Demotivation

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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/mscprezhttp://Broadband-Nation.blogspot.com

52 Pick Up

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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?

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

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

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

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.

Is That a Quote?

Here is another idea based on activities created by Ken Bellemare of Communication Magic
kbellemare@shaw.ca

Unusual Quotations
Materials - a collection of unusual quotations written on index cards or playing cards.
One card per participant.

What You Do

• Give a card to each learner
• Give the learner a few moments to figure out what the quote means.
• 4 to 6 learners get togetehr to share their quotes and discuss what they mean.
• In some cases the instructor may have to clarify.

Debrief

• Discuss how people interpret ideas differently.
• Discuss personal context and how it influences learning.
• Discuss metaphor and analogy.

Variation
For people from other cultures: have them tell the group similar quotes or expressions they have from their own culture.

Card Shark

Materials: A deck of playing cards
Stick on labels - one per card

Prep: Identify one topic per card and write on a label then stick to the card. E.G. Fame.

How the activity is conducted:

1. The prepard cards are placed on a table with the topic face down.
2. The learners are asked to select a card at random and look at it.
3. Then learners pair up.
4. Using the topic on their cards, they take turns creating questions about that topic to ask their partners.
6. E.G. Topic - Fame Question - if you could be famous who would you be and why?
7. Each pair takes a turn asking the question and listening to the answers.

This activity comes from my co-author, Ken Bellemare.
He has a wonderful way of using inexpensive materials that you can find anywhere and using them in great group activities.

Answer to game: HOBO
Did you get it right?

How You See It

By adding two straight lines, can you turn these numbers into a traveling man?

1 1 O 3 O

How I Would Use This?

Just a warm-up game while we wait for everyone to get to the workshop.

Answer in tomorrow's blog.

The Game With No Name

Here is a neworking game I am making up and will try in a couple of weeks.

Everyone gets a sheet like a bingo card with 16 squares on it. As they listen to introductions they scribble down names in each square of the card.

Now the neat part is that I, the creator of the card, put words in the squares. When the listener thinks someone matches that word, they put that name in the card.

Following me so far?

Here are some words I might put in each square.

dynamic
compassionate
$$$
opportunity
refer on
humorous
powerful
creative idea
and maybe a few blanks where people put what they want in the squares.

I don't have a name for this game, but Ken Bellemare and I will try it out fairly soon and see how it goes.

Answer to next post - HOBO

To Do List

Here is a half-baked idea rattling around in my head. How about getting participants to create TO DO lists.
There are all kinds of ways you could use these.

1. Pick a theme. Let's say Leadership. Have people come up with 6 things on the TO DO list of a leader. Then compare them. My list:

- get hearing checked
- read the newspaper
-work on the front line for a day
-chat with my grandfather
- talk to a high school class
-let someone go

So this tells you a bit about me, yes?
When people compare their lists they can explain why they wrote each idea.

2. Look Back
What would a famous person have on their TO DO list?
Sir Isaac Newton - buy a bag of apples
Napoleon - appoint cousin to royal family
Einstein - buy more chalk

You get the idea. Fun, whimsical and a review of what that person actually accomplished. Could be all good, or could be bad and negative.

Head of _______________- Corporation - Sell stock before word gets out.

Anyhow that is my thought of the day.
I got the idea when I heard about a book that lists what famous people would have downloaded on their IPODS. Now these famous people are dead, but according to a pcychic, they have made their selections.

If you come up with a fun way to use this let me know.

Never Cut Down the Tallest Tree

I was listening to a radio show about forests and sustainability. One of the speakers once was told that he should "never cut down the tallest tree in a forest."

Well, why not? That tree would give plenty of lumber and be worth a good price. The speaker didn't know why he shouldn't cut down that particular tree.

Later on someone told him why. Among the reasons, the most important one was that if you take the biggest and tallest tree down the trees underneath it don't have to keep growing to get to the light. They can more or less stop where they are because they have access to the sunlight.

How I Would Use This
This idea really struck me. I know when I am striving for something, I want to know who is above me, who has climbed higher, done better. I don't want to eliminate them (except at low moments) but I want to get to where they are or as close as I can.

This spirit of competition may indeed be healthy in many ways. Some of the legends that have gone before us give us something to aim for.

So Never Cut Down that Tallest Tree.

Hammering

“If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail. ” - Abraham Maslow

This is one of my favourite quotes.

How I Would Use This

In a word, or two words - Power Point.

Change the World for a Fiver

50 actions to change the world and make you feel good.

This is a great book. What do I like about it? It is playful.
It comes from a gorup called We Are What We Do at www.wearewhatwedo.org, a UK based organization.

In a typically British manner they have a lot of fun with the reader while getting their message across. Here is an example.

On a bright green page there is a cartoon and next to it the action step.

The Art of Reverse Haggling
Confuse the wonderful people who work in charity shops. Pay them more than they bargained for.

I love this book because it is the type of book I wish I had written. It is funny, lively, uses big fun graphics and just begs to be picked up and perused.

Now compare a book like this to nearly any environmentally based book out there and I know which one I am going to grab for a quick overview.

