of dealing with difficult emotions through the different scenarios presented and develop the team’s problem solving skills.
Through role-playing, kids can step into the shoes of different characters and explore various perspectives, foster empathy, and gain a deeper understanding of conflicting viewpoints.
11. Relay Games
Relay games are one of the best leadership development activities that encourage team collaboration, strategic thinking, and time management. Design active relay games like obstacle course relays, sack races, three-legged races, musical chairs, bean bag tosses, and more.
These activities help kids practice quick decision-making and cooperation with one another.
12. Masterchef Kids
Inspired by the famous show Hell’s Kitchen, kids form in groups and work together to achieve a recipe or dish in a given time limit. Kids develop their leadership styles as they learn how to delegate tasks and handle pressure. Furthermore, kids can learn how to handle a judge’s critical feedback.
13. The Tower (Bouma, 2021)
The Tower is a simple game that makes room for creativity and strategy. The facilitator or game master gives a tower height requirement and each group will use the materials given to them to reach the height requirement.
The items they use can be all the same like cups, wood, chairs, etc. After the teams build their tower, the facilitator can ask debriefing questions to help participants reflect on their strategies.
14. Something Changed (Bouma, 2021)
This fun activity teaches kids the value of observation and paying attention to their surroundings. The activity is played in two small groups – Group A and Group B. Group A and Group B will form into a line and face each other. Group B will then go somewhere and change something in their formation, accessories, etc.
After that, they will face Group A again. Group A must identify what changed in Group B. A fun idea can be players switching shirts.
15. Team Jump Rope (Bouma, 2021)
Kids love activities that involve active use of their energy. Doing a team jump rope activity is a simple yet effective way for teams to start communicating and talking with each other. Two campers will swing the ropes and a group of kids need to jump over the rope together.
16. This or That (Bouma, 2021)
This or That is an activity that can teach kids to make decisions in difficult situations. The group is given a challenging scenario and a set of materials that team members can choose to bring for their survival.
An example would be getting stuck on a deserted island but they only have to choose a few items to bring. They must think about what they have to give up and what to bring.
17. Werewolves (Otten, 2022)
Create cards with labels – Villagers and Werewolves. The number of Villager cards must be equal to the number of participants minus two. The two cards will be Werewolves. No one will know their cards except themselves.
The goal of the Werewolves is to eat the villagers while the goal of the villagers is to kill the Werewolves. The facilitator will narrate the game in two phases – Day and Night.
During the night phase, everyone closes their eyes and the facilitator will instruct the Werewolves to open their eyes. The werewolves will see each other and silently decide on the villager they will attack and point at the person. After that, the werewolves will close their eyes again.
The facilitator will say that it’s daytime and mention the name of the villager that is eliminated. It is now up to the villagers to discuss who among the group are the werewolves. But since no one knows who the werewolves are, the werewolves will join the discussion and pretend to be villagers to not get caught.
Once the group decides on who gets eliminated, the person sits outside the group as an observer. After that, the facilitator takes over again for another round of nighttime.
The game Werewolves enables team discussion in a fun and playful. The group must come up with creative ideas to defend themselves or prove that they are villagers. The shared goals of villagers and werewolves to achieve their objectives stimulate group cooperation.
Leadership activities for middle school
18. Leading the Blind (Bouma, 2021)
Middle school students love to have an active activity to release their energy. The Leading the Blind activity is a fun activity where one camper is blindfolded and must leave the camper into a maze.
Leading the Blind game is best played on a flat surface without obstructing objects to avoid accidents. This activity teaches the value of clear communication and active listening.
19. Create a leadership podcast
Invite middle schoolers to start a passion project like a leadership podcast. Middle schoolers can invite their teachers, parents, or industry leaders to their podcasts.
Podcasting strengthens their interviewing and questioning skills which are important leadership skills. Creating a podcast requires skills in production, storytelling, and content creation.
20. Build a Business Activity
It’s never too early to start teaching entrepreneurship. Middle schoolers can learn so much from building their own business. They can present their businesses in a culminating event or school fair.
Through this activity, students can have a feel of building their own business – from conceptualizing, market research, product development, marketing, and after-customer service.
21. Folding Paper (Good & Fayden, 2018)
The Folding Paper activity shows that each person can interpret instructions differently. Each player will be given a piece of paper with their eyes closed. The moderator will give a series of instructions that they have to follow.
For example, “Fold it in half”, “Turn it 90 degrees to the left”, “Turn the paper upside down”, etc. After a series of instructions, players can open their eyes and look at their papers. More often than not, each person has different results even after receiving the same instructions.
22. Real-Life Monopoly Game
Monopoly is a fun board game that teaches important business principles like diversifying income streams, planning for the unexpected, generating passive income, and negotiating. Take inspiration from this famous game by creating a custom Monopoly game for your group.
