Thagai

$20 GAME
I'm sure that you have handled a $20 bill recently. Did you pay
attention to the bill? Do you remember whose portrait is on this bill?
Here's a quick jolt that emphasizes the importance of mindfulness.
Pair up participants. Ask each participant to find a partner and sit

(or stand) facing her. If one participant is left over, you become the
partner.
Show the money. Ask each pair of partners to produce a $20 bill. If
any of the pairs cannot find a $20 bill, lend them one or ask them to
use any other bill. Ask the partners to hold a single bill by its opposite
corners so that each participant can see only one side of the bill.
Begin questioning. Ask partners to take turns asking questions

about the side of the bill they can see.
SAMPLES: How many times is the number 20 printed on my side? How

many times is the word “twenty” spelled out on my side? How many
digits does the serial number have? What building is shown on my
side? How many windows do you see in the buidling? Which direction
is Jackson facing in the portrait? Complete this sentence found on my
side of the bill: This note is legal tender for all debts, _____.
As soon as one partner asks the question, the other partner must give
an immediate answer. Correct answers earn a point. Incorrect answers
or no answers earn no points. The questioner should immediately give
the correct answer.
Switch partners. Stop the question-and-answer activity after a few

minutes. Ask participants to walk around and find a new partner. (They
can also switch to the other side of the bill, if they want). As before,
ask the partners to sit or stand facing each other and hold the $20 bill
in such a way that they can see only one side.
Continue questioning. Ask the partners to use the same procedure

as before for asking questions, answering, and scoring points.
Conclude the round after about 2 minutes.
Conduct a quick debrief. Ask participants to discuss how familiarity

breeds mindlessness. What work-related supplies and tools do we take
for granted? What are the dangers of ignoring familiar objects and
people? What could we gain by paying attention to these objects and
people?
2-MINUTE DRILL
Textra Games combine the effective organization of well-written
documents with the motivational impact of training games. Participants
read a handout, booklet, reprint, or a chapter in a book and play a
game that uses peer pressure and peer support to encourage the recall
and transfer of what they read.
Here is a fast-paced textra game for reviewing training content from

product-knowledge booklets or technical reference manuals.
Participants
6 to 25. Best game is for 12 to 25 participants, organized into groups

of four or five.
Time
15 - 30 minutes.
Supplies
Reading Materials. These are handouts, brochures, booklets,

reprints, or manuals that contain the training content.
Question Cards. Each card contains a short-answer about the training

content. You need 20-100 different questions, each with a different
number. Prepare a duplicate deck of Question Cards for each group of
players.
Answer Sheet. Type the question numbers and the correct answers
for each question. Prepare a copy of this sheet for each group of
players.
Game Instructions. Prepare one copy of the handout, How To Play 2-

MINUTE DRILL for each participant.
Timer
Whistle
Flow
Distribute copies of reading materials. Explain that you will

conduct a review game with questions related to the content and
encourage participants to study the materials carefully. Depending on
their length and complexity, you may distribute the materials several
days before the training session as self-study assignment or set up 15
minutes of study time just before the play of the game.
Demonstrate the play of the game. Distribute copies of How To

Play 2-MINUTE DRILL to each participant. Explain that this handout
contains instructions for both the player and the Game Master. Pause
while participants read the instructions. Then, ask for three volunteers
to come to the front of the room. Explain that you will be the Game
Master for the first round and demonstrate the play of the game.
Invite players to follow along by referring to the instruction sheet as
they watch the game in action. At the end of the 2-minute
demonstration, point out that every member of a group will have a
turn to be the Game Master.
Organize groups. Divide participants into two to five groups, each

with three to five players. It does not matter if some teams have an
extra participant. Explain that the players in each group compete with
each other.
Distribute cards. In each group, select a player to be the first Game

Master. Give a question deck to each Game Master.
Begin the first round. Start the timer and blow the whistle. Ask
Game Masters to conduct the game with their group.
Conclude the first round. At the end of 2 minutes, blow the whistle
again and ask players to stop. Instruct each player to count the
number of Question Cards that were correctly answered. This is the
player's score for the first round.
Conduct the second round. Ask the Game Masters to collect the
cards, shuffle them, and give them to the new Game Master (the
person seated to the left of the previous Game Master). Conduct the
game as before.
Repeat the procedure. Continue playing additional rounds of the
game until every member of each group has had a turn at being the
Game Master.
Conclude the game. After the final round, identify the player (or
players) with the highest total score in each group. Congratulate these
players as the winners.
[Table of Contents]
Handout
How To Play 2-Minute Drill

Object of the game. To rapidly and accurately answer as many of the
questions as possible during 2-minute rounds of play.
Instructions to Players
Receive a card. When the facilitator blows the whistle, the Game
Master will give you a question card.
Answer the question. As soon as possible, yell out the card number
and the answer. If you don't know the answer, make an educated
guess.
Replace the Question Card. Wait for the Game Master to repeat
your card number and tell whether your answer is correct or not. If the
Game Master says that your answer is correct, place the Question Card
in front of you. If the Game Master says your answer is incorrect, give
the card back to Game Master. In either case, get another Question
Card from the Game Master.
Continue playing. Repeat the process, trying to give as many correct

answers as possible within the 2-minute period. When the Game
Master stops the round, count the number of cards that you correctly
answered. This is your score for the round.
Play the next round. The game will be repeated for several 2-minute
rounds. Use the same procedure during each round, except during the
round when you are the Game Master.
Instructions to Game Masters
Get ready. Get a deck of Question Cards from the facilitator. Also get
a copy of the Answer Sheet.
Begin the round. Wait for the facilitator to blow the whistle.
Immediately give each player a Question Card.
Listen for answers. In a little while, players will begin yelling out
card numbers and answers. Since they will not be taking turns, this
will be a chaotic activity.
Give feedback to players. Check your Answer Sheet for the card
number that you heard first. If the player's answer is correct, say
“Correct!” and give the player a new card. The player will place the
correctly answered card in front of her. If the player's answer is
incorrect, give the correct answer, and take the Question Card back
from the player. Place the incorrectly answered card at the bottom of
the deck and give another Question Card to the player.
Do several things at the same time. Keep track of the numbers and
answers yelled out by players. Call out the next number that you
heard and give appropriate feedback. Repeat the process.
Conclude the round. Keep repeating the process until the facilitator
blows the whistle again. Ask each player to count the correctly
answered cards to determine the score for this round. Collect all the
cards, place them at the bottom of the deck, and give the deck to the
next Game Master. Also give the new Game Master the Answer Sheet
4CS
by Matthew Richter
Here's a variation of Thiagi's HELLO GAME that structures participants'
interactions and encourages them to explore the training topic. You
may use this game as an opener to discover what the participants
already know. Alternatively, you may use this game as a closer to
encourage participants to review and summarize what they learned
from your training session.
Purpose
To explore key concepts associated with a training topic. For this

description, we will use customer satisfaction as the training topic.
Participants
Any number, organized into four teams.
Time
30 minutes to 1 hour
Supplies
• Timer
• Whistle
• Flip chart paper
• Markers
Preparation
Prepare four flip chart pages with the following headings:
• Components of great customer satisfaction

• Characteristics of great customer satisfaction
• Challenges for achieving great customer satisfaction
• Characters involved in great customer satisfaction
Flow
Brief the participants. Explain that you would like to find out what
the participants already know about customer satisfaction. In order to
do this, you are going to play a 4CS game that will require participants
create detailed lists of different aspects associated with the concept.
Define terms. Write these four terms on a flip chart (or project a slide
with these terms on the screen). Define and discuss each term.
• Components are parts of the concept. For example, taking an

order from the customer is a component of customer
satisfaction.
• Characteristics are features associated the concept. For
example, speed of service is a characteristic of customer
satisfaction.
• Challenges are obstacle associated with the concept. For
example, inability to provide discounts is a challenge associated
with customer satisfaction.
• Characters are people associated with the concept. For
example, a supplier is one of the characters associated with
customer satisfaction.
Form four teams. Divide the participants into four roughly equal-
sized teams. (It does not matter if some teams have a extra member.)
Brief the teams. Assign a different "C" term to each team. Explain
that each team will have the specific task of collecting information
about the assigned category associated with the concept of customer
satisfaction. In this process, each team should collect items suggested
by every person in the room. Also explain that the teams will have 3
minutes to plan, 3 minutes to collect information, and 3 minutes to
analyze and organize the information.
Conduct the planning period. Ask teams to spend the next 3

minutes to plan how they are going to survey the room and gather
responses from all participants. Keep track of the time and give a 1-
minute warning after 2 minutes.
Conduct the data-collection period. At the end of 3 minutes,

announce the conclusion of the planning period. Ask team members to
go around the room, interview members of the other teams, and
collect information associated with the team's task. Get out of the way
and, as before, keep track of the time.
Conduct the data-analysis period. At the end of 3 minutes, ask

teams to stop collecting data and return to their original location. Each
team should analyze the data, organize the information is suitable
categories, and record their findings on a convenient flip chart.
Conduct the presentation period. Invite teams to take turns to

present their findings to everyone in the room. Select the teams in any
order. After each team's presentation, ask clarifying questions and
encourage other teams to add additional information.
Debrief the participants. At the end of all four presentations, discuss

the information with the group. Ask for common themes, differences,
surprises, and missing items. If any of the items in the lists suggest
misconceptions, correct them by asking leading questions. Relate this
activity to the rest of your training session.
Co-Creation
99 WORDS
Are you familiar with the “99 seconds” approach? It makes a complete and
useful presentation in 99 seconds.
We have a printed variant of this concept (called “99 Words”). The idea is to
provide useful content using exactly 99 words—no more, no less. (The word
count includes the heading.)
To write a 99 WORDS piece, limit the content. Write in a plain, conversational

style. Begin with a fast draft, remove unnecessary words, and edit by
deleting or adding words to bring it to the required length.
We walk our talk. This piece is 99 words long!
Another Example
Training Games
Games feature goals, rules, and conflict. In addition, training games help
participants achieve training goals.
Nothing irritates participants like a mindless “fun” game that has no training
value. Fun is not a necessary feature of games, especially training games.
A training game need not be fun, but it should be engaging. Players should
be totally immersed in the activity.
Effective training games should be relevant to the players' real world jobs. If
job relevance is not directly obvious, the game facilitator should bring it out
during a debriefing discussion with participants after the play of the game.
Now that you have seen 99 WORDS in action, we invite you to share your
examples of this type of crisp prose.
Write a 99 WORDS piece on topic of your choice. It could be the definition of a

concept, a step-by-step procedure, a report on a training event, a short
story, a poem, or anything else. Make sure that your piece will be of interest
to TGL readers.
Send your 99 WORDS as an email attachment to thiagi@thiagi.com . We will

publish selected contributions in future issues of TGL.
Match and Mix
ACTION PLAN
This activity is an application of a framegame called MATCH AND MIX. It can be
used for planning to achieve a common goal and also for exploring the needs
and preferences of different groups.
Key Idea
During the first round, each team is assigned a specific type of stakeholder
group and asked to come up with a plan for achieving a common goal.
During the second round, participants are reorganized into mixed teams with
each member representing a different stakeholder groups and asked to
synthesize their earlier ideas.
Purpose
To come up with action plan that will appeal to different stakeholders.
Participants
Minimum: 9
Maximum: Any number
Best: 16 to 20
(Each participant is assigned to two different teams during the two rounds of
this activity.)
Time
30 to 60 minutes.
Supplies
• Team Allocation Cards, one for each participant
• Blank pieces of paper

• Pens or pencils
• Timer
• Whistle
• Flip chart pads
• Felt-tipped pens
Room Setup
Tables (preferably round ones) with chairs around them to facilitate

teamwork.
Preparation
Prepare team allocation cards. All participants belong to two different

teams during the two rounds of this activity. An important requirement of
this activity is that members of the first team are allotted to different second
teams. To facilitate this type of arrangement, each participant receives a
Team Allocation Card that contains a letter and a number.
Examples: A4 or C2.
During the first part of the activity, participants organize themselves into
teams according to the letter on their card. During the second part, they
reorganize themselves according to the number on the card.
Example: The participant with the card C2 belongs to Team C during the first
round and Team 2 during the second round.
Before conducting the activity, find out how many participants you will have.
Check with the Team Allocation Table to figure out the combinations of
letters and numbers for the cards. Write the appropriate letter-number
combinations on blank index cards.
Example: You have 21 participants. Looking up this number in the table, you
prepare the following Team Allocation Cards:
A1, A2, A3, A4, A5

B1, B2, B3, B4
C1, C2, C3, C4
D1, D2, D3, D4
E1, E2, E3, E4
Flow
Brief the participants. Explain that you are going to facilitate a structured
brainstorming activity in two rounds. Specify the goal for brainstorming.
Example: Many members of an established professional society felt that the

organization was becoming stagnant. We conducted an action-planning
activity on how to rejuvenate the organization and get all members excited
and engaged.
Form matched teams. Shuffle the Team Allocation Cards and distribute
them, one card for each participant. Point out that each card contains a
combination of a letter and a number. Ask participants to find others with the
same letter and form themselves into teams. Depending on the total number
of participants, you may have three to six teams.
Example: We have five teams, A to E.
Assign age groups. Explain that each team will represent a specific age
level. Assign the age groups according to this list:
• Team A = New members
• Team B = Established members
• Team C = Staff members
• Team D = Officers of the organization
• Team E = Patron members
If you have more teams, add other groups such as committee members,
conference attendees, chapter members, international members, and student
members. Use as many membership groups as you have teams.
Generate ideas. Ask members of each team to brainstorm ideas for creating
an action plan for achieving the common goal. Ask teams to generate several
ideas, discuss these ideas, and transform them into an action plan. Request
someone in each team to record its plan. Announce a 9-minute time limit for
this activity.
Form mixed teams. After 9 minutes, blow the whistle and stop the activity.
Tell participants that you are going to reorganize them into a new set of
teams. Ask participants to check their Team Allocation Card once more and
find others with the same number to form new teams. (If there are one or
two people left over, as in this case with 21 participants, they may join any
team they choose.)
Regenerate the plan. Ask members of the new teams to continue preparing
an action plan. Ask participants to maintain their loyalty to the membership
group from the previous round but try to focus on satisfying the needs and
preferences of other groups. Encourage participants to recall and share their
ideas from the previous round and keep an open mind toward other
perspectives. As before, ask teams to select the best ideas, create an action
plan, and this plan on a sheet of flip chart paper. Announce a 9-minute time
limit for this activity.
Present the plans. Blow the whistle at the end of 9 minutes, and ask teams
to post their plans on convenient areas of the wall. Invite all participants to
take a gallery walk and review the plans from other teams.
Follow Up
Consolidate the lists. With the help of all participants, come up with a
common plan that incorporates the best features of different plans.
Team Allocation Table
Participants Team Allocation Cards
9 A1, A2, A3 B1, B2, B3 C1, C2, C3
A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, B3 C1, C2, C3

10
A4
A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, B3, C1, C2, C3

11
A4 B4
A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, B3, C1, C2, C3, C4

12
A4 B4
A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, B3, C1, C2, C3, C4

13
A4, A5 B4
A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, B3, C1, C2, C3, C4

14
A4, A5 B4, B5
A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, B3, C1, C2, C3, C4, C5
15
A4, A5 B4, B5
A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, B3, C1, C2, C3, D1, D2, D3, D4
16
A4 B4 C4
A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, B3, C1, C2, C3, D1, D2, D3, D4
17
A4, A5 B4 C4
A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, B3, C1, C2, C3, D1, D2, D3, D4
18
A4, A5 B4, B5 C4
A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, B3, C1, C2, C3, D1, D2, D3, D4
19
A4, A5 B4, B5 C4, C5
A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, B3, C1, C2, C3, D1, D2, D3, D4, D5
20
A4, A5 B4, B5 C4, C5
A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, B3, C1, C2, C3, D1, D2, D3, E1, E2, E3,
21
A4, A5 B4 C4 D4 E4
22
A4, A5 B4, B5 C4 D4 E4
23
A4, A5 B4, B5 C4, C5 D4 E4
24
A4, A5 B4, B5 C4, C5 D4, D5 E4
25
A4, A5 B4, B5 C4, C5 D4, D5 E4, E5
26
A4, A5, A6 B4, B5 C4, C5 D4, D5 E4, E5
27
A4, A5, A6 B4, B5, B6 C4, C5 D4, D5 E4, E5
28
A4, A5, A6 B4, B5, B6 C4, C5, C6 D4, D5 E4, E5
29
A4, A5, A6 B4, B5, B6 C4, C5, C6 D4, D5, D6 E4, E5
30
A4, A5, A6 B4, B5, B6 C4, C5, C6 D4, D5, D6 E4, E5, E6
ACTION PLAN Game Plan
Here's a list of steps in ACTION PLAN, complete with suggested time

requirements and facilitator and participant activities. You may use this easy-
to-refer job aid while facilitating this activity.
Step Facilitator Participants
Preparation (10 Prepare appropriate

minutes) number of Team
Allocation Cards.
Briefing (2 Explain the goal to be Think up suitable ideas.

minutes) achieved by
implementing the
action plan.
Form matched Randomly distribute Find others with the same letter and
teams (3 team assignment cards form teams
minutes) to each participant.
Assign Assign different Get ready to play the role of a person

stakeholder membership groups to who belongs to the specified
groups (3 each team. membership group.
minutes)
Generate ideas Give instructions. Teams generate ideas related to the

(10 minutes) action plan.
Form mixed Give instructions. Find others with the same number and
teams (3 form new teams
minutes)
Regenerate Give instructions. Generate action ideas (related to the

plans (10 achieving the same goal) that will
minutes) appeal to different types of members.
Select the best ideas and incorporate
them into an action plan.
Present the Give instructions. Post your action plans on the wall.
plans (5 Review action plans from other teams.
minutes)
Follow-up (9 Conduct a discussion. Create a common action plan that

minutes) incorporates the best features of
different plans.
Debriefing Game
ACTION REPLAY
by Roger Greenaway
Description
ACTION REPLAY involves re-enacting an activity as if a video of the

activity is being replayed. Just as on television, the action is “played
back” either to examine an incident more closely or to replay an event
worth celebrating. In the age of TV and video, action replay needs little
explanation (you don't need to be a drama expert, and the learners
don't need a complicated briefing).
Benefits
Compared to video work, action replay …
• is cheaper and needs no equipment

• is quicker to set up, edit and replay the “highlights”
• is more convenient — it can be used almost anywhere
• is more versatile and (usually) more fun
• keeps involvement and energy high
• is an exercise in memory, creativity, and teamwork
• brings out humor and honesty
• provides opportunities for leadership (as director)
• provides opportunities for interviewing and commentating
• brings the worlds of talk and action closer together
• can be used as a search technique to find incidents or issues to
review more thoroughly
Application
ACTION REPLAY is best suited to the debriefing of games in which

there was plenty of action! If the “action” was repetitive, it may be too
difficult for participants to synchronize their replay. Games that involve
getting the whole group from A to B are often well suited to Action
Replay. Games in which there is little movement (e.g. mental puzzles
or board games) are less suitable. Blindfold games can be re-enacted
with the help of observers — this allows blindfolded people to “see”
what was happening for the first time.
Selected Highlights
This is a good way to introduce ACTION REPLAY for the first time. Ask
participants to suggest highlights that they would like to see again. If
the people involved agree, ask them to reconstruct the highlight and
enjoy the moment again. Although there may be some value in
repeating the game itself, it is generally better (for ACTION REPLAY) to
carry out the replay in a different place and without the original props.
(Keep things simple and quick.)
The Dummy Microphone
A dummy microphone adds extra purpose (and interest) to the replay.

As well as this being a memory exercise and an opportunity for
celebration, this is also an opportunity for noticing interesting details
that may have been missed at the time. Any group member (actor or
audience) can pick up the dummy microphone to interview someone
involved in the action. They can ask questions from any point of the
learning cycle, e.g.
• to clarify what was happening

• to give people a chance to express their feelings (especially any
that were unknown to others)
• to analyze the situation (Why were you doing that? How did that
happen?)
• or to look to the future (What would it take to improve on this?
Does this have anything to do with your job?)
Unedited Replays
Instead of pre-selecting which moments to replay (as in “Selected

Highlights” above) just ask for the whole game to be replayed. If you
ask for a replay on “Fast Forward”, give a guide time e.g. “Your
challenge is to present an ACTION REPLAY on ‘Fast Forward’ at four
times the speed of the original game. The game took 20 minutes, so
your replay should take 5 minutes.”
The Dummy Remote Control
While watching a replay you or a participant may wish to slow down

the replay at a particular moment or see it again. So introduce a
dummy remote control before the replay starts. Describe some of the
buttons that you will be using and warn that you may invent a few
buttons that no-one has ever heard of before. Once you have
demonstrated the possibilities of using the remote control, participants
can take it in turns to direct the action. The director has some or all of
these “controls” to play with: REWIND, REPLAY, FAST FORWARD,
PAUSE/FREEZE, CUT TO A DIFFERENT SCENE, CUT AND RE-TAKE A
SCENE, PROVIDE COMMENTARY/VOICE OVER, SLOW MOTION (with
deep voices), WITH/WITHOUT SOUND, IN THE STYLE OF … (Capable
groups and directors imitate a particular film or TV style, and replay
the same incident from a range of perspectives — each bringing out a
different “side” of the story.)
From Play To More Purposeful Uses
Yes, you (and they) can have a lot of fun with this debriefing game,
but where does it go? The dummy controls are not only fun to play
with, they also provide the opportunity for some very focused and
controlled debriefing. Here are some more purposeful variations and
applications of this debriefing game:
• “FANTASY REPLAY” or CHANGING HISTORY: If only it had been

like this! This is a way of checking, demonstrating, reinforcing or
practicing what has been learned — by individuals or by the
group as a whole.
• INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM: Bringing out issues which
participants have found difficult to recognize or confront during
the activity — with or without using the dummy microphone.
• REPLAYING SCENES FROM THE WORKPLACE: Use the replay
technique (with or without dummy controls) to help people re-
construct, re-live and re-examine situations that they would like
to handle differently.
• BACK TO THE FUTURE: Not strictly a “RE-play”, but the method
is readily adapted for rehearsing future scenarios. There is no
need for people to get back in their seats as soon as you start
looking ahead!
Web References
The Active Reviewing Cycle (tutorial): http://reviewing.co.uk/learning-

cycle/index.htm
Active Reviewing (article): http://reviewing.co.uk/actrev.htm
Action Replay (more variations):

http://reviewing.co.uk/stories/replay.htm
Group Grope
ADULT LEARNING PREFERENCES

by Ida Shessel
ADULT LEARNING PREFERENCES is an application of a flexible small-group
activity to enable players to express, explain, and exchange what they
need, want, or like in a learning situation.
ADULT LEARNING PREFERENCES has two important outcomes:
• Players express, explain, and exchange a wide range of

preferences about adult learning environments.
• Players work cooperatively and creatively in teams.
Time Requirement
About 40 minutes. You can easily expand or contract the game to suit
the available time.
Materials
• Twenty or more index cards with different adult learning

preferences. Here are some examples:
o Fun and humor
o Interaction
o Hands-on practice
o Good visual aids
• Four blank index cards for each player.
Flow of the Game
In the following description, the phases of the game are printed in

regular type, while sample segments from an imaginary play of the
game are printed in italics.
Preparing Initial Set of Cards. Before the workshop, prepare a set

of response cards. Each card should contain one item that adults
prefer in their learning environments. Come up with a variety of things
that adult learners want, need, and like. Prepare at least two response
cards for each anticipated player. If you cannot make up that many
responses, use duplicates.
Bob is conducting a workshop for a group of corporate trainers.

