zapitup

Table Topics

2008-10-27T19:21:00.000-07:00

Here is a trick I used to do, but now I have found a video to go with it. You are basically balancing a glass upside down on a few quarters, with a dime under the glass. The challenge is how to get the dime out without moving the glass.

Have a watch:

http://video-tricks.visionmind.net/obidient-coin/

How I Would Use This

I could really see a great big conference room pondering over this as they have their dinner. Every table would have a couple of quarters and a dime and the glass and tablecloth are already there.
A wonderful team activity would follow.

The point of this activity could be:

-the solution may not be obvious
-it takes a whole room to find the solution
-little actions can make a big difference

You might want to try having groups who figure it out teach those who don't know how it is done.
What fun.

True or False Walk

2008-10-21T20:46:00.000-07:00

A very simple exercise that livens up your day and introduces a new topic.

Let's say your topic is learning about Canada and your group are a bunch of European students.

I would ask the group to stand in the middle of a large area. On one wall is a sign that reads
TRUE
on the opposite a sign that reads
FALSE

Then I ask them a series of questions to which they move back and forth from True to False.
Each person goes his or her own way.

Some typical questions:

Toronto is the capital of Canada.
Canada has two coastlines.
The national animal of Canada is the moose.

and so on.

People have fun with this activity and enjoy whether they are right or wrong.

Adapt any way you want.

Noisemakers

2008-10-08T09:43:00.000-07:00

Whenever I fly the airlines look with suspicion at my luggage. That is because it contains noisemakers, tambourines, bells, whistles and more.

I really believe that a simple way to liven up a workshop, is to use all kinds of noisemakers.
It adds an element of fun, gets people's attention and saves your voice.

One word of caution, though, try not to bring things that make UGLY sounds; klaxon horns, blasters and the like.

Have fun.

Photo Finish

2008-09-26T06:51:00.000-07:00

I often have participants introduce themselves by showing the group something they have in their pockets, packs or purses but recently I saw a neat twist on this.

When you have a roomful of adults you are bound to have photos in wallets. Hand out a short list for a scavenger hunt of photos. Have everyone mill around sharing the photos and see how many they can find and tick off. Each photo should come from a different person.

It is up to you which photos you put in the list. Try to reflect the group you are working with.
Here are a few ideas to get you started.

1) a happy family
2) a really young baby
3) a curly headed toddler
4) a car
5) a vacation spot
6) a school photo
7) a grandmother or grandfather
8) a big dog
9) a small dog
10) a pet other than a dog
11) a house
12) a flower or tree

Just make up any list you want and see how many of them your group collectively keeps in their wallets.

This is a lively way to get people talking and sharing.

The F Word

2008-09-02T08:08:00.000-07:00

FINISHED FILES ARE THE RESULT OF YEARS
OF SCIENTIFIC STUDY COMBINED WITH THE
EXPERIENCE OF YEARS.

Now count the F's is that sentence. Count them ONLY ONCE.
Do not go back and count them again. Then see below:

There are 6 F's in the sentence.
How many did you count?

How I Would Use This

For fun I could turn it into an intelligence test.

Another idea is to use it to illustrate how often we make assumptions. The brain assumed that the V sounds were just that, V's and not F's. We make hundreds of assumptions daily, some are harmless like this little activity, but some are not harmless at all.

Word Tree

2008-08-21T13:53:00.000-07:00

To launch the participants into a topic try creating a word tree.

For example, in a workshop on global climate change, ask participants to throw out words that relate to the topic:

.climate greenhouse gas erosion pollution carbon dioxide kyoto and so on. Write all the words on the board or on individual index cards. Then have the group cluster them into small word groups.

Define and discuss as necessary and launch into the topic.

Charades Down the Line

2008-08-21T11:13:00.000-07:00

Here is a quick activity that is going to get people laughing and breaking down barriers.
Remember the game Telephone: the one in which a message is passed down a line until it is nearly unrecognizable? This is the same, but with Charades.

Ask a small group of 7 or 8 to leave the room and come up with an action that is a bit silly. Maybe diapering a baby, whipping cream, first kiss, whatever.

When the large group has a good idea, ask the small group to come back in the room. At this point one person shows the action to the first person of the small group, while the rest of the small group turn their backs. Then this person reveals the action to the next in line, and so on through every person in the small group. No sounds are allowed.

How I Would Use This

The final action may be unrecognizable because each person in line brings his or her own preference and interpretation to the action. In the same way, in communicating with others we have to keep these interpretations in mind and watch for them.

Variation.
You can do this in a large circle with the whole group. Everyone closes their eyes until touched. One person starts the action and the action is translated from person to person.

What's In A Name

2008-08-10T08:15:00.000-07:00

I think it is a lot of fun for participants to play around with their names. The humour that is created is good energy. Try the following activity and see if you could use any of these names in your workshops.

Your Real Name? Deb

2. YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (first 4 letters of real name plus izzle) Debozzle

3. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (fav color and fav animal) Scarlet Cat

4. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, and childhood street): Ann Richmond

5. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first name, first 3 letters of mom's maiden name) Caldegra

6. YOUR SUPERHERO NAME: (The, 2nd favorite color, drink) The Blue Teal Steamer

7. YOUR BLUES SINGER NAME: (The mood you are in now, and the last name of any President) Lazy Lincoln (I don't think this works so well for Prime Ministers)

8. YOUR WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (grandmother and grandfather's first name) Mary

9. YOUR GOTH NAME: (black, and the name of one your pets) Black Happy

10. EXOTIC DANCER: (first pet and street name): Honey Sand Creek

Dancing Lady

2008-07-08T22:25:00.000-07:00

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d167/countrygeek/0568782000.gif

This is just a great optical illusion. Does the lady twirl clockwise or counter?
I would use this to start the discussion that we may easily perceive different things as the truth.

Establish Your Personality

2008-06-27T08:33:00.000-07:00

I am putting together a workshop about Fun in Facilitation and one of the things that I realized made my work fun is leading with my personality.

I think today a lot of work and worry goes into content, how to present it, how much to present, etc, and not too much goes into format and style.

So I say start off with your own personality shining and the group will follow you more readily.

After all the group knows it will have to listen to you or work with you for a couple of hours, so why not invest some time in showing them who you are, how you work and that they are in for a fun/interesting/stimulating time.

I always put a short science demonstration up front to establish the tone. This could be something like rope handcuffs or a swirling tubes or anything short and sweet. This establishes my tone, wakes them up and allows them to see my style. I make sure it leads to an interesting point about the topic and on with the day.

So that's my 2 cents today. Not all will agree with me and that's okay, just think about it.

Training Treasures

2008-06-02T18:24:00.001-07:00

There is a great magazine on the block and it is called Training Treasures. The 11th issue is just out and it is hot, hot, hot.

The mag says "The Visual Idea-Book for Creative Trainers and Presenters"

This edition is titled:

Smokin' Delivery Ideas from the Industry's TOP TEN creative trainers.

Then it has pages and pages of ideas. I have to admit I am one of the trainers and I have my own list of 10 ideas.

For information visit : www.trainingtreasures.com

Keep the Pace

In order to keep your workshop on schedule, make sure people are happy to come back frm breaks on time. When dismissing the group ask them to return on an odd minute, for example at 2:26 or 4:12. Then, just as they do on TV, give them a glimpse of what they are coming back to.

Example: “When we return, your secret identities will be revealed” or

“After the break we are going to hear from our expert on five stocks you never want to touch.”

Give them a reason to come back on time and they will.

Paper Clip Bag

2008-04-24T11:08:00.001-07:00

Divide your group into small groups of 5.
Give each team a paper bag with the following inside: a piece of paper, 12 paperclips , a piece of string and five small circular stickers.
The challenge is for the team to create the longest item they can in five minutes.
The catch is that they have to do this in complete silence.
To determine which item is the longest use a measuring tape and declare a winner.

Debrief Questions
How was communication since no words were allowed?
How would have being able to talk made the task?
What kind of communication strategy did you come up with?
What would you do differently next time?
In what way is this activity like work tasks you encouter?

Name the Animal

2008-04-16T15:52:00.000-07:00

Quick quiz you can use as a warm-up or a re-charger.

Name the animals

1. hair-control foam
2. very exposed
3. telling falsities
4. a lamenting cry
5. a dull person
6. a precious or loved one
7. first you get a parking ticket, then you get this...
8. these make up a chain.

Got em all.
Here is an idea.
Ask people to work on the puzzle by themselves. Then get them together in groups to finish it and see how much better they do when they put their heads together.

Answers

look down

way down

Moose
Bear
Lion
Whale
Boar
Deer
Toad
Lynx

Giant Human Kite

2008-04-16T15:19:00.000-07:00

This is an enormous kite in the sky. Suddenly the kite comes apart and it is made up of parachuters. Now if this isn't one of the best examples of precision teamwork, I don't know what is.

How do they do it? Imagine even a tiny bit of this spirit in the work world.

Questions I would ask

Why do they do it?
Why does this team work so well together?
Can these principles be applies in any way in the world of work?
What is the motivation.

Have fun, it is a beautiful video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mmdKMfznyM

Traffic Circle Activity

2008-04-15T14:02:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yOF_m0P8uA&feature=related

Well, who knew you could watch videos of training activities on youtube? Is there no end to this wonderful resource?