So take a look at their stuff.
www.wearewhatwedo.org

Oily Birds

I was listening to a report about how many birds die as a result of oil dumps at sea. The narrator was trying to point out that it doesn't take an oil slick to kill a bird. He was saying that a bird didn't need to be drenched in oil, just have a little oil on his feathers and he could well die.

So he used a visual image to get the point across. I found this captivating and reminded me how much we understand ideas that are put in terms of things we can understand and are familiar with.

Here's the image.

Imagine you are standing in a stream of icy cold water. But it is okay you are wearing gum boots so you are protected. Then you get a pinhole in one your gum boots, a tiny little thing. Would your socks and feet be protected because it was such a tiny hole. No way! Even the tiniest hole would inevitably lead to frozen feet.

So it with the birds and oil.

How I Would Use This

When explaining something that might be hard for your audience to grasp go back to what they know. Think hard about their world and where they are and make the connections.

Sort Them Out

Saw an activity that reminded me of a format I haven't used in quite a while.

Each team is given a big card with 7 categories on it. The categories are things like, marketing, promotion, customer service, systems and so on. Each category has a little description beside it to make it clear what the term means.

Then the teams are given a handful of cards. On each card there is a scenario that describes something an entrepreuneur somewhere in the world tried.

For example there is a short story about a woman who mailed all her customers Happy Spring Cleaning Day. There is another about how a small business fellow started a unique newsletter about where to find good thrift store buys.

The group then sorts the cards into the categories. They can discuss and debate which one goes where, and they can agree to disagree. In the sorting of the cards the task gets done: they learn or re-learn the categories and they see interesting examples of applying these ideas in the real world.

How I Would Use This

I work with a groups of school students and their teachers around this province in a great environmental action project. To help them get clear on some of the things they can do we have tried a sorting activity like this.

We had categories like: awareness, communication, reward and incentive and so on.

I think you could apply this to many learning situations. Just make sure the examples are diverse and interesting, or even spectacular. People really pick up on the unique and exciting ideas that way and feel free to try something like that themselves.

A Charm, Exaltation, and a Bloat

I love looking at animal group names. Test your skills. We all know flock of geese, school of fish and herd of sheep. But what comes in:

Charm
Exaltation
Bloat

Give up? Go here to find out more http://mistupid.com/animals/groups.htm

How I Would Use This

If groups of animals can have special names why can't groups of people?
What do you call a group of technicians, or lawyers, or teachers or public relations specialists or consultants?

Diet Coke and Mentos

This is an incredibly impressive demonstration that should be done outside or in a large gym. Take a 2 litre bottle of diet coke (no sugar, no stickinesss) and drill a tiny hole in the cap. Place it on a firm surface.

Then string together 3 Mentos (mints) in a line on a string with a bit of string extra at the top. You basically hang the little thread from the lid. Here is what I mean. You stick the thread through the cap so that you can hold it with your fingers while letting the Mentos dangle underneath the cap.

So the idea here is that you want to get the cap on the bottle and then let the Mentos go so that they drop in the diet Coke. You see you have to do that because when the Mentos hit the Coke a huge fountain erups.

So let's look what we have, a 2 litre bottle of diet coke on a firm surface. You are above it holding a thread through the cap while the Mentos dangle under the cap, but not touching the Coke. Then, when you are ready, drop the Mentos and run away. The huge flow of soda will come blasting through the tiny hole and create a lovely fountain.

Just try it, it is fun and lively. Then tell me what point you would make with this. What a great way to start off a presentation or wrap it up.

Here is one of my favourite presenters, Steve Spangler, doing the demonstration. http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/experiment/00000109

Have fun.

http://www.planetperplex.com/en/img.php?id=94

Good - Evil
In black you can read the word GOOD, in white the word EVIL (inside each black letter is a white letter). It's all very filosophical too, because it visualises the concept that good can't exist whithout evil (or the absence of good is evil - take your pick).

A lovely illusion here of Good and Evil. I think there is lots of potential for an illusion like this used in a presentation.

My First Job

Here is a warm up that is perfect for a group who may know each other a little,but not a whole lot.

Before you start the event ask everyone to fill in a card with their name on it and their very first job. Then, as a way of introducing the participants you read aloud each card and everyone has a chance to guess whose job it was.

For example: You read "This employee's first job was being on call for a funeral parlour in case they were needed to help with a pick up."

Having people guess, be wrong and be right will ensure lots of laughs for starters.

An extension to this activity might be: what ONE thing did that job teach you that has helped you to this very day?

The Power in My Little Finger

Have your volunteer sit in a chair.
Ask him to keep his head a bit back and his chin up.
Now start your patter about the power you have in your finger.
Place your finger on the volunteer's forehead.
Ask him to stand up.
He won't be able to stand up with your finger in place.

What's Going On
With the head back the volunteer can't stand up without pulling his head forward. But you have your finger in the way so he can't stand up period.

How I Would Use This

This trick can be developed using the Power of Patter; that is the stuff you say while doing the trick.