Leadership activities for high school
23. Egg Drop
Egg Drop is a game that tests a group’s teamwork and strategic planning. The challenge is not to break the egg after a high fall from the building. Each group will be given an egg and materials. The goal of each group is to use the materials given to them to form a protection for the egg.
24. Follow Me, Follow You (Pollack & Fusoni, 2014)
Have the group form a circle and choose a leader but keep it a secret. The moderator will ask everyone to think of a pose and strike it. The player will look at their chosen leader and copy whatever the leader is doing.
“End the exercise when the entire group is doing the same movement or is in the same pose. If this does not happen, end the exercise when group members stop switching poses.” the book said.
Processing can help analyze how people choose their leaders. It helps teach the lesson of how our actions can serve as a model for others.
25. People Scavenger Hunt (Jones, 2013)
Start this activity by forming groups of 8 or more people. A leader stands a good distance away from the groups and will state a human characteristic of the group.
Examples are “4 people wearing the same color shirt”, “2 people who were born in the same state”, etc. People who fit the characteristics of the different groups will gather together and race toward the leader. The first one who gets to the leader wins a point. Make it more challenging by asking representatives to skip, walk backward, or hop toward the leader.
Characteristics can be more in-depth or work-related to add some points for discussion.
26. Hackathon
You’ll be surprised by the impressive ideas high schoolers have. Organize an event where participants can present solutions to issues and problems. Invite judges who are seasoned entrepreneurs or who are experts at the topic to handle judging.
27. Human Knot (Pollack & Fusoni, 2014)
Note: This activity is intensive and requires a lot of physical contact.
The Human Knot activity addresses the importance of group cooperation, trust, being considerate of each other, and working together. Start this activity by having a group of 8 or more stand in a circle. Have their arms crossed their bodies and join hands with two other people that’s not the person beside them.
The group has now formed a “human knot” and has to untangle themselves through twisting and turning.
28. Jelly Beans (Bouma, 2021)
Practice the skill of negotiation with this simple and interactive activity. Give each player a set of jellybeans with different colors. The goal of this activity is to be able to collect all the jelly beans of one color.
Players can team up to create a strategy on how to collect the colors they need from other players. Players must come up with deals and communicate effectively as a leader.
Leadership activities for adults
29. Two Sides (Good & McFadyen, 2018)
Give perspective on two different sides through this team-building activity. Group participants into pairs or threes and have a person share real-life negative experiences while the other person listens.
The person listening will share the same experience but in a positive light. Swapping the roles so that everyone gets to try both roles.
30. Headache Activity (Good & McFadyen, 2018)
The headache activity encourages participants to avoid jumping to conclusions and paying attention to details. The activity begins as the moderator addresses the group, casting them in the role of doctors tasked with diagnosing the underlying cause of the moderator’s headache.
The moderator can set a vague narrative beforehand with information like the moderator has had a headache for 3 months already, the job is a trainer, and his favorite hobbies. Each team gets to ask one question at a time and the moderator will respond. Do not go with the medical approach as not everyone knows about medical terms.
Give the group a set time limit to collect their questions. Different groups can compete with each other by not sharing the information they got from their questions.
31. Jigsaw Puzzle (Good and McFadyen, 2018)
Give each group a jigsaw puzzle with a centerpiece swapped with other groups. The group does not know about this setup. They will each rush to build their puzzle only to get stuck as they realize the missing pieces of their puzzle.
Observe how each group will try to find solutions until they realize the need to work with other groups.
32. Make it up (Pollack and Fusoni 2014)
Have the group brainstorm about a specific goal or problem that they want to solve. List down the specific needs that they have identified. After that, the group will come up with specific activities or workshop ideas that can meet those needs and implement the exercises suggested.
The make-it-up activity can demonstrate that anyone can make an activity out of nothing as long as everyone is willing and proactive to participate.
33. Picture Cards
A picture is worth a thousand words. The Picture Cards activity is a good prompt for people to start communicating and listening to one another.
Choose pictures that are vague and complex so they can be open to a lot of interpretations. The pictures can be used as a conversation starter for casual topics like how they’re feeling to more in-depth ones like what one looks for in a leader.
34. What happened? (Otten, 2020)
Train your participants to dig deep and ask the right questions to understand the situation. The What Happened activity starts with a moderator presenting a prepared situation. The situation can be a lighthearted one or it can be a thrilling one for some excitement.
Participants can creatively think of strategic questions to ask until they can come up with a story. Add variations like the moderator can only answer in yes or no.
35. Copy the Building (Otten, 2020)
Copy the Building emphasizes the power of communication. Form groups of three and give each group a set of Lego bricks.