This activity is a simple and pleasant activity in which groups have to figure out a strategy for getting in and out of a tiny circle on the ground. Easy to set up, simple to do and interesting to debrief.

Interestingly enough I have NEVER seen or heard of this activity.

Sing A Song

2008-03-27T18:16:00.000-07:00

http://www.acme.com/jef/singing_science/

When you want to review something, why not turn it into a song. This site has lots of great songs for the teaching of science. So, you aren't teaching science? No problem, just learn from this fellow how to find formats that work for simple songs and insert your own contents.

Learning how to write little ditties is a wonderful skill.

Jeopardy and Beyond

2008-03-23T09:51:00.000-07:00

Ever wanted to use a game show format in your workshop. Here is the site that will help you with that. Whether it is Jeopardy or Who Wants to Be a Millionaire get your participants excited by turning the learning into a game.

Music, format, and fun. I think this could come in very handy.

www.murray.k12.ga.us/teacher/kara%20leonard/Mini%20T%27s/March%20Mini%20T-Games/Games.htm#gameshows

Picasso Versus Monet

2008-03-12T09:33:00.000-07:00

http://www.artsology.com/games.php

There are some amazing art games at this site. I imagine the aim is for people to learn about famous works of art by playing games that allow us to get to know them.

One of my favourite is What's Wrong With this Picture, a game in which you look at a classic that has been messed around with to determine what is wrong with it.

How You Could Use This
These games are great examples of how to get your participants to look in detail at something they are trying to learn.

A life in 6 words

2008-02-23T19:57:00.000-08:00

Heard about a contest where you had to sum up your life, or create your autobiography in just 6 words.

Mine was: crooked path, no map, wanderer forever.

But it was great fun reading all the other entries.

Try this for yourself.

How I Would Use This

Sum up your job in just 6 words

Sum up the problem in just 6 words

Describe success in just 6 words.

When we work to be succinct we get at the heart of the matter.

Dessert Round Up

2008-02-05T09:30:00.000-08:00

Here's a lively way to get participants to meet each other.

Ask each person to go to the corner of the room that bears the sign of the dessert they like the best. You can place any dessert names there that you want; four I use are:

ice cream
cheesecake
fruit salad
pie

Once each group has been formed asked the participants to describe to the group exactly what type of dessert they love the most.

Encourage the groups to share their:

names
dessert thoughts
goals for the workshops

No need to debrief this activity. Just let people enjoy meeting each other.

Squeezing Lemons

2008-02-01T13:43:00.001-08:00

The local bar was so sure that its bartender was the strongest man around that they offered a $5000 bet.

The bartender would squeeze a lemon until all the juice ran into a glass, and hand the lemon to a patron. Anyone who could squeeze one more drop of juice out would win the money.

Many people like weight-lifters, wrestlers, body builders, etc had tried over time, but nobody could do it.

One day this scrawny little man came in, wearing thick glasses and a rumpled suit, and said in a tiny, squeaky voice, “I’d like to try the bet.” After the laughter had died down, the bartender said OK, grabbed a lemon, and squeezed away. Then he handed the wrinkled remains of the rind to the little man.

But the crowd’s laughter turned to total silence as the man clenched his fist around the lemon and 5-6 drops fell into the glass. As the crowd cheered, the bartender paid $5000, and asked the little man, “What do you do for a living?

Are you a weight-lifter, or what?”
“No,” replied the man.

”I work as a project manager in a software company !! “

Honestly, this is such a perfect joke. Just change the punchline and it can apply to anyone that works in an environment where they squeeze the last living part out of anything.

Big Money Props

2008-01-30T12:45:00.000-08:00

Last night I was watching a show about people who were deeply in debt. The woman hosting the show asked the couple to count bundles of money that were in a shopping cart. I would think there was $1000 in each bundle tied with an elastic band.

Now it might have been real money, but pretend money would be just as good. The husband and wife counted out the money and piled it up. It equalled $110, 000.

She then asked them what the money represented, and they didn't really know. Turns out it was the amount of interest they would pay on their debts if they didn't pay them down.

She then told them that this was enough money to put three of their kids through college.

The moment was quite memorable and I was thinking of how I could use this same technique.

I think what was important is that she made them count it out on camera. It only took a minute or so, but you can imagine the impact in a presentation.

The Final Good News

2007-12-18T17:26:00.000-08:00

I saw a wonderful flyer promoting a contest for a home visit from the world famous author Robert Munsch. I thought the format they used was wonderful. So below you can see the format for the contest and after that looked how I adapted it.

THE GOOD NEWS
Robert Munsch could visit you at home.

THE BETTER NEWS
It’s for free!

THE EVEN BETTER NEWS
You get to invite eight to 12 children.

THE BAD NEWS
You can only enter the contest once.

THE WORSE NEWS
There is only one winner.

THE EVEN BADDER WORSE NEWS
It’s only on January 19, 2008.

THE REALLY BAD, EVEN WORSER, TERRIBLE, LOUSY NEWS
He’ll have to leave.

THE ALMOST FINAL GOOD NEWS
Your favourite public library or literacy group also gets a visit.

THE FINAL GOOD NEWS
Your family wins a trip to Great Wolf Lodge, Niagara Falls, Ontario.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How to Create Your Own Blog Workshop

THE GOOD NEWS
You can learn how to create your own blog.

THE BETTER NEWS
You can make one in one short afternoon!

THE EVEN BETTER NEWS
It's free to come to this workshop.

THE BAD NEWS
There's only room for 12 people, so sign up now.

THE WORSE NEWS
It is only being held on one day, January 19.

THE EVEN BADDER WORSE NEWS
Only one person will win a customized blog consultation with the guru of blogs!

THE REALLY BAD, EVEN WORSER, TERRIBLE, LOUSY NEWS
We won't be running another one until May.

THE ALMOST FINAL GOOD NEWS
You get a free cd disc of artwork you can use on your blog.

THE FINAL GOOD NEWS
Lunch is on us, pizza, soda and pastries.

So you see how you can introduce new ideas and lure people in with this format.

Cool Inventions

2007-12-01T10:03:00.000-08:00

Here are some of the coolest, funny inventions. See if you would actually use any of them. This might be good to illustrate creativity in your workshop.

My personal favourite:

LOCK-CUP

Lock Cup - Anti-Theft Coffee Cup. Are you tired of others stealing your coffee cup? Well now there’s a solution. The Lock - Cup has a hole which prevents most people from using it. Only the owner of the cup can use his/hers shaped key to close the hole.

Check out more of them at:

http://fwdemails.com/2007/11/24/cool-inventions/

Alternative Meanings

2007-12-01T09:37:00.000-08:00

Once again, The Washington Post has published the winning submissions to its yearly neologism contest, in which readers are asked to supply alternative meanings for common words.

The winners are:

Coffee (n.), the person upon whom one coughs.

Flabbergasted (adj.), appalled over how much weight you have gained.

Abdicate (v.), to give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.

Esplanade (v.), to attempt an explanation while drunk.

Willy-nilly (adj.), impotent.

Negligent (adj.), describes a condition in which you absentmindedly answer the door in your nightgown.

Lymph (v.), to walk with a lisp.

Gargoyle (n.), olive-flavored mouthwash.

Flatulence (n.) emergency vehicle that picks you up after you are run over by a steamroller.

Balderdash (n.), a rapidly receding hairline.

Testicle (n.), a humorous question on an exam.

Rectitude (n.), the formal, dignified bearing adopted by proctologists.

Pokemon (n), a Rastafarian proctologist.

Oyster (n.), a person who sprinkles his conversation with Yiddishisms.

Frisbeetarianism (n.), (back by popular demand): The belief that, when you die, your Soul flies up onto the roof and gets stuck there.

Circumvent (n.), an opening in the front of boxer shorts worn by Jewish men.

Details, Details

2007-11-25T09:30:00.000-08:00

I think this poem would be great to show how spell check may not be as accurate as we think. Something as simple as accurate spelling shows how accuracy in the business world is important. I am sorry I don't know the source of this poem.

Eye halve a spelling chequer
It came with my pea sea
It plainly marques four my revue
Miss steaks eye kin knot sea.

Eye strike a key and type a word
And weight four it two say
Weather eye am wrong oar write
It shows me strait a weigh.

As soon as a mist ache is maid
It nose bee fore two long
And eye can put the error rite
Its rare lea ever wrong.

Eye have run this poem threw it
I am shore your pleased two no
Its letter perfect awl the weigh
My chequer tolled me sew.

Fake Fun

2007-11-24T16:37:00.000-08:00

Here is an idea that will help people review facts or concepts. After you have introduced the main concepts give the participants a test. See if they can sort out the fake from the list below.

Now in this case my topic is Warning Labels. One of these is a fake, see if you can figur out which one.

Windex
Do not spray in eyes.

Bowl Fresh
Safe to use around pets and children, although it is not recommended that either be permitted to drink from toilet.

Dremel Electric Rotary Tool
This product not intended for use as a dental drill.

Arm & Hammer Scoopable Cat Litter
Not to be used for toddlers and young children.

Little Ones Baby Lotion
Keep away from children

Hair Coloring
Do not use as an ice cream topping.

Wet-Nap
Directions: Tear open packet and use.

Dial Soap
Directions: Use like regular soap.

Stridex Foaming Face Wash
May contain foam.

Sleeping Pills
Warning: May cause Drowsiness

Christmas Lights
Warning: For indoor or outdoor use only.

Bic Lighter
Ignite lighter away from face.