One way to enhance the trick is to talk about the might and power of the smallest things, example your finger. Show your finger. Then set up the whole trick and show how powerful it can be applied in the right way.

Be creative, there are all kinds of applications you can make for such an open-ended activity.

I'd Like You To Meet!

Here's a warm-up activity that is perfect for a networking group who don't know each other.

Instruct the group:

Pair up with someone you don't know well or don't know at all.

Find out what work that person does.

Ask him or her who would be an ideal client for them or their company.

Your partner asks you the same questions.

Give your partner three of your own business cards and accept three of theirs.

Now the Networking Begins

The goal of the activity is to meet with three other people. But instead of introducing yourself you will be introducing the person who just gave you their business cards. You will be promoting them or their business or service.

Your message should be something like :

"I'd like to briefly tell you about ____________________ and the service/business he/she provides. His/her ideal client would be _______. "

The object is to "give away" three business cards to potentially "warm" prospects. It doesn't matter whether these people can use the person's service or business, but more that they become aware of them.

Things to consider:

1. You have a limited time to get to know your partner. Ask good questions.

2. You might be tempted to talk about yourself. You are acting as an agent for your partner, so promote their interests. Remember, someone is promoting yours.

3. When you are given cards by people introducing - make a note on the back of the business cards to remind you of how they were presented.

This idea comes from Ken Bellemare kbellemare@shaw.ca
I was a part of this warm up tonight and the room was rocking, laughing and generally enjoying the activity.

Happy Networking.

Puzzle Pieces

Here is a great way to learn something new. See I was just wasting time online at this site. It is a jigsaw site. The puzzle comes up, you decide how many pieces it will be cut into and what shape. Then you race against the clock to build the puzzle. One of life's wonderful time-wasters for the overly stressed and underworked.

http://www.jigzone.com/g.php?18&z=2

Well here's the thing. I did a couple of the puzzles called Fine Art and I realized that in putting the puzzle back together I really began to understand what was in the picture. I noticed details I had never really seen. I studied colour hues to make matches. I investigated textures, swirls, stars, cross-hatch and felt as if I had never really looked at these pictures before.

How I Would Use This

Honestly, I don't know. Just a reminder that when we give people a reason to look at something close up and in detail, they will look. In our trainings how often do we ask people to learn something, memorize something, or even do something, without showing them a really good reason why.

My reason was the clock. I wanted to beat the clock to finish my puzzle and in doing so, learned more about fine art than I ever thought I would.

Check out my website at www.wizbangers.ca

What I Expect

Here's an icebreaker I found on oaktraining.com. They have a good list of free icebreakers and games there. Check it out. This one is called:

What I Expect

Objectives
To ensure that all expectations are set at the beginning of the training event.

Method
Draw a simple matrix on a flipchart using the four areas outlined below. Some sample answers are provided as examples – they will help you get participants started though you may wish not to include them on the matrix at the beginning.

From The Course

Knowledge
New Skills

From The Trainer

Expertise
Experience
Direction

From Others

Confidentiality
Honesty

From Me

Participation
Support

Ask participants to complete their expectations of the course, of the trainer, from others and from themselves.
Discussion Questions
1. Did anyone feel uncomfortable doing this exercise? Is so, why?
2. Can anyone explain why it is good for us to set expectations?

I would use this activity, particularly if I wasn't sure that I had buy-in from all the participants. I like that part about What I Expect - from ME.

Check out my website at http://www.wizbangers.ca/

Mapping The World

I was reading an article about mapping intercultural relationships when I suddenly thought, "Why not use maps as a learning tool?"

So here is what I thought when I looked at a map. There are lots of questions to ask ourselves about maps. Where is this place? How far to get from place to place and most important, what is on the legend.

So here is my idea du jour for an activity.

Have participants draw maps on chart paper of the unchartered territory they are going to. Let's say, for example, that they are going to be starting small businesses. Let them create a map anyway they want that would show some of the land they could explore.

Off the top of my head I would draw a land of customers, an ocean of loss and mountains of overhead. That sounds like fun.

Then have them approach the key or legend in a lively, imaginative way. For example: round circles could be target audiences, arrows could be trends, a large river could be a customer base and the tributaries could be branches yet to explore.

You get the idea. I think it would be fun to grab some felt markers, some chart paper and get drawing.

Blind Spot of Life

Everybody has a blind spot sometime. (Hey I think that sounds like the title of a new hit song)

This great website teaches you to do a demonstration that will show your audience they do, indeed, have a blind spot. Try it on yourself.

I find that this kind of demonstration is so useful because you can build all kinds of learning points around it.

The demo only requires pen and paper and can done by everyone in the room. In the past I have incorporated the line right into my handout. No one knows what it is, but I use it as an activity in the presentation. It adds energy and makes a point at the same time.
Find the information at: http://staff.washington.edu/chudler/chvision.html

How I Would Use This
Well, naturally I would refer to blind spots in life.
Now a fellow named Rob McBride has already created a great write up about blind spots. Find his ideas at:
http://www.inspire.com.ve/lunar/index.htm

Now see how you could link these together? This is one of the methods I use to get new activities in presentations. I take a good idea well thought out, like Rob McBride's and then I link it to a demonstration I already know or have already found.