Twenty participants have signed up for the workshop, including a few
technical trainers.
The day before the workshop, Bob prepares 40 response cards.
Getting Started. Start the game quickly. When the players are ready,
say to them: “I'd like to begin right off with a group activity that will
help us get to know each other. It will also allow us to discover what
preferences adults have about their learning environments. This
activity should set the stage for the rest of the workshop.”
Bob catches everyone's attention and gives his introductory

presentation.
Players look like they are ready for action.
Card Writing by Players. Hand out four blank index cards to each
player. Ask them to write down a different response to the same
question on each card. The responses need not reflect the personal
views of the writer. They should represent a wide range of views. Ask
your question and give some sample responses.
The workshop starts at 8:30 a.m., and Susan arrives 5 minutes late.
She sees the others writing busily. Bob gives her four blank cards and
asks her to write alternative responses to the question, “What do you
need, want, or like in a learning situation in order for it to be effective
for you?” Susan thinks for a moment and comes up with the following:
• Structure
• Well-organized materials
• Time for reflection
• Discussion
Distributing Cards. After about 3 minutes, collect response cards

from players. Secretly add your prepared cards to this pile. Mix the
cards well and deal three cards to each player. Ask the players to study
the responses and arrange them according to their personal
preference: from the most to the least preferred response.
Bob collects the cards from the players and adds his own collection. He
mixes the cards and gives three to each player.
Susan studies the three cards she receives and arranges them in the
following order:
• Challenges
• Knowledgeable instructor
• Relevance
Exchanging Cards. Arrange the remaining response cards on a large

table at one side of the room. Tell the players that they may discard
cards from their hands and pick up better replacements. Players must
work silently; they should not to talk to each other during this phase of
the game. At the end of this exchange, each player should have three
cards that may or may not include cards from their original set.
Susan takes her cards to the table and rummages there. She discards
two of her cards and picks up the following:
• Practical
• Increases self-confidence
Susan is surprised to see another player eagerly picking up her

discards!
Swapping Cards. Instruct players to exchange cards with each other

to make their hands better reflect their personal opinions. In this
phase, any player may swap cards with any other player; every player
must exchange at least one card.
When Bob announces the beginning of the exchange, Susan wanders

around until Arthur stops her. Comparing cards, Susan sees one that
says, “Intellectually stimulating”. She bargains with Arthur until he
exchanges this card for her card with “Challenges”. Before Susan can
find someone else to swap with, Bob calls time to end this phase of
the game.
Forming Teams. Ask players to compare their cards with each other
and to form teams with people holding similar responses. There is no
limit to the number of players who may team up together, but a team
may keep no more than three cards. It must discard all other cards,
and the three cards it keeps must that meet with everyone's approval.
Susan goes around the room checking with others. She runs across
Betty, who has excellent cards, and they decide to team up. The two
set out to find other kindred souls. Tony wants to join them, and they
agree, provided that he drops the card that says, “Fun”. In a few more
minutes, their team recruits two other players, including Arthur. They
study the combined collection and reduce it to these three:
• Well-organized materials
• Credible instructor
• Intellectual stimulation
Preparing a Poster. Ask each team to prepare a graphic poster that

reflects its three final cards. This poster should not include any text.
After 5 minutes, ask each team to read its three cards, display its
poster, and explain the symbolism.
After some discussion and debate, the team decides that Susan should
be the artist and the others give her ideas. The final collage shows a
neat packet of handouts tied with a ribbon and a bow. Another panel
shows the instructor standing tall with a halo around her head. The
same panel shows a group of faces with frowns and smiles indicating
intellectual stimulation
Present Awards. Identify winning teams in each of these categories:
• Internal consistency among the three final cards.

• Clarity of the message in the poster.
• Appropriateness of the illustrations.
Susan's poster did not receive an award, but Bob judged the team's
three cards to be the runners-up for most consistent!
Debriefing
ARTFUL CLOSER
This activity begins with reflection, proceeds through nonverbal
communication, and ends in a discussion. You can use ARTFUL CLOSER
to debrief participants after an experiential activity. You may also use it
as the final activity at the end of a workshop. You may even use it as
an opening ice-breaker by asking participants to think about common
personal experiences. For example, I began a recent session on
presentation skills by asking participants to process their experiences
with the most inspiring speech they had ever heard.
Purpose
To reflect on a common experience and share insights with each other.
Participants
Any number. Best for 8 to 30 participants.
Time
20 to 45 minutes
Supplies
• Large sheets of drawing paper

• Crayons of different colors
• Timer
• Whistle
Flow
Form teams. Divide participants into equal-sized teams of 4 to 6

members each. Seat team members around a table.
Review the experience. Specify a common experience. Ask

participants to silently think back on what happened during that
experience. Invite them to close their eyes and visualize the highlights
of the event. After a suitable pause, ask participants to silently focus
on one or more lessons they learned from the experience.
Distribute supplies. Place sheets of drawing paper and boxes of
crayons in the middle of each table. Ask each participant to take a
sheet of paper and to share the crayons.
Time to draw. Invite participants to draw an abstract picture that

captures the essence of major insights from the experience.
Discourage them from focusing on artistic quality and encourage them
to flow with their intuitive thoughts and feelings. Announce a 10-
minute time limit for this artistic activity.
Time to stop. At the end of 10 minutes, blow the whistle and ask
participant-artists to stop their activity. Reassure them that it does not
matter if their artwork is not yet complete.
Interpret other people's pictures. At each table, ask participants to

take turns holding up the picture. While doing this, ask each person to
perform the difficult task of keeping her mouth shut. Invite other
participants around the table to treat the picture as a Rorschach
inkblot and report what they see in it. It is not necessary that
participants take turns in presenting their interpretation. Anyone may
call out her insights whenever she feels inspired.
Interpret your own picture. After all pictures have been interpreted,
ask the table teams to repeat the process. This time, however, each
person should hold up the picture and describe what insights she
meant to convey.
Debriefing
After the sharing of insights, encourage a discussion at each table. Use

questions similar to these to structure this discussion:
• What insights were the most frequently mentioned?

• What insights were unexpected and unique?
• What was the most powerful insight that affected you?
• How do you expect this insight to change your future behavior?
Cognitive Simulation
AUDIO TIC TAC TOE

Everybody knows how to play TIC TAC TOE. Recently, I designed a
variation of this universal paper-and-pencil game to play with one of
my older friends.
My friend is worried that her declining ability to recognize faces,

remember telephone numbers, recall words, and to concentrate on the
content of conversations are all precursors to Alzheimer's. I think that
this is just a minor symptom of age-related cognitive decline that can
be halted and reversed by exercising one's brain. An effective way to
exercise the brain is to play games that require the use of your
memory.
You don't have to be old to play AUDIO TIC TAC TOE, but you need three
people to play it. This is how the game goes:
One player is the recorder and has a piece of paper with a 3 x 3 grid
that has spreadsheet-like labels for each box:
A1 B1 C1
A2 B2 C2
A3 B3 C3
The recorder marks every move made by the other two players (called
contestants) in this grid but keeps the grid hidden.
Contestants visualize the 3 x 3 grid with its numbered boxes. They

take turns calling out the box where they want to put their symbol in.
EXAMPLE:
She says, “My first X goes in box C1.”
I say, “My first O goes in box B2.”
She responds with, “My second X goes in box A3.”
I say, “My second O goes in box A1.”
She says, “Box C3.”
I say, “Aha! My third O goes in box C2.”
She says, “My fourth X goes in box B3. And I win!”

The recorder does not say anything until all the boxes are filled or a
contestant claims victory.
A contestant wins if she she places her symbol in three boxes in a

straight line (as in the usual game of tic tac toe) and announces that
she has won.
A contestant loses if
• She tries to place her symbol in a box that is already occupied

• She incorrectly claims victory
• She gets three in a straight line and fails to announce that she
has won
At the end of each game, the next player assumes the role of recorder.
Game proceeds as before.
This is just the game to play during long drives. Make sure, however,
that the driver is not the recorder.
Interactive Lecture
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.
Structured Sharing
BOTH SIDES
Organizational life is full of paradoxes. It looks as if you always get
contradictory advice. For example, one manager suggests that all your
training should be on the Web. Another manager extols the virtues of
classroom teaching. In a situation like this, it is useless to ask, “Which
is better: online learning or instructor-led learning?” The answer is
invariably, “It all depends.” In the complex real world, the
effectiveness of any strategy depends on the context. For example,
training effectiveness depends on the content, objectives, learners,
technology, and facilitators. In order for you to come up with the best
strategy, you must explore the advantages and disadvantages of
conflicting guidelines.
That's what BOTH SIDES helps you to do.
Purpose
To better understand conflicting guidelines by discussing the positive

and negative aspects of each.
Participants
Any number, organized into triads.
Time
30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the number of factors and the

time allowed for each discussion.
Supplies
• Timer
• Whistle
Preparation
Specify the general topic or issue that you want to explore. Then come
up with a list of several opposing pairs of advice (“dichotomies”)
related to that topic. The effectiveness of this activity depends on your
ability to come up with a dozen or more conflicting pairs of advice.
Here's an example:
Topic: Effective training
Dichotomies:
• Content is important vs. Process is important

• We should focus on learning outcomes vs. We should focus on
learning activities
• The teacher is an expert vs. The teacher is a fellow learner
• Learn from doing vs. Learn from reflecting on what you did
• Learners cooperate with each other vs. Learners compete with
each other
• Use high-touch strategies vs. Use high-tech equipment
• Learn independently vs. Learn in team
• Present the content through graphics vs. Present the content
through text
• Develop specific objectives vs. Develop general goals
• Focus on facilitating learning vs. Focus on transmitting
information
• Create a playful learning environment vs. Create a serious
learning environment
• Provide a well-organized structure vs. Provide the freedom to
explore
• Plan the lessons carefully vs. Improvise your lessons
• Emphasize the underlying theory vs. Focus on practical
applications
More Examples
Topic: Workplace violence. Dichotomies: Empowerment vs. Control.

Prevention vs. Damage control.
Topic: Hospital management. Dichotomies: Patient satisfaction vs.
Employee satisfaction. Specialization vs. Generalization.
Topic: Conflict management. Dichotomies: Assertiveness vs.

Empathy. Intention vs. Impact.
Topic: Teamwork. Dichotomies: Compliance vs. Challenge. Shared

leadership vs. Assigned leadership.
Topic: Cross-Cultural Communication. Dichotomies: Individualism

vs. Collectivism. Direct vs. Indirect Communication.
Topic: Sales. Dichotomies: Product knowledge vs. People knowledge.

Needs focus vs. Solution focus.
Topic: Change Management. Dichotomies: Charismatic leader vs.

Invisible change agent. Top-down change vs. Bottom-up change.
Flow
Brief participants. Introduce the topic to be explored. Identify

conflicting guidelines related to topic. Discuss how these guidelines
make sense in different contexts. Stress the importance of exploring
polarized and paradoxical guidelines to better understand the factors
that influence productivity and improved performance.
Organize participants into triads. Divide participants into groups of

three. If two participants are left over, ask them to form a triad with
you. If only one participant is left over, ask her to play the role of
observer.
Assign roles. Ask each triad to identify the person who most closely
resembles you. Ask this person to play the role of the Neutral Listener
for the first round. Explain that the other two members of the triad will
become the Right Advocate and the Left Advocate. Announce that the
Right Advocate for each round will become the Neutral Listener for the
next round.
Explain the role of the Neutral Listener. The person in the

“middle” of each triad should invite the Advocates to present their
positions. While an advocate is making her presentation, the Neutral
Listener should maintain eye contact, nod, smile, and demonstrate
other nonverbal behaviors associated with active listening. However, it
is important the Neutral Observer hide her personal opinions and listen
to both Advocates with equal interest.
Explain the role of the Advocates. Each advocate will be assigned

one of two conflicting guidelines related to topic. Both advocates will
prepare a presentation supporting their position and attacking the
opposing position. After 15 seconds, the Neutral Listener will point to
one of the Advocates. This person will make her presentation for 60
seconds. Immediately after this, the other Advocate will make her
presentation.
Process the first dichotomy. Announce the first guideline for the
Right Advocate. Immediately announce the conflicting guideline for the
Left Advocate. Ask all advocates to get ready for their presentation.
After 15 seconds, blow the whistle and instruct the Neutral Listeners to
point to either observer to make her presentation. Pause for a minute.
Blow the whistle again and ask the other Advocate to make her
presentation. Blow the whistle after another minute. Randomly select a
Neutral Listener and ask her to summarize the key points from both
presentations.
Continue with additional dichotomies. Thank the Advocates and

Neutral Listeners. Ask the Right Advocates in each triad to assume the
role of the Neutral Listener for the next round. (The Left Advocate
from the previous round will now become the Right Advocate and the
original Neutral Listener will become the new Right Advocate.)
Announce the next pair of conflicting guidelines and conduct another
round of the activity. Repeat the same process with each dichotomy.
Conclude the session. Invite participants to suggest other pairs of

conflicting guidelines. Treat them in the same fashion. When all
dichotomies have been discussed, conduct a debriefing discussion to
figure out how to creatively select and synthesize contradictory
guidelines.
Matrix Game
Building a Great Business

How does one build a great business? Most people focus on the
importance of satisfying customers. Some focus on satisfying
employees. A few focus on satisfying shareholders.
These three important groups of stakeholders are interlinked to each
other when it comes to building a great business. Typically, any action
that satisfies one group will have positive impact on the other two
groups also. Sometimes, however, an action that delights one group
may actually clash with the needs of another group.
Purpose
• To explore the interrelationship among customers, employees,

and shareholders.
• To predict the impact of business-building activities among these
three groups.
Participants
10 to 30, divided into teams of five.
Time Requirement
30 minutes
Supplies
• Flip chart and felt-tip markers

• Pads of Post-It® notes
• Timer
• Whistle
Flow
Prepare a 3 x 3 grid. Draw the grid on a flip chart. Label the three
columns customers, employees, and shareholders. Labels the three
rows with the same words.
Organize participants into teams. Assign five members to each

team. (It does not matter if some teams have one more or one fewer
member.) Ask team members to sit around a table and introduce
themselves to each other, if necessary.
Identify the three stakeholder groups. Explain that building a

great company involves satisfying three important groups of people:
customers, employees, and shareholders. Briefly explain who the
members of these three groups are. Point out that it is possible for the
same person to belong to more than one group.
Explain what goes in the grid. Point out that the grid has the same
labels for the columns and rows. Point to the three boxes along
diagonal line from the top left to the bottom right. These boxes have
the same label for both the column and the row. (The other six boxes
have different labels for the column and the row.)
Explain what goes in the diagonal boxes. Tell participants that

they will place ideas for satisfying members of each of the three
groups in each box. Point to the top-left box and write, “Manufacture
high-quality products” as an example of what goes in this box.
Explain what goes in the boxes above the diagonal. Point out
that sometimes actions that satisfy one group may also satisfy another
group. Point to the three boxes above the diagonal. Tell participants
that they will place ideas for mutually satisfying the two groups
associated with each box. Point to the top-right box (that belongs to
the shareholder column and the customer row) and write, “Give
discounts to frequent customers to gain their loyalty” as an example of
a mutually satisfying idea. Explain that this action will please both the
customers and the shareholders because loyal customers buy more
products.
Explain what goes in the boxes below the diagonal. Point out
that sometimes what satisfies one group may clash with the needs of
another group. Point to the three boxes below the diagonal. Tell
participants that they will place clashing ideas that may satisfy one
group at the expense of the other. Point to the bottom-left box (that
belongs to the customer column and the shareholder row), and write
“Give excessive discounts to customers” as an example of a clashing
idea. Explain that deep discounts may delight customers but may
displease shareholders because profit margin will go down.
Explain the contest procedure. Distribute pads of Post-It®

notepaper to each team. Tell all participants that they will have 10
minutes to write different items to be placed in the nine different
boxes of the grid. Each piece of the sticky notepaper should contain
only one item. A team may not write a second item for a box until they
have written at least one item for each of the nine boxes. After the 10-
minute interval, a judge will identify the best item in each box. The
team that wrote the most “best” items will win the contest.
Pause for 10 minutes. Encourage teams to discuss various ideas,

write each of them on a piece of sticky notepaper, and post it on the
appropriate box of the grid.
Conclude the activity. At the end of 10 minutes, blow the whistle
and ask teams to stop writing and finish posting their notes. Ask
participants to review the ideas on various boxes in the grid. At the
same time, ask the judge to review the items and select the best item
from each box.
Announce the results. Ask the judge to read the best idea from each
box. Ask each team to keep track of how many times its ideas were
selected. At the end of the judge's announcements, identify the team
with the highest number of selected ideas. Declare the team to be the
winner and congratulate its members.
Debrief participants. Have a discussion about the relationship

among the three groups of stakeholders and the impact of different
activities on these groups. Ask participants for guidelines to increase
mutually satisfying actions and reduce conflicting actions.
Featured Game
BULLET SLIDES
Production simulations involve the design and development of a
product. Different teams compete with each other to create the best
product. The activity begins with teams receiving specifications for the
final product along with an evaluation checklist. Teams may also have
access to training sessions, job aids, reference materials, sample
products, and expert consultants. Final products from different teams
are evaluated by outside experts, end users, and peers on a variety of
relevant dimensions.
For more details about production simulations as an interactive tool,

check the January 2002 issue of PFP.
BULLET SLIDES is an example of a production simulation. It deals with

the design of effective slides with software programs such as Microsoft
PowerPoint®. This activity was created in response to the agony,
boredom, and vertigo of staring at thousands of cute slides in
hundreds of conference presentations.
Purpose
To review and revise a set of bullet slides to improve their

effectiveness.
Facilitators
Judges. You will need two or three judges to evaluate the teams'
products. These judges should be familiar with the Bullet Slides
Checklist.
Statistician. This person will be helpful during the evaluation phase to

collect rating cards from participants and to compute the average
rating for each slide set.
Participants
6 to 30
Entry Level
Participants should be familiar with the use of Microsoft PowerPoint®

(or whatever program you use to make bullet slides).
Time
2 hours or more. (Time required for the evaluation phase will depend
on the number of teams participating in this activity.)
Equipment
• A laptop computer for each team. (Each computer should have

Microsoft PowerPoint® installed and Bullet Slides.ppt, a file with
12 sample bullet slides.)
• LCD Projector for projecting slides from the laptop computers
• Screen
• Timer
• Whistle
Handouts And Index Cards
• Bullet Slides Checklist, one copy for each participant

• Product Specifications, one copy for each team
• Paper copies of the 12 sample slides, one copy for each team
• A packet of index cards for use as rating cards during evaluation
Room Setup
Provide tables and chairs for each team. Place the screen and the LCD
projector in front of the room. Place a table (and chairs) for the judges
to permit easy viewing of the screen.
Flow
Organize teams. Divide participants into two or more teams of

approximately equal numbers. Each team should have three to seven
members.
Equip and brief teams. Make sure that each team has a laptop
computer with Microsoft PowerPoint® and Bullet Slides.ppt installed on
it. Explain that trainers, managers, consultants, and salespeople
frequently use electronic slides that contain a heading and a list of
items. This type of slide, called a bullet slide, is a powerful
communication tool that is frequently abused. The objective of this
production simulation is to review and revise a set of bullet slides to
improve their effectiveness.
Present product specifications. Distribute copies of the Bullet

Slides Checklist to each participant. Explain that the 18 items in this
checklist are designed to ensure the creation of effective bullet slides.
This checklist will be used both as a learning resource and as an
evaluation tool. Also distribute handout copies of the 12 bullet slides to
be reviewed and revised. Explain that each computer has a file (Bullet
Slides.ppt) that contains these bullet slides. Distribute copies of the
Product Specifications to each team and explain that each team is
required to complete the task (of selecting and revising six of the
slides) during the next hour.
Provide learning resources. Explain that participants have three

learning resources: their previous experience with bullet charts, the
checklist, and 5 minutes of consulting time with you. Any team may
make use of your consulting services on a first-come-first-served
basis. Each team has only one chance to consult with you and the
consulting session must not exceed 5 minutes. Encourage teams to
begin working on their production activity and come up with important
questions before consulting with you.
Conduct the training session. Emphasize that the most important
learning resource is the Bullet Slides Checklist. To demonstrate its use,
project the first sample bullet slide and ask participants to review it by
using the items from the checklist. Point out that each sample slide
may violate one or more of the checklist items. Invite participants to
critique the slide and suggest suitable revisions. Make sure that the
critique is related to the checklist items. Ask probing questions to
ensure that participants recognize that the slide violates Checklist Item
13 with its long list of bulleted items. The most appropriate revision is
to split the slide into two separate slides, each containing four items.
Provide consulting services. Start a timer and announce the hour-

long review and revision period. Circulate among the teams and
observe their activities without interfering. If any team asks for
consulting help, time your interaction. Keep referring back to the
checklist as you answer questions and provide suggestions.
Conclude the review and revision period. At the end of the 1-hour
period, blow a whistle and announce the conclusion of the production
activity. Ask each team to bring its laptop computer to the front of the
room. (Alternatively, teams may simply copy their file to a floppy and
bring the floppy to the front of the room.)
Explain the evaluation procedure. Each set of six bullet slides will
be evaluated by two groups, both using the same checklist as the
rating instrument. Introduce your panel of judges and seat them at
their table. In addition to this panel, explain that each slide set will be
individually evaluated by members of all teams, except the team that
produced the slide set. At the end of each slide set, individual
participants will summarize their evaluation on a 10-point scale, where
10 indicates the highest quality.
Conduct the evaluation. Project each set of slides, pausing for about
15 seconds after each slide. At the end of each set, collect the rating
cards from team members (other than the team that produced the
slide set) and give them to your statistician for computing the average
rating. (Let the judges keep their rating cards.)
Announce the results. After all slide sets have been displayed, ask
each judge to briefly comment on the quality of the revisions in
general and announce the rating for each set. After judges' reports,
announce the average peer rating received by each set of slides.
Debrief participants. Discuss major learning points with participants.
Remember that the main focus of this activity is the production of
bullet slides and not teamwork or interpersonal skills. Use the following
types of questions to encourage participant discussions:
• What criteria did you use to select the six slides to revise?
• Which checklist item do you frequently violate in preparing bullet
slides?
• Which item is most frequently violated by other presenters?
• Which checklist item is likely to produce the most dramatic
impact?
• Which checklist items were easy to apply? Which items were
difficult to apply?
• Was there a major difference between peer ratings and the
judges' ratings? If so, what was the reason for this difference?
• Would you add any other items to the checklist? Would you
remove any item?
[Table of Contents]
Handout 1
Bullet Slides Checklist