So which one was it? Either way you probably had fun reviewing the warning labels and trying to figure out which one was fake. I think the use of fakes in lists is a way to make what could be dull a lot more enjoyable. So if you aren't sure, it is the cat litter one that is a fake. Other topic I think this could be used for would be: signs of pest problems, headache symptons, most common customer complaints, rules or guidelines for (what have you)

Let's Talk

2007-11-21T08:55:00.001-08:00

Here's an icebreaker that should work with a large group.
People basically go around the room and talk to anyone they like for a few minutes.

You, the facilitator, call out the words "Let's Talk". At that point each person finishes one of the statements from a handout and elaborates a bit. When you give an audio signal, they say goodbye and find someone else. The participants need to choose a different statement to share each time they meet someone new.

A place I love to go is .......

Two things I value in a friend are ..........

I love music that .................

My favourite type of gift is..............

The best advice I ever got was ............

The bravest person I ever knew was......

A book that influenced me in life was ........

A sport I would never play is ....................

My idea of a perfect day starts with ...........

You can also add a few statements that reflect your workshop or presentation:

The best team I ever saw was.......

I love email because ........

The most valuable thing I learned from one of my elders was.......

Kids taught me ........

I would love to try working in (another country) because .....

You get the idea

Diseased Thinking

2007-11-20T23:58:00.000-08:00

I have seen this great little plush figures around Science World for quite some time. They are basically diseases, but I figured, why not just rename them to fit your own presentation.

What about calling them:

negative thinking
gossip
harsh criticism

or

stubborness
vanity
ego
selfishness

Really, these little monsters can represent anything in your message. They are colourful and rather different and will bring an element of creativity to your presentation.

http://www.thinkgeek.com/geektoys/plush/6708/images/

Match Up Madness

2007-11-04T12:46:00.000-08:00

I found this idea in a little town newsletter. I think I would give it as a warm-up exercise, see which team could figure out the answers the fastest. I would start with an example:

10 cards = 1 decacards

Now try to figure out the rest

1 million microphones =

2000 mockingbirds =

1 millionth of a fish =

453.6 graham crackers =

10 rations =

2 monograms =

8 nickels =

2 wharves =

Any luck.

Here are the answers....

look way down.....

1 megaphone

two kilomockingbirds

1 microfiche

1 pound cake

1 decoration

1 diagram

2 paradigms * bonus marks for this one

1 paradox

What's In A Name

2007-09-19T18:01:00.000-07:00

As an icebreaker, it is fun to let your participants play around with their names, perhaps introducing themselves with one of the following monikers.

Your Real Name? Deb

2. YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (first 4 letters of real name plus izzle) Deboizzle

3. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (fav color and fav animal) Fuschia Cat

4. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, and childhood street): Ann Richmond

5. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first name, first 3 letters of mom's maiden name) Caldegra

6. YOUR SUPERHERO NAME: (The, 2nd favorite color, drink) The Teal Mocha

7. YOUR BLUES SINGER NAME: (The mood you are in now, and the last name of any President) Tired Jackson

8. YOUR WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (grandmother and grandfather's first name) Mary Edgar

9. YOUR GOTH NAME: (black, and the name of one your pets) Black Jackson

Are We Clear?

2007-08-18T18:09:00.000-07:00

http://www.factmonster.com/spot/memory1.html

Now here is an interesting activity that I think can lead to a really good learning point.

Try the activity and we will talk a bit more.

Don't read any further until you have done the activity please.

Here is my thought on this one.
It is interesting how the first time around when we look at the picture, we don't really know what we are looking for. I mean our goal isn't clear. But after answering the question it is clear that we would have done better if we knew what to focus on.

This is a lot like learning and training. Let's help the participants learn what to focus on before we start throwing information at them. Let them understand what they need to learn and then help them learn it.

TimeSavers

2007-08-15T19:01:00.000-07:00

We all know how time is valuable in our lives. But just how much time do we waste on tedious activities like peeling eggs and tying shoes. Find out at this lively website

waitless.org

My personal favourite is the quick way to soothe a crying baby.

Have fun.

Dinner Demonstrations

2007-08-15T14:41:00.001-07:00

http://www.interactives.co.uk/hearts_dinner.htm

Dinner science. Now this is a really fun set of demonstrations that can even take place at the dining room table.

Mixed Up Message

2007-07-17T12:44:00.000-07:00

Saw this the other day in the paper. It was an ad, and it really caught my eye. There is a lot clever people like us could do with this.

"Shnoppig 4 a nuw Mttasres?

Matsrets shpponig is vrey cnofunisig.
Lkie tynrig to slove a pzuzle. Waht to loko 4, and how to kown wihch noe is bset?

You see, even though the above words are confusing, chances are you eventuallly understood what they meant. But, it was harder than it had to be. At Parker's Mattress Factory we don't try to confuse you with complex jargon and technical construction details. We present comparisons and recommendations in an easy to evaluate and understand manner."

So why not try the same idea with your message and show people that there are ways to clarify their words and intent.

I think this would be a real attention getter.

This experiment will shock you

2007-07-07T00:29:00.000-07:00

I found this unusual experiement online and thought it would be really interesting to see how it could be used. I don't want to give too much away though, so just watch the video and try the experiment and see what you come up with.

http://gigglesugar.com/349186

Enjoy

Obituaries As Communication

2007-06-27T12:30:00.000-07:00

Here is an excerpt from a book called, The Death of Common Sense by a man called Howard.

What struck me about this was the idea that you could write obituaries for all kinds of concepts: the death of local retail, the death of the family, the death of work ethics and so on.
Read the way he writes it. It is amusing, but makes a great point.

My parents told me about Mr. Common Sense early in my life and told me I would do well to call on him when making decisions. It seems he was always around in my early years but less and less as time passed by. Today I read his obituary. Please join me in a moment of silence in remembrance, for Common Sense had served us all so well for so many generations.

OBITUARY: Common Sense

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.

He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as knowing when to come in out of the rain, why the early bird gets the worm, life isn't always fair, and maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you earn) and reliable parenting strategies (adults, not children are in charge). His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a six-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job they themselves failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer Aspirin, sun lotion or a sticky plaster to a student, but could not inform the parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband; churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar can sue you for assault.

Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.

Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason. He is survived by three stepbrothers; I Know my Rights, Someone Else is to Blame, and I'm a Victim. Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. I

f you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing.

Mental Math

2007-06-19T11:46:00.000-07:00

Try this little activity by reading it out to someone. It doesn't work as well if you actually see the numbers on the page.

Take 1000 and add 40 to it. Now add another 1000. Now add 30. And add another 1000.
Now add 20 to it. Add another 1000. Now add 10. What do you get?

Look down the page for the answer.

If you got 5000 you are with most people. Nearly everyone gets 5000.
But in reality, the answer is 4100, go ahead, check the math, it really is 4100.

How I Would Use This

There are two ideas that come to mind:

1) Always check and double check the details.

2) Once a pattern has been set up in your head it is hard to break from it.

Diamonds Are Forever: Cutting into Communication

2007-06-18T09:34:00.000-07:00

In his Monday Morning Memo (online) Roy H. Williams, speaking of advertising, compares ads to diamonds. He suggests that the best ads, like the best diamonds have been cut to perfect angles to show the words and the sparkle off in the best light.

I thought this was a great analogy and think the diamond could be used in a number of ways.
A well cut diamond could be like:

-a well thought out memo
-creating the right tone
-finding the essence of the idea

Diamonds are forever.

Leaning Tower

2007-06-11T19:12:00.000-07:00

A great prop is that family game in which your group builds a wooden tower and then proceeds to take turns taking pieces out of the tower. Eventually, someone will take the wrong piece and the whole thing will fall.

I think this would make an effective visual in front of your audience. You could talk and remove pieces from the tower as you bring up your topic, then let teh blocks fall. You could have two people representing sides of the room take the tower apart one piece at a time to see who can remove blocks without breaking the tower.

Whatever you do with this tower there is lots of room for connections.

How I Would Use This

Customer service - represents the last straw that the customer puts up with before he snaps

Downsizing - you can take some of the team away and it will still survive, but take too many away and you have disaster.

Relationships - are built on a series of elements including trust. Take the trust away one time too many and the relationship can't survive.

You get the idea.

Tips to Secure More Sales

2007-06-05T12:23:00.000-07:00

I saw this in a little book called "Jumbo Shrimp" by Warren S. Blumenfeld.

I like the way the author promotes his book, which is fairly inexpensive, while having a chuckle with the reader.

The last page of the book invites the reader to tell the author which sections they liked the best, then at the end you read,

"I probably will definitely buy one or more copies of the next Oxymoron book:

__maybe
__firm maybe
__firm maybe
__firmest maybe
__unqualified maybe (be less specifice, if at all possible):
_________________________________________________________-

Here Is A Method to Get Your Groups Laughing

2007-05-23T17:07:00.000-07:00

I'm a Lemon Meringue

A quick and easy way to divide your group is to get them choose one of four or five desserts and gather together. Choose five desserts that are popular in your area. Tell each person they HAVE to choose one of the desserts, even if it isn't their total favourite.

For today here are the four I chose:

Ice Cream
Cake
Pie
Pudding
Pastry (other than pie)

Once everyone has commited to a dessert have them spend a little time getting to know everyone in the group. Choose questions that reflect the topic of your workshop, but be sure to include "What EXACT dessert in this category is your favourite and why?"