That's it. Now go forth and try this.

Letter From the Grave

Here is an idea I got from Guy Dauncey, a specialist in Global Climate Change and Sustainability.

He role played receiving a letter from a friend who had died (not really) and had been able to return in the future. The dead friend described a scene on the a street of the future, portraying a lot of positive changes for the environment.

It really captured my attention because:

1) it gave a positive picture of what is to come
2) it was full of details about the picture.

How Would I Use This

Of course, it would be great for environmental workshops, but how about a picture of the future of a corporation? How about a picture of the future of a relationship, a partnership or a team?

What is so much fun is that it is written in the form of a letter, so there are lots of personal touches.

Guy is an intriguing fellow with good ideas and techniques to get his message across in a way that engages the audience. Here is his book Stormy Weather http://www.bookfinder4u.com/detail/0865714215.html

Snuff the Candle

Just when an obstacle seems inpenetrable you find the way in.

That's how I would work this next trick into my presentation.

Get a candle in a holder. Light it.
Then hold a glass in front of the candle, so that the glass is between you and the flame. Hold the glass up to this height or stand it on something.

Make your point and do your talk here.
Then blow on your side of the glass. The flame on the other side of the glass will magically go out.

It's a science thing basically, called a drafting effect. Air is going around the sides of the glass to blow out the candle.

How I Would Use This

When there is a barrier in your way, if you can't go through it, simply go around it. Perhaps this would be a good demonstration to use for problem solving.

I am sure there are many more ways to use this trick, but I haven't thought of any of them yet. If you think of one yourself, make a note here please.

Crows on a Fence

I recently read this snippet and it stayed with me. I am sorry, but I just can't remember where it came from. If you recognize it please let me know.

Here's the question.

There are five crows sitting on a fence. Two decide to fly off. How many are left sitting on the fence?

Think about it

Don't look at the answer yet.


Think some more.
























Okay here's the deal. There are five crows still sitting on the fence. There is a big difference between deciding to do something and actually doing it.

Pocket, Purse or Pack

Here is an icebreaker/warm-up I have used many many times.

I ask people to get into pairs and introduce themselves to the group using something they can find in their pocket, purse or pack.

I make two exceptions: no credit cards and no money can be used in the introduction.

I ask them to find something that personifies, in a prop, something about their lives that they want to share with the group.

People pick things like daytimers, YMCA membership cards, kids photos, keys or really anything.

Then we share the highlights. It is an easy, lively, humorous way to get things rolling. 

I recently got an idea from a woman I met on a message board. She is called Alicia Castillo Holley and can be found at http://www.wealthing.com/

As a fun and interesting way of introducing non-verbal communication, ask people to look around them, find a partner and communicate with that partner using only one finger. Just let them go for it. They can move around, get closer or remain distant. But all they have is that one finger for communication.

I can see how useful this would be for really large groups. In the debrief it might be interesting to see if that one finger also included one very animated face, or other body movement

Sometimes we speakers and trainers are looking for a simple, quick activity for a big group. I think I just found mine.

Hawaiian Cheese and Little Loans

Working with a colleague this morning the topic of misunderstood words came up. He told me that when he was young he heard this phrase quite a lot.

"We haven't got enough coffee for everyone here, little loan, the people outside.

Of course, little loan was really let alone. But that's what he heard.

He also was surprised how often his parents ate Hawaiian food. Regularly they would get together with friends to have
Hawaiian Cheese. I imagine you can figure this one out.

As for me, I thought the song, Get Off Of My Cloud, was really
Alphabet Clown. We probably all have examples of our own and I would love you to share some of them here.

How I Would Use This

How is it that we mishear things so well. I think it all has to do with making meaning out of life. All we have to go by, sometimes, is what we know of life. So we take ideas with which we are familiar and link them to unfamiliar ideas. So Hawaiian Cheese made a lot of sense to a little boy who understood what cheese was, and probably thought the Hawaiian variety was what was so attractive to adults.

When we introduce unfamiliar ideas and concepts it is powerful to link them to something we already know. Tomorrow I will share my idea on the Swiss Army Knife and how it links to technology.

So, for now, take a moment and scribble down the things you misheard in your life and share it with us.

Playing With a Full Deck

Tonight my friend and colleague, Ken Bellemare, introduced me to the wonders of playing cards used with a group. He gave everyone a playing card when they came into the room. Then he started his icebreaker.

It was simple really. First he asked everyone to join up by their number, all sixes together, all two's together and so on. We had nice little groups of four and we all introduced ourselves to each other.

Then he had us organize by suit, all diamonds together, all spades together and so on, and had us start a new quick discussion.

Last we divided into red and black on opposite sides of the room to go forward for a new activity.

These playing cards were wonderful and were used a few more times in the evening. On each card Ken had stuck a small sticky label with the date of the next event on it.

So versatile and so simple. There are many more ways to use cards with a group, but as an icebreaker, they are inexpensive, fun and get people moving.