1. Avoid crunching. Leave wide margins and plenty of blank
space.
2. Position the title. Place the title on the top one-sixth of the
transparency.
3. Capitalize the title. Begin each word in the title with a capital
letter.
4. Don't repeat. If the same word is repeated in all bulleted items,
make it a part of the title or the subtitle.
5. Use sans-serif. Use a sans-serif font (example: Arial or
Helvetica).
6. Avoid ransom notes. Do not use too many different fonts.
Stick to a single font.
7. Print big. Use at least 24-point font size.
8. Don't shout. Avoid typing any title, item, or word in ALL CAPS.
9. Be consistent. Use the same font and same bullet symbol
throughout.
10. Shrink the bullet. Make sure that the size of the bullet is the
same as the font size (or slightly smaller).
11. Use numbers. Replace bullets with numbers if you want to
emphasize the sequence or compare different items with each
other.
12. Use few words. Use tight phrases instead of complete
sentences.
13. Don't exceed six. Make sure that the bullet list does not
contain more than six items. Make sure that no item has more
than six words.
14. Don't exceed two. Do not use more than two levels of bullets.
15. Keep items parallel. Make sure that all items in the list have
the same structure. (For example, they all begin with a verb.)
16. Wrap words. Make sure no bullet item exceeds two lines. Use a
hanging indent style for the second line.
17. Omit periods. Do not put a period at the end of the items on
the list.
18. Prevent motion sickness. Don't use unnecessary animation
(for example: flying bullets and building the slide one item at a
time.)
[Table of Contents]
Handout 2
Production Specifications
1. Carefully review the set of 12 sample slides. Use the Bullet
Slides Checklist to help you in this review process.
2. Select any six slides from the sample set to revise. Select those
slides for which the revisions will result in the most dramatic
improvement.
3. Revise these slides using Microsoft PowerPoint®. Make sure that
your revisions do not violate any of the other checklist items.
4. Create a new PowerPoint® document called revised.ppt with the
six revised slides.
5. Remember that you have 1 hour to complete this task.
[Table of Contents]
Handout 3
Paper Copies of the 12 Slides

PDF Version (requires Adobe Acrobat).
Jolt
By the Numbers
Quick, look at these sets of three numbers:
3; 6; 7
14; 28; 29
5; 10; 11
2; 4; 5
Review these sets to discover the pattern among the three numbers in
each set.
Now write (or say) a few more sets of three numbers that follow the
same pattern.
This discovery activity is the basis for the following quick jolt. I
frequently use this jolt as a 99-seconds demonstration of an
interactive exercise.
(And before you read further, let me apologize to you. You are
probably in for a rude awakening.)
Purpose
To explores causes and consequences of stereotyping.
Participants
Any number, “playing” in a parallel fashion
Time
5 - 10 minutes
FLOW
Brief the players. Tell them that you are going to present a few sets
of three numbers. Ask them to listen carefully and discover the pattern
among the three numbers in each set. Present the four sample sets
listed above.
Invite participation. Most players will have a knowing grin and some
may blurt out their explanation of the relationship among the
numbers. However, ask everyone to listen carefully to your
instructions. Tell them to supply you with test sets by yelling out three
numbers. Ask the players to wait until you have said “Yes” or “No” to
each test set before offering the next one.
Provide feedback. Players will give you test sets that fit this pattern:
n, 2n, 2n+1 (any number, twice that number, one more than twice the
original number). Listen to each set and say “Yes” to confirm that it
follows the pattern.
Nag the players. After verifying a few test sets, ask the players how
they are feeling. Comment on the smug look on most faces. Present
the following information, in your own words:
Many of you are falling into the trap of hasty generalization. You found
a formula that links the numbers. You immediately start proving your
hypothesis by offering a test set that fits the formula. You feel happy
when your test set gets a “Yes”. You offer more test sets of the same
type and enjoy feeling smart and superior. You don't present a test set
that doesn't fit the formula because if you get a “No” everyone will
think that you are stupid. You yourself will feel stupid.
A true scientist, however, keeps an open mind. She attempts to

disprove her hypothesis. So how about if you try some test sets
designed to get a “No” from me.
Give feedback. Here's where the jolt comes: In spite of how it might
appear, the pattern is simply any three whole numbers in ascending
order. According to this formula, these test sets will receive “Yes”:
7; 9; 10
19; 24; 25
10; 20; 2,000

8; 60,000; 7,000,000,000
And these test sets will receive “No”:
5; 9; 9
12; 200; 9
98; 15; 3
Listen to new test sets and answer “Yes” or “No” according to whether
they contain three whole numbers in ascending order.
Return to your nagging. Whenever someone's test set receives a

“No”, ask the person how she feels. Explain that most people feel
depressed when their hypothesis is rejected. Actually, a “No” provides
valuable information, sometimes more valuable than a “Yes”.
Speed up the process. Explain that you are going to try out some
more test sets yourself. Use crazy sets of numbers (such as “5; 78;
2,365,897”) and give a resounding “Yes” to each.
Explain the pattern. Ask players to tell you the formula or the
pattern that you are using. Confirm the formula of any three whole
numbers in ascending sequence.
Relate the experience to the process of stereotyping. Explain

that this simple activity illustrates the human tendency to stereotype
things, including people from other cultures.
Just because we meet a small sample of people from a different

culture who share a few common characteristics, we assume that
everyone in that culture will share the same characteristics. We
strengthen this narrow opinion by selectively looking for the same
characteristic among new members of the culture. We don't pay
attention to other unique characteristics that would challenge our
hypothesis. We may actually feel upset if someone does not conform
to our stereotypical perception.
Encourage players to share real-world experiences. Ask for

examples of being surprised by the unexpected behaviors of people
from other cultures. Conclude the session by encouraging participants
to try to disprove their own assumptions and hypotheses.
Puzzle
Characteristics of Admired Leaders

A cryptic cluster puzzle is a list of items that belong to the same
category. The items are enciphered with a substitution code in which
every letter of the alphabet is consistently replaced by another letter.
Here's a list of 11 characteristics of admired leaders from The

Leadership Challenge by James M. Kouzes & Barry Z. Posner
(published by Jossey-Bass © 2003. ISBN 0787968331). Can you solve
the puzzle and identify all the characteristics?
OWZHJS
DWBRFBQ-UWWYCZI
CZJXCBCZI
PWAXHSHZS
DFCB-ACZQHQ
JNXXWBSCMH
KBWFQ-ACZQHQ
CZSHUUCIHZS
JSBFCIOSDWBRFBQ
QHXHZQFKUH
PWNBFIHWNJ
How To Solve Cryptic Clusters
• The most commonly used letters of the English language are e,

t, a, i, o, n, s, h, and r. Find the most-frequently occurring
letters in the cryptic cluster list and try substituting these letters.
• The letters that are most commonly found at the beginnings of
words are t, a, o, d, and w.
• The letters that are most commonly found at the ends of words
are e, s, d, and t.
• The most common word endings are -ed, -ing, -ion, -ist, -ous,
-ent, -able, -ment, -tion, -ight, and -ance.
• The most frequent double-letter combinations are ee, ll, ss, oo,
tt, ff, rr, nn, pp, and cc.
• The double letters that occur most commonly at the end of
words are ee, ll, ss, and ff.
• Two letters that usually follow an apostrophe are t and s.
• The title of the cryptic cluster gives the most useful clue. Make a
list of words or phrases associated with this title. Study the letter
patterns among these words and try to match them with the
patterns in the encrypted words. (For example, if the title of a
cryptic cluster is “Birthday Party”, FGKKXXP is probably an
encryption of BALLOON because of the pattern of two doubled
letters coming next to each other.)
Hint
Hints for the cryptic cluster

The first item on the list is HONEST.
Another item on the list is BROAD-MINDED.
Solution
Solution to the cryptic cluster

HONEST
FORWARD-LOOKING
INSPIRING
COMPETENT
FAIR-MINDED
SUPPORTIVE
BROAD-MINDED
INTELLIGENT
STRAIGHTFORWARD
DEPENDABLE
COURAGEOUS
Paper-and-Pencil Game
CLEAR COMMUNICATION
In any content area, one difference between a beginner and an expert is the
latter's ability to come up with different examples that belong to the same
category. This activity strengthens your ability to come up with examples of
communication concepts.
Basic Idea
All players write an example that belongs to the category. Each player votes
for the clearest example among those written by the other players. The
player whose example received the most votes wins the game card.
Supplies
• Pieces of paper
• Pens or pencils
Preparation
Prepare a list of different categories that belong to the same training topic
and for which players can come up with different examples.
Recently we played the game on the topic of communication skills. Here's

our list of categories:
• Active listening behaviors

• Guidelines for writing an effective business memo
• Common communication mistakes
• Conflict management strategies
• Ways in which people filter the messages they receive
• Purposes of communication
• Types of questions
• Types of written communication
• Guidelines for effective graphics
• Rules for effective writing
How To Begin
Select one person to be the Prime Player. The following instructions are for
the Prime Player:
How To Play
Announce a category that belongs to the training topic.
Ask everyone to write down a single clear example that that belongs to the
category. You should write a single clear example too.
When everyone has completed the task, begin with the player on your left
and ask each player to read aloud the example they wrote on the piece of
paper. Tell the players to read exactly what they wrote without any revision
or embellishment.
Read the example that you have written.
After everyone has read her example, ask the players to spread out their
pieces of paper on the table, written side up.
How To Win
At the count of three, ask all players to point to the piece of paper that
contains the clearest example. However, no player may point to her own
piece of paper.
The piece of paper that has the most fingers pointing to it wins the round.
The player who wrote this example earns a point.
In case of a tie, play the game again, using the same procedure. This time,
however, the players may not use any of the examples used during the
previous round.
How To Continue
Appoint the person on your left to be the new prime player. She chooses a
new category that belongs to the same training topic. Play as before.
Audio Game
CONCERN
An important skill for customer service representatives is the ability to show
concern and empathy during telephone conversations. Instead of giving
participants a checklist of suggestions and having them apply these
suggestions in roleplay practice, this activity requires participants to analyze
best-practice examples of displaying concern during telephone conversations
and applying the key features.
Basic Idea
Four teams of participants listen to different audio recordings of telephone

conversations with customers. Based on these analyses, participants create
sets of guidelines, first within the teams and then across the teams. They
apply the items from the checklist during roleplay sessions.
Index Tags
Telephone conversations. Concern and empathy. Customer service

conversations. Modeling. Best practices. Analyzing audio recordings.
Purpose
To discover, discuss, and apply best practices for displaying concern and
empathy in customer service conversations on the telephone.
Participants
Minimum: 8
Maximum: Any number
Best: 12 to 20
(Participants are organized [and reorganized] into teams.)
Time
30 minutes to 1 hour.
Supplies
• Four audio cassette players or MP3 players
• Pens or pencils
Preparation
Make audio recordings. You need four sets of audio recordings of customer
service conversations on the telephone in which the Customer Service
Representative (CSR) clearly and effectively displays concern for the
customer. Each set of recordings should last about 10 minutes and contain
several authentic conversations.
Flow
Round 1. Working within Teams
Brief the participants. Explain the importance of displaying empathy and

concern during customer service conversations.
Set up four listening stations. Set up an audio player in four different

rooms if possible. If not, set them up in four different corners of the room to
minimize interference.
Divide participants into four teams of approximately equal size. It is
not critical if a team has one more or one fewer participant than the other
teams. Assign each team to one of the four listening stations.
Ask teams to listen to the recording. Instruct the team members to take
notes on the customer service representative's part of the conversation and
identify how she displayed and demonstrated her concern for the customer.
Ask teams to analyze the techniques for displaying concern for the
customer. After the audio recordings end, encourage team members to
share their notes and come up with a checklist of best practices for
demonstrating concern for the customer.
Round 2. Working Across Teams
Re-organize participants into new teams. Explain that you are going to
facilitate sharing of best practices among different teams. Create new teams
that consist of one member from each audio station. If you have extra
participants (because some audio stations had one more participant than the
others), add them to one or more of the new teams. You will end up with
some teams having two people from the same audio station, but this should
not present any problem.
Ask the new teams to share their checklist items. Begin by asking each
team member to share the best practice she observed in the audio recording.
Encourage participants to continue sharing and consolidating their checklists.
Invite participants to discuss apparent contradictions in the behaviors of the
Customer Service Representatives.
Round 3. Roleplaying in Triads
Divide participants into groups of three and assign the roles of a customer,
customer-service representative, and observer. Within each triad, invite
participants to make up typical customer service scenarios and roleplay a
conversation in which the CSR incorporates different best practice behaviors
to display concern and empathy. At the end of each roleplay segment, invite
the observer and the customer to provide useful feedback to the CSR. Rotate
the three roles and repeat the roleplay sessions.
Interactive Lecture
CONFUSION
Even the clearest presentation is likely to confuse at least few
audience members. Setting aside ample time to answer questions from
the audience is an effective strategy to clarify your ideas. This
interactive lecture uses a card swapping strategy to help participants
share their confusion without revealing their ignorance.
Key Feature
You make a fast-paced presentation covering essential topics.

Participants anonymously ask questions about confusing and difficult
aspects of your presentation. You answer these questions and use a
simple strategy to help participants recall and summarize key
concepts.
When To Use This Format
• The instructional content includes more concepts and principles

than factual information.
• Participants have different amounts of previous knowledge.
• You can clearly identify key concepts.
Sample Topics
• basic accounting principles

• behavioral interviewing
• career planning
• project management
• selling professional services
Supplies
• Index cards (or pieces of paper)

• whistle
Flow
Explain the format. Tell participants that you are going to set aside
half of the time assigned to you for responding to questions from the
audience. Warn participants that your initial presentation will be fairly
fast-paced and encourage them to take useful notes.
Chuck is making a presentation on US corporate benefits to a group of

15 Customer Service Associates at a Help Desk facility in Manila. His
presentation is scheduled for a 50 minute time slot. Chuck explains
that he is planning to spend half of that time for the question-and-
answer session.
Make your presentation. Present the information in a logical and
coherent fashion. Do not provide unnecessary and redundant
explanations. Discourage questions from the audience at this stage.
Conclude your presentation quickly to leave sufficient time for the
question-and-answer discussion.
Chuck spends 5 minutes on each of these four topics:
• health and welfare plans

• defined contributions
• defined benefits
• trends in US corporations
He takes care not to talk fast and rush through the content. Instead,
he focuses on presenting a few key concepts related to each topic.
Ask participants to write questions. Invite them to review their

notes, think about what they heard, and recall difficult, incomplete,
and confusing topics about which they would like to have additional
information. Distribute two blank index cards to each participant. Ask
them to write a question on each card that they would like you to
answer. Tell participants to work independently and set a 1-minute
time limit.
Aida, one of the participants, immediately writes this question on one

of the cards: “What exactly do you mean by the portability of the
defined benefit plan? I do not understand how a corporation will let an
employee take his pension funds to a new employer.” After reviewing
her notes she comes up with a question for the second card: “Can an
employee transfer funds from a defined contribution plan to a defined
benefit plan?”
Redistribute question cards. At the end of the minute, blow a

whistle and ask participants to complete their two questions. Instruct
all participants to hold their question cards with the written side down,
stand up, move around, and swap cards with each other (without
reading the questions). Ask them to wander around and swap their
cards for about 30 seconds. Ask participants to return to their seats
with the two cards they most recently received.
At the end of the card exchange period, here are the questions that
Aida ends up with:
“Can we classify Social Security as a defined benefit?”

“What does the word ‘vested’ mean?”
Explain the procedure. Point out that participants do not know

whose questions they currently have, so they don't have to worry
about appearing foolish by asking silly questions. You are now going to
invite participants to take turns reading questions from the cards. Add
a playful alternative to the procedure: A participant may pretend to
read the question from the card but actually ask a question that she
wants answered.
Aida does not think that either of the questions she has are important
ones, so she decides to ask her original question if she is invited.
Encourage participants to listen to the answers. Invite them to

take notes about your answers. Warn them that a future activity
requires careful note taking and recall.
Aid gets her notebook ready.
Conduct the question-and-answer session. Invite the first

volunteer to read one of the two questions she has. Give a short and
relevant answer. Repeat the process with additional volunteers.
Encourage participants to read the most important questions since
time is limited.
Chuck listens to the questions carefully and gives simple and

straightforward answers.
Conclude the question-and-answer session. After about 25

minutes, announce the end of the question-and-answer session.
Explain that you are going to tie up some loose ends. Make a brief
presentation covering important topics that were not explored in your
earlier answers.
During the question-and-answer period, Chuck was slightly surprised

by the fact that nobody asked any questions about trends in US
corporate benefit. So he spends some time recapping important trends
and predicting their future impact.
Invite participants to reflect on your presentation. Distribute

additional blank index cards. Ask each participant to review her notes,
reflect on your answers, and write down a summary sentence on the
index card that captures one important idea. After a suitable pause,
collect the cards with summary sentences. Randomly select three of
these cards and read the sentences.
The sentences that Chuck reads indicate that the participants have a
good grasp of the key concept. Chuck is happy about the situation.
Conclude the session. Thank the group for taking the responsibility
for their own learning. Acknowledge that you probably did not answer
critical questions from all participants. Ask participants to collect cards
with unanswered questions and give them to you. Collect these
question cards and announce that you will post the answers on your
web site.
After removing duplicates, Chuck ends up with 17 different questions.

With the help of a couple of his friends, he writes clear answers in
plain English and posts at the company's website.
What If…
There is not enough time? Set aside half of whatever time you
have. Remember that it is more important to clarify participants'
confusion rather than to unload more details.
There are too many people? Ask participants look at their questions
and decide if it is important. Respond to the first five or six questions.
Collect the remaining questions and create a FAQ (Frequently Asked
Questions) web page.
Participants feel left out because you did not read their
summary sentence? Collect all of the cards and tape them to the
wall. Invite participants to take a “gallery walk”, read the cards, and
compare them with each other.
Structured Sharing
CONNECTIONS AND TENSIONS

by Chris Saeger
Sometimes in training or a planning meeting we say these things:
• What are the critical success factors for our project?
• What values and principles do we agree to in working together?
• What are the conditions for success in this project?
Then we make a list, prioritize it somehow and move on. This

approach results in what some systems thinkers call “laundry-list
thinking”. The list has interdependent variables and a simple priority
order won't do.
CONNECTIONS AND TENSIONS is a way to explore issues from a more holistic

perspective and generate a deeper discussion about the topic.
Here is the description of the game in the form of what happened

during a recent round of play:
Becky, the session facilitator says, “What are the top three conditions
for success in this project? Please jot them down on a piece of paper.”
Chris writes down these three items: top management support,

adequate resources, and clear expectations.
Becky asks each person for the top item on her list. If the top item has
already been reported, she asks for the next item. She makes a list of
the items on newsprint and comments on each.
Chris reports “Top management support”, and everyone nods

approvingly.
Becky then asks each person to go the newsprint and select an idea
they feel is important and to create a nametag with the idea.
Chris runs to the newsprint and picks “Top management support”. He

makes a nametag that says, “Management Support”.
Becky says, “Become the idea that you selected and go around the
room and talk to the other ideas. See how you relate to one another.
Does one idea form the foundation for the other?”
Chris now becomes “Management Support” and proudly walks around

the room and talks to “Open Communications” They agree that open
communications is needed to build management support.
Becky stops the conversations after people have had the opportunity
to interact with all or most of the participants. She says, “I heard a lot
of interesting discussions. Give me a short headline about the idea you
represent and how you related to other ideas.”
“Management Support” and a few others mention that “Open

Communications” is necessary to make their idea possible.
Becky says, “Let's build a web of all these relationships. Sounds to me

like open communications might come first. Is that what I am
hearing?” Everyone nods and Becky unwinds some ribbon from a spool
and gives the end of the ribbon to “Open Communications”. She holds
on to the spool and then she says, “From open communications, who
should get the ribbon next, or how does it relate to others?”
Participants say that Management Support should come next because

it is often needed to make necessary resources possible.
Becky passes the spool to Management Support who takes hold of the
ribbon. She continues to build the web by asking how ideas are related
to one another. She continues moving the spool until all are connected.
Some ideas are mentioned several times and that person ends up
holding several loops of ribbon.
Becky points to ideas who are holding several loops of ribbon and asks
for thoughts from the group.
Open Communications says “These ideas seem to be key! If we work

on these ideas, other things may fall into place.”
Becky acknowledges Open Communications' comments and the

comments from others. Then Becky asks “What are some possible
tensions among the ideas?”
Someone points out that speed and quality (two of the ideas
mentioned) might be in tension.
Becky asks for thoughts from the group about how to reconcile these
ideas.
The group has some comments about how quality can reduce the need
for rework and actually improve speed.
Then Becky says “What would happen if an idea were missing?” She
asks one of the ideas with few wraps of ribbon to drop her ribbon, and
then asks the group to step back to pick up the slack and tighten the
web.
Management Support comments that the web is becoming wobbly.
Becky does this once more with an idea with fewer loops, and then
asks one of ideas with many loops to drop the ribbon. The web
becomes too unstable to hold together and she invites everyone to
drop the ribbon.
Then she debriefs the group with questions like these:
• How did you experience the activity? How are you feeling?
• What did you observe during the activity?
• What is your view of the ideas you identified at the beginning?
• How can we use this in our teamwork?
The group points out that they have a new view of the original list and
have a new sense of which of the items might be a lever for producing
results in several areas. They also see where they need to explore
some tension among the ideas. From dropping parts of the web they
now have the view that for the whole to succeed, all of the items must
be attended to since none is operating in a vacuum.
Becky thanks the group for their observations and being such great
ideas. Throughout the rest of the meeting the team refers back to the
leverage areas and looks for opportunities to reconcile potential
tensions in the project.
Procedure Recap:
1. Ask this question of the group: What are the three most
important (fill in the blank)?
2. Get the top item from each person or next choice if already
covered.
3. Make nametags and become the idea.
4. Relate to other ideas in the room.
5. Use ribbon to form a web of ideas.
6. Discuss relationship of ideas based on the web connections
(levers and tension).
7. Ask people to drop their portion of the web and for the group to
step back take up the slack and tighten the web.
8. When the web is clearly unstable end the activity.
9. Debrief.
Co-Creation
CONTENT ANALYSIS
by Sonia Ribaux
In the January issue of TGL, we introduced a card game called DOZENS, and
showed how it can be used with different content areas (such as outsourcing
and critical thinking), and invited readers to contribute their own content for
the cards. In the February issue, we published an interesting application of
the game by Cathy Tencza. Here's another application of DOZENS by Sonia
Ribaux, my friend and past president of the North American Simulation and
Gaming Association. (See our interview with Sonia in an earlier issue of TGL.)
Sonia's topic for the DOZENS game is content analysis. During the initial stages
of training design, this game could be used with subject-matter experts or
experienced performers and it would be related to a given performance. The
results would generate a content analysis, provided that the responses were
recorded.
The game works very effectively. I tried it out with a client group that was
providing inputs to a new employee orientation program. I got a lot of useful
topics suggested in a rapid and spontaneous manner.
Here's the list of Sonia's categories for CONTENT ANALYSIS:
• Skills or topics that are difficult to learn
• Skills or topics that are easy to learn
• Skills or topics that take time or repetition to learn
• Skills or topics that are critical to good performance on the job
• Skills or topics that are “nice to know” (but not critical to performance)
• Topics that the learner needs to know “by heart”
• Skills or topics that are used everyday

• Skills or topics that are infrequently used
• Skills that require supervision to learn
• Skills or topics that the learner can easily teach him/herself
• Skills or topics that are taught in another course
Structured Sharing
CONVERSATIONAL STRESS
At home and in the workplace, it takes a lot of skill and courage to confront
others and conduct a difficult conversation. This game deals with factors
associated with such conversations. It is based on the GROUP SCOOP (originally
called GROUP GROPE) framegame.
Purpose
To explore ideas related to holding difficult conversations.
Participants
Any number. The best size is from 20 to 30.
Time Requirement
About 40 minutes. You can easily expand or contract the game to suit the
available time.
Materials
Twenty or more index cards with different ideas about difficult conversations.
Here are some examples:
• Difficult conversations bring out defensive behaviors.
• Difficult conversations usually elicit denial on the part of the other
person.
• There is a large amount of tension between the two people in a serious
conversation.
• Broken promises usually result in difficult conversations.
Four blank index cards for each player.
Flow of the Game
In the following description, the phases of the game are printed in regular
type, while sample segments from a recent play of the game are printed in
italics.
Prepare a set of difficult-conversation cards. Before the session,

prepare a set of cards, each with a statement about difficult conversations.
Come up with a variety of statements from different points of view. Prepare
at least two difficult-conversation cards for each anticipated player. If you
cannot make up that many ideas, use duplicates.
Bob is conducting a workshop for a group of corporate trainers. Twenty

participants have signed up for the workshop, including several experienced
managers. The day before the workshop, Bob prepares 40 difficult-
conversation cards. (The statements on these cards are listed in a table
below this article.)
Begin the game. Start the activity quickly. When participants are ready, say
to them: “I'd like to begin right off with a group activity that will help us get
to know each other. It will also allow us to discover what ideas people have
about difficult conversations. This activity should set the stage for the rest of
the session.”
Bob catches everyone's attention and gives his introductory presentation.