This is an activity that will get people talking and laughing all around, while establishing common ground.

Communication and Context

2007-05-11T10:28:00.001-07:00

What familiar phrase or title does each of the lines represent?

You have to say each one outloud for it to work.

Egg, no, rinses, blitz
False, Peter, head
Echo, redig, curried, hog
Dad, mental, note, ales
Abe, eyesore, kill, belt, fat, who

Got em. They can be tricky, because you have to adjust your pronunciation to fit the line.

How I Would Use This

Context. Out of context we don't know what we are looking for. But hints that give us context help us prepare to work out the puzzle. When we set people up for learning by setting the scene, learning can be a lot faster.

Hints - use only if you are stumped.

1. Ignorance is bliss.
2. Full speed ahead.
3. Hickory, Dickory Dock
4. Dead men tell no tales.
5. A bicycle built for two

It's All In How You Look At It

2007-04-13T14:34:00.000-07:00

Punctuation is Powerful

An English professor wrote the words:
"A woman without her man is nothing"
on the chalkboard and asked his
students to punctuate it correctly.

All of the males in the class wrote:
"A woman, without her man, is nothing."

All the females in the class wrote:
"A woman: without her, man is nothing."

Punctuation is powerful.

Marketing Spin

2007-04-11T09:32:00.000-07:00

We all know that presentation is important, whether it is for a good meal or a good proposal. One way to show the range of what can be changed or modified is to get your participants to look at the pictures featured on this website.

I find these pictures remarkable.

http://thirdeyedumb.com/2007/04/the_power_of_makeup_different.html

How I Would Use This

I would show participants a handful of these pictures and ask them to match the girl with the job:

For example:

Secretary
Lawyer
Teacher
Cabaret Singer
Housewife and Mom

etc. You make up the categories.
I would not tell them that this is the same model in each picture.

Build to a discussion about how spin and marketing and presentation affect how we feel about things.

Famous Nay-Sayers

2007-04-07T21:52:00.000-07:00

"Everything that can be invented, has been invented."
-Charles Duell, Director of US Patent Office, 1899

"Who the hell wants to hear actors talk?"
-Harry M. Warner, Warner Bros. Pictures, 1927

"Sensible and responsible women do not want the vote."
-Grover Cleveland, 1905

"There is no likelihood man can ever tap the power of the atom."
-Robert Millikan in 1903 - 1923 Nobel Prize Winner in Physics

"Heavier than air flying machines are impossible"
-Lord Kelvin, President, Royal Society, 1895

These are fun arent' they?

How I Would Use This

1. I think I would take the dates off and the authors and see if the group could get them into chronological order.

2. One thing I notice is that the comments are made by people who are "in the know", experts in their field, so to speak. I think that makes an interesting point about how sometimes we get too close to the action to ever be able to visualize a different outcome.

Open With A Bang

2007-04-03T09:14:00.000-07:00

A great way to start a presentation is to connect your topic with something that happened on this day in history.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

This site is a good place to get ideas. Let's look at April the first.

1991 - First female Premier of a Canadian province takes office. Rita Johnston succeeds William Vander Zalm, who resigned, as Premier of British Columbia.

So here is an idea. I am giving a talk about stress. I see the above information and turn it into a point I am making about how being the first to do something new and different can be exciting but can be stressful too. I talk about Rita, "imagine her feelings", "the first woman in the job" etc.

Then I connect the point that stress doesn't have to be something negative to affect us. Sometimes it is just something new or a change.

Get the idea.
Ramble through the days in history to dig for new ideas. Give the brain a kick start.

Change the Type - Barriers

2007-03-22T09:50:00.000-07:00

What's new in a keyboard? Everyone is familiar with the regular keyboard, but do they know the Dvorak keyboard ? Hand out pictures of this keyboard to small groups. Have them examine the keyboard and make comments within the group. Then hand out pictures of the standard Qwerty keyboard.

Assign half the group the job of describing the benefits of changing to the Dvorak keyboard.
Assign the other half the job of coming up with reasons why people don't want to make the change.

How I Would Use This
The list of why people don't want to make the change could act as a model for how hard it is for us to try something new.

Energize Your Group - Taco Time

2007-03-22T09:46:00.000-07:00

This is a lively way to get things going.
Put a sticky label on people's backs as they come into the room. Each label will have one of the ingredients of a taco on it. (you could use other foods if you want) For example: some people would have meat, others cheese or shell.

Each person has to figure out what it says on his or her back by simply asking questions that can have a yes or no answer.

When everyone has an idea of what they are, explain how a taco is built.
Shell, meat, cheese, lettuce, peppers, tomato, salsa, sour cream (or what have you)
Then cry out the words TACO TIME and everyone scrambles to get in the right order for a taco.
Expect chaos.

Team Thinking Game

2007-03-21T12:48:00.000-07:00

Here is a simple game that gets teams working together.

Answer the questions below and use all the brainpower in your small team to come to the right answer:
What do you call:

The pointy, curved end of the handle of a chef's knife?
a) tang
b) slub
c) neb

The rounded, top portion of a key
a) tooth
b) gum
c) bow

The small, curved end of a suit hanger that looks like a C
a) turnback
b) switchback
c) peacock's eye

The abrasive surface on a matchbook
a) drag strip
b) igniter
c) friction strip

The little metal band around a pencil, below the eraser
a) ferrule
b) squeezer
c) circumflex

Apart from seeing how many the teams can figure out, I challenge each team to come up with a different name that they think is even better.

Okay here are the answers
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
neb
bow
turnback
friction strip
ferrule

Secrets of Setting Up Collaboration in Teams

2007-03-19T16:52:00.000-07:00

A fun activity that focuses on the power of collaboration.

How many world leaders can you identify?

You can use slides or hold up pictures if the group is small.

Show the world leaders one by one and have each person write down their names if they know them. Ask how many most people most people wrote down.

Ask the group to pair up and see how many world leaders the pair could identify.

Finally put the group into small groups of 4 or 5 and try again. See how many world leaders they could identify in the end.

Your list might include:

Martin Luther King
Ghandi
Queen Elizabeth
Khomeini
Chairman Mao

and so on.
They don't all have to be current leaders.

Mythbusters

2007-02-17T11:13:00.000-08:00

Here is a bit of fun. I think you could make this into a game for a workshop. It basically takes common ideas and myths and confirms or debunks them.
For example you can find out whether a tooth dissolves when left in a glass of cola overnight.
Lots of possibilities here.

http://www.drivl.com/myths

Common Sense

2007-02-16T09:27:00.001-08:00

I have found that you can ususally make good activities from ideas about the senses; how they work, how you can trick them and so on. Have a look at this website to see if you can adapt any of the quiz items for your presentation.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/body/interactives/senseschallenge/

Common Sense

2007-02-16T09:27:00.000-08:00

Sarchasm and More Words

2007-02-09T19:21:00.000-08:00

Gift from the internet.
I often ask people in workshops to adapt words to suit their own purposes.

The Washington Post's Mensa Invitational once again asked readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one letter, and supply a new definition. Here are this year's winners:

1. Intaxication: Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with.

2. Reintarnation: Coming back to life as a hillbilly.

3. Bozone (n.): The substance surrounding stupid people that stop bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future.

4. Foreploy: Any misrepresentation about yourself for the purpose of getting laid.

5. Cashtration (n.): The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period.

6. Giraffiti: Vandalism spray-painted very, very high.

7. Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.

8. Inoculatte: To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.

9. Hipatitis: Terminal coolness.

10. Osteopornosis: A degenerate disease. (This one got extra credit.)

11. Karmageddon: It's like, when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, right? And then, like, the Earth explodes and it's like, a serious bummer.

12. Decafalon (n.): The grueling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you.

13. Glibido: All talk and no action.

14. Dopeler effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.

15. Arachnoleptic fit (n.): The frantic dance performed just after you've accidentally walked through a spider web.

16. Beelzebug (n.): Satan in the form of a mosquito, that gets into your bedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out.

17. Caterpallor (n.): The color you turn after finding half a worm in the fruit you're eating.

And the pick of the literature:

18. Ignoranus: A person who's both stupid and an asshole.

Keyboard Garden

2007-02-09T10:10:00.000-08:00

Well I can't help myself. Here is a fabulous practical joke for April Fool's Day. Seems you can create a garden in someone else's keyboard.

http://www.nada.kth.se/%7ehjorth/krasse/english.html

Gotta try it with an old keyboard.

Cat's Meow

2007-02-08T15:34:00.000-08:00

Just for fun watch this video of cats talking.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6036658873440327262

I laughed out loud when I saw it, but it really made me think of this about communication:

It's not always what someone says, it is how you heard it. It's all in the interpretation.

Entropy and Life

2007-02-07T14:52:00.000-08:00

Entropy - I would start by asking people if they had heard of the word.
Perhaps some had, but to define it you can go back to the world of science.
Entropy can be described as the fact that all matter tends to disorder in the absence of constructive energy.

I like this idea. So how could this apply elsewhere in the world?

In the world of business - unless some constructive energy is added, disorder will remain.

In the real world - an ice-cube won't stay an ice-cube, it will become disordered and turn to water unless some constructive energy, in this case, in the form of cold and freezing is added.

I just enjoy the picture this word creates. Watch for good words, you can build big ideas around them.