Try it.

A Bunch of Good Ideas

How to Add a Little Wizbang to Your Presentation Wizbang is something that adds spice to your style, perks up your presentation and wakes up your audience.

It can be a prop, a story, a hook, an activity, a game or even a joke. It gets your audience involved and out of their seats. It reinforces your key message and makes your presentation memorable. 10 of my Favourite Wizbangers and how I use them.

1. Plain as a rock - Open by showing the audience a geode (looks like a
rock). Discuss how plain and rocklike it looks (it is fairly dull looking). Open the geode (these are cut at rock hound stores) and show how glorious and spectacular it is inside. It isn't always obvious what people around us have to offer until we look a little deeper.

2. Choose and Move - When you want to review a few facts with your group place two chart papers, one at each end of the room, with Yes and No, or True and False. You pose the question to the group; each person goes to the end of the room to match their answer. Keep playing until there is only one person left.

3. Personalized Websites - At the end of a workshop, when the participants know each other fairly well, I ask them to conclude by creating a website address for a partner. The site should illustrate something special and positive about that person and how they came to know him or her in the workshop. Some ideas www.chattygal.com, www.scientistwithoutacoat.com, www.foreveryoung.com , www.helpinghand.com. (these aren't real websites, I think)

4. Opening the Door - I ask small groups to come up with 5 jobs that didn't exist 15 years ago. Share the lists. This opens a discussion on how anything is possible, and the importance of staying open to change. To enhance this activity I use a crystal ball (glass fishing lure).

5. Cheese Stands Alone - I hand out pieces of a puzzle to the whole group or small groups to put together. The glitch is that one person is holding an extra piece that looks like it fits in the puzzle but it doesn't. This activity leads into a discussion about inclusion

6. Stuck On Me - I saw speaker, Polly Lee, use this technique in a Toastmaster's Contest in Vancouver. As she talked about the negative messages that were in her head, she stuck onto her body, one by one, cardboard signs that held negative words. I used this in a similar way to illustrate how we set limitations on ourselves. My signs had Velcro on one side and showed such words as too old, too inexperienced, too stupid, not wanted.

7. Weighed Down - I saw this at a retreat years ago, and unfortunately cannot give credit. The leader asked us to write a list of things we had left unfinished in our lives, anything from cleaning the bathroom cupboard to getting a divorce. Then we chose 8 of the items. At this point she gave out black balloons and told us to inflate them. But she warned us only to inflate each balloon to the size proportional to the problem; for example, a divorce would likely be bigger than a cupboard cleanout (but not necessarily). Then she asked us to tie them onto strings and loop the strings around our necks. She made us wear them for the next few hours. The key learning point? How unfinished business takes energy from us and robs us of freedom.

8. Rock of Ages - I saw a scientist open a presentation by passing around a rock that was thousands of years old. He talked about what was happening on earth when that rock was around and how the rock was still here all those years later. In that opening, he used that prop to reel us all in to the amazing history of rocks, and opened up our minds to listen to him. I try to use props like this to focus the group right from the very opening.

9. Name Ten Parts - For a lighthearted moment I suggest that the group tries an activity I did with a bunch of kids, to see if they can do it faster. I tell them I want them to name 10 parts of the human body that have three letters. Someone always offers "bum" up halfway into the activity, and I tell them I will reserve it if they don't get 10. The group can usually get about 8, but they cannot get 10 until they see the human body from a different perspective, from the inside and start adding parts like rib and gut. This activity makes them laugh, gets them to work together and shows them that there are turning points in learning.

10. Yours Truly - There is nothing like sharing a personal story with the group. You can always remember it because it is yours and it can be funny, warming or even alarming. Some of my best stories come from my file called "The First Time" - I got a kiss, had a job, lit my kitchen on fire, wore high heels, cooked for my mother in law, said I love you, went to high school, took the bus alone, got my hair permed. These stories are filled with exciting and disastrous attempts at life. I recommend you look at some of your "First Times".

Guidelines for using a Wizbanger
1. It must have a point that ties in with a key learning point.
2. Customize it to fit the group.
3. Make sure it is safe.
4. Don't give the learning point away too soon. Often it is more dynamic to let people come to their own connections.

Find out more about Wizbangers at www.wizbangers.ca

$50 on the Foot

A colleague reminded me of an activity that is featured in my first book, Presentation Wizardry, (find out more at www.wizbangers.ca).

The idea behind the activity is that it is a challenge to a volunteer.

Magic Ball
Try this trick: - Crush a piece of paper or foil into a small ball.- Tell the group the paper has magic powers.- Ask a volunteer to stand sideways against a wall with his shoulder and matching foot touching the wall.- Place the magic ball on his foot that is not against the wall.- Ask him to raise that foot.- He won't be able to do it.- Make the point that the magic ball and its power have paralyzed the volunteer.
How I use this:
There are many ways to use this trick to make a key learning point. Here is one. When I roll the ball up I talk about how it represents perfectionism. I talk a bit about it and ask if anyone can define it. The person who gives the definition becomes my volunteer. When I place the ball on his foot I indicate how heavy it is and how glad I am to give it to someone else. As he tries to lift his foot he finds that he can't. I make the point that perfectionism becomes a paralyzing factor in moving forward or achieving success.