Ask players to write cards. Hand out four blank index cards to each player.
Ask them to write down a statement related to difficult conversations on each
card. The statement should represent a variety of thoughts held by different
people. Give some sample statements to the group.
The workshop starts at 8:30 a.m., and Susan arrives 5 minutes late. She
sees the others writing busily. Bob gives her four blank cards and asks her to
write her statements about difficult conversations. Susan thinks for a
moment and comes up with the following:
• Being ridiculed, humiliated, and publicly put down by your boss calls
for a difficult conversation later.
• Difficult conversations are fraught with emotions.
• Difficult conversations frequently involve politically incorrect
statements.
• When you have bad news to deliver, you will have a difficult
conversation.
Distribute the cards. After about 3 minutes, collect the cards from players.
Add your prepared cards to this pile. Mix the cards well and deal three cards
to each player. Ask the players to study the statements and arrange them
according to their personal preference—from the most acceptable to the least
acceptable statement.
following order:
• Difficult conversations throw people off balance.
• Difficult conversations are stressful.
• Most difficult conversations end badly.
Exchange the cards. Arrange the remaining difficult-conversation cards on

a large table at one side of the room. Tell the players that they may throw
away cards from their hands and pick up better replacements. Players must
work silently; they should not to talk to each other during this phase of the
game. At the end of this exchange, each player should have three cards that
may or may not include cards from the original set.
Susan takes her cards to the table and rummages there. She discards two of
her cards and picks up the following:
• People tend to become manipulative during difficult conversations.

• Difficult conversations frequently bring out the competitive instinct.
Susan is surprised to see another player eagerly picking up her discards.
Swap cards. Instruct players to exchange difficult-conversation cards with

each other to make their hands better reflect their personal perceptions. In
this phase, any player may swap cards with any other player; every player
When Bob announces the beginning of the exchange, Susan wanders around
until Arthur stops her. Comparing cards, Susan sees one that says “Logic and
rational thinking do not work in difficult conversations.” She bargains with
Arthur until he exchanges this card for her card about people becoming
manipulative. Before Susan can find someone else to swap with, Bob calls
time to end this phase of the game.
Form teams. Ask players to compare their difficult-conversation cards with

each other and to form teams with people holding similar cards. There is no
limit to the number of players who may team up together, but a team may
keep no more than three cards. It must discard all other cards, and the three
cards it keeps must that meet with everyone's approval.
Susan goes around the room checking with others. She runs across Betty,
who has excellent cards, and they decide to team up. The two set out to find
other kindred souls. Tony wants to join them, and they agree, provided that
he drops the card that says, “On the positive side, difficult conversations help
people grow emotionally and interpersonally.” In a few more minutes, the
team recruits two other players, including Arthur. They study the combined
collection and reduce it to these three:
• Difficult conversations are charged with emotions.
• Sometimes difficult conversations blindside you with their
suddenness.
• During a difficult conversation, you find yourself worried and
oversensitive.
Prepare a poster. Ask each team to prepare a graphic poster that reflects
its three final difficult-conversation cards. This poster should not include any
text. After 5 minutes, ask each team to read its three cards, display its
After some discussion and debate, the team decides that Susan should be
the artist and the others give her ideas. The final collage shows a big
explosion, two automobiles involved in an accident, and a confused looking
face.
Distribute awards. Identify winning teams in different categories such as

the clarity of the message in the poster and the appropriateness of the
illustrations.
Susan's poster did not receive an award, but Bob judged the team's three
cards to be the most consistent.
CONVERSATIONAL STRESS Game Plan
Preparation (10 Prepare a set of difficult-

minutes) conversation cards.
Write difficult- Distribute four blank index Write four statements related to
conversation cards cards to each participant. difficult conversations, one on
(3 minutes) each card.
Distribute cards (3 Mix cards from participants Arrange three trust cards in
minutes) with your cards. Give three order of personal preference.
cards to each participant.
Exchange cards at Spread the remaining Silently discard cards and pick
the table (3 difficult-conversation cards up replacements.
minutes) on a large table.
Exchange cards Give instructions. Exchange at least one card with

with one another other participants.
(3 minutes)
Form teams (5 Give instructions. Form teams of any size. Work

minutes) with other team members to
reduce the number of cards to
three.
Create posters (6 Distribute flip chart sheets Prepare a graphic poster that
minutes) and felt-tipped markers. reflects the team's three
selected cards.
Present posters (5 Select teams in a random Read the three cards, display
minutes) order. their poster, and explain the
symbolism.
Distribute awards Distribute different

(3 minutes) categories of awards.
[Table of Contents]
Table
40 Statements About Difficult

Conversations
1. Broken promises usually result in difficult conversations.
2. Confronting an employee who comes to work under the influence of

alcohol is an example of a difficult conversation.
3. Difficult conversations are charged with emotions.
4. Difficult conversations are fraught with emotions.
5. Difficult conversations are loaded with emotion.
6. Difficult conversations are made all the more difficult between two
people who are different from each other in terms of race, culture,
gender, age, status, and other such factors.
7. Difficult conversations are stressful.
8. Difficult conversations are usually embarrassing.
9. Difficult conversations are usually the result of avoiding and

accommodating the other person for a long time.
10.Difficult conversations bring out defensive behaviors.

11.Difficult conversations frequently bring out the competitive instinct.
12.Difficult conversations frequently involve giving negative feedback.
13.Difficult conversations frequently involve politically incorrect

statements.
14.Difficult conversations throw people off balance.
15.Difficult conversations usually elicit denial on the part of the other

person.
16.During a difficult conversation, you feel powerless about the outcome.
17.During a difficult conversation, you find yourself worried and

oversensitive.
18.Giving notice about quitting your job involves a difficult conversation.
19.It is easy to forget your point and go off on a tangent during difficult
conversations.
20.Logic and rational thinking do not work in a difficult conversation.
21.Missed deadlines usually produce difficult conversations.
22.Most difficult conversations end badly.
23.Nobody enjoys participating in a difficult conversation.
24.On the positive side, difficult conversations help people grow

emotionally and interpersonally.
25.Participants in a difficult conversation find the other person's
statements to be provocative.
26.People tend to become manipulative during difficult conversations.
27.Pussyfooting around an issue is not a good way to avoid a difficult

conversation.
28.Refusing to participate in unethical behavior often involves a difficult

conversation.
29.Some difficult conversations end up in profanity, name-calling, and

shouting.
30.Sometimes difficult conversations blindside you with their suddenness.
31.Sometimes people confuse legitimate complaints with difficult

conversation.
32.Sometimes you are forced to deliver bad news because of situations

beyond your control.
33.Sometimes you are trapped into conducting a difficult conversation

because top management delegates the job to you.
34.The other person is hostile toward you.
35.The other person is suspicious about you and about your intentions
during a difficult conversation.
36.There is a large amount of tension between the two people in a

difficult conversation.
37.There is usually an imbalance in power or status between the two
people participating in a difficult conversation.
38.When you avoid difficult conversations, the problem becomes worse.
39.When you have bad news to deliver, you will have a difficult
conversation.
40.You cannot conduct a difficult conversation over the telephone.
Crosswords at the Expo
Copyright © 1997, Sivasailam Thiagarajan. All rights reserved.
A client recently asked me to design some games that can be played in

an expo booth with a bunch of slightly jaded wanderers who don't
have too much time. Based on my experiences at the ISPI expo, I was
able to develop a set of games in the "party-games" category.
Specifically, the set includes word games, trivia games, graphic games,
and communication games. The games are fast paced and easy to
play. Each game is designed for use with one to ten players on a table
top or in a crowded booth.
To keep track of scores (and to entice the players to stay at your booth
or keep returning to it), we gave tokens to the winners. The players
can exchange their tokens for various gifts. Another motivator was a
Hall of Fame display. We wrote the names of the top five players on
this poster and kept updating the list.
One of our expo games uses crossword puzzles that can be solved in 2
to 3 minutes. The facilitator quickly demonstrates how to solve a
sample puzzle. Depending on the number of players and the preferred
level of competition, you have a choice of 12 different ways to conduct
the game:
One Player
• Earn a token. Let the player solve the crossword puzzle. If

the player is successful, give him or her a token.
• Hall of Fame. Use a stop watch to time the player. If his or

her time to solve the crossword puzzle is among the top five
shortest ones in your record of previous players, give the
player a token and add his or her name to the Hall of Fame
poster.
Two Players
• Collaborate to earn a token. Let the players work together

to solve the crossword puzzle. If they succeed, give the
players a single token (and let them decide who gets it).
• Hall of Fame. Use a stop watch to time the two players

working together. If their time to solve the crossword puzzle
is among the top five fastest ones in your record of previous
players, give a single token to the two players and add the
two names to the Hall of Fame poster (on the same line).
• Contest. Give copies of the same crossword puzzle to both

players. Ask the two players to work independently. Give two
tokens to the first player who solves the puzzle. If the other
player also solves the puzzle within an appropriate time limit,
give him or her one token.
Three Players
• Collaborate to earn a token. Let the three players work

together to solve the crossword puzzle. If they succeed, give
the players a single token (and let them decide who gets it).
• Hall of Fame. Use a stop watch to time the three players

working together. If their time to solve the crossword puzzle
is among the top five fastest ones in your record of previous
players, give a single token to the three players and add the
three names to the Hall of Fame poster (on the same line).
• Contest. Give copies of the same crossword puzzle to all

three players. Ask the players to work independently. Give
two tokens to the first player who solves the puzzle and one
token to the second player who solves the puzzle.
Four or More Players
• Collaborate to earn a token. Let the players work together

to solve the crossword puzzle. If they succeed, give the
players a single token (and let them decide who gets it).
• Hall of Fame. Use a stop watch to time the players working

together. If their time to solve the crossword puzzle is
among the top five fastest ones in your record of pervious
players, give the group a single token and add their names
to the Hall of Fame display (writing all the names on the
same line).
• Contest. Give copies of the same crossword puzzle to all the

players. Ask the players to work independently. Give two
tokens to the first player who solves the puzzle and one
token to the second player who solves the puzzle.
• Team Contest. Organize the players into two teams. (It

does not matter if one of the teams has an extra player.)
Give copies of the same crossword puzzle to both teams.
Give two tokens to the first team that solves the puzzle and
one penny to the other team if it also solves the puzzle
within a reasonable period of time.
Jolt
DECODE
The real name of this game is TAKE CHARGE, but if you use that
name, you would give away the secret learning point.
If you know that hijackers are going to crash the plane, how do you
organize the passengers to break down the cockpit door? If you have
to locate a terrorist before he slips the net, how do you organize a
search party?
The commanding style of leadership gets a bad rap in these

participatory days. However, when there is an emergency and if you
are the most competent person around, there's a lot to be said for
taking charge.
Key Concept
In this activity, participants are organized into teams and asked to

solve a puzzle. Although the rules do not prevent cooperation, team
members assume that they are competing with the other teams. The
best strategy for winning is for all teams to cooperate with each other.
This strategy is secretly suggested to one of the participants at the
beginning of the activity. The main point of the activity is to see what
the participant does with this important idea: Does she take charge
and persuade others to implement the idea or does she hesitate and
run out of time?
Purpose
Real objective, not to be shared with participants until after the

debrief: To explore factors that facilitate or inhibit a person from
assuming a take-charge leadership style when it is appropriate.
Secondary objective, shared with participants: To learn how to

work effectively in teams.
Participants
Any number, divided into teams of 4-7. Best game involves 15-30
participants.
Time
30 minutes (15 minutes for the activity and 15 minutes for debriefing)
Handouts
One copy of Instruction Sheet for each player
Single copy of Secret Instruction Sheet
One copy of the Cryptogram for each player
Single copy of the Answer Key for the facilitator
Supplies
• Index cards (or blank sheets of paper)

• Flip chart and felt-tipped pens (for use during debriefing)
• Timer
• Whistle
Flow Of The Game
Organize teams. Divide participants into teams of four to seven

members each. Seat each team around a table.
Brief participants. Ask how many participants have solved

cryptogram puzzles before. Briefly explain what a cryptogram is (using
the information from the Instruction Sheet). Explain that in this game,
all teams will solve a cryptogram.
Explain time limits and the scoring system. If a team correctly

and completely solves the cryptogram within 2 minutes, it will earn
200 points. If it takes more than 2 minutes but less than 3 minutes,
the team will earn 50 points.
Explain instructional support. Before receiving the cryptogram,

each participant will receive an instruction sheet with hints on how to
solve cryptograms. Participants can study this sheet for 2 minutes.
They should not mark up the instruction sheet but they may take
notes on an index card (or a blank piece of paper). The instruction
sheet will be taken back from participants after 2 minutes.
Explain consultant support. Anytime after receiving the cryptogram,

a team can send one of its members to ask for help from the
facilitator. This facilitator will decode any one of the words in the
cryptogram selected by the team member.
Distribute the instruction sheet. Insert the secret instruction sheet

in the middle of a pile of regular instruction sheets. Place an
appropriate number of instruction sheets, face down, at each table.
Make sure that the secret instruction sheet is included in one of the
piles at a table.
Conduct the self-instruction activity. Set the timer for 2 minutes.

Ask each participant to pick up one of the instruction sheets and study
it independently and silently. Distribute index cards (or blank sheets of
paper) to each participant for taking notes. After 2 minutes, blow the
whistle, announce the end of the self-instructional period, and ask
participants to place their instruction sheets in the middle of the table.
Distribute cryptograms. Place appropriate numbers of cryptograms,
face down, at each table.
Begin the puzzle solving activity. Set the timer for 2 minutes and
ask teams to begin decoding the cryptogram. Remind participants that
you will decode any one of the words for the benefit of each team.
Monitor the session. Observe the behavior of the “leader” (the

person who received the Secret Instruction Sheet). When team
members come for decoding a word, consult the answer key and give
the correct word.
Conclude the session. If any team has completely and correctly

decoded the message before 2 minutes, tell them they have earned
200 points. At the end of 2 minutes, announce the time and set the
timer for another minute. At the end of 3 minutes, announce the end
of the session. If the teams have not yet solved the cryptogram, read
the correct solution.
Reveal the secret. Explain that one of the participants received

secret instructions about the best strategy for winning the game.
Explain that this technique simulated specialized competency on the
part of the participant and gave her a leadership role.
Debrief participants. To gain maximum insights from the activity and

to relate it to the instructional objective, conduct a debriefing session.
Use selected questions from the following list to get a discussion
going:
• The special instructions given to a randomly selected participant

gave her additional knowledge. Does this guarantee that she will
be automatically accepted as a leader? What additional skills and
characteristics are required for being an effective leader?
• How did the selected person communicate the strategy to her
teammates and to the entire group? If you were the leader, how
would you have done this differently?
• How did the selected person persuade others to follow the
cooperative strategy? If you were the leader, how would you
have done this differently?
• How did the selected person interact with other participants? If
you were the leader, how would you have interacted with others?
• Most of the earlier groups that played this game failed to
implement the strategy. What do you think were some of the
reasons for the inability of the leaders of the previous groups to
implement the preferred strategy?
• How do the previous relationships and shared experiences
among participants make the leader's task easier or more
difficult?
• Did anyone else come up with the same strategy? What did this
participant do?
• What if there were another participant who received the same
secret instructions? How would this have changed the leaders'
task?
• How did the time limit hinder the leader from her task? How did
the time limit help the leader? How would you have acted as a
leader if you had ample time?
• Have you ever been in a situation where you had an effective
strategy for meeting a challenge but held back from sharing it
with others? Why did this happen?
[Table of Contents]
Handout 1
Instruction Sheet
You are probably familiar with codes and cryptograms from your
childhood days. In a cryptogram, each letter in the message is
replaced by another letter of the alphabet. For example,
LET THE GAMES BEGIN!
may become this cryptogram:
YZF FOZ JUKZH CZJVQ!
In the cryptogram Y replaces L, Z replaces E, F replaces T, and so on.

Notice that the same letter substitutions are used throughout this
cryptogram: Every E in the sentence is replaced by a Z, and every T is
replaced by an F.
Here's Some Information To Help You Solve Cryptograms:
Letter Frequency
• The most commonly used letters of the English language are e,
t, a, i, o, n, s, h, and r.
• The letters that are most commonly found at the beginning of
words are t, a, o, d, and w.
• The letters that are most commonly found at the end of words
are e, s, d, and t.
Word Frequency
• One-letter words are either a or I.

• The most common two-letter words are to, of, in, it, is, as, at,
be, we, he, so, on, an, or, do, if, up, by, and my.
• The most common three-letter words are the, and, are, for, not,
but, had, has, was, all, any, one, man, out, you, his, her, and
can.
• The most common four-letter words are that, with, have, this,
will, your, from, they, want, been, good, much, some, and very.
[Table of Contents]
Handout 2
Instruction Sheet
The other participants are learning how to solve cryptograms. But you
are specially selected to receive some secret instructions.
Forget the mechanics of solving a cryptogram.
Here's the best strategy for winning the game:
• Teams should cooperate with each other.

• Each team should ask the facilitator to decode a different word.
• Teams should share the decoded words with each other.
• They should help each other to decode the entire message.
• All teams can win as long as they decode the message within the
time limit.
When the game begins, share this strategy with everyone.
Convince them to use this strategy.

[Table of Contents]
Handout 3
Cryptogram
ISV'B JZZXYH BPJB BPH SVQE UJE
---'- ------ ---- --- ---- ---
BS UCV CZ BS FSYTHBH. ZSYHBCYHZ
-- --- -- -- -------. ---------
BPH AHZB UJE BS UCV CZ BS
--- ---- --- -- --- -- --
FSSTHWJBH UCBP SBPHWZ.
--------- ---- ------.
[Table of Contents]
Handout 4
Answer Sheet
ISV'B JZZXYH BPJB BPH SVQE UJE
DON'T ASSUME THAT THE ONLY WAY
BS UCV CZ BS FSYTHBH. ZSYHBCYHZ
TO WIN IS TO COMPETE. SOMETIMES
BPH AHZB UJE BS UCV CZ BS
THE BEST WAY TO WIN IS TO
FSSTHWJBH UCBP SBPHWZ.
COOPERATE WITH OTHERS.