Visit this blog http://sixdisciplines.blogspot.com/2006/08/small-business-organizational-entropy.html
to read other ideas about business and entropy.

Bet I Answer All Your Questions

2007-02-05T11:18:00.000-08:00

I have been doing a particular seminar for years. One part of the seminar I cover the basics of how a process works; kind of a who, what, when, where, why section. I have a handout with those words listed and ask participants to fill in info they find interesting.

So, after all these years I tried to do something a bit different and it worked out really well.
I asked the participants to write down a question about the process. Something they had been wondering about was what I was after. Example: How many volunteers are in this program?

Then I challenged my colleague:

You know, Jennifer, I bet as we work through this information we will answer every single one of the questions that people wrote down on their sheets.

I played it up a bit, a bit of macho strutting, we can do it, etc. Then we covered the information.
At the end I said:

"Well, I am sure we have covered every question you had, right?" Set up time.
Of course we hadn't. People were now pleased to present their questions in a kind of "stumped the panel" part.

It worked out well and I will repeat it every time. I think I might even get chocolates for those who have questions left after our talk.

The key is to ask them to write down their questions at the beginning without telling them they are trying to stump us in any way.

Three Things About Me

2007-01-24T17:56:00.000-08:00

A simple and interesting way to introduce yourself to your group.

Write three things on the board.

1. Dorchester

2. 1967

3. sushi

Now the group gets to guess which 3 questions about you these might be answers for.

In my case:

Dorchester, England is where I went to school.

I became a Canadian citizen in 1967.

My favourite food is sushi.

Get the point. Very simple, easy to remember. Try it.

You might like to let the others in the group try it within small groups.

Plan Joe's Trip

2007-01-20T18:59:00.000-08:00

Here is an activity that you can adapt to pen and pencil. It is basically a
"what should I include in my pack" activity, in which you pick what you should bring and why.

http://plancanada.ca/joetraveller_425x600.swf

I have used this type of activity for the following topics:

Needs and Wants and sustainable living
Emergency preparedness
Planning a staff retreat
Surviving on a team

Just another idea for your toolbox. Adapt it and make it your own.

Famous Last Words

2007-01-16T16:48:00.000-08:00

Here is a fun quiz that will have people working together.
Give them several last lines from well-known movies and have them match them with the movies they are from.

“In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart.”

“What did he just say?”- “He said there's a storm coming in.”- “I know.”

“Sometimes, now and then, couldn’t we just talk?” “I tell you what. You talk. I’ll listen.”

“Out there. That-a-way.”

“Meine Damen und Herren... Madames et Messieurs... Ladies and Gentlemen. Where are your troubles now? Forgotten? I told you so. We have no troubles here! Here, life is beautiful. The girls are beautiful. Even the orchestra is beautiful. Auf wiedersehen! A bientot.”

“What are your legs? Springs. Steel springs. What are they going to do? They're going to hurl me down the track. How fast can you run? As fast as a leopard. How fast are you going to run? As fast as a leopard. Then let's see you do it.”

“Do I still have to sleep in the cupboard?”

“Goodnight, you princes of Maine. You kings of New England.”

“Okay, folks, everything's all right. Nothing to worry about...Okay folks, nothin' to worry about. Just a little illness. We'll be in Miami in just a few minutes.”

Here are the movies they are from. But which one goes with which one.

Cabaret (1972)

Gallipoli (1981)

Oh God! (1977)

Beauty and the Beast (1991)

The Terminator (1984)

The Diary of Anne Frank (1959)

Midnight Cowboy (1969)

Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)

The Cider House Rules (1999

20 Things You Would Do....

2007-01-15T23:17:00.000-08:00

Here is an idea I got from an article about living in the country that I saw in a magazine. In that article they posted 20 things you would change to make your life in the countryside better. They gave examples like:

-keep all traffic to under 40 kph
-make the internet access you were promised a true reality

and things like that. Now I don't remember the article exactly, but that is the gist of it. It combined good ideas with a bit of daydreaming and humour.

So why not ask your group to use the same humour to come up with 20 things that would make their office life better. A few groundrules, no naming names or making fun of people and whatever else you think would take away from the activity.

Here are a few I can think of:

-provide stick on labels for lunches that end up in the office fridge
-leave office umbrellas at the door for general use
-only include fresh coffee at meetings
-upgrade all staplers so they work
-give everyone an extra hour a month on their lunchhours to pop out somewhere.

So food for thought. Get the info but make it fun and lively.

Roommates

2007-01-14T16:52:00.000-08:00

On Go, a program on CBC radio I heard a charming show about Roommates and how to sell yourself as a roommate.
This struck me as a fun way to introduce the idea of finding common ground. Here's my idea:

Take two very unlikely people, let's say:

Winston Churchill and Martha Stewart. Make them roommates. In your small group come up with a list of good things that would come about from such a partnership. How can each person benefit?

M.S. would be a marvellous cook and a cleaner.
W.C. is used to having someone cook and clean.
W.C. can get high profile guests to come to the home and that should amuse M.S.
W.C. has good manners on the whole.
M.S. should gain financially from this association.
M.S. could be surrounded by good legal advice.
W.C. could introduce M.S. into society and she could develop a line of home fashions for the Brits.

See how the game works. It is just a bit of fun, but really you are looking for the benefits of collaboration.

The Big Globe

2007-01-09T00:21:00.000-08:00

http://www.hoberman.com/fold/Sphere/sphere.htm

The Hoberman's Sphere has to be one of the most useful and versatile props you can buy.

It is really worth it to buy the larger one, but the mini one can get you started.

I have used it in so many ways, and when it pops up big the audience always sort of gasps.

Here is one way I use it:

In my keynote "Nobody PowerWalked When I Was a Kid" I am talking about life's challenges. I pull up the small sphere and say,
"This is your mind." Then I jump it up to the huge size and say,

"This is your mind when it is stressed."

Then I kinda act like the sphere is running me down.

Anyhow, think about getting one.

Time Ain't On Your Side

2007-01-04T22:41:00.000-08:00

http://beeks.eu/swf/handclock.swf

This is an amazing example of a clock. The last component of this clock is a hand-written number. I don't know how I would use this clock, but something to do with time being precious. Once it has gone it can never be recaptured.

Demotivation

2006-12-22T23:08:00.000-08:00

http://demotivators.stores.yahoo.net/viewall.html

Nothing like a demotivating poster to start the new year off right. I love these things and can think of so many uses for them.

Just for Fun

2006-12-22T10:38:00.000-08:00

Diary of a brand new cook. I found this on the website at
www.dwlz.com and thought it would be fun to pop it here. I would use these as examples of miscommunication. Nothing too deep here today, just some Christmas fun.

Dear Diary,

Monday: Now home from honeymoon and settled in our new home. It's fun to cook for Bill. Today I made an angel food cake and the recipe said, "Beat 12 eggs separately." Well, I didn't have enough bowls to do that, so I had to borrow enough bowls to beat the eggs in. The cake turned out fine.

Tuesday: We wanted a fruit salad for supper. The recipe said, "Serve without dressing." So I didn't dress. But, Bill happened to bring a friend home for supper that night. Did they ever look startled when I served the salad.

Wednesday: I decided to serve rice and found a recipe which said, "Wash thoroughly before steaming the rice." So I heated some water and took a bath before steaming the rice. Sounded kinda silly in the middle of the day. I can't say it improved the rice any.

Thursday: Today Bill asked for salad again. I tried a new recipe. It said, "Prepare ingredients, then toss on a bed of lettuce one hour before serving." I hunted all over the garden by my mom's. So I tossed my salad into the bed of lettuce and stood over there one hour so the dog would not take it. Bill came over and asked if I felt all right. I wonder why?

Friday: Today I found an easy recipe for cookies. It said, "Put all ingredients in a bowl and beat it." Beat it I did, right over to my mom's house. There must have been something wrong with the recipe, because when I came back home again it looked the same as when I left it.

Saturday: Bill went shopping today and brought home a chicken. He asked me to dress it for Sunday. I'm sure I don't know how hens dress for
Sunday. I never noticed back on the farm, but I found a doll dress and some little shoes. I though the hen looked real cute. When Bill saw it, I wondered why he counted to 10.

Sunday: Today Bill's folks came to dinner. I wanted to serve roast, but all we had in the icebox, was hamburger. So I put it in the oven and set the controls for roast. Must be the oven, because it still came out hamburger.
Monday: I was going to bake bread today. The recipe said, "Mix well and knead well. Then stand in a warm place until double in bulk." I just won't bake bread if I have to double in bulk.

Good night Dear Diary. This has been an exciting week. I am eager for tomorrow to come, so I can try a new recipe on Bill.

Psychic Numbers

2006-12-14T19:21:00.000-08:00

Here is a wonderful game to play.

http://trunks.secondfoundation.org/files/psychic.swf

Now what makes this so fascinating is that there is a trick to the whole thing. I think there must be a way to use this in a presentation, I just haven't figured it out.

But it would have something to do with expectations.

Cloud in a Bottle

2006-12-08T17:02:00.000-08:00

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Cloud-in-a-Bottle
This is a really fun activity to do for a workshop or even for your kids.

I don't know how I would use it, but it sure is pretty.

Memory Card Game

2006-12-06T18:51:00.000-08:00

Match Making

A format I have used a lot is to have participants play a matching card game. Remember Memory, the card game in which you take turns turning over pairs of cards? Just adapt it.