Then put a $50 bill on the foot that is furthest away from the wall and challenge the person to lift that foot up. Say, "If you can lift that foot while you keep your shoulder and other foot touching the wall, you can have the money."

Your volunteer will try, but it is nigh on impossible to do. In order to lift the foot with the money on it up even a smidge, you have to be able to lean in the opposite direction. As you are jammed side on into a wall, there is nowhere to lean. This is a centre of gravity activity.

Now the real fun comes when you figure out what the money can represent. Or instead of money, put a different object on their foot. Perhaps a credit card, a wedding ring, or a small paper with a word written on it that has been crumpled up.

First make sure you know how to do the trick, then think about it a bit, then get down to trying it. You don't want to lose your $50 so work up to that one.

Good luck.
Thanks to Eric for this idea.

A friend sent me this idea about stress. I really think it is a super use of a prop and I would like to give credit to the source, but as of now, it is unknown to me. If anyone knows it please let me know.

All you need is a glass and some water.

Stress Management
A lecturer, when explaining stress management to an audience, raised a glass of water and asked,

"How heavy is this glass of water?"

Answers called out ranged from 20g to 500g.

The lecturer replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter.

It depends on how long you try to hold it.

If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem.

If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm.

If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance.

In each case, it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes."

He continued,

"And that's the way it is with stress management.

If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later,

as the burden becomes increasingly heavy,

we won't be able to carry on. "

"As with the glass of water,

you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again.

When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden."

"So, before you return home tonight, put the burden of work down.

Don't carry it home.

You can pick it up tomorrow.

Whatever burdens you're carrying now,

let them down for a moment if you can."

So, my friend, why not take a while to just simply RELAX.

Put down anything that may be a burden to you right now.

Don't pick it up again until after you've rested a while.

Life is short.

Enjoy it!

Head for the Stars

A colleague was telling me about her ideas for opening up the minds of her teamworkers and I got to thinking. Sometimes we don't know how to get better, be a better business, grow, expand or get rich if we haven't had a good look at who and where we are today.

This goes for individuals, products and services. So I decided to try to open my brain up to look into the future to Head for the Stars.

I came up with four categories

Earth Star Superstar Spaceship

Earth is a realistic look at where I am today.

Star is where I want to be.

Superstar is what would put me on top.

Spaceship is how I hope to get there.

Let's try this out!

Imagine I am a small business who produces teacher resource guides.

Earth
-small
-diverse
-quick to turnaround
-relatively inexpensive
-creative but a bit scattered
-lots of great ideas

Star
-known for one idea/format (not scattered)
-strong on-line presence
-relevant to audience of teachers
-fun and practical for teachers
-good value

Superstar
-show teachers HOW
-teach teachers HOW
-make it fun to learn HOW


Spaceship
-video to show HOW
-newsletter format to focus on HOW
-seminars and on-line seminars to teach HOW
-name to reflect that you will learn HOW
-create client list of those who need to learn HOW (beginning teachers and teachers facing change)

So that's my attempt. Did this work for me? Yes in a way.
First off that word HOW came leaping out at me. I knew that was something I might want to think about, but hadn't given it much thought.
Once I saw the word HOW the spaceship ideas came pretty easily. Is this a final go-around? Not at all. This is just getting the percolator fired up.

Try this idea if you like with anything, a problem, a brainstorm. Let me know how it went.

Here is a brilliant learning idea that comes from England.

Students were given the task of working with their teachers to create films to teach other students about science ideas and principles.
See some of these films here: http://www.filmsforlearning.org/index.html

So let's take this idea and adapt it. Basically these students are making films of a good enough quality to be used in another lesson. Why not try the same thing with training. Open up your topics to your students and the best of the best will be shown at future training sessions.

Make take a bit of legwork and some forward planning, but what a way for students to make their marks.

Here is a shot of me at Sechelt in British Columbia. It's January and fairly cold, but the weather broke and was lovely.
Something I think is important for people who are trying to be creative is a place to getaway. This small coastal town is one of the places I go when I need to think about my ideas. I head for the beach and run over new ideas for presentations and then sit with my laptop and write them up.
No phone, no lights, (okay a motorcar), just a couple of luxuries. The big luxury is uninterrupted time to work on a project. Where do you go to really get thinking?

Burning Money

In his book, Never Buy a New Car
John L. White writes:

"If you're thinking about buying a new car, I want you to do something before you pull the trigger. Go out into your back yard right now and dig a deep hole. Then, take several thousand dollars in cash, drop it in and cover it up. Better yet, put the money on yourbarbecue grill, soak it with some lighter fluid and put a match to it. Maybe if the money was packed tight enough you could at least grill some hot dogs over it. That's what you're doing when you buy a new car. "

I just love this kind of imagery. This is what I believe works with presentations, strong, visual pictures to make the point and keep the mind amused.

