Truth in Advertising

I was recently reading a copy of an old Mad Magazine. This is a great publication for silly ideas that can be transfoprmed into activities.

Here is what I found:

There is a selection taken from the classified ads of a newspaper. You know the free pet section, where animals are trying to be placed in homes. Well here is how a few of the ads read:

"I'm Bluebell. 6 months Siamese with amazing blue eyes. I will bond with your children and then dart outside first chance I get never to be seen again."

"Hi I'm Muffin. 7 month calico with a chronic ear infection that will have you chasing around your house for an hour three times a day with a small, but surprisingly expensive bottle of drops. I love seniors!"

Anyhow these funny little ads made me think of the potential of telling the truth in advertising. How can this be created into an activity. Hmmm. Let me think.

How about when you are learning about how to select an item to buy, say a house, or a musical instrument or a computer that you create classified ads of what NOT to buy. I particularly like the house ad as an illustration of bad neighbours.

Or how about relationships SWM etc. that shows you what NOT to choose in a partner.

Now the most fun might be describing jobs that look good, but have hidden aspects that make them less than desirable.

Anyhow, have fun with this idea, I think there is something really good here.

Grains of Sand

Got a great idea from the book, Sacred Balance by Dr. D. Suzuki.
He is talking about th ebook, Earth in the Balance, by U.S. Vice president Al Gore. Apparently the books talks about something called critical point, and here is how it is described:

"... described the results of research on the physical properties of growing sandpiles. When grains of sand are added to a pile one at a time, the pile grows until it reaches a critical point at which the addition of one more grain of sand causes avalances, slides, and massive changes. It is an apt metaphor for the way individuals can create suddent shifts in popular understanding and social action."

This is a great visual, don't you think?
Imagine demonstrating it or even just describing it. Think of all the key learning points you could make.

Here are few I can think of:

-one person can make a difference
-many together can move mountains
-one more negative comment can cause the erosion of self esteem
-one last piece of pie tips the scales

So, well, make out of it what you wish. It works for me.

Nature and Chess

"The Nobel laureate Richard Feynman once observed that trying to understand nature through science is like trying to figure out the rules of chess as you watch a game being played - but you can only see two squares at a time."

I read this in Dr. David Suzuki's book The Sacred Balance. I love it when people come up with creative ideas to describe concepts that are difficult to understand. As speakers and trainers it is essential that we find ways for people to grasp ideas in a way that is relevant to them.

So using Richard Feynman's quote what else could you use in the place of the words NATURE THROUGH SCIENCE The part about the chess game is wonderful and the idea that you can only see two squares at a time is really descriptive.

Here are some words I could substitute in: finances through the stock market, life through relationships. Well, you get the idea.

Further in the book Dr. Suzuki writes:

"The total knowledge base currently acculuated by scientists is still so limited that it can rarely be prescriptive; it is almost imposible to generate scientifically based policies or solutions for managing our surroundings when we know so little. It is as if we are standing in a cave holding a candle; the flame barely penetrates the darkness, and we have no idea where the cave walls are, let alone how many more caves there are beyond. Standing in the dark, cut off from time and place, and from the rest of the universe, we struggle to understand what we are doing here alone"

Creating idea pictures in people's minds makes the idea memorable and relevant.

Penny Drops

Received a new book from Jim Cain yesterday. A really good collection of Teambuilding Puzzles, all very usable. I learned a new twist for an activity I have been doing for years. Here is how I do the activity.

1) Give each group a penny and an eyedropper and a glass of water.
2) Ask them to estimate how many drops of water they can fit on to the penny.
3) Let them try.

Usually they are astounded by how many drops can squeeze on to the penny. Surface tension is what is holding the water droplets together in cohesion.

Now here is an idea in the book that I think is worth exploring "If you are wondering about the difference between the last drop that fits ont he penny and the next drop that doesn't we invite you to read: The Tipping Point - How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference"

Learn more about Teambuilding Puzzles by going to www.teamworkandteamplay.com

Funnel Fun

Here is a challenge that can be turned into a great learning moment.

Place a ping pong ball on a table and gently blow on it so it skitters all over the table. Then place it in a funnel and issue this challenge:

"By holding this funnel vertically up from your mouth and blowing in a long continuous breath who can get the ping pong ball to rise all the way out of the funnel, about 3 inches?"

This doesn't look terribly hard so you may have a few takers. Let them try. That ping pong ball isn't going anywhere. Because of air pressure factors, the ball is basically spinning in the cup of the funnel and does not move up at all.

Be careful of two things: no short blasts of breath allowed and clean the pipe of the funnel with alcohol or have a few funnels standing by if you let a number of people try the trick.

Key Learning Points
Things often look easier than they are.
Adding pressure doesn't necessarily get things moving.
Just because a technique works in one situation, doesn't mean it will work in all situations.


Try it, this might come in handy at your next summer barbeque