Here is one I am working on to review the topic of sustainability. I want the students to review the 3 key areas of social, economic and environment as the basis for the term sustainability.

So they lay the cards out, turn them over and, if they make a match, come up with a scenario to describe the term they have turned over. If they can think of a scenario, well, they win the cards.

See below.

Format: Matching card game

What Happens
Students review the basics of sustainability and give real life examples in this card game.

What You Need
A set of cards from card stock as follows:

4 pairs of cards reading Social
4 pairs of cards reading Environmental
4 pairs of cards reading Economic
2 wild cards

What You Do
Set. Set the cards by laying the cards face down in random order on a tabletop.
Create. Create two teams on each side of the cards.
Take turns. Take turns turning over two cards at a time. One person from each team takes on this task.
If the cards match, e.g. Social and Social the team has an opportunity to win the cards.
To win the cards, the team has to come up with an example of a scenario that illustrates the social aspect to sustainability, e.g. community opens up a soup kitchen.
If the cards do not match the team gives up its turn.
If you turn over a wild card, you can call it anything you want.

Teacher TipVariation for the game: Positive stories only, negative examples only, examples from the community, etc.

The great thing about card games is they are easy to make, pretty cheap and can be used in such open-ended ways. Sometimes I make big cards and lay them out all over the floor so that the whole class can see and play the game.

Acronym Jeopardy

2006-11-22T16:56:00.000-08:00

Heard about a great activity at a workshop I did this morning. The reason for the activity is to make sure everyone has a common language, particularly for acronyms.

You know what it is like when everyone knows what PITA stands for, except you? Well in order not to leave anyone out, this is a quick review.

So you set up a couple of categories. I might use:

1) Everyday acronyms
2) Educational acronyms
3) Partner acronyms

Then create a board kind of like Jeopardy in which people can ask for an acronym from any category. Example" I would like Educational Acronyms for $200 please".

At this point the facilitator takes off the card that is covering the acronym and reveals the following "BCTF". The person who chose it now has the opportunity to say what it stands for.

"What are the initials for the British Columbia Teachers' Federation" and ta da, they win $200. (or chocolates or whatever)

Now the reason you put everyday acronyms in there is so that people who are new or don't know the industry acronyms can still play. Use ones like

CBC, Scuba, Nato, AT and T, GVRD, or any you think your group will understand.

Have fun with this.

Page 32

2006-11-22T16:55:00.000-08:00

Here is a game I read about online. I thought it could be applied in a training session for a fun break.Grab a book at hand. (Now if they all grab the same book it wouldn't be any fun). So send this as a project to do at home, or at their desks.Open your book to page 32.

Choose the nearest whole sentence to the fourth line down.

Now apply this sentence to what you are learning about in this workshop.

I picked up Crystals by Ann Zavala.

The sentence reads"It was too early in the morning for her to think straight, but there was definitely something wrong here."

So I apply that to something in my life. Well that means something to me. I hate early mornings and my thinking is never straight at that time of day.
The message I get is to avoid early mornings as my "productive time of the day:.

Anyhow, I challenge you, go ahead and try this.

page 32

fourth line down.

Post if you get great insights.

If the Shoe Fits

2006-11-21T21:20:00.000-08:00

At a workshop I did tonight, a participant, Janet shared a great little icebreaker she has used. I enjoyed it because it was short, easy and didn't need much in the way of equpment. Thank you Janet.

Join with others in this group who have shoes like yours. How you create these categories is up to you.

I think we formed into shoes that:

1) were pointed
2) had square toes
3) were boot like
4) were runner like

Anyhow, it got everyone up and moving.

Walk Through Index Card

2006-11-21T14:16:00.001-08:00

http://www.teachmeteamwork.com/teachmeteamwork/2005/03/teambuilding_pu_1.html

A lovely video from Teach Me Teamwork that shows how the index card gets cut in such a way as to be able to walk through it. Lots of fun, and very useful in a training session.

On the Record

2006-11-20T15:34:00.000-08:00

Upton Sinclair said:

“It is difficult to get a man to understand a concept when his livelihood depends upon his not understanding it.” "

How I Would Use This

I am not sure, but I just like it. There are some quotes in this world that are just so darn useful. Anyone want to share their favourites?

Statistics

2006-11-14T10:14:00.000-08:00

Bob Pike, as usual, has some great and creative ideas for training.

http://www.bobpikegroup.com/web/articleid/21350/columnid/2745/articles_view.asp

Check out how he uses statistics and applies it to training ideas.

I enjoy reading Pike's ideas, because he finds ways to make interesting connections.

Mechanic

2006-11-10T18:25:00.000-08:00

Saw this on a training website. Alok Sharma posted it and I really love it. I haven't quite figured out how to use it, but I think it makes some interesting points.

A mechanic was removing the cylinder heads from the motor of a car when he spotted the famous heart surgeon in his shop, who was standing off to the side, waiting for the service manager to come to take a look at his car.

The mechanic shouted across the garage,"Hello Doctor! Please come over here for a minute."The famous surgeon, a bit surprised, walked over to the mechanic.

The mechanic straightened up, wiped his hands on a rag and asked argumentatively,

"So doctor, look at this. I also open hearts, take valves out, grind 'em, put in new parts, and when I finish this will work as good as a new one.
So how come you get the big money, when you and me is doing basically the same work? "

The doctor leaned over and whispered to the mechanic...What did he say ???

-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-

"Try doing it while the engine's running."

What's Your Name

2006-11-08T13:17:00.000-08:00

Here is a great icebreaker than comes from the , "Captain Underpants and the Perilous Plot of Professor Poopypants" by Dave Pilkey: In the book the evil Professor forces everyone to assume new names.

Follow the instructions to find your new name.

Use the third letter of your first name to determine your new first name: a = poopsie b = lumpy c = buttercup d = gidget e = crusty
f = greasy g = fluffy h = cheeseball i = chim-chim j = stinky
k = flunky l = boobie m = zippy n = pinky o = goober p = doofus
q = slimy r = loopy s = snotty t = tulefel u = dorkey v = squeezit
w = oprah x = skipper y = dinky z = zsa-zsa

Use the second letter of your last name to determine the first half of your new last name: a = apple b = toilet c = giggle d = burger e = girdle
f = barf g = lizard h = waffle i = cootie j = monkey k = potty
l = liver m = banana n = rhino o = bubble p = hamster q = toad
r = gizzard s = pizza t = gerbil u = chicken v = pickle w = chuckle
x = tofu y = gorilla z = stinker

Use the fourth letter of your last name to determine the second half of your new last name:
a = head b = mouth c = face d = nose e = tush f = breath g = pants
h = shorts i = lips j = honker k = butt l = brain m = tushie n = chunks
o = hiney p = biscuits q = toes r = buns s = fanny t = sniffer
u = sprinkles v = kisser w = squirt x = humperdinck y = brains
z = juice

So I would be Lumpy Apple Nose

How I Would Use This

Just for fun.

Got this idea from this fellow's blog:

"Flunky"Michael LemmFreedomFire Communications

http://ld.net/mscprez http://Broadband-Nation.blogspot.com

52 Pick Up

2006-11-06T14:55:00.000-08:00

I saw a deck of cards at a bookstore yesterday. They were a bit unusual. The cover said they were - "52 Best Pick Up Lines Ever". So I opened the deck and looked through the pick-up lines. They were, I admit, pretty corny and fairly tame.

But what struck me was how willing I was to actually fan through each and every card. If this had been a list, I don't think I would have been so attracted to reading through it.

So it makes me think that if we use cards instead of papers it might interest our audiences more.

What could be put into cards:

-52 financial tips
-52 things I wished I learned before I left home
-52 ways to upset your employees

You get the idea. Now if 52 seems like too many for you to create, how about getting your group to create a whole deck of cards. They might want to spend some time making them look good and then send them on to another person or group.

Sometimes it is just fun to play with cards.

Easy Target Estates

2006-10-24T16:39:00.000-07:00

I was waiting for my car insurance this morning and found a brilliant idea from the Vancouver Police Department.

It is a brochure, a three part folded, multi-coloured brochure that looks like an ad for one of those lovely new housing developments. On the front is a big 3500 square foot home with the name above it - Easy Target Estates.

Open the brochure and you see a close up of the house. The page says
"welcome to Easy Target Estates". Then you look at little close up bubbles pointing to various areas of the home and read the descriptions. They say things like:

"lightweight plywood door for quick and easy access.
Beautiful easyclimb oak tree.
Ladder left in the yard for those hard to reach places.
Walk right in. No messy alarm systems.
No deadbolt, no problem, any credit card will do."

This is a very tongue in cheek brochure about how we can make it easy for thief to break into your home. The back page has a lovely script that uses marketing words to sell this home. Words like:
accessible
tempting
inviting
open
enticing
vacant and so on.

I love this brochure. It is clever and we learn the key messages we need from it.

How I Would Use This

Let's face it, we love playing with the negative side of life. You could have your groups create brochures like this for:

The Bureau of Bottleneckery
House of Clutter
Dispute Depot
Junk Is Us

and have them draw in all the problem areas. They could compete for the best brochure.

So I give you another seed of an idea. You flesh it out.

Here is the link to get you started.
http://www.kwantlen.ca/vpd/intro.html

Booh Ha Ha

2006-10-20T21:43:00.000-07:00

Saw a good game tonight that I think I can use. It comes from the world of improv theatre. You get everyone to stand in a circle. Person #1 turns to #2 and makes a strange sound accompanied by a gesture. Person #2 mirrors the gesture back to #1 and then turns to Person #3 and shows them their own new gesture with weird sound.