Now in this story, John L. White is talking about a new car, but I could adapt the idea to choosing the wrong training, buying the wrong computer, not training your front end staff, investing in bad stocks and so on.

I was just so attracted to this idea and wanted to share it with you today.

SOS

Here is an idea someone told me about. I adapted it for my own workshops.

Use some large flip chart paper taped together and make the outline of a boat's hull. Tell everyone in your group (say 15 or under) that they have to get into the boat.

Now you let them know that the boat will sink in 1 minute 11 seconds (use a timer) or whatever time you want. Before the boat sinks they need to ABANDON SHIP and plunge into the water beside the boat to be rescued.

BUT they have to call out two things before they can leave the boat. For example:
-two reasons they have for coming to the workshop
-two ideas they hope to come away with
-two barriers to their success
-two places to network

At this point they can leap off the ship and sit down.
Play it up with a sense of urgency and any props that you can find, for a good, rollicking start to the day.


l

Magazine Madness

Sometimes in my presentations I hold up magazines and read the titles of articles contained within. Of course, these are not really articles contained within... these are titles I have made up. Point is, it is pretty funny to hold up, say, a copy of Oprah and read a title from it.

The way it works is that you mickey up whatever title suits your topic. I was recently presenting a keynote, "Nobody Powerwalked When I Was a Kid" talking about the bombardment of self-improvement in our lives and I used some magazines to parody some self-improvement articles.

My favourite was "Create Your Entire Spring Wardrobe from Duct Tape" This got a big laugh. I had another part of the title, but I was holding it back so that I could judge whether it would be suitable for the particular audience. It was, they were largely a women's group who where in a very good mood... so I added the rest of the title "Free Thong Pattern Included" which got another laugh.

Magazines look like great props, help you remember what you wanted to say and generally enhance a humorous presentation.

What Did You Expect?

Here is an idea for a session in which you need your participants to focus on customer needs and expectations.

Analyse what the customer may already think about your business. Review their negative expectations.

Let me explain.

Sometimes when you think about the IRS or Revenue Canada you may have a particular expectation of what it would be like to deal with them. Your expectation may not be all positive. You might be surprised, though, how it would really turn out.

Another example: Let's say you had a negative experience when getting your hair cut. That might colour how you view all future haircuts.

So here is how we turn it into an activity.

Example: Your team works in customer service at a telephone company.
Put the participants into small groups. Have them come up with 6 lines that express some of the more negative expectations customers may have about them. You want the teams to record their ideas, then read them and act them out with all the expression they can muster.

"They never connect the phone when they say they will?"
"I never get to talk to a real person."
"I can't understand their bills at all."
"There's usually a long wait until you can get a phone."
"These guys are all the same, big or small they don't care about the customer."
"Their support people aren't available when I want them."

Now these may be true, they may be partially true or they may be the stuff that myths are made of. Whatever, this is an opportunity of examining where some of your customers are coming from. Can you turn some of them around? Where do you think you should make changes?

So just an idea I throw out to you to see if you can adapt to your own training. My thanks to Marnie Olson for this idea.

Climb Every Mountain

I saw a super team building activity in my workshop today. One of the participants described it and we tried it.

A rope is fastened on something heavy about 2 feet or so from the ground and run about 15 feet and reattached at the other end. Sort of like a low limbo rope. Anyway you can get this set up will work as long as the participants don't knock the rope down.

Then we divided into two teams and each team gets a turn at the rope.
Team 1 starts on one side of the rope. Everyone on that team has to get across to the other side of the rope, but has to stay in contact with at least one other team member by touch. So imagine it, about 6 people in a formation touching. So the team has to figure out how to get people across the rope without losing contact.
A lot of fun as participants tried lifting, bending knees to use as stepping stools and carrying over the rope. Some of the tall folks just strode across the rope. Thing is, though, you can't touch the rope as you go over.

We figured out that it would be fair to let the participants touch the rope accidentally a certain number of times, say 3 to make it a bit easier. Or perhaps count the number of times they touch and deduct it from a score. You figure this bit out.

How I Would Use It
A great teambuilding activity and a real opportunity to think of different ways to solve a problem. Fun, active and fairly physical.

Garage Sale Game

Here's a fun way to get people to review ideas.

In a workshop I did, participants shared tips for doing a certain job. While each person spoke, the rest of the group sorted the tips out by writing them down in little books I gave them. Each book was divided into categories that the group came up with. I wanted everyone to walk away with lots of new ideas.

Now the really fun part.

After they had written about 20 tips down in their books I gave each person this nifty set of stickers. They come from Avery labels and are stickers to be used at a garage sale. So now everyone has a row of stickers that read $20, $10, $5, $1, and so on down to a quarter. They are round and brightly coloured as you would expect at a garage sale.

So the next task is to identify the top ideas in their books, the ones they have just collected. I gave everyone about 5 minutes to stick the stickers next to the ideas they loved. The top one of course got the $20 sticker and so on down the line. Then they found a partner and told why they chose the top idea and what they planned to do with it.

Office Depot is a never-ending source of inspiration to me. Take a gander down the aisles and see what ideas grab you, and then put them into action.