Arrange a “model building” within a designated area, allowing only one individual from the trio to view the model initially. This person will then need to memorize the appearance of the model building and effectively communicate its details to the other two team members for accurate reconstruction.
The person with the initial view may revisit the model building as needed to ensure accuracy in their description.
The Copy the Building activity enhances the communication and comprehension skills of the participants.
Leadership activities for church leadership
36. Washing of the feet
Washing of the feet is an iconic example in the Scripture about servant leadership. The act of washing another person’s feet exemplifies the essence of servant leadership, emphasizing humility, compassion, and a willingness to serve others rather than seeking authority or recognition.
This unique activity establishes a bond among the church leadership and serves as a reminder that leadership is about serving the church.
37. Spiritual Retreat
The church leadership can be so focused on serving people that they neglect their own spiritual life. Spiritual retreats provide a dedicated time and space for leaders to reflect, recharge, and deepen their spiritual connection.
38. Shepherding Activity
Shepherding is a metaphor for church leadership as they lead their church. Some activities to do can be a prayer walk, small group sessions, ministry sharing night, workshop, and creativity sessions.
The session can also be an opportunity for question and answer and mentoring among the church leaders.
39. Upside Down Kingdom
The term upside down is a reference in Scripture to its upside-down principles. “The last will be the first. The first will be the last.”, “Whoever wants to be a leader must first be a servant”, etc.
The Upside Down Activity can be a series of activities that have upside-down rules and mechanics. Examples are role reversal discussion, spotting of contrast in Scriptures, etc.
40. Biblical Leadership Seminar
Church leaders can benefit from an enriching seminar on Biblical Leadership. Church leaders can take inspiration as they dive deep into Scriptural lessons from leaders of the Bible. The seminar can include seminars and workshops for practical application.
41. Spiritual Gifts Discovery
Learning of one’s spiritual gifts empowers leaders to be effective in their ministries. The church leadership can participate in a test where they can discover their strengths and weaknesses more.
Participants can also give feedback and insights to each other to affirm their gifts. The time of reflection and insights can serve as a refreshing activity with fellow church leaders.
Leadership activities for outdoors or sports teams
42. Tug of War
Tug of War is a famous physical game among teams. Test the team’s collective determination and boost team spirit as they work together and pull their side of the rope. Members can discuss strategy on position and timing to win.
Furthermore, team leaders must communicate clearly and efficiently during the game to ensure everyone is pulling in sync. This physical game mirrors the importance of clear communication in leadership roles.
43. Flag Grab (Jones, 2013)
To win this game, a team must be able to capture all the flags before the other team does. Divide a group into two groups and station their bases at the other ends of the gym. Create a line in the middle with a box in front and back of the middle. Place the flags inside the boxes.
Members will try to cross territory to their opponents’ box without getting tagged. Once the player crosses the center line into the other team’s territory, he can be tagged. If a player makes it to the opposing team’s box without getting tagged, they are in the safe zone until they go out of the box. When a person carrying the flag is tagged, the flag goes back into the box.
Flag Grab is an active leadership game that teaches players how to handle pressure and quick thinking.
44. Bench Ball (Jones, 2013)
This is an active activity that gets everyone moving. Set a designated play area with scattered foam balls. Players will get foam balls and aim them at a player without taking more than three steps.
Once a player gets hit by a foam ball, they must step outside and observe the game. A player who throws a ball that is caught by another player is also out and must take note of who got him out. A player who is out can reenter the game once the person who got him out goes out.
45. Don’t Drop it! (Jones, 2013)
Slice a few tennis balls in the middle and insert messages inside. Players must keep on passing the ball without dropping it. The person who fails to catch the ball or drops it must do the task written in the tennis ball.
Messages inside the ball can be exercised ideas or leadership challenges.
46. Obstacle Course Chase (Jones, 2013)
Create an obstacle course with different stations. Players must accomplish every obstacle ahead of other players to win. The obstacle course can teach leadership skills like a decision-making maze, a blindfolded trust course, time-pressed challenges, and more.
47. Sticker Tag (Jones, 2013)
Each group will have a sticker tag on their back. A color can represent per group. The group must prevent other groups from getting the sticker on their back.
Groups can position themselves back to back while navigating the play area, strategically safeguarding the stickers affixed to their backs. Within each group, members collaborate to ensure the preservation of their fellow members’ stickers, all while embracing calculated risks in their pursuit to gather stickers from the backs of their counterparts in the opposing group.
48. Water Balloon Race (Jones, 2013)
Organize teams consisting of four to eight individuals each. Split the team into two lines that directly face one another. A team member initiates by tossing a water balloon to the person in front of them, then swiftly goes to the opposite end of the line. The recipient of the balloon catches it and proceeds to toss it forward, subsequently making their way to the end of the line.