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

Every place is my hometown and every person is my kin.
I frequently mutter to myself this quotation from an ancient Tamil poet,

especially when I walk along the streets of strange towns. The quotation has
become a mantra that puts me in a universal frame of mind.
Several quotations capture essential truths about diversity and inclusion. This
activity incorporates genuine quotations and pseudo quotations created by
the players themselves.
Key Idea
Teams of players come up with short statements that sound like memorable
quotations. Facilitator reads these statements, mixed with a genuine
quotation that the players try to spot. Players earn points based on their
ability to fool others and to recognize the genuine quotation.
Index Tags
Structured sharing. Diversity. Inclusion. Multiculturalism. Quotations.
Purpose
To create and analyze short memorable statements that deal with essential
truths related to diversity and inclusion.
Participants
Minimum: 5
Maximum: 50
Best: 15 to 30
Time Requirement
10 to 30 minutes
When To Use this Activity
Before a training session to introduce participants to the concepts and to

get a baseline of their current opinions.
After a training session to encourage participants to recall and apply key

concepts.
Handouts
A list of quotations about diversity and inclusion. (A sample handout is

included at the end of the article.)
Supplies
• Index cards (one card for each team)
• Prepared quotation card. This card contains a genuine quotation that is
not included in the handout.
Here's a quotation that we used recently:
We may have come over on different ships, but we're all in the same
boat now.
—Whitney Young
• Countdown timer
• Whistle
Room Setup
Tables with five or more chairs around them to permit effective teamwork
Flow
Organize players into teams. If you have five or fewer players, ask them
to play individually. With more players, organize them into three to seven
teams of approximately equal size.
Prime the players. Distribute copies of the handout with the list of
quotations. Ask players to read the quotations and briefly discuss the core
message and the wording of each quotation. Explain the flow and the object
of the game.
Instruct the team to come up with a fake quotation. Ask participants to

write a statement about diversity and inclusion that sounds like a memorable
quotation from some credible authority. The object for the teams is to fool
players from other teams into thinking that the statement they wrote is a
genuine quotation. Start your timer and announce a 5-minute period for this
task.
Collect the cards. After 5 minutes, blow a whistle to signal the end of the
allotted time. Collect the cards from different teams, insert the prepared
quotation card, and shuffle all cards.
Read the cards. Explain that you are going to read the statements on the
cards along with a genuine quotation. Ask players to listen carefully and try
to spot the genuine quotation. However, players must not indicate their
choice yet. Read the statements on the cards (including the genuine
quotation).
Conduct the poll. Tell players that you are going to read the statements
again, in the same order. This time ask players to raise their hands if they
think a particular statement is the genuine quotation. Explain that a player
can raise her hand more than once if she wants to.
Read each statement. Count the number of raised hands and write down
the total on the back of the card. Repeat the process until you have read all
the cards and written the numbers on the back of each card.
Identify the winning team. Explain that each team gets a point for each
player that it fooled into believing that its statement is the genuine
quotation. Read each statement and announce the points it scored. (Skip the
genuine quotation.) Identify the card that received the most points.
Congratulate the team that created the card.
Identify the sharp spotters. Read the genuine quotation, name its author,
and ask the players who spotted it to stand up. Congratulate these players
for their shrewdness.
Debrief the players. Conduct a discussion about the common themes found
in the pseudo quotations and the real ones in the handout.
[Table of Contents]
Handout1
Quotations About Diversity and Inclusion

Accomplishments have no color.
—Leontyne Price
Civilization is the process in which one gradually increases the number of

people included in the term “we” or “us” and at the same time decreases
those labeled “you” or “them” until that category has no one left in it.
—Howard Winters
Collective fear stimulates herd instinct, and tends to produce ferocity toward
those who are not regarded as members of the herd.
—Bertrand Russell
Diversity is the one true thing we all have in common. Celebrate it every day.
—Anonymous
Diversity: the art of thinking independently together.

—Malcolm S. Forbes
I look forward confidently to the day when all who work for a living will be
one with no thought to their separateness as Negroes, Jews, Italians or any
other distinctions.
—Martin Luther King, Jr.
If I am not for myself, who is for me? And if I am only for myself, what am I?
If not now, when?
—Rabbi Hillel
If you judge people, you have no time to love them.

—Mother Theresa
Remember no one can make you feel inferior without your consent.
—Eleanor Roosevelt
Prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future, and
renders the present inaccessible.
—Maya Angelou
The mind does not take its complexion from the skin.
—Frederick Douglas
The real death of America will come when everyone is alike.

—James T. Ellison
The war we have to wage today has only one goal and that is to make the
world safe for diversity.
—U Thant
There are no elements so diverse that they cannot be joined in the heart of a
man.
—Jean Giraudoux
There never were in the world two opinions alike, no more than two hairs or
two grains; the most universal quality is diversity.
—Michel de Montaigne
We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must
understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter
what their color.
—Maya Angelou
We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single

garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.
—Martin Luther King, Jr.
We need diversity of thought in the world to face the new challenges.

—Tim Berners-Lee
What we have to do … is to find a way to celebrate our diversity and debate

our differences without fracturing our communities.
—Hillary Clinton
Simulation Game
DO YOU REMEMBER?
by Susan Otto
Purpose
To explore how note-taking and teamwork increases our ability to remember

more.
Time
30 minutes
Supplies
• 50 miscellaneous items such as a ball, fingernail file, hat, lipstick,
mirror, key, toy, picture, candle, pen, orange, etc.
• Tray
• Cloth to cover the tray
• Countdown timer
Flow of the Activity
Prepare a tray of 25 items. Cover the tray with a cloth.
Tell participants that you are going to show them a tray of miscellaneous
items and they should remember as many items as they can without writing
down anything.
Display the tray with 25 items for 60 seconds. Then talk to the group about
some other topic for a minute.
Have participants write down as many items as they can remember.
Reveal the items on the tray and determine how many correct items
participants listed.
Do the activity again, displaying a new set of 25 items for 30 seconds. Allow
participants to take notes.
Ask each participant to count the number of items listed.
Organize participants into teams of four and ask them to combine their lists.
Reveal the new items on the tray and determine how many correct items
individual participants and teams listed after the 30-second viewing.
Debrief participants and emphasize the following points:
• Participants were able to write more items in half the time (30
seconds) than when they had 60 seconds.

• Teams were able to list more items than individuals.
Conclude the activity by asking participants how they would apply the
principles of note-taking and working in teams to other situations that
requires memorizing and recalling such as:
• Interviewing a candidate for a job
• Listening to a lecture presentation
• Analyzing the behavior of an expert performer
• Proof-reading a report
• Observing the behaviors of shoppers in a retail store
DOUBLE BRAINSTORMING
If you have a group of 30 participants, it is a good idea to divide them

into teams to ensure increased participation. Instead of organizing
static teams, you can also keep rearranging them to prevent
premature groupthink.
Let's assume that you are facilitating this group of 30 participants to

brainstorm ideas for increasing sales in your organization. Here is
technique for profiting from convergent and divergent thinking:
Give each participant an index card with a letter-number combination.

Then ask the participants to find the others with the same letter and
form themselves into five teams of six members:
A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6
B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B6
C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, C6
D1, D2, D3, D4, D5, D6

E1, E2, E3, E4, E5, E6
Assign a different role to each team (example: marketers, customers,

designers, producers, and engineers) and ask its members to
brainstorm ideas in the perspective of that role.
After a suitable pause, stop the activity and ask the participants to find
the others with the same number and form themselves into six teams
of five members:
A1, B1, C1, D1, E1
A2, B2, C2, D2, E2
A3, B3, C3, D3, E3
A4, B4, C4, D4, E4
A5, B5, C5, D5, E5
A6, B6, C6, D6, E6
Point out that each team is now a diverse team with its members
representing five different roles. Ask the teams to continue
brainstorming, with its members maintaining their individual role
perspective. Encourage the participants to "cheat" by recycling ideas
from the earlier session.
Ask each team to prepare a list of five recommendations. Combine

these recommendations, remove duplicates, and ask each participant
to individually select the top five from the common list. Use these
selections to identify the top five recommendations.
Creativity Technique
DOUBLE NEGATIVES
Do you remember that the negative of a negative is a positive from
your algebra classes? We use this principle in the DOUBLE NEGATIVES
technique for generating ideas. This technique is effective because
your brain gets excited whenever you do something negative and
mischievous.
Purpose
To brainstorm a set of strategies for achieving a goal.
Participants
1 to 30
Time
10 to 30 minutes, depending on your goal and the number of

participants.
Team Formation
If you have 2 to 7 participants, ask them to work as a single team.

With more participants, divide them into 2 to 5 teams, each with four
or six members. It does not matter if some teams have an extra
member.
Flow
Note: These instructions are for an individual. If you are working with
teams, make suitable modifications.
Specify your goals. Write down one or more goals related to the
problem or to the opportunity. Select a goal for further exploration.
Here's a sample goal: Workshop participants should return on time

after a coffee break.
Write the laog. A laog (pronounced lay-augh) is the exact opposite of

the goal. In most cases, you can create the laog by replacing the verb
in your goal with its antonym.
Here's the laog: Workshop participants should not return on time after
a coffee break.
Brainstorm strategies for achieving the laog. Ignore your original

goal. Write down a list of ideas for achieving the laog.
Here are different ideas for ensuring that the workshop participants
will not return on time after a coffee break:
• Make the early participants wait for the latecomers.

• Repeat what you have already done for the benefit of the
latecomers.
• Punish the early participants.
• Reward the latecomers.
• Make sure that the participants have nothing to look forward
to after the coffee break.
• Encourage the participants to check their voice mail and
catch up with their telephone calls during the break.
• Ensure that the latecomers will not miss anything important.
• Accept the habit of being late as a cultural difference. Don't
impose your cultural values on the others.
• Give infrequent breaks so that the participants have a lot of
things to do.
• Give such short breaks that nobody can return on time.
• Give such long breaks that people get distracted.
• Conduct your workshop in a distracting environment.
• Come back late from the coffee break. Set an example for
being late.
• Don't specify a definite return time. Let the participants
decide when they should return.
• Make sure that your training format makes participants
uncomfortable and reluctant to return.
Reverse each strategy. Write the opposite of the strategy for

achieving the laog.
Here is an example:
Strategy: Make the early participants wait for the latecomers.
Reversal: Get started on time. Don't wait for the latecomers.
Try to reverse all your strategies. However, if any of them appear

to be irrelevant, ignore them.
Sometimes you may reverse a strategy in more than one way. Here's
an example of a strategy being reversed two different ways:
Strategy: Punish the early participants.

Reversal 1: Reward the early participants.
Reversal 2: Punish the latecomers.
Edit your list of reversals. When you reverse your strategies for
achieving your laog, you end up with strategies for achieving your
goal. Examine each strategy and rewrite it to make it more specific
and practical.
Here's an example:
Original strategy: Punish the latecomers.
Edited strategy: Ask each latecomer to sing a song.
Expand your list. Your edited list of strategies may suggest additional
ones. Keep adding strategies to the list.
Repeat the process with other goal statements. If you have more
goal statements, select another one, state its laog, write strategies for
achieving this laog, and reverse them into strategies for achieving the
goal.
Jolt
DOUBLE TALK
Participants at a training session are often preoccupied with other
important things in their life. Here's a simple jolt to wake them up.
Ask participants to pair themselves up. In each pair, ask the taller
participant to assume the role of a listener and the other participant to
become the IV.
Explain that the IV is to sit close to the listener and to whisper a string
of disconnected distractions that the person is likely to be thinking
about.
Recommend that the IV use topics that are highly interesting (Should I
buy a lottery ticket?) or disturbing (What if they decide to rightsize
again?) or bothersome (Did I turn the stove off this morning?) or
intriguing (What exactly does Sheila see in him?) or guilt-provoking (I
forgot Doug's birthday again. I am an idiot!). Also suggest that the IV
should use first-person singular and run-on sentences in a stream-of-
consciousness mode.
Begin a short, fact-filled presentation on some dry topic.

Simultaneously ask the IVs to begin whispering. Continue with this
combined activity for 2 to 3 minutes.
Stop your presentation. Thank the IVs for their imaginative

contributions and ask them to stop whispering. Ask the listeners the
jot down some of the words, ideas, and topics mentioned by the IV.
Pause for a minute.
Ask a series of short-answer questions based on the content of your

presentation. Ask all participants (both listeners and IVs) to decide
whether or not they know the answer.
Point out that everyone's listening was less than perfect. Both listeners
and whisperers missed some important points in your presentation.
Explain that IV stands for Inner Voice and the whispers simulate
preoccupied self-talk. Conduct a quick debrief to elicit the point that
talking to yourself and listening to yourself reduce learning
effectiveness.
If time permits, repeat the activity with the other player as the IV.
Encourage the listeners to tune out the whispers and to focus on your
presentation.
If you want to be more dramatic, you can assign two IVs (one for each
ear) to each listener.
Card Game
DOZENS
Here's a fast-paced card game that can used to review the content while
requiring some higher-order thinking.
Participants
3 to 5 players.
Larger groups can be divided into smaller groups with each group playing a
parallel game.
Preparation
Prepare category cards. Create about a dozen cards, each containing a

category related to the training topic.
For example, here are the categories we used during a recent training
session on outsourcing:
Countries used by US corporations for outsourcing and offshoring
Different functions that are outsourced
Common criticisms leveled against outsourcing and offshoring
Major advantages of outsourcing and offshoring
Trends in outsourcing and offshoring
Techniques for improving the effectiveness of outsourcing and offshoring
Supplies
• One set of category cards for each table
• One copy of the handout, How To Play DOZENS, for each participant
Flow
Organize participants. Divide them into groups of three to five and seat
them at different tables.
Distribute supplies. Place a packet of category cards in the middle of each

table, written side facing down. Give a copy of the handout to each
participant.
Demonstrate play of the game. Walk participants through the steps in the
handout. Read the category on a card, select a player to play the role of a
contestant, and ask all other players to listen carefully to see whether you or
the contestant makes a mistake and loses the round.
Let participants play the game. Get the game started at each table. Walk
around the room to clarify the rules, if necessary.
[Table of Contents]
Handout 1
How To Play DOZENS

How Does the Game Begin?
The tallest player becomes the first player. Other players take turns to be the
first player in subsequent rounds.
What Does the First Player Do?
The first player picks the top card of the packet. She reads the category
aloud and shows the card to the other players.
The first player selects any other player to compete with her. This person is
called the contestant.
The first player says an item that belongs to the category.
The contestant immediately says a different item that belongs to the same
category.
The two players take turns alternatively supplying another new item that
belongs to the same category.
What Do the Other Players Do?
All other players listen carefully to the items supplied by the first player and
the contestant. One of these two players loses the round if she commits any
of these three errors:
• Hesitates too long before saying an item
• Repeats an item that was already said
• Says an item that does not belong to the category
Examples:
John hesitates too long because he could not come up with a new example of
a country to which US corporations outsource. He loses.
Chris say “Sri Lanka”. During a later turn, Pat says “Ceylon”. Since this is
just another name for Sri Lanka, the other players point out that the country
was already used. Pat loses.
Roger says “Iraq”. The other players claim it to be an error because no US

corporation is using Iraq for outsourcing or offshoring.
When a player loses, the other person wins. She picks up the card and places
it front of her.
How Does the Game End?
After each round, the next player (on the left of the previous player)
becomes the new first player. The game proceeds as before.
Game ends when all cards are played out. The person who has won the most
cards is the winner of the game.
[Table of Contents]
Co-Creation
Other Games Based on DOZENS

DOZENS, the card game described above, is a framegame. You can remove the
current content (of outsourcing) and plug in any other training content. The
key is to come up with category cards that are related to your topic.
Here are some sample category cards related to the topic of critical thinking:
• Advantages of critical thinking
• Behaviors of creative thinkers
• Words found in the definition of creative thinking
• Examples of circular reasoning
• Rules for logical arguments

• Incorrect assumptions that people make
• Nonsensical statements couched in pseudo-scientific jargon
• Popular New Age fallacies
• Questions to ask about research results
• Opinions that masquerade as facts
• Common superstitions
• Popular ideas from ancient times that have been proven to be incorrect
Co-creation
NEW SUPERVISORS
by Catherine Tencza
In last month's TGL, we introduced a card game called DOZENS and showed
how it can be used with different content areas (such as outsourcing and
critical thinking), and invited readers to contribute their own content for the
cards.
Within 24 hours, we received an email note from Cathy, one of our active
readers:
Your newsletter came at just the right time. I'm putting together a one-week
training program for new supervisors, and I think I'll use DOZENS as an
introductory activity, as an advance organizer for course content, and to
break the ice.
Here are 24 content categories for the cards in Cathy's NEW SUPERVISORS game:
• Advice to a new supervisor

• Benefits of being a supervisor
• Challenges faced by supervisors
• Characteristics of an effective supervisor
• Coaching tips for supervisors
• Common misconceptions about supervision
• Communications methods supervisors should use
• Data supervisors use to inform their decisions
• Desirable attitudes for a supervisor
• How supervisors can give effective feedback
• How supervisors can reward the employees
• How to be the world's worst supervisor
• How to set goals with an employee
• Important words in a supervisor's vocabulary
• Main functions of the supervisor
• Mistakes that new supervisors make
• New roles and responsibilities a supervisor must assume
• Old roles and responsibilities a supervisor must give up
• People with whom a supervisor must build and maintain relationships

• Reports supervisors are accountable for completing (or delegating)
• Skills supervisors need to be successful
• Sources of information for new supervisors in your unit
• Steps supervisors can take for team building
• Strategies for empowering employees
Send us your content for your own DOZENS games. We will share it with other
readers of our newsletter.
Textra Game
DRAMA
In a recent teambuilding workshop for facilitators, I wanted participants to
learn and apply the skills related to mediating disputes between two team
members. Instead of conducting the usual type of roleplay, I wanted people
to stage dramatic segments. The activity turned out to be highly motivating,
probably because everybody loves to put on a play.
Key Idea.
Different teams create and stage a dramatic segment incorporating key

principles and procedures associated with mediating a dispute among team
members. One of the teams does not produce a play but evaluates other
teams' plays.
Index Tags
Conflict management. Mediation. Teamwork. Teambuilding. Facilitation.

Improvisation. Procedural simulation.
Purpose
To effectively mediate in a dispute between two team members.

Participants
Minimum: 9
Maximum: 35
Best: 16 to 30
(Participants are divided into 3 to 5 teams, each with 3-7 members.)
Time Requirement
45 to 90 minutes
Handouts
One copy of the Mediation Checklist for each participant.
Room Setup
Tables and chairs for each team. Waiting area for teams while another team
is staging its play.
Flow
Brief the participants. Explain that you are going to explore techniques for
mediating between two team members who are having a major
disagreement. Distribute copies of the Mediation Checklist. Walk participants
through the items on the checklist, briefly discussing appropriate behaviors
associated with each item. Encourage participants to ask questions. Respond
briefly and clearly.
Form teams. Divide participants into 3 to 5 teams, each with 3 to 7

members. Seat each team around a convenient table.
Explain the play-production task. Announce that you are going to

produce a 5-minute videotape for training team leaders how to mediate in
disputes among team members. The task for each team is to prepare a
dramatic segment for this video and to act it out. Announce a 9-minute
preparation time. Because of the limited time, encourage teams to identify a
critical confrontation situation between two team members, prepare an
outline for the segment, quickly rehearse key incidents, and improvise the
lines.
Explain the evaluation task. The dramatic segment staged by each team
will be evaluated along three dimensions:
• Authenticity: Is the segment realistic and believable?

• Focus: Does the segment emphasize key principles and procedures in
the mediation procedure?
• Interest: Does the segment attract and maintain audience attention?
Randomly select one of the teams. Explain that instead of playing the role
of a production company, this team will play the role of a panel of drama
critics. Ask the team to come up with a rating scale for comparing and
evaluating different dramatic segments along the three dimensions that you
identified.
Coordinate preparation activities. Explain that the play production teams

and judging team have the same 9-minute preparation time. Start the timer.
Let teams work on their own. Give a 2-minute warning at the end of 7
minutes. Blow a whistle at the end of 9 minutes to signal the end of the
preparation time. Send all teams except the judging team out of the room.
Stage the plays. Randomly select one of the teams to return to the room
and stage its play. Remind the 5-minute time limit and strictly enforce this
limit. Make sure that the members of the judging team are carefully watching
the play and taking notes.
At the end of 5 minutes, invite the next team to return to the room and stage
the play. (The first team can stay in the room and watch the enactment.)
Repeat this process until all teams have presented their dramatic segments.
Ask judges to announce their ratings. After the final segment, ask the
judging team to make their decisions. Invite this team to briefly explain the
items in their rating checklist and to give evaluative feedback for each
dramatic segment. After the judging team has presented its feedback, ask it
to identify the best dramatic segment.
Present your comments. Congratulate the winning team. Give your

feedback, focusing on how accurately each team emphasized the key
elements in mediating process.
Conduct a debriefing discussion. Ask questions similar to those listed

below. Encourage participants to respond to each question and discuss
alternative responses.
1. How typical was the conflict portrayed in the dramatic segments?

Which one was the most typical?
2. Which item in the mediation checklist is the most important one? How
did different segments portray this item?
3. Which item in the mediation checklist was frequently ignored? What

was the reason for teams ignoring it?
4. Which item in the mediation checklist was the most difficult one to
portray? How did the actors portray it?
5. In each of the segments, how would you rate the effectiveness of

mediator? How could the mediation performance be improved?
6. In each of the segments, did the mediator intervene too much or too
little? Why do you think so?
7. In each segment, did the mediator appear to be neutral? How could we

improve the appearance of neutrality?
8. In each segment, how realistic were the behaviors of the disputing

team members? How could we make their behaviors more realistic?
More challenging?
9. If we created a 30-minute segment, what additional incidents and

behaviors would you have included?
Adjustments
If you have limited time, reduce the number of teams to three (and
increase the number of participants in each team). Stage two segments.
If you too many participants, ask several teams to prepare the play but
randomly select two teams to stage their plays. Ask members of the other
teams act as the audience.
If you have a video camera, record the dramatic segments. Use excerpts
during the debriefing. Also use excerpts as illustrative samples when you
conduct the activity the next time.
Game Plan
1. Brief the Identify the topic. Listen, take notes, and ask
participants. Distribute the checklist. questions.
(8 minutes) Explain the play production
procedure and criteria.
2. Form teams. Divide the group into 3 - 5 Join a team.