Around the circle it goes until it comes all the way back.

Try this game; I mean, just try it. Here is what I found. It is so easy to forget to mirror back the first gesture and sound that is offered to you.

How I Would Use This
Communication. We are very good and jumping in with our words and ideas and often neglect to even listen to the person who is talking to us. In this activity, we HAVE to acknowledge their sound and gesture before continuing on to our own. Kinda like group input.

Bottom of the Cup

2006-10-19T13:44:00.000-07:00

Now here is a great little challenge.

Tape two paper cups together with two ping-pong balls inside.
The way you tape them together is open end to open end.
Now challenge someone to get the balls each into a separate end of the cups.
It can be quite challenging.

What you do is spin the cups and the balls will fly apart into separate corners.

How I Would Use This

Well, first off I think it shows creative solutions. But I sense there are more ideas that I haven't thought of yet.

Here is how I go about figuring out how to use these ideas. I make a note of the main ideas I am dealing with. They are:

-separation
-togetherness (clinginess)
-shaking things up (spinning them around)
-counter-intuitive results

So, have at it. Can you think of anything that would connect to this simple and cool demo?

Would You Rather

2006-10-16T09:12:00.000-07:00

Here is a warm-up/icebreaker I want to try later this week.

Get all the participants up on their feet.
Indicate that there are two sides to the room; one for each answer.
Ask them a question like: would you rather live in the country of the city?
Indicate which side they go to for city, and which side they go to for country?
When they get to their side, have each person find a partner and tell them why they chose that answer.

Now my topic for this week is Sustainable Living so I would work out a few questions lie:

Would You Rather

be a vegetarian or a meat/everything eater?
ride a bike or take the bus?
work on a farm or in a factory?

Each question would allow the participants to move to the right answer.
A great twist would be to ask them why they think the others went to the different answer.

Use this for any topic.

Communication:
Would you rather
Be yelled at or talked about behind your back?
Tell a white lie or hurt someone's feelings?

Teamwork
Would you rather
Work with people like you or different?
Be a star or be on a team?

Change
Would you rather
Make changes slowly and gradually or very fast and get it done?
Change someone else or change yourself?

Answering Machine

2006-10-15T08:03:00.000-07:00

I have an idea kicking around in my head but it isn't fully formed. But that doesn't mean it isn't worth capturing; so here it is.

What if an activity consisted of using an answering machine (or really a tape of some kind)?

Here are two ways of thinking about it.

1. What if a small group had a chance to play back the tape on an answering maching and listened to 5 or 6 messages. When they had heard them all they had to guess something about the recorded messages. Perhaps they guess whose machine it is. Perhaps they guess what the situation is and they are listening for verbal clues. Hmmm.

2. You set up an answering machine that a small group can record on. The group gets a task, such as create the last six messages that a "leader" might have on their machine. The group works out the messages and then has fun recording them. Each group plays their messages to the whole group and discuss aspects of leadership.

How I Would Use This
Don't know, but it is percolating around in my head. Communication, miscommunication, analysis of a problem, looking for clues, aspects of leadership, control, teamwork, etc.

Got any thoughts or ideas. Shoot em on in here.

Sum It Up

2006-10-08T10:16:00.000-07:00

Today's activity comes from www.thiagi.com
This gentleman is amazing at figuring out how to get people learning and enjoying it. Please go to his website and look at Play for Performance, his free newsletter. If you love it as much as I do you can even help support his work.

Best Summaries
Asking listeners to summarize your presentation from time to time is a good technique for encouraging people to listen carefully, take notes, and to review the content. Best Summaries uses this basic concept.

Purpose
To encourage active and collaborative review of the presentation.
To focus listeners' attention on important points in the presentation.

Participants
Any number. Participants are divided into teams from time to time during this activity.

Time
Depends on the amount of information and the number of summary interludes. Suggested time: 60 minutes (consisting of three 10-minute presentations, each followed by 10 minute team review sessions).

Supplies
Index cards
Timer
Whistle

Use This Strategy When—
the instructional content involves concepts, principles, and procedures
participants are capable of taking notes, summarizing the content, and evaluating other people's summaries
you have a logical outline for your presentation

Sample Topics
Organizational values
Basic principles of customer service
Doing business in Texas
The coaching procedure
Life cycle of a high-tech product
Maintaining a database

Preparation
Prepare an outline. Chunk the content of your presentation into logical 10-minute units. Also prepare appropriate flip chart pages or slides.

Flow
Brief participants. Explain that you will be making a series of 10-minute presentations. At the end of each unit, you will pause for each participant to summarize what you presented in that unit. These summaries will be evaluated by other participants and the best summaries will receive special recognition. Encourage participants to take good notes during your presentation so they can produce effective summaries.
Present the first unit. Keep your eye on the clock and try to stick to your schedule.

Pause for summaries. Distribute blank index cards to each participant. Ask participants to summarize your presentation on one side of the card. Suggest a suitable time limit. At the end of this time, ask participants to stop writing. Ask them to write a four-digit identification number on the other side of the card. Participants should remember this number so they can identify their card later.

Form teams. Organize participants to teams of four to seven members each. Seat each team around a table. Ask someone at each team to collect the summaries from team members and shuffle the packet of cards.
Exchange and evaluate. Give the packet of summary cards from the first team to second one, from the second team to the third one, and so on, giving the cards from the last team to the first one. Ask members of each team to collaboratively review the summaries and select the best one, using whatever criteria they want. Announce a suitable time limit.
Conclude the evaluation activity. At the end of the allotted time, ask each team to read the summary that was rated as the best. After all teams read the best summaries, ask each team to read the identification number on the back of the card. Ask this person to stand up, and lead a round of applause for this person. Briefly comment on the summaries, identifying the key points and correcting any misconceptions.
Repeat the process. Continue with your next unit of presentation. Follow up with individual summary writing and team evaluation to identify the next set of best summaries.

Conclude the session. After the last round of presentation and evaluation, thank all participants for their contribution. Invite participants to retrieve their summary cards from the next table.
Adjustments

Not enough time? Reduce the summary to a single sentence to be written within a minute. Also make the entire presentation and conduct a single round of summarizing and evaluating.

Too many people? Instead of asking all teams to read their best summaries, select one or two teams at random and ask them to read the summaries.

Auditorium setup prevents teamwork? Individualize the evaluation process: After writing the summaries, ask participants to exchange summary cards several times. Now ask each participant to read the summary on the card she ended up with. Invite participants with a good summary on their card to come to the front of the room and read it. Identify and congratulate the authors of these summaries.
[Table of Contents]

Common Ground

2006-10-06T09:06:00.000-07:00

Here is a super icebreaker that takes it's background from musical chairs.
Get an odd number of people sitting in chairs in a circle. You, the facilitator, stand in the middle. The person in the middle has to find some "common ground" with others in the circle. The person in the middle makes a true statement about themselves: e.g. I was born in England. or "I am wearing my hair in a ponytail today".

Anyone else in the circle who has the same truth about themselves has to get up and find a new seat. The person in the middle is also looking for a seat. One person will be unable to find a seat, so they end up in the middle making a true statement about themselves.

Simple Analoby

2006-10-05T08:07:00.000-07:00

A few days ago I heard a very passionate speaker trying to get the point acorss that the industry she was involved in worked behind the scenes and only got noticed when something went wrong.

She made a delightful comparison. She said (words my own) It is like housework. It goes on every day and when it is done properly nobody notices. But let it go undone for even a day and suddenly everyone notices and things fall apart pretty quickly.

Now that worked for me. The first point she made I understood, but when she moved it to the realm of housework, I got it clearly and it stuck in my mind.

How I Would Use This

I would just keep in mind that for the most important points I want to make I would look for more than one way to describe them. Comparisons to ideas with which we are familiar make it easy to remember points.

How about these? Give it a try, what would you use for a comparison?

Orientation of new people at work.

Stress from taking on too much at once.

Appreciation for others every now and then.

Give someone the right computer hardware and software for his work.

Try to find simple ideas that illustrate these points. Please post any ideas you get.

Catch Me If You Can

2006-09-26T15:04:00.000-07:00

Here's an energizer for a group that will lift them up and get them laughing.

Ask everyone to silently walk around the room.
Have them pick someone in the room they are trying to avoid.
Ask them to imagine they owe this person money.
Don't make it obvious, just subtly try to stay away from that person.

Phase II

Play the game some more.
Try to stay away from the person you picked.
But this time pick a bodyguard.
Try to keep the bodyguard between you and the first person.

Just see where everyone ends up.

How I Would Use This
I am sure it is a metaphor for something deep, but I think I would just have fun with it and get some movement going on.

Batteries Not Included

2006-09-25T09:47:00.000-07:00

Here's a prop that could be used for all kinds of key learning points.
Batteries.

I was reading about an analogy with batteries and can see how to use them the following way.

Take a pair of batteries and insert them wrong way in to a small device, like a flashlight. Nothing happens, no power. Then read the little positive and negative signs and put them in the right way. Suddenly power.

How I Would Use This

It is important to take the time to set things up properly. Great tools (like batteries) can become useless if we don't take the time to figure out how to use them.

A simple device, but I think a good one.

