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.