(3 minutes) teams, each with 3 to 7
members.
3. Explain play- Explain the play-production Listen and ask questions.

production task. task and the 9-minute time
(3 minutes) limit. Also specify the 5-
minute play time.
4. Explain the Randomly select one team Listen and ask questions.
judging task. to be the judges. Explain
(2 minutes) the evaluation task.
5. Coordinate Announce time limit, give Judging team: Construct a

preparation instructions, and start the rating scale for evaluating the
activities. timer. plays.
(10 minutes) Other teams: Create a play to
dramatically demonstrate key
ideas related to mediation of
disputes. Rehearse the play
segment.
6. Stage the Randomly select teams to Judging team: Evaluate each

plays. stage their plays. play, using the rating scale.
(5 minute per Other teams: Take turns to
team) stage the play.
7. Ask judges to Give instructions. Judging team: Present

announce their evaluative feedback on each play
ratings. and identify the winning play.
(3 minutes)
8. Present your Congratulate the winning Listen.

comments. team. Give your feedback.
(3 minutes)
9. Conduct Ask reflective questions Participate in the discussion.
debriefing and encourage participants
discussion. to discuss them.
(7 minutes)
[Table of Contents]
Handout 1
Mediation Checklist
1. Frame the session:
o Explain that conflicts are inevitable results of healthy diversity
among members of a family.
o Explain that a well-managed conflict provides an opportunity for
future growth.
o Stress the importance of listening to each other.
2. Gather information and analyze the conflict:
o Focus the conversation on the current dispute.
o Ask the disputants to take turns to tell their story.
o Maintain neutrality. Don't take sides.
3. Help disputants to establish mutual goals:
o Establish task-related goals.
o Establish relationship goals.
4. Brainstorm strategies for achieving the goals:

o Focus on win-win strategies.
o Use a variety of brainstorming techniques.
5. Select the best strategy:
o Ensure that the strategy is fair and equitable for both
disputants.
o Set up an action plan for implementing the strategy.
o Identify the first small step for immediate implementation.
6. Debrief the participants:
o Encourage disputants to reflect on what happened.
o Encourage disputants to share their insights for preventing and
resolving future conflicts.
[Table of Contents]
Textra Games
Five More Textra Games: 11 to 15

A textra game maximizes the learning from handouts and other reading
assignments. Using peer pressure and peer support, this type of game
reinforces learning from printed materials. In the August and September
issues of TGL, I presented brief descriptions of five textra games each. This
month, I describe five more textra games. You may expand and modify these
descriptions to create your own activities that incorporate printed resources
in training sessions.
11. QUESTION CARDS
Basic idea. Participants review the reading assignment and prepare question
cards on the content. Facilitator collects the question cards, mixes them up,
and conducts a quiz contest.
Reading materials. Articles, chapters, brochures, or product information.
Sample reading assignment. Chapter from a self-help book, How To Be

Assertive.
Learning outcome. Recalling key concepts and terms.
Flow. Distribute blank index cards to participants and ask them to prepare
as many question cards as possible (with questions on one side and answers
on the other). Collect all question cards, shuffle them, and read the
questions, one at a time. After each question, the first person to stand up
gets to give the answer and (if correct) earn a point. Continue the procedure
to ensure appropriate content coverage.
12. OPEN QUESTIONS
Basic idea. Participants at each table write independent answers to different

questions. Later, they exchange the answers among tables, compare them,
and identify best answers.
Reading materials. Books, booklets, manuals, editorials, or lengthy articles.
Sample reading assignment. Leadership: Theory and Practice by Peter G.

Northouse.
Learning outcome. Challenging, critiquing, analyzing, generalizing, or

applying the content.
Flow. Prepare as many different open-ended questions as there are tables of

participants. Place a question in the middle of each table and ask participants
at the table to independently write the answer and place and place an
identification number under the answer. Collect the answers (and the
question) from each table and give it to the participants at the next table.
Ask participants to work jointly to compare the answers and select the best
answer. Ask the representative at each table to read the question and the
best answer.
13. 2-MINUTE DRILL
Basic idea. A small group of participants receive question cards from the
judge at their table and yell out the answers. If correct, the participant keeps
the card; if incorrect, she returns the card. This fast-paced game ends in 2
minutes.
Reading materials. Articles, chapters, brochures, booklets, or fact sheets.

Sample reading assignment. Product information about five different color
printers along with a comparison table.
Learning outcome. Recalling factual information and terminology.
Flow. Prepare 20 to 100 numbered question cards and a separate answer

sheet that lists each number and the correct answer. Appoint a judge at each
table and give her the cards and the answer sheet. Ask the judge to
distribute three question cards to each participant at the table. When you
blow the whistle, ask participants to yell out a question number and the
answer. Ask the judge to repeat the question number and say “correct” or
“incorrect”. Participants place correct cards in front of them and return
incorrect cards to the judge. In both cases, they receive a replacement card
from the judge. Game stops when you blow the whistle at the end of 2
minutes. The player who gave the most correct answers wins.
14. CONFUSED
Basic idea. Participants write questions about confusing, difficult, or

apparently inconsistent points in their reading assignment. A subject-matter
expert provides answers to these questions.
Reading materials. Theoretical papers, research reports, white papers,

proposals, essays, or translated materials.
Sample reading assignment. A translated book on basic tenets of the Sufi

religion.
Learning outcome. Deeper understanding of the content.
Flow. Ask participants to independently write questions about difficult,

confusing, or inconsistent information in their reading assignment. Organize
participants into teams and ask them to combine their questions and remove
those that can be answered by a member of the team. Collect the remaining
questions and respond to them (or ask the author or a subject-matter expert
to respond to them). Finally, ask each participant to write down a summary
statement of one of the important answers.
15. ARTISTIC TRANSLATION
Basic idea. Participants independently draw a picture that captures one of

the important concepts from the reading assignment. Teams of participants
study different pictures and interpret them.
Reading materials. Essays, articles, books, or interviews.
Sample reading assignment. A technical paper on microchip architecture.

Learning outcome. Clarifying, explaining, personalizing, interpreting, or
presenting.
Flow. Ask participants to draw a picture that portrays one of the key
concepts from the reading assignment. Organize participants into teams. At
each team, ask participants to take turns holding up their picture while
others announce individual interpretations. Finally, ask the artist to explain
what her picture is supposed to convey.
Puzzle
This Issue's Cryptogram

Here is an encrypted definition of an interactive strategy for improving
performance. Solve this cryptogram puzzle:
GWTGFU RUKWX AYKZJHW GLW WVVWAGJPW YFRUHJMUGJYH YV IWDD-IFJGGWH

CYAQKWHGX IJGL GLW KYGJPUGJYHUD JKBUAG YV RUKWX. BUFGJAJBUHGX
FWUC U LUHCYQG UHC BDUO U RUKW GLUG QXWX BWWF BFWXXQFW UHC BWWF
XQBBYFG GY WHAYQFURW GLW FWAUDD UHC GFUHXVWF YV ILUG GLWO FWUC.
A hint for this cryptogram
The solution
How To Solve Cryptograms
In a cryptogram, each letter in a message is replaced by another letter of the

alphabet. For example,
LET THE GAMES BEGIN
YZF FOZ JUKZH CZJVQ
In the cryptogram Y replaces L, Z replaces E, F replaces T, and so on. Notice

that the same letter substitutions are used throughout this cryptogram:
Every E in the sentence is replaced by a Z, and every T is replaced by an F.
Here are some hints for decoding a cryptogram:
Letter Frequency
The most commonly used letters of the English language are e, t, a, i, o, n, s,
h, and r. The letters that are most commonly found at the beginning of words
are t, a, o, d, and w. The letters that are most commonly found at the end of
words are e, s, d, and t.
Word Frequency
One-letter words are either a or I. The most common two-letter words are to,
of, in, it, is, as, at, be, we, he, so, on, an, or, do, if, up, by, and my. The
most common three-letter words are the, and, are, for, not, but, had, has,
was, all, any, one, man, out, you, his, her, and can. The most common four-
letter words are that, with, have, this, will, your, from, they, want, been,
good, much, some, and very.
Word Endings
The most common word endings are -ed, -ing, -ion, -ist, -ous, -ent, -able,
-ment, -tion, -ight, and -ance.
Doubled Letters
The most frequent double-letter combinations are ee, ll, ss, oo, tt, ff, rr, nn,
pp, and cc. The double letters that occur most commonly at the end of words
are ee, ll, ss, and ff.
Punctuation
A comma is often followed by but, and, or who. It is usually preceded by
however. A question often begins with why, how, who, was, did, what,
where, or which. Two words that often precede quotation marks are said and
says. Two letters that usually follow an apostrophe are t and s.
99 Seconds
DRAW A HAND
99 Seconds is a special type of training session in which the presenter
makes a brisk, self-contained presentation that lasts for less than 99
seconds. For more information about this efficient training strategy,
see the Tool Kit section of the April 2002 issue of PFP.
Although it is difficult to conduct a truly interactive exercise within 99

seconds, the April 2002 article lists some alternative strategies and
gives examples. Here is another interesting 99 Seconds interactive
exercise.
Place an index card and a pencil on each seat (to avoid wasting time
distributing these items).
Ask everyone to draw a hand on the index card within 45 seconds.

Pause while participants complete this task.
After 45 seconds (it doesn't matter if some of the artists are still
working on their masterpieces), begin debriefing. Instead of
conducting a discussion, present the major learning point this way:
How many of you looked at your hand or your neighbor's hand to

draw the picture? Most of you did not. That is because we prefer to
work with a mental picture even while the real world is staring in
our face. We think with these mental pictures and we frequently
base our performance on these mental pictures. Psychologists call
the act of creating mental pictures generalization, abstraction, or
concept acquisition. I call it stereotyping.
It does not matter if you draw a picture of a hand based on your

mental picture. However, it does matter if you come up with a
company policy based on your mental picture of a female
employee. This is because your mental picture could be
stereotypical and distorted and, therefore, your policy may not
produce the intended effect on the wide range of people it is
supposed to affect.
When was the last time you ignored reality and worked with a
mental picture? Was your mental picture distorted?
99 Seconds
DRAW A TREE
99 Seconds is a special type of training session in which the presenter
makes a brisk, self-contained presentation that lasts for less than 99
seconds. For more information about this efficient training strategy,
see the April 2002 issue of PFP.
Although it is difficult to conduct an interactive exercise within 99

seconds, we explored an interesting graphic activity in the previous
issue of PFP. Here's another 99-seconds activity that also involves a
quick drawing exercise just like in the August activity. However, this
activity makes a different point.
Place an index card and a pencil on each seat (to avoid wasting time
distributing these items).
Ask everyone to draw a tree on the index card within 45 seconds.

Explain that this tree could be a realistic one or an abstract one. The
only critical requirement is that it should drawn within the 45-second
time limit.
Pause while participants complete this task.
After 45 seconds (it doesn't matter if some of the artists are still
working on their masterpieces), begin debriefing. Instead of
conducting a time-consuming discussion, present the major learning
point this way:
Look at your tree. How many of you included the roots when you
drew the tree?
Very few of you did that!
So what is holding up the trees without the root system? How do

these trees get water and nutrition?
You must agree that the root system is an important part of tree.
Why did you not draw it? Was it because you usually don't see the
roots?
How many other things do you habitually ignore just because they
are not visible? Have you stopped thinking about critical elements
that are out of sight? What problems are likely to arise from this
type of selective thinking? How can we prevent this habit?
Featured Activity
DYADS AND TRIADS

Read.me Games combine the effective organization of well-written
documents with the motivational impact of interactive learning. In this
type of activity, participants read a handout and play a game that uses
competition to encourage recall and transfer of what they read. DYADS
AND TRIADS is a flexible read.me game that can incorporate any of
your training handouts.
Key Concept
Obviously, people learn from answering questions about the content of

a training handout. Not too obviously (and more importantly), people
also learn from asking questions about the content. In DYADS AND
TRIADS, participants enhance their learning by both asking and
answering questions. The types of questions they ask exercise both
sides of their brain by requiring convergent and divergent thinking.
This activity consists of three parts: During the first part, participants
independently study a training handout. During the second part, they
write closed review questions and use the questions to play the DYADS
game. During the third part, participants write open questions and play
the TRIADS game.
Purpose
To review the content of a training handout by responding to questions

that require recall of facts and higher-level processing of information.
Participants
Any number. Best game involves 15 - 30 participants.
Time
45 - 60 minutes, depending on the length and complexity of the

handout.
Supplies
• Handout with the training content

• Other Handouts (included at the end of this article):
o How To Write Closed Questions
o How To Play DYADS
o How To Write Open Questions
o How To Play TRIADS
• Blank Index Cards
• Timer
• Whistle
Flow
Coordinate the study period. Distribute copies of the handout with

the training content. Ask participants to study the handout, using any
preferred strategy for reading and note taking. Announce a suitable
time limit.
Explain how to write closed questions. At the end of the study

period, assemble all participants and distribute copies of the handout,
How To Write Closed Questions. Invite participants to yell out one or
two examples of closed questions based on the training content.
Ask participants to write closed questions. Distribute several

blank index cards to each participant. Ask participants to write closed
questions based on the training content, using a separate card for
each question. After a suitable pause, ask each participant to look at
different questions that she wrote, select the “best” one, and place the
other questions aside.
Explain how to play DYADS. Distribute copies of the handout, How

To Play DYADS. Walk participants through the steps in playing the
game.
Start the DYADS game. Ask each participant to make sure that she
has a question card and a scorecard. Announce that the DYADS game
will last for 7 minutes. Set the timer and start the game.
Stop the DYADS game. At the end of 7 minutes, blow the whistle
and announce the conclusion of the game. Ask each participant to
count the number of different initials on her scorecard to compute the
score.
Identify winners. Find out which participant has the highest score.
Congratulate the winner (or winners, if there is a tie for the highest
score).
Explain how to write open questions. Move to the next phase of

the activity by distributing copies of the handout, How To Write Open
Questions. Invite a “volunteer” participant to help you create an
example of an open question.
Ask participants to write open questions. Distribute additional
blank index cards to participants. Ask each participant to write a single
open question on a card.
Explain how to play TRIADS. When everyone has finished writing an

open question, distribute copies of the handout, How To Play TRIADS.
Walk participants through the flow of the game.
Start the TRIADS game. Ask each participant to make sure that she
has a question card and a scorecard. Announce that the TRIADS game
will last for 10 minutes. Set the timer and start the game.
Stop the TRIADS game. At the end of 10 minutes, blow the whistle
and announce the conclusion of the game. Ask each participant to
count the number of different initials in her scorecard.
Identify winners. Find out which participant has the highest score.
Congratulate the winner (or winners, if more there is a tie for the
highest score).
[Table of Contents]
Handouts: DYADS and TRIADS
Handouts: DYADS and TRIADS

How to Write Closed Questions
Closed questions have a single correct answer. Usually, you answer

these questions by recalling some factual information.
The best way to construct a closed question is to start with one of the
question words as shown in the following templates. To use any of
these question templates, simply replace the words with a
strikethrough line with words related to your content.
1. According to Maslow, what is the most basic human need?

2. How many pages can be stored on a floppy disk?
3. How many people are involved in the Quality Improvement
Team?
4. How much time is required to warm up the copying machine?
5. What is the first step in evacuating the office building in case of
fire?
6. What is the technical term for reducing static electricity by using
rubber gloves?
7. When is the best time to give feedback to a coworker?
8. Where is the fire extinguisher located?
9. Who is considered to be the Father of Performance Technology?
10. Why is it dangerous to touch a light bulb with wet hands?
How To Play DYADS
Check your supplies. Before you participate in the game, make sure
you have a question card (an index card with a closed question) and a
scorecard (a blank index card).
Organize dyads. When the game starts, quickly pair up with another
player. Remember that if you are slow, you may be left out without a
partner.
Show your question. Hold up your question card so the other person
can read the question. Do not read the question yourself or give any
hints for the answer. Pause for a few seconds.
Process the answer. Listen to the answer given by your partner.

Decide whether it is correct or not. If it is incorrect, give the correct
answer. If it is correct, say “Correct” and write your initials on the
other player's scorecard.
Answer your partner's question. Read the question on your

partner's question card. Immediately give the answer.
Get feedback. If your answer is incorrect, your partner will give you
the correct answer. If your answer is correct, make sure that your
partner writes her initials on your scorecard.
Find a new partner. Briskly move around and find a new partner.
Don't waste your time with unnecessary conversation. Repeat the
process of exchanging questions and answers and collecting the initials
from other players.
Compute your score. When the facilitator announces the end of the
play period, return your seat and count the number of different initials
in your scorecard. This is your score for the DYADS game.
How to Write Open Questions
Open questions have more than one acceptable answer. However, most
open questions permit you to compare alternative answers and decide
which one is the “best”.
Here are some templates for writing open questions. To use any of
these question templates, simply replace the words with a
strikethrough line with words related to your content.
1. Compare laptops and pocket computers in terms of their storage

capacity.
2. Give an example of positive reinforcement.
3. How are management and leadership similar?
4. How would you use an incentive system?
5. How do you think an Asian customer will react to the new
model? Why do you think so?
6. How does permission marketing increase our sales?
7. How does the new incentive system affect marginal performers?
8. How does the principle of reciprocity apply to customer
complaints?
9. What are the implications of declaring Fridays to be casual days?
10. What are the strengths of teamwork?
11. What are the weaknesses of teamwork?
12. What is an analogy for immediate reinforcement?
13. What is an effective solution to the problem of overcrowding in
subways?
14. What is the best strategy for telemarketing? Why?
15. What is the difference between management and leadership?
16. What is the meaning of “digital capital”?
17. What is the primary cause of violence in the workplace? Why do
you think so?
18. What would happen if customer complaints were ignored?
19. Why does punishment produce unpredictable effects?
20. Why is customer loyalty important?
How To Play TRIADS
Check your supplies. Before you participate in the TRIADS game,

make sure you have a question card (an index card with an open
question) and a scorecard (a blank index card). Don't reuse your
scorecard from the DYADS game.
Organize triads. When the game starts, wander around the room and
quickly find two other players to form a group of three for the first
round. Remember that if you are slow, you may not be able to form a
triad.
Show your question. Hold up your question card so the other two
players can read the question. Do not read the question yourself or
give any hints for the answer.
Select the waiter. Point to one of the other two players and ask her
to cover her ears. Also suggest that she moves away a little distance
to avoid overhearing the other person's answer.
Listen to the first answer. Ask the other player to give her answer.
Listen carefully to the answer.
Listen to the second answer. Signal to the waiter and ask her to
uncover her ears. Ask her to answer the same open question. Let the
other player also listen to the answer.
Process the answers. For the benefit of the waiter, give a brief
summary of the first player's answer. Make a quick and objective
decision about which of the two answers was better. Write your initials
on the scorecard of the person who gave the better response.
Answer other players' questions. Each of the other two players will
take turns to show the questions on their cards. During the next two
rounds, you will be competing with another player to give a better
answer to the open question.
Form new triads. Briskly move around the room to find two new
players to form another triad for the next round. Don't waste your time
with social chitchat. Repeat the process of exchanging open questions
and answers and collecting the initials of other players by giving better
answers.
Compute your score. When the facilitator announces the end of the
play period, return your seat and count the number of initials in your
scorecard. This is your score for the TRIADS game.
EASY MONEY

The check may be in the mail, but in this game, the cash is in the
envelope.
You have to take a risk and trust your team members. In EASY MONEY,
the team makes a profit if its members trust each other.
Purpose
To explore trust among team members and its impact on team profits.
Learning Topics
Skills: Planning, predicting, decision making with incomplete
information.
Concepts: Trust, ambiguity, decision making.
Contrasts: Private vs public decisions, advising vs deciding, personal
vs team benefits, quantitative vs intuitive decision making.
Play Time
Minimum: 12 minutes
Maximum: 15 minutes
Best: 15 minutes
Debriefing Time
Minimum: 10 minutes
Maximum: 30 minutes
Best: 20 minutes.
Players
Minimum: 2
Maximum: No limit
Best: 12-25.
Supplies
11 blank envelopes
11 $10 bills
Calculator
Timer
Whistle
Flow of the Game
Distribute the 11 blank envelopes randomly among the players.
Explain that the players who received the envelopes investors who will
directly participate in the game. The other players are advisors,
observers, and spectators.
Specify communication constraints. The investors cannot talk to

each other. The advisors and spectators may talk to each other and to
the investors, but they should not transmit information from one
investor to another.
Explain the investment procedure. Each investor should place

some money inside his or her envelope. The investment amount may
vary from zero to thousands of dollars.
Explain the consequences. You (the facilitator) will count the money
inside the envelopes and keep it. The investment money will not be
returned. However, you will give each investor $10, if the total amount
of investment in the 11 envelopes adds up to at least $79.79. You are
not interested in individual investments, so even those who gave you
empty envelopes will get $10. However, if the total investment is less
than $79.79, none of the investors get any money. You will not even
return their investment amounts.
Pause while the players reflect on the rules. Answer any

questions by repeating the information from the previous paragraph.
Give final instructions. Explain that the investors will have 3

minutes to make their decision, secretly place the investment amount
inside the envelope, seal it, and write their initials on the face of the
envelope. Remind the investors that they can hold discussions with the
advisors and spectators, but they should not communicate the other
investors.
Collect the envelopes. Do this after 3 minutes. Make sure that the
investors' initials are written on each envelope.
Conduct an audit. Give the envelope to one of the players (the

auditor) and ask him or her to count the money inside each envelope,
record the amount on the face of the envelope, put the money back in
the envelope, and compute the total.
Ask for predictions. While the auditor is counting and computing,
ask the other players to predict the total amount. Ask the players to
justify their predictions.
Announce the results. Ask the auditor to report the total amount of
investment in the envelopes.
• If this amount is more than (or equal to) $79.79, give each
investor $10. Keep the envelopes with the money.
• If the amount is less than $79.79, keep the envelopes with

the money. Explain that nobody receives $10 because the
investors did not meet the minimum requirement.
Ask the auditor to read the investment amounts in each envelope,

without identifying the investor.
Debriefing
We use a seven-phase model for debriefing. Here are some
suggestions for each phase. You don't have to follow all the
instructions and ask all the questions. Be flexible.
Phase 1: How do you feel?
Begin with a broad question. Invite the investors and the others to
share their feelings about the play of EASY MONEY and the results.
Explore specific feelings. Ask the players whether (and when) they
experienced these feelings:
• confusion
• greed
• frustration
• irritation
• disappointment
• elation
Discuss feelings toward different types of people. Identify

specific roles in EASY MONEY. Ask the members of each group how
they feel about the members of the other groups -- and about
themselves.
• investors
• advisors and spectators
• auditor
• people who did not give their fair share
• people who gave more than their fair share
Phase 2: What happened?
Begin with a broad question. Ask the players to recall important

events from the play of EASY MONEY.
Ask questions about specific events. Remind the players of these

events, and ask them to report significant things that happened during
each event:
• listening to the instructions
• hearing about the minimum requirement
• deciding on the strategy
• listening to advice from the others
• giving advice to the investors
• computing your fair share
• sealing the envelope
• making predictions
• hearing the result
Ask questions about specific types of events. Use questions

similar to these:
• What was the most important event in the game?
• What was the most surprising event in the game?

