The phrase 'team building exercises' may be new but the reality is not. Its origins go back at least as far as the medieval tournaments. These provided knights with military training and the opportunity to make reputations. Individual jousting and hand-to hand combat came first. Then there were team events. In these, a group of knights fought against another group. These teams often stayed together and fought side-by-side in real battle. Team games today, such as football, baseball, cricket and hockey, are the distant descendants of such medieval tournaments.

A crucial event in the movement from being a group to becoming a team can be the team building exercise. This can be based upon either (1) a substitute team task (for example, a business case study or a few days of outdoor activities) or (2) a real task (for example, going away for a weekend to plan company strategy).

There are pros and cons to both approaches. The advantage of a substitute task type of event is that success or failure is not of paramount importance. Nor are there any technological or professional challenges to meet, so that people can concentrate on the essential issue of learning how to work more effectively together as a team.

Match the task given in List -I with the appropriate example given in List - II.

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

(A)-(I), (B)-(III), (C)-(IV), (D)-(II)

The correct answer is Option (1) → (A)-(I), (B)-(III), (C)-(IV), (D)-(II)

The correct matching of tasks from List-I with their appropriate examples from List-II, along with explanations, is as follows:

(A) substitute team task - (I) eg. a few days of outdoor activities
Explanation: Substitute team tasks are activities that simulate team dynamics and cooperation but aren't actual work tasks. Examples include outdoor activities where teams must collaborate and communicate effectively.

(B) knights did military trainings - (III) eg. individual Jousting
Explanation: Knights engaged in individual military training such as jousting, which involved individual combat skills and techniques.

(C) team events of group of knights - (IV) eg. real battle
Explanation: Team events involved groups of knights fighting against other groups, which closely resembles the dynamics of a real battle where teamwork and coordination are essential.

(D) real task - (II) eg. plan company strategy
Explanation: Real tasks involve actual work-related activities such as planning a company strategy, where the effectiveness of teamwork directly impacts the outcome.