Straw Through a Potato

2006-09-22T16:20:00.000-07:00

You may have heard of the demonstration of jamming a straw through a potato. It is a pretty popular science demo, but you can easily adapt it for a crowd.

http://www.abc.net.au/science/surfingscientist/pdf/teacher_demonstrations.pdf#search='straw%20through%20a%20potato'

Have a look at the site to get a good description. Two things:
1) you don't really need the gloves unless you are working with kids
2) make sure no one gets a hand or leg in the way of the straw as it is descending.

How I Would Use This

Commitment. Until we are truly committed we can't see how powerful we really are.

Potatoes are cheap and straws are pretty cheap. Don't use cheap straws. Buy a box from a fast food place or a restaurant and try this with a crowd.

Candy is Dandy

2006-09-16T20:42:00.000-07:00

http://thinkingfountain.com/c/crosssection/namethatbar.html

Here is a bit of fun. You have to match the cross section with the chocolate bar it comes from.

How I would use it:

Someone holding a copy of the cross section has to find his or her partner with the full candy bar.

How to Ride a Dead Horse

2006-09-16T19:25:00.000-07:00

Another gift from the internet. I truly cannot tell who first wrote this, as it is all over the web.

The tribal wisdom of the Dakota Indians, passed on from one generation to the next, says that when you discover that you are riding a dead horse, the best strategy is to dismount.But in modern business (and education and government), because heavy investment factors are taken into consideration, other strategies are often tried with dead horses, including the following:
1. Buying a stronger whip.
2. Changing riders.
3. Threatening the horse with termination.
4. Appointing a committee to study the horse.
5. Arranging to visit other sites to see how they ride dead horses.
6. Lowering the standards so that dead horses can be included.
7. Reclassifying the dead horse as "living-impaired".
8. Hiring outside contractors to ride the dead horse.
9. Harnessing several dead horses together to increase speed.
10. Providing additional funding and/or training to increase the dead horse's performance.
11. Doing a productivity study to see if lighter riders would improve the dead horse's performance.
12. Declaring that the dead horse carries lower overhead and therefore contributes more to the bottom line than some other horses.
13. Rewriting the expected performance requirements for all horses.
14. Promoting the dead horse to a supervisory position.

Does this ring a bell, with you?

How I Would Use This

I would get small groups to pick one of the 14 points and give an anonymous or generic example of it.

#10 - an example of this might be the money that is poured into giving homeless people on the street increased training opportunities.

This could be a lot of fun.

Cher's the Name

2006-09-14T07:38:00.000-07:00

Top One-Name Music Searches:
Cher
Bjork
Seal
Sting
Eminem
Shakira
Pink
Beyonce
Fergie

Isn't it interesting how so many celebrities and musicians have chosen to go with just one name? What does that say about them? I think it would be fun to have people in a group come up with a single name that tells the group all about them in that one name.

For example my name is Deborah Ann Calderon. I like that name just fine, but let's face it the name won't cut it in the celebrity circles. So I am going to re-christen myself for the purposes of this activity as:

Asha

I don't know why, it just sums up who I think I am (as opposed to who I really am). A little foreign, a little exotic, a bit more savvy.

Ask the people in your group to come up with one name and tell the group why they chose it.

Got one yourself? Post it here.

Eminem
Shakira
JoJo
Pink
Beyonce
Hinder
Rihanna
Nickleback
Fergie
AFI

Fill in the Blank

2006-09-12T21:49:00.000-07:00

Went to a workshop in Vancouver with Altia Consuling and enjoyed their opening icebreaker.

Here is my remembrance of it.

Everyone gets a piece of paper with something written on it. Basically we are looking for a matching paper to the one we have.

My paper said:

In 1998 and then in 1997 research by Baldwin and Ford concluded that not more than ____ % training actually resulted in transfer to the job.

Introduce yourself to your partner and discuss this statement.

So I found my partner who had the answer:

10% and we talked about this for a few minutes.

It was an active, lively opening. Then the whole group debriefed a bit and the contents led to setting the scene for the workshop.

New Measurements

2006-09-12T08:46:00.000-07:00

Here is another gift from the internet. I don't know who to give credit to, but I really enjoyed these and think they belong in a trainer's kit.

2000 mockingbirds = 2 kilomockingbirds
Ratio of an igloo's circumference to its diameter = Eskimo Pi
2000 pounds of Chinese soup = Won ton
Time between slipping on a peel and smacking the pavement = 1 bananosecond
Half of a large intestine = 1 semicolon
1000 aches = 1 megahurtz
Basic unit of laryngitis = 1 hoarsepower
Shortest distance between two jokes = A straight line
1 million-million microphones = 1 megaphone
10 cards = 1 decacards
force of 1 kilogram of falling figs = 1 Fig Newton
1000 grams of wet socks = 1 literhosen
1 millionth of a fish = 1 microfiche
10 rations = 1 decoration
8 nickels = 2 paradigms
2.4 miles of intravenous surgical tubing at Harvard = 1 I.V. League

How I Would Use This

I think I would separate the first part from the second and create a kind of match up game. Perhaps the participants have to find their partners. Maybe it is a card game in which you have to find the two parts. Maybe it is a treasure hunt. I don't really know, I just know this type of thing comes in handy, so pop it in your own toolkit and let me know if you have a brilliant idea.

Ever Been to Sea Billy?

2006-09-07T16:18:00.000-07:00

Here is an activity that is kinda fun and intriguing.

1. Take a look at the list below

mainsail
rudder
navy
anchor
lifeboat
salty dog
crowsnest
captain
gangplank
ocean
compass
nautical
sextant
galley
poop deck
mast

2. Now stop looking at the list and look way way down the page.

Keep going further.....

Even further

A bit more......

3. Now thinking of the list, which of these two words did not appear on the list.

Fireplace Ship

4. Got your answer.....

5. Okay, say it out loud.......

Page down a bit

Page down a bit more

Page down a tiny bit more.....

Which of the words didn't appear? Fireplace, right?
Ship right? Ship isn't on the list, nope, nowhere on the list, nope, not even one little ship on the list somewhere.

How I Would Use This

To most people it is obvious that fireplace isn't on the list, but they really do believe that ship is on the list. I am not sure what I would do with this activity, but probably something around assumptions and communications.

If you have a great idea about what to do with this activity, let us know and post your idea.

Namecard Opener

2006-09-06T10:47:00.000-07:00

Bob Pike is the king of training activities and ideas. I use an opener a bit like this one myself, but here is an activity that came today with his free newsletter.

It is probably worth looking at his website as it contains lots of ideas.

Opener/Icebreakers - Four Quadrant Name TentBob Pike CSP, CPAE
Creative Training Technique: Opener
Name: Four Quadrant Name Tent
Objectives: Break the ice
Become better acquainted
Provide focus on the topic

For a class three hours or longer
For any audience
For a group of 12 or more in subgroups of five to seven
Time 10-15 minutes

Equipment: Copy of the name tent sample on an overhead transparency
One copy of the name tent template for each person
A pen or fine-point marker for each person

Process: The trainer gives each participant a copy of the four quadrant name tent and asks everyone to fold the paper into thirds, making a triangular name tent with one side being the bottom and remaining blank. He or she displays the sample on an overhead projector. The “front” of the name tent is for the participant to decorate and insert his or her name and company name.

The back of the tent is divided into four “window panes,” in which participants write or draw four things about themselves, one in each pane. These items could be about one’s personal life, professional life, family life, a talent, an interest, best vacation spot, favorite sport, and so forth.

Participants are asked not to share while they are writing, but to wait until all their panes are filled.

The trainer debriefs the activity with everyone in the room for a smaller group or in teams for a larger group.

*This opener is from 50 Creative Training Openers and Energizers by Bob Pike and Lynn Solem.

% Game

2006-08-31T12:11:00.000-07:00

Here's a question for you:

What do 9% of all women do when they work out?

Now this morning I was driving and I heard this question asked on the Nic and Val show on CFUN radio. Various callers phoned in with their ideas:

nine percent of all women

-talk on the phone while they work out
-sing
-dance
-read books

lots of callers, lots of ideas: but all wrong.

So can you figure out what 9% of all women do while they work out?

Now the reason I bring this up is because I think it would be a super way to start off a session.

Imagine you write

"What do 13% of businesses forget to do each year?"

"What do 7% of new moms wish they had done before the baby was born?

"What do 27% of drivers do when it rains?"

"What do 5% of all married couples give each other on a weekly basis?"

Intriguing, no?

So let them guess. Let them discuss their ideas and write them on yellow sticky notes, let them predict, guess, re-guess or what have you.

By the way, nine percent of all women eat while they work out. Go figger.

Trophy Hunt

2006-08-26T20:09:00.000-07:00

I was reading a magazine that had an amusing idea in it. It showed a mantelpiece with a number of trophies on it. Now this magazine, Toro is aimed at a male audience so the wall was labelled:

The Modern Man's Trophy Wall

Here are a few trophies they featured:

Crabgrass and Dandelion Wreath
Awarded to self in 2001 for tireless lawn maintenance

Most Aggressively Pruned Shrub Award
In recognition of your mastery over nature.

And so on.

I thought this would be a really fun activity for a group who wanted to congratulate themselves on something well done, or congratulate someone else.

I would give myself the:

High Fibre Award
In recogniton of sneaking fibre into every single dish served in the household for a one week period. (the award would look like a giant bean)

Try it, you might like to win one of these yourself.