Phase 3: What did you learn?
Present some generalizations. Begin with a generalization from the

list below and ask the players to discuss data from the play of the
game that support it or reject it. Encourage an open discussion. Invite
the players to offer their own generalizations. Restart the discussion by
presenting another generalization from this list if there are long
periods of silence.
• People are suspicious of offers that sound too good to be

true.
• Most people want to give their fair share.
• Some people are greedy and some people are generous.
• Some people don't trust other people's motivation.
• Some people don't trust other people's computational skill.
• Some people don't trust their own computational skill.
• It is possible for an investor to make a profit of $10.
• It is possible for the facilitator to make a profit.
• It is easier to give advice than to make your own decision.
• Lack of communication increases distrust among the team

members.
• Investment advisors often contradict each other.
Phase 4: How does this relate to the workplace?
Begin with a broad question. Use either of these questions:
• In what ways does EASY MONEY remind you of workplace

events?
• If EASY MONEY were a metaphor, what workplace event is it

a metaphor of?
Discuss specific events. Use the list of events from the previous
phases. Ask the players to relate each event to their workplace
experiences.
Discuss objects used in the game. Ask the players to find the
workplace analogues to these:
• Investment money
• Envelope
• Final payoff money
Discuss specific roles. Ask the players to identify individuals or

groups in the workplace whose roles and behaviors are similar to
these:
• Investors
• Advisors and spectators
• Cheap people
• Generous people
Discuss specific principles. Use the generalizations from the

previous phase. Ask the players to discuss how each principle relates
to their workplace experiences.
Phase 5: What if ...?
Present some scenarios. Begin with a what-if scenario from the list
below and ask the players to speculate how it would have affected the
play of EASY MONEY. Encourage an open discussion. Invite the players
to offer their own scenarios. Restart the discussion by presenting
another scenario from this list if there are long periods of silence.
• ... the investors were permitted to talk to each other, but

they still had to place the money secretly inside the
envelopes?
• ... the investors were permitted to talk to each other, and

they could openly place the money inside the envelopes?
• ... the investment money was returned to the players if the

total amount did not reach the minimum?
• ... the exact amount contributed by each investor was

announced publicly?
• ... each investor could receive $50 instead of $10 (but the
minimum total investment stayed the same)?
• ... the investors were given 24 hours to make up their

minds?
Phase 6: What next?
Ask for improved game strategies. Invite the players to discuss

how they would change their strategy if they were to play EASY
MONEY again.
Encourage workplace application. Ask the players how they would

behave differently in their workplace as a result of the insights gained
from EASY MONEY.
Discuss specific generalizations. Recall these from the previous

phases and ask the players how each of the generalizations apply to
their workplace situations.
Phase 7: Final words
If the investors did not meet the minimum requirement, return the
envelopes (with the money) to the appropriate investors. Warn them
that they may not be this lucky in real life.
Variations
Too few players? If you have fewer than 11 players, give an
envelope to each. You will have to act as the auditor yourself. Here are
the suggested minimum investment requirements:
Number of Players Minimum Requirement

2 $14.47
3 $21.73
4 $28.97
5 $36.23
6 $43.47
7 $50.73
8 $57.97
9 $65.23
10 $72.47
Too many players? If there are more than 25 players, divide them
into 11 teams and distribute an envelope to each team. Play the game
as before, except that teams should make investment decisions
instead of individuals. Let the team members decide how to divide the
investments and profits. Members of a team may not talk to the
members of the other teams.
Not enough time? Conduct the game in 3 to 5 minutes. Limit your

debriefing to a few critical questions. Be sure, however, to reserve at
least 10 minutes for debriefing.
Plenty of time? After explaining the instructions, invite the players to

talk to each other. Encourage them to persuade, negotiate, and make
deals. Also, offer time for any player to make a public announcement.
However, insist that the investment should be placed secretly in the
envelopes.
Players don't have cash? Offer to take checks. Ask the players to
place a check inside the envelope.
Want everyone to participate? Give an envelope to each player.

Compute the total payoff (which equals 10 times the number of
players), subtract the maximum amount you are willing to give away,
and deduct a little more change to create an odd number. Announce
this as the minimum requirement. Example: If you have 217 players,
and can afford to give away $50, the minimum requirement is
$2,119.73. If you are attempting to conduct this game with such a
large group of players, be sure to initially select several monitors and
auditors to help you.
Don't have envelopes? Ask the investors to wrap their money in a

piece of paper and write their name on the paper.
Feel uncomfortable about telling the players that they will lose
the money? Eventually, you are going to return the money (or give
them a bonus) anyhow. If you are still uncomfortable, announce that if
the minimum requirement is not met, the players will get their money
back instead of getting $10. However, the players are unlikely to take
this variation seriously.
Audio Game
EMPATHY
For the past few months, I have been working with a friend on training
employees to more effectively and enthusiastically display empathy during
customer calls. The February issue contains two games (CONCERN and CONCERN
FOR CUSTOMERS) related to this training objective. Here's another game in this
series.
Key Idea
Different teams produce audiotape recordings of simulated telephone

conversations between a customer and a Customer Representative. These
recordings incorporate key behaviors associated with the display of empathy
by the employee. One of the teams does not produce a recording but
evaluates other teams' recordings.
Index Tags
Customer service. Telephone conversations. Empathy. Roleplay. Drama.

Audio game.
Purpose
To display concern and empathy during customer service conversations on

the telephone.
Participants
Minimum: 6
Maximum: 42
Best: 16 to 30
(Participants are divided into 3 to 6 teams, each with 2-7 members.)
Time Requirement
45 to 90 minutes.
Handouts
One copy of Empathy Checklist for each participant.
Equipment
One audiotape recorder (or other kind of audio recorder) for each team.
Room Setup
Tables and chairs for each team.
Flow
Brief the participants. Explain that you are going to explore techniques for
displaying empathy toward customers during telephone conversations.
Distribute copies of the Empathy Checklist. Walk participants through the
items on the checklist, briefly discussing appropriate behaviors associated
with each item. Encourage participants to ask questions. Give brief
responses.
Form Teams. Divide participants into 3 to 5 teams, each with 3 to 7

members. Seat each team around a convenient table with an audiotape
recorder.
Explain the production task. Explain that each team is to produce a 3-

minute long audio recording of a simulated conversation between a customer
and an employee. The challenge for each team is to incorporate at least five
important items from the Empathy Checklist in this recorded conversation.
Announce a 15-minute preparation time.
Explain the evaluation task. The simulated conversation recorded by each

team will be evaluated along three dimensions:
• Authenticity: Is the conversation realistic and believable?
• Focus: Does the conversation clearly incorporate key behaviors from
the Empathy Checklist?
• Dramatic: Does the conversation attract and maintain audience
attention?
Randomly select one of the teams. Explain that instead of producing a

simulated conversation, this team will play the role of evaluators. Ask the
team to come up with a rating scale for comparing and evaluating different
simulated conversations along the three dimensions that you identified.
Coordinate production activities. Announce the start of the 15-minute

production time. Start the timer. Let teams work on their own. Give a 5-
minute warning at the end of 10 minutes. Blow a whistle at the end of 15
minutes to signal the end of the production time.
Play the recorded conversations. Randomly select one of the teams and
play its recorded conversation. If necessary, use a microphone to make sure
that everyone can hear the recording. Encourage the members of the
evaluation team to listen carefully and take notes. Stop the replay at the end
of exactly 3 minutes. Ask each member of the evaluation team to
independently score the audio recording.
Invite the next team to play its recorded conversation. Repeat this procedure
until all teams have replayed their recorded conversations.
Ask evaluators to announce their ratings. After the replay of the last
recording, ask the evaluation team to discuss their individual ratings and
identify the best recording. Invite this team to briefly explain their rating
procedure and to give evaluative feedback for each recorded conversation.
Finally, ask the team to identify the best recorded conversation.
Present your comments. Congratulate the winning team. Give your

feedback, focusing on how clearly each team emphasized key behaviors from
the checklist.
Conduct a debriefing discussion. Ask questions similar to those listed

below. Encourage participants to respond to each question and discuss
alternative responses.
• How typical was the conversation portrayed in each recording? Which
one was the most typical?
• Which item in the Empathy Checklist is the most important one? How
did different teams portray this item?
• Which item in the Empathy Checklist was frequently ignored? What
was the reason for teams ignoring it?
• Which item in the Empathy Checklist is the most difficult one to
portray? How did the roleplayers portray it?
• In each of the conversations, how would you rate the effectiveness of
the employee? How could the display of empathy be improved?

• In each conversation, how realistic were the behaviors of the
customer? How could we make these behaviors more realistic? More

challenging?
• If the teams produced a 15-minute recorded conversation, what
additional incidents and behaviors would you have included?
Adjustments
If you have limited time, reduce the number of teams to three (and
increase the number of participants in each team). Produce and replay two
recorded conversations.
If you have too many participants, ask several teams to produce the
conversations but randomly select two teams to replay their productions. Ask
members of all other teams to vote for the best production.
Game Plan for EMPATHY
1. Brief the Distribute the Empathy Listen, take notes, and ask
participants. (8 Checklist. Briefly demonstrate questions.
minutes) and discuss different items.
2. Form teams. (3 Divide the group into 3 - 6 Join a team. Introduce

minutes) teams, each with 2 to 7 yourself to the fellow team
members. members.
3. Explain the Explain the task of creating Listen and ask questions.
production task. (3 and recording a customer
minutes) conversation that displays a
high level of empathy.
Announce the time limit.
4. Explain the Randomly select one team to Listen and ask questions.
evaluation task (2 be the evaluators. Explain the
minutes) evaluation task.
5. Coordinate Announce time limit, give Evaluation team:

production instructions, and start the Construct a rating scale for
activities. (17 timer. evaluating the recorded
minutes) conversations.
Other teams: Produce a
recorded conversation to
demonstrate key behaviors
from the Empathy
Checklist.
6. Play back the Play back the recorded Evaluation team: Evaluate
conversations. (5 conversations, one team at a each recorded conversation,
minutes per team) time. working individually.
Other teams: Listen to
different recorded
conversations.
7. Ask evaluators Give instructions. Evaluation team: Present

to report. (3 evaluative feedback and
minutes) identify the winning
recording.
8. Present your Congratulate the winning Listen.

comments (3 team. Give your feedback.
minutes)
9. Debrief Ask reflective questions and Participate in the discussion.

participants. (7 encourage participants to
minutes) discuss them.
[Table of Contents]
Handout1
Empathy Checklist
1. Use affirming and assuring statements to connect with customers.
2. Display true concern and interest in the customer's situation.
3. Maintain a high-level of active listening throughout the conversation,

even during emotional outbursts.
4. Use “I” or “we” statements.

5. Use “Yes” statements frequently (“Sure, let's take a look at that.”)
6. Avoid “No” statements.
7. Pick up on trigger statements that signal problems and issues.
8. Whenever appropriate, probe to uncover the root cause behind the

customer's questions.
9. Convey reasons behind your probing questions.
10.Whenever appropriate, paraphrase the customer's statement and

check for accurate understanding.
11.Apologize for the organization's mistakes and the inability to resolve

the issues.
12.Explain errors that made by employees—without blaming them.
13.Use appropriate emotional responses that reflect the customer's

situation.
14.Acknowledge the customer's feelings by using reflective statements

(“It sounds like you're quite upset about this.”)
15.Express positive reactions when customer is pleased with your efforts

or the efforts of the organization.
16.Perform all actions promised to the customer before, during, or after

the call.
Opener
EPIGRAMS
I use EPIGRAMS to provide an advanced organizer for my training
sessions. It is a framegame into which you can load your own content.
Before the session, I collect or create several pithy sayings, quotes,

aphorisms, adages, maxims, slogans, truisms, mottos, proverbs, or
one-liners related to the training topic.
At the beginning of the workshop, I distribute these pithy sayings in

such a way that each participant gets two different epigrams and each
epigram is given to two different participants.
I ask the participants to reflect on each epigram, discover its deep

meaning, and identify its personal application. I warn the participants
that they will be asked to make a short presentation on both epigrams
they received.
After a suitable pause, I display one of the epigrams from the

collection. I ask the two participants who reflected on it to take turns
and make their presentations.
After the two presentations, I invite comments from the other

participants. If appropriate, I ask the participants to vote (by their
applause) to identify the better presentation.
I repeat the procedure with the other epigrams.
Sometimes I postpone the presentation for a later time (for example,

after a coffee break or prior to the discussion of a specific topic).
Framegame
ERROR QUEST
By Margaret Gredler
Here's a framegame from our Guest Gamer.
You can use ERROR QUEST in any situation you have policies, rules, standards, or
criteria. Here are some sample topics:
• Web page design
• Asking questions during a job interview
• Specifying business goals
• Safety regulations
• Constructing multiple-choice test items
• Writing a catalogue description
The game requires participants to identify violations of the rules. The scoring system
rewards identification of serious errors more than trivial ones.
PURPOSE
To clarify key elements in company policies, procedures, rules, standards, and criteria
TIME
PARTICIPANTS
Any number, organized into teams of 2-3 members
MATERIALS
• A job aid summarizing rules or criteria

• A portfolio of products (or a recording of events) for review. Each item contains a
variety of errors.
• A scoring key identifying the errors and number of points for their detection,
based on the seriousness of each error
• Flip chart to record scores and discussion comments
SAMPLE MATERIALS
In a game called MENU MIXUP, we used USDA Guidelines to present our set of
standards.
We used several menus such as this one:
Cherry Cobler
Mexican Chili
Roll and butter
Milk
This is the scoring key that we used:
• Missing component (no vegetable or salad): 4 points

• Unappetizing combination: 2 points
• Format error (dessert listed first): 1 point
• Format error (Cobbler misspelled): 1 point
FLOW
Brief participants. Organize participants into two or more teams, each with 3 to 5
members. Present (or review) the rules related to the training topic.
Teamwork. Present the first items to examined. Ask teams to identify all errors and make
a list.
Scoring. After a suitable pause, ask the first team to identify the error. If correct, award
the appropriate number of points. If incorrect, award zero points for this round and tell
the team that they would forfeit their next turn. Ask the next team to identify a different
error. Repeat the same scoring process until all errors have been identified.
Continuation. Repeat the process with next item to be reviewed. During the scoring
round, begin with a different team.
Conclusion. After inspecting the last product, identify the team with the most score
points as the winner.
Follow up. Conduct a debriefing discussion about errors that were difficult to detect.
Also discuss strategies for avoiding different types of errors.
Matrix Game
EUROPEAN NEIGHBORS
In diversity training, we sometimes become obsessed with differences among
cultures, nations, and individuals. This mindset serves a useful purpose—and
encourages us to ignore similarities that have an important role in
understanding human interactions. EUROPEAN NEIGHBORS invites us to take a
more balanced approach between differences and similarities.
Key Idea
Three players (or teams) take turns to compete two at a time by supplying
statements of key facts, similarities, or differences related to European
countries. The third player (or team) acts as the judge to decide which
statement is the “better” one.
Index Tags
Diversity. Geography. European countries. France. Switzerland. Germany.

Belgium. Netherlands. Italy. Similarities. Differences.
Purpose
To explore the similarities and differences among six European countries.
Participants
Minimum: 3
Maximum: 21
Best: 6 to 15
Time
20 minutes to an hour.
Handout
A 6 x 6 grid with the names of the six European countries as column and row
headings.
You may want to use our ready-to-print PDF version (10K).
Markers
20 markers (coins or plastic counters) each of three different types. Each

participant uses her type of markers to identify the boxes she has won.
Flow
Brief the participants. Place the grid in the middle of the table and
distribute the markers to each participant. Explain the structure of the grid,
pointing out that the names of the same six European countries are repeated
on the rows and the columns. Then explain that each box in the grid is to be
filled with a specific type of statement about these six countries:
The boxes in the diagonal from the bottom left to the top right (which are
marked with heavier lines) require a key fact about a country. Randomly
select one of the diagonal boxes and, with the participants' help, come up
with a suitable statement for that box.
Example: Key fact about Germany: This country has the largest population
among European Union member states.
The boxes above the diagonal require a statement about a similarity between
two countries. Randomly select one box in that area, and with the
participants' help, come up with a sample similarity.
Example: Similarity between France and Switzerland: People in a region of

Switzerland speak French—just like the French people do.
The boxes below the diagonal require a statement about a difference

between two countries. Randomly select one box in that area, and with the
participants' help, come up with a sample difference.
Example: Difference between Italy and the Netherlands: Italy is renowned

for the love of sports from ancient times. The Netherlands is not particularly
known for its sports fans.
Explain the object of the game. Participants win different boxes in the grid
by providing “better” statements than their competition. At the end of the
game, the participant with the most boxes wins the game.
Begin the activity. Choose a participant to be the Judge. The person on the
Judge's right becomes the Selector and the other person is the Challenger.
Compete for a box. The Selector chooses a box in the grid and places a
marker on it. She then writes a statement that meets the requirements for
the box. The Challenger also does the same. The Judge reads the two
statements and declares which one she likes better.
Occupy the box. If the Selector wins, her marker is left on the box. If the
Challenger wins, the Selector takes back her marker, and the Challenger
places her marker in the box.
Play the next round. The next round begins with a reallocation of the roles.
The Selector becomes the Judge, the Judge becomes the Challenger, and the
Challenger becomes the Selector. The play procedure is repeated as before.
Continue the game. The game continues in this fashion until all 36 boxes in
the grid are occupied (or the specified time runs out).
Determine the winner. The person who occupies the most boxes in the
grid wins the game.
Adjustments
Limited time? Conclude the game when one participant occupies four boxes
in a straight line (horizontally, vertically, or diagonally). For a faster finish,
conclude the game when a participant occupies three boxes in a straight line.
For an even faster one, go for any three boxes.
Fixed schedule? Play the game for a specified period of time (example: 15
minutes). The participant who occupies the most boxes at the end of this
time wins the game.
Too many participants? Divide participants into three teams of

approximately the same size. Play the game as before—but ask teams to
make joint decisions.
More participants than can be organized into teams? Conduct several

games at different tables in a parallel fashion.
Not enough markers? Ask participants to write their initials in the boxes
they have won.
Featured Activity
FIGHT RIGHT: Three Roleplays To Explore

Conflict Management
Conflict management is the foundation for peace on earth. Closer to home, it
is an essential interpersonal skill that can contribute every day to effective
personal and professional life.
FIGHT RIGHT is a collection of three roleplays that help participants acquire

conflict management skills. All three roleplays are conducted in triads. This is
what happens during each of the roleplays:
In the first roleplay, Project Management, two participants in each triad act
out a confrontation. The third member of the triad acts as an observer.
During the debrief after the roleplay, participants explore different
components of a conflict and discuss the need for a mediator.
In the second roleplay, Customer Satisfaction, two participants act out a

different confrontation. The third participant plays the role of the mediator
and helps the disputants resolve their conflict. The debriefing discussion after
this roleplay introduces the concept of self-mediation.
In the third roleplay, Deadlines, two participants act out another
confrontation, incorporating principles and procedures of self-mediation. The
third participant acts as an observer.
Purposes
• To explore factors associated with conflict management
• To effectively mediate in a conflict
• To use self-mediation techniques to resolve a conflict
Participants
Any number, divided into triads (groups of three)
Time
45 - 90 minutes
Handouts
Six Roleplay Scenarios:
• PROJECT MANAGEMENT: Alan's Story
• PROJECT MANAGEMENT: Barbara's Story
• CUSTOMER SERVICE: Bob's Story
• CUSTOMER SERVICE: Cathy's Story
• DEADLINES: Chuck's Story
• DEADLINES: Angela's Story
Observation Checklist (for use during the PROJECT MANAGEMENT roleplay)
Mediation Checklist (for use during the CUSTOMER SERVICE roleplay)
Mediation Guidelines (for use during the CUSTOMER SERVICE roleplay)

Observation Checklist (for use during the DEADLINES roleplay)
Supplies
• Timer
• Whistle
• Flip Chart
• Felt-tipped Markers
Flow
Roleplay 1: Project Management
Organize participants. Divide participants into triads. If there are one or

two additional participants, ask them to come to the front of the room and
help you conduct the activity. In each triad, ask participants to assign
themselves the identification letters A, B, and C.
Distribute copies of the Project Management Roleplay Scenario. In

each triad, A receives Alan's story and B receives Barbara's story. Ask
participants to read the scenario and get ready for the roleplay.
Brief the observers. Call the Cs to the front of the room and give them
copies of the Observation Checklist. Go through each item in the checklist
and answer any questions. Emphasize that C's task is to observe the roleplay
and to take notes on interesting behaviors and statements. Send Cs back to
their triads.
Start the roleplay. Set your timer for 5 minutes. Ask Alan and Barbara in
each triad to act out the confrontation.
Conclude the roleplay. At the end of 5 minutes, announce the conclusion of

the roleplay. Ask the roleplayers to take a few moments to snap out of their
roles and to return to the current reality. Encourage participants to talk to
each other about their experience.
Debrief the roleplay. Ask participants to discuss questions such as the

following:
• If you were playing the role of Alan, did you believe Barbara's story?
What was the reason for your belief or disbelief?
• If you were playing the role of Barbara, did you believe Alan's story?
What was the reason for your belief or disbelief?
• As a roleplayer, how did you feel before the roleplay? During the
roleplay? After the roleplay?
• What two adjectives would you use to describe the other person's
behavior? What two adjectives would you use to describe your own
behavior?
• What would have happened if you had more time for the roleplay?
• If you were an observer, what do you think was the crux of the
confrontation between Alan and Barbara?
• Many people believe that this conflict was due to a difference in
perceptions rather than a fundamental difference in values or beliefs.

Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Why?
Debrief the observers. Read each item from the observation checklist and
ask the observers to report their observations during the roleplay. Invite
others to comment on each observation.
Introduce the concept of mediation. Explain that many people believe

that the presence of a neutral mediator could help resolve conflicts more
effectively. Ask participants if they agree with this opinion. Also ask them to
explain the reasons for their agreement or disagreement.
Roleplay 2: Customer Satisfaction
Distribute copies of the Customer Satisfaction Roleplay Scenario.