The team that accomplishes a predetermined number of consecutive tosses ahead of the opposing team emerges as the victor. Should the water balloon burst during any part of the sequence, the tally resets to zero.
To enhance the game, consider introducing modifications such as increasing the gap between the team members who are facing each other.
Leadership activities for nonprofit organizations
49. Leadership Workshop Series
Non-profit organizations consist of volunteers who give their time and expertise for the cause of the organization. A leadership workshop can be a series of skills training for volunteers that can benefit their development as volunteers or professionals.
50. Role Reversal Exercise
Role Reversal Exercises are important activities that help build empathy and understanding among volunteers. This experiential approach breaks down silos, encouraging a culture of unity where everyone appreciates the interconnectedness of their efforts.
Role reversal exercises also stimulate creativity, as participants are encouraged to think outside their usual sphere and propose innovative solutions inspired by newfound perspectives.
51. Team Building Retreat
Retreats offer a time for reflection and recreation among volunteers. Nonprofit work can get tiring so organizing a retreat to recharge can encourage participants with renewed commitment and passion in what the organization does.
Leadership activities for virtual teams
52. Alien Customers (Good & McFadyen, 2020)
Alien Customers help utilize the shared knowledge of the team and share it with others. The moderator will tell the group that an alien has landed and wants to know more about your organization. Since the aliens can’t understand normal conversations, teams must come up with symbols or pictures to explain what the organization does.
53. Blind Pictures (Good & McFadyen, 2020)
Blind Pictures is a virtual activity that can help employees handle customer frustrations and communication issues.
Provide a line drawing picture to a representative and the representative has to describe the picture to the rest of the group. They can only use descriptions like lines, angles, and shapes and can’t describe what the actual picture is.
Only the person describing is allowed to talk. After a certain length of time, the team will present their drawing and compare it to the actual picture being described.
This activity gives insights into the importance of two-way communication.
54. Catch Phrase (Good & McFadyen, 2020)
Catch Phrase is a simple yet fun game to practice the communication skills of the team. Participants must describe a certain word to the team without saying the actual word. They can only use phrases related to the word they’re describing.
Modify this game by using words related to their role or organization. Participants will have a fun time as they gain insights into how participants describe their work or each other.
55. Guess Who (Good & McFadyen, 2020)
Virtual teams face the challenge of making genuine connections with each other. This activity serves as an effective icebreaker, facilitating mutual introductions and fostering a deeper understanding of one another.
Send out a short questionnaire to be answered by the participants. Sample questions are “What’s your favorite film?”, “Famous person you admire”, “Your ideal holiday”, “A unique fact about yourself”, etc.
The moderator will read out the questions and answers and the group will have to guess who answered what. Modify the game by adding questions related to leadership and values.
56. Leaders you admire (Good & McFadyen, 2020)
Break out the participants in pairs or smaller groups into breakout rooms. Ask them to discuss a leader they admire. The leader can be alive, dead, fictional, or real. Discuss the leadership qualities they admire and share them with the whole group.
57. Leadership Reflections (Good & McFadyen, 2020)
The group members will reflect on three leadership styles: Autocratic, Delegative, and Democratic. An autocratic leader makes decisions without consulting the team, a delegative leader gives a chance for the team to decide, and a democratic leader consults with the staff in making decisions.
Ask the team to reflect on a time when they experienced or practiced the three different types of leadership behaviors. Have processing questions ready like “Is it effective leadership? What were the experiences? Did it work well with the team?”
58. Metaphoric Gadgets (Good & McFadyen, 2020)
Metaphoric Gadegets is a fun way for the team to be creative and think outside the box. Have the moderator prepare a set of questions that require participants to use an object to represent their answers.
These are some statement examples: “Bring something from the kitchen that describes your role in the team” or “Get something from the bathroom that describes what you’re feeling now”
59. Blind Drawing (Degner, 2021)
Blind Drawing is an important activity for remote teams because it enhances the level of communication among teams.
Send a picture to a member of your team. The member attempts to describe the picture with certain banned words that will make the picture a giveaway. The other group members try to draw the image based on the descriptions they receive.
60. The Desert Island (Degner, 2021)
Give participants a scenario in which they are stuck on a deserted island and they’re only allowed to get three of seven objects. Make the objects as vague and complicated as possible.
Group the participants into three or four people and have them discuss which items they plan to bring. After the small group discussion, they will explain the rationale behind their choices to the whole group.
Plan Your Leadership Event Now
Leadership activities are tried and tested ways to engage your team and strengthen the leadership culture. Organize leadership events and try out the activities mentioned above.
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