Here's a game I call Chaos

The objective is to have the group generate as many ideas on a topic as possible in a short time.

I give each group a question.
Example: What are ways you can energize a group?
What are ways that you can calm a group down?
What are ways that you can deal with difficult participants?
What are ways you can set a room up to your advantage?

The group has to get an answer from everyone in the room (under 25 max). Here is the deal; while they are trying to get answers, so is everyone else.

• So they have 3 minutes as a group to come up with a strategy for collecting data from the group.
• They have 5 - 8 minutes to collect an idea from every single person.
• They have 5 minutes to prepare their report.
• Then each group reports their ideas.

I did this last night with a group of 14 and it was noisy and chaotic and high energy. Everyone had a chance to give an idea and the group came up with a lot of solutions.

Imagine

One of the strongest ways of starting a presentation is to use the word - Imagine - and take the listener on a journey into your content. The story that you start with should be short and only a few lines, but shifts the listener from his world OUT THERE to your world and where you want his attention.

Here is an example. This comes from an article by James Lovelock about the state of the earth and global warming.

Imagine a young policewoman delighted in the fulfilment of her vocation; then imagine her having to tell a family whose child had strayed that he had been found dead, murdered in a nearby wood. Or think of a young physician newly appointed who has to tell you that the biopsy revealed invasion by an aggressive metastasising tumour. Doctors and the police know that many accept the simple awful truth with dignity but others try in vain to deny it.

Whatever the response, the bringers of such bad news rarely become hardened to their task and some

He then goes on to talk about having to break the news that the earth cannot pull itself back from the destruction that is to come.

What a dramatic and exciting way to open. He gets our attention right away and puts his idea (that of having to give us this awful news) in terms we can understand.

Try this with one of your presentations.
Imagine a company with a daycare centre full of little kids having fun while their parents work just a few feet away.

Imagine that you are the person at the end of the 911 telephone board. You have to figure out what the caller wants and needs, stay calm and get things done. That is how.....

For the full article see:

http://comment.independent.co.uk/commentators/article338830.ece

Miscommunication

First you have to read an earlier post - It's All Greek to Me.
Now what I did is I took the whole post and translated it to Greek and back to English. Compare the two. Try this with your own copy.

I found a marvellous website that with it has that I play with for the hours. Is Babelfish and it can find in world.altavista.com Daktylografej'te a phrase or a word and him you take translated in a other language. That amusement. But here it is the really big part. Then you recently use the translated text and the type that in again and him you translate behind in the English.

Here a example: If you spray when ringing, I request you are arranged and you sweep the seat.

Him I then translated in Greek and behind in the English. Here what I took:

If sprayed when ringing I pray that it is it attends in you and cleans above the centre you love gotta this!

How I would really use this I would leave my game participating with this. In a laboratory in the communication and miscommunication it would be amusement in order to them it causes in order to it tries himself this exercise for the work or in a fracture and the results behind in the category.

I am certain that a lot of persons would try they calculate who languages they are the villains for the epan-translation. My point would be that we cannot take all persons we say litteraly, but should we search the hidden significances

It's All Greek to Me

I found a wonderful website that has me playing with it for hours. It is Babelfish and can be found at world.altavista.com

You type in a phrase or word and get it translated into another language. That's fun. But here is the really great part. Then use the newly translated text and type that in again and translate it back to English. Here's an example:

If you sprinkle when you tinkle, please be neat and wipe the seat.

I translated it into Greek and then back into English.

Here's what I got:

If sprayed when tinkle I pray are takes care of to you and they clean up the center

You gotta love it!

How I Would Use This
Really I would let my participants play with this. In a workshop on communication and miscommunication it would be fun to challenge them to try doing this very exercise for homework or in a break and bringing the results back to the class.
I am sure many people would try to figure out which languages are the worst for re-translation.

My point would be that we cannot take everything people say literally, but need to look for the hidden meanings.

Did You Hear the News

One idea I have used a number of times is to start your session by reading something from that day's newspaper. It can bring a feeling of relevance to your topic if it is well done. So I looked up a story from today's news and found this at cbc.ca

"The average Canadian spends $100 on impulse buying every four days, while nearly one person in four spends that amount in just 48 hours, says Mackenzie Financial Corp., a mutual-fund company.

Mackenzie interviewed 1,500 people across Canada and found Canadians spend about $760 a month on unnecessary purchases, money that Mackenzie said could be saved, invested or used to get out of debt."

How I Would Use This
There are so many ways I could connect this story, but it needs to fit in with the topic of my workshop. The next workshop I am doing is in Vancouver and is a presentation skills workshop. Is there any way I can connect this article.

Just for fun, let's see if I can.

I think an approach I would make would be to read the article and draw a connection with how the money they have invested in coming to my course will take them a great deal further than if they had spent it impulsively. I would then go on to tell them that they hadn't only made a financial investment in this course, but they were investing in their own development. Professionals in today's world need to be able to present effectively and confidently and not impulsively.

My challenge for you is to find an article in the paper and see if you can connect it with the topic of the next workshop you are doing.