Within each triad, B receives Bob's story and C receives Cathy's story. Ask
these participants to read the story, think about it, and get ready to act out
the confrontation.
Brief the mediators. Call all As to the front of the room. Give them copies
of the Mediation Checklist and the Mediation Guideline. Explain that they will
be mediating the dispute during the next roleplay. Walk the mediators
through the items in the checklist. Also ask the mediators to read the
guidelines. Answer questions to clarify the guideline items. Send As back to
their triads.
Start the roleplay. Set your timer for 8 minutes. Ask the mediators to make
their opening statement and get the discussion started.
Monitor the roleplay. Walk among the triads, eavesdropping on the

conversations and taking notes about interesting mediation activities.
Conclude the roleplay. After 8 minutes, announce the end of the roleplay.
Ask roleplayers to take a few minutes to leave their roles and to return to the
current reality. Encourage participants to talk to each other about the
experience.

following:
• If you were playing the role of Bob or Cathy, did you believe the other
person's story? What is the reason for your belief or disbelief?
• If you were playing the role of Bob or Cathy, what was your reaction to
the mediator? Was the mediator neutral or did he take sides? Did the
mediator help you to resolve the conflict more effectively?
• What two adjectives would you use to describe the mediator's
behavior? What two adjectives would you use to describe the other
person's behavior?
• If you were the mediator, what do you think was the crux of the
confrontation?
• What were the major differences between the previous roleplay and
this one?
Discuss the job aids. Distribute copies of the Mediation Checklist and
Mediation Guidelines to Bs and Cs. Explain that the mediators used these job
aids during the roleplay. Go through each item in the checklist and invite
participants to discuss these three questions:
• How effectively did the mediator implement this step?
• How did this mediation step affect the disputants? How did it
contribute to the resolution of the conflict?
• How could the mediator have done a better job?
Briefly discuss the guideline items, using similar questions.
Introduce the concept of self-mediation. Explain that it is not feasible to

have a mediator to help resolve all conflicts. In some situations, the two
parties to the conflict should act as their own mediators, monitoring their
behaviors and making suitable suggestions to each other. Go through the
items and guidelines. Explain that some guidelines (such as “Ask disputants
to talk to you, not to each other”) can be used only by a third-party
mediator, but most guidelines can be adapted for self-mediation. Discuss how
each guideline can be suitably modified.
Roleplay 3: Deadlines
Distribute copies of the Deadlines Roleplay Scenario. Within each triad,

C receives Chuck's story and A receives Angela's story. Ask these participants
to read the story, think about it, and get ready to act out the confrontation.
Brief the observers. Call all Bs to the front of the room and distribute
copies of the Observation Checklist. Emphasize that they will not be
mediating the conflict, but silently observing the behaviors of the two
disputants and noting the use of self-mediation techniques. Send Bs back to
their triads.
Start the roleplay. Set your timer for 8 minutes. Ask the Chuck and Angela
in each triad to begin their conversation.
Monitor the roleplay. Walk among the triads, eavesdropping in the

conversations, and take notes about interesting self-mediation activities.
Conclude the roleplay. After 8 minutes, announce the end of the roleplay.
Ask the roleplayers to take a few minutes to leave their roles and to return to
the current reality. Encourage participants to talk to each other about the
experience.

following:
• If you were playing the role of Chuck or Angela, did you believe the
other person's story? What is the reason for your belief or disbelief?
• What two adjectives would you use to describe the other person's
behavior?
• What were the differences between this roleplay and the first one? In
what ways did the self-mediation principles and procedures help you?
• What were the differences between this roleplay and the preceding
one? How easy or difficult was it for you to recall and use self-
mediation techniques?
• What suggestions do you have for improving the use of self-mediation
techniques?
Conclude the session. Thank participants for their contribution. Encourage

everyone to apply the self-mediation technique to manage future conflicts.
[Table of Contents]
Handouts: Project Management
Handouts: PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Observation Checklist (for use during the PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Roleplay)
1. From your perspective, what was the crux of this conflict?
2. Did Alan and Barbara seem more eager to talk or to listen?
3. What types of active-listening behaviors did you notice?
4. Did you see any attempt at goal setting and planning for the future?
5. Most conflicts are accompanied by negative behaviors and emotions.

What are some examples of negative behaviors and emotions (such as
accusations, betrayal, domination, hostility, anger, frustration, and
sarcasm) that you observed in the conversation between Alan and
Barbara?
6. Some conflict-management conversations are accompanied by positive

behavior and emotions. What are some examples of positive behaviors
and emotions (such as understanding, apologizing, empathy, support,
and hope) that you observed in the conversation between Alan and
Barbara?
PROJECT MANAGEMENT: Alan's Story
You are Alan and this is your story:
I thought that my manager Barbara was a nice person but she turns out to
be a jerk. For the past six months she has been praising my project
management skills, but I understand that last week she stabbed me in the
back. Someone told me that at the Executive Management meeting, another
manager asked Barbara whether I could lead a major product-development
initiative. Apparently Barbara told everyone that I am too inexperienced for
such a big responsibility. I know that I can manage the project and Barbara
knows that too. Maybe she is planning to keep me enslaved to her
department. I have asked for a meeting with her and I am going to ask her
point blank why she is holding me back.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT: Barbara's Story
You are Barbara and this is your story:
Alan is a very competent person and he is advancing rapidly in his career.

During the past sixth months he handled two different projects and
completed both of them ahead of schedule and under budget. But Alan is
naive about company politics and I have to act as a mentor to protect him.
Many of the other managers are jealous of him and they are trying to get rid
of him. For example, Peter, one of the other managers, asked me innocently
if Alan would make a good manager for the Model 17 product-development
initiative. Everyone knows that project is going to fail miserably and the
previous manager quit her job because of that. Peter's looking for a
scapegoat and I don't want Alan to be blamed for the failure of this doomed
project. So I told Peter to find someone else with more experience.
[Table of Contents]
Handouts: Customer Service
Handouts: CUSTOMER SERVICE

Mediation Checklist (for use during the CUSTOMER SERVICE roleplay)
1. Frame the session
o Explain that conflicts are inevitable results of healthy diversity.
o Explain that a well-managed conflict provides an opportunity for
future growth.
o Stress the importance of listening to each other.
2. Gather information and analyze the conflict
o Focus the conversation on the current dispute.
o Ask the disputants to take turns to tell their story.
o Maintain neutrality. Don't take sides.

3. Help disputants to establish mutual goals.
o Establish task-related goals.
o Establish relationship goals.
4. Brainstorm strategies for achieving the goals.
o Focus on win-win strategies.
o Use a variety of brainstorming techniques.
5. Select the best strategy.
o Ensure that the strategy is fair and equitable for both
disputants.
o Set up an action plan for implementing the strategy.
o Identify the first small step for immediate implementation.
6. Debrief the participants
o Encourage disputants to reflect on what happened.
o Encourage disputants to share their insights for preventing and
resolving future conflicts.
Mediation Guidelines (for use during the CUSTOMER SERVICE roleplay)
1. Be fair but firm.
2. Maintain control through appropriate use of body language, hand

gestures, and tone of voice.
3. Talk to both disputants at the same time.
4. Remove desks and chairs. Arrange furniture to facilitate conversation.
5. Ask disputants to talk to you, not to each other.
6. Be absolutely impartial.
7. Don't respond to disputant's questions about your opinions,

perceptions, or reactions.
8. Ask disputants to take turns telling you their story.
9. Listen actively.
10.Focus on the dispute. Focus on a single dispute. Focus on the current

dispute.
11.Ask for specific and objective facts. Discourage inferences and

evaluations.
12.Encourage appropriate sharing of feelings.
13.Neutralize provocative language.
14.Repeat statements to require clarification.
15.Avoid closed questions and leading questions.
16. Ask questions that begin with what, when, where, who, in what way,
and how? Never ask questions that begin with why.
17.Don't make suggestions.

CUSTOMER SERVICE: Bob's Story
You are Bob and this your story:
I work at the hotline desk and I think that my supervisor Cathy is a control
freak. She won't let go of her authority and enjoys bossing people around.
Last month the company started emphasizing customer satisfaction, but
Cathy thinks that it's all a fad. If I take extra time to talk to a customer, she
yells at me and reminds me that my quota is handling 10 calls every 15
minutes. But if we really want to delight our customers, I have to spend
more time, especially those people who are clueless about computers. Cathy
is threatening to get me fired. I am not going to put up with all this
harassment and so I sent a complaint letter to the president of the company.
Customer Service: Cathy's Story
You are Cathy and this is your story:
We hired Bob because he had a very friendly personality but I don't think
that he will make a good hotline employee unless he changes his attitude. He
thinks none of the the callers know anything about computers and wastes a
lot of time coaching them on the fundamentals, which they already know.
Also he wastes time socializing with the customers instead of solving their
technical problems. We all know that customers get hostile if they are put on
hold for long periods of time. That's why we have this quota of handling 10
calls every 15 minutes. That way customers are happily surprised by how
quickly their calls are answered. Actually, we are rated number 1 in this area.
I told Bob yesterday that with his personality he'd make a great sales person.
Today I understand that he sent an anonymous complaint about me to the
president of our company. I am having a meeting with Bob to straighten him
up.
[Table of Contents]
Handouts: DEADLINES
Handouts: DEADLINES
Observation Checklist (for use during the DEADLINES roleplay)
1. From your perspective, what was the crux of this conflict?
2. Did Chuck and Angela seem more eager to talk or to listen?
3. What types of active-listening behaviors did you notice?

4. What are some examples of negative behaviors and emotions (such as
accusations, betrayal, domination, hostility, anger, frustration, and
sarcasm) that you observed in the conversation between Chuck and
Angela?
5. What are some examples of positive behaviors and emotions (such as

understanding, apologizing, empathy, support, and hope) that you
observed in the conversation between Chuck and Angela?
6. How did Chuck and Angela demonstrate their ability to use self-
mediation techniques related to these checklist items?
o Frame the session.
o Gather information and analyze the conflict.
o Establish mutual goals.
o Brainstorm strategies for achieving the goals.
o Select the best strategy.
o Debrief.
DEADLINES: Chuck's Story
You are Chuck and this is your story:
I always try to finish my work on time, but last week I had flu and I was
worried it could be that anthrax thing because I opened a junk mail envelope
from Florida. With all this terrorist business, I could not focus on my work
and had to get some counseling. And all Angela did was yell at me for not
finishing the tables for the monthly report. That woman is obsessed with
trivial details. Nobody reads those reports anyhow and who cares if it is late
by a couple of days?
DEADLINES: Angela's Story
You are Angela and this is your story:
Chuck never finishes anything before the deadline. We both agree when his
part of the task is to be completed but he is always late and always with a
handy excuse. Last month his kid was sick. This month he had flu. He has my
sympathy but I expect my coworkers to behave in a professional manner. He
also complains that nobody reads the monthly reports anyhow, but it's not
our job to make policy, is it?
Card Game
FIVE CARD SETS

Here's a framegame — actually a set of five framegames — that can be used
as a review exercise for any training workshop. The game uses five different
kinds of cards on the same content area. These cards can be won by
performing five different types of activities. The first player to win a five-card
set (one card of each kind) wins the game.
Purpose
To review, integrate, and apply previously learned materials.
Players
4 to 7 at each table. (Larger groups can be divided into groups of 4 to 7 and

play at different tables.)
Time
Supplies
Decks of game cards. Each deck has 10 cards in each of the five categories:
• Compare-Contrast
• Beat the Clock

• Charades
• Draw It Out
• Roleplay
Instruction Sheets for playing each of the five categories of cards (see below)
Paper and pencil
One timer for each table
Preparation
Prepare decks of cards. Use a different colored index card for each
category of cards. Create 10 or more cards in each category, using the
instructions and samples given below:
• Compare-Contrast. Write two related concepts, issues, principles,
rules, or steps on each card. (Example: Individual differences and

Cultural differences)
• Beat the Clock. Write a single category label on each card. (Example:
Business reasons for valuing diversity)
• Charades. Write a message, a word, or a phrase on each card.
(Example: Do unto others what they would like to have done unto
them.)
• Draw It Out. Write a message, a word, or a phrase on each card.
(Example: Individualism)
• Roleplay. Specify “your” role and the “other” role, along with a brief
description of a situation on each card. (Example: Your Role: A US

American Project Team Leader. Other Role: Indonesian Project Team
member. Situation: The team has failed to meet a critical deadline for
a client. You want the Indonesian team member to apologize to the
client. The team member finds this task to be distasteful.)
Set up the tables. FIVE CARD SETS is best played in groups of five, but it
can be played in groups of any number from four to seven. Divide the players
into groups of approximately equal size. Set up a play table for each group.
Place a deck of game cards, pads of paper and pencil, and a timer at each
table.
Briefing
Explain the nature of the game cards. Ask players to shuffle the deck of
cards and pick one card of each color. Point out that each card has a category
label and an appropriate item.
Explain the object of the game. Players win cards during the specified
period of play, trying to win one card of each color. The game ends when a
player has won a five-card set, each card of a different color.
Explain how to win cards of different colors. Distribute the instruction

sheet for each category of cards and step the players through the procedure.
Use the following sequence:
• Compare-Contrast
• Beat the Clock
• Charades
• Draw It Out
• Roleplay
Point out that in Charades and Draw It Out, two players may win cards at the
same round.
Flow Of The Game
Activate the cards. Ask a player at each table to take back all cards from
the others and separate them into five packets by color. Then ask players to
turn the cards with the information side face down and shuffle each packet of
cards. Place the five packets in the middle of the table.
Begin the game. The tallest player at each table takes the first turn. She
picks up the top card from any of the five packets and plays the game
according to the standard procedure for the category of the selected card.
Conclude the round. The player who picked the card — or some other
player — may win the first card. The winner places this card in front of her
with the category label on top. If no one wins the card, it is put in a “waste
pile”.
Continue the game. The player to the left of the previous player now picks
up the top card of any of the piles on the table. Use the appropriate
procedure for the category of the selected card. Repeat this procedure to
continue playing the game.
Conclude the game. When a player has won one card of each color, the
game comes to the end. This player wins the game.
Flow of the Activity
Brief participants. Before your presentation, advise participants to pay

careful attention to your talk and to take ample notes because you will be
conducting a review exercise at the end. Make your presentation at a fairly
brisk pace.
Identify a superlative. After the presentation, ask participants to review

the notes and look for the most important point from the presentation.
Encourage them to refer back to their notes.
Elicit a response. After a brief pause, invite any participant to announce

what she considers to be the most important point. After the response, ask
the participant to explain the logic behind the choice. Add your own
comments to support the participant's choice.
Ask for alternative responses. Point out that there could be more than
one correct answer to the question, “Which is the most important point?”
Elicit alternative responses from different participants, one at a time. Invite
other participants to comment on these choices.
Identify a new category. Ask participants to review their notes again and
identify the most useful point from the presentation. Pause briefly while
participants review their notes.
Ask partners to discuss their choices. Ask participants to find partners.

Ask each pair of participants to share their answers to the question “What is
the most useful point from the presentation?” If both partners have the same
answer, ask them to discuss the reasons for their choice. If the partners have
different answers, ask them to come to an agreement about which of the two
answers contains the most important point.
Ask participants to present their choices. After a suitable pause, ask a

pair of participants to announce the most useful point and the reason for its
selection. Comment briefly to reinforce the selection. Ask for alternative
choices from other pairs of participants.
Identify more categories. Repeat the procedure with other superlatives

such as these:
• Most confusing
• Most controversial
• Most difficult
• Most surprising
• Most amusing
• Most unusual
• Most credible
• Most trivial
Conclude the activity. Congratulate participants for their in-depth analysis

and understanding of characteristics and events associated with workplace
violence. Explain that their choice of items that fit different superlatives may
change from time to time depending on the situation.
[Table of Contents]
Handout01
Instruction Sheet: COMPARE - CONTRAST

What You See
The card specifies two concepts, issues, principles, rules, or steps.

What You Do
Read the two items aloud. Then place the card in the middle of the table so
that all players can refer to it.
Set the timer for 1 minute and start it.
Ask everyone to think of the relationship between the two items and to write
a list of similarities and differences. You should also write a list.
At the end of 1 minute, fold your list in half and place it in front of you. Ask
the other players fold their lists in half.
Randomly select one of the lists and give that list and your list to a player
without anyone being able to figure out who wrote which list. (One way to do
this: Collect the folded lists from the other players and mix them up. Pick one
of the lists, place it on top of yours, mix the two up, and give them both to
any player.)
Ask this player to read the two lists, one after the other. After reading the
lists, the player places both of them in the middle of the table so that
everyone can refer to them.
What You Score
Ask the player who wrote the other list not to participate in the next selection
activity. At the count of three, ask the other players to point to the better one
of the two lists on the table.
Count the number of fingers pointing to each list. Determine which list got
the most votes. The player who wrote this list wins the card. In case of a tie,
you win the card.
[Table of Contents]
Handout02
Instruction Sheet: BEAT THE CLOCK

What You See
The label for a category

What You Do
Read the category label aloud. Then place the card in the middle of the table
so that all players can refer to it.
Set the timer for 2 minutes and start it.
Ask everyone to write down as many items as possible that belong to the
category. You should also write a list.
At the end of 2 minutes, fold your list in half and place it in front of you. Ask
the other players fold their lists in half.
Randomly select one of the lists and give that list and your list to a player
without anyone being able to figure out who wrote which list. (One way to do
this: Collect the folded lists from the other players and mix them up. Pick one
of the lists, place it on top of yours, mix the two up, and give them both to
any player.)
Ask this player to read the two lists, one after the other. After reading the
lists, the player places both of them in the middle of the table so that
everyone can refer to them.
What You Score
Ask the player who wrote the other list not to participate in the next selection
activity. At the count of three, ask the other players to point to the better one
of the two lists on the table.
Count the number of fingers pointing to each list. Determine which list got
the most votes. The player who wrote this list wins the card. In case of a tie,
you win the card.
[Table of Contents]
Handout03
Instruction Sheet: CHARADE

What You See
The card has a message, a word, or a phrase.
What You Do
Read the card silently and keep it hidden from the other players.
Without speaking, use a series of gestures to convey the message.
The other players try to guess the message and shout out their guesses.
If a player shouts out the correct message, say, “Done!” and show the card.
What You Score
If you run out of time before anyone guesses the message, nobody wins
anything. Show the card to everyone and put it in the waste pile.
If someone guesses the message correctly, you keep the card. The player
who guessed the message correctly takes a card of the same color from the
piles on the table.
[Table of Contents]
Handout04
Instruction Sheet: DRAW IT OUT

What You See
The card has a message, a word, or a phrase.
What You Do
Read the card silently and keep it hidden from the other players.
Draw a series of pictures on blank sheets of paper to convey the message.

Do not use any text or numbers.
The other players try to guess the message and shout out their guesses.
If a player shouts out the correct message, say, “Done!” and show the card.
What You Score
If you run out of time before anyone guesses the message, nobody wins
anything. Show the card to everyone and put it in the waste pile.
If someone guesses the message correctly, you keep the card. The player
who guessed the message correctly takes a card of the same color from the
piles on the table.
[Table of Contents]
Handout05
Instruction Sheet: ROLEPLAY

What You See
The roleplay card specifies your role, another player's role, and a situation.
What You Do
Read the roleplay instructions aloud. Then place the card in the middle of the
table so that all players can refer to the instructions.
You play the role specified for you. Select any other player to play the other
role.
Set the timer for 2 minutes and start the roleplay.
Begin playing the role. Interact with the other player.
Stop the roleplay at the end of 2 minutes.
What You Score
All of the players (including the one who played the other role) give a
“thumbs up” or “thumbs down” sign to indicate whether or not you gave an
acceptable performance. If half or more of the players give you a “thumbs
up”, you keep the card. Otherwise, place the card in the waste pile.
Creativity Technique
FIVE IDEAS
Teambuilding activities create high-performance teams whose
members are extremely loyal to each other and to their team.
Sometimes, however, the emphasis in teamwork results in reduced
collaboration across teams. Similar problems occur when employees
become so focused on their departmental goals that they ignore or
downplay the strategic goals for the total organization.
FIVE IDEAS is an activity that encourages participants to go beyond

what is good for their team or their department and work on
cooperatively achieving common goals.
Key Concept
During the first round of this activity, participants from each division of
an organization identify what they need from the other divisions.
During the second round, participants are organized into
heterogeneous groups with one member from each division. These
groups come up with collaborative ideas for reaching a common goal.
Purpose
To come up with ideas for inter-team and inter-departmental

collaboration for achieving common goals in an organization.
Participants
Two to 10 members representing each different department.
Our sample activity used for illustrative purposes below involves

five members representing these three departments: service, parts,
and sales.
Time
45 minutes to 3 hours (depending on the number of participants,

number of divisions they represent, and amount of detail required)
Supplies
• Flip charts
• Timer
• Whistle
Flow
Specify a common goal. At the beginning of the activity, announce a

goal that requires collaboration among the different divisions. Briefly
discuss how the achievement of this goal can be measured.
Paul, who is facilitating participants from three different

departments, has a choice of several common goals: making a
record profit for the next quarter, reducing employee
turnover, and developing new service lines. He eventually
decides to stick with the mundane (but important) goal of
providing excellent customer service. During the discussion of
this goal, participants suggest that a reduction in the waiting time
and an increase in positive customer feedback could be used as
measures for checking the achievement of this goal.
Organize participants into homogeneous groups. Assign

everyone from the same department to the same group. (However, if
there are more than seven people from each department, divide them
into more than one group.)
Paul has a simple task. He organizes three groups of service, parts,

and sales, and assigns the five members from each department to
the appropriate group. (If there were 11 people from each
department, Paul would have created one group of six and another
group of seven.)
Assign tasks to the homogeneous groups. Ask members of each

group to brainstorms a list of ideas in response to the question, “How
can employees from the other departments help us better achieve the
common goal?” Encourage groups to come up with a long list and
shrink it down to the top five ideas. Announce a suitable time limit.
Pam is a member of the service department. She suggests that the
sales group should provide them with a clearer picture of what each
customer wants. Someone else in the group suggests that the sales
group should stop making rash promises to the customer. The
group also decides that they want better coordination with the parts
group to avoid service delays. The other two groups work out
similar lists of what they want from the remaining groups. Each
group records its ideas on a flip chart.
Get ready to conclude the first round of the activity. Five minutes
before the end of the allotted time, blow a whistle to get participants'
attention. Ask each group to identify its top five ideas for achieving the
common goal. Ask individual participants to take notes about the final
list. Explain that every participant would need this information during
the next phase of the activity.
Reorganize participants into heterogeneous groups. Blow the

whistle at the end of the allotted time. Now, reorganize the
participants into several groups that contain one member from each of
the previous (homogeneous) groups.
Paul divides participants into five groups of three members each.

Pam ends up in a group with Alan from sales and Kathy from parts.
Assign tasks to the heterogeneous groups. Ask members of the

group to brainstorm a list of ideas in response to the question, “How
can employees from different departments work with each other to
achieve our common goal?” Encourage participants to use their ideas
from the previous round in a flexible fashion. As before, encourage
each group to begin with a long list and whittle it down to the top five
ideas.
Pam is somewhat irritated by the unreasonable expectations of the

other two members of her new group. After some debate, all three
group members focus on the common goal, compromise their initial
demands, and come up with creative strategies.
Get ready to conclude the activity. Five minutes before the end of
the assigned time, blow the whistle and ask the groups to identify the
top five ideas. Also ask each group to list the final set of ideas on the
flip chart and get ready to make a presentation.
Share the ideas. Select a group at random and ask its spokesperson
to present the final set of five ideas. Encourage members of the other
groups to listen carefully. Repeat the procedure until all groups have
made their presentation.
Conduct individual action planning activity. Give an index card or

a piece of paper to each participant. Ask participants to write down
five ideas in response to the question, “How can I individually
contribute to the achievement of the common goal?” Tell participants
that they could record earlier ideas from their groups, or ideas from
other groups, or new ideas. Announce a suitable time limit.
Pam's action plan contains four items from the list created by her
group. In addition, she comes up with a bright idea of her own:
“Frequently remind other members of my group about the
importance of helping the sales groups to come up with realistic
time estimates.”
Adjustments
Want an alternative ending? Instead of concluding with the

individual action-planning round, reassemble participants into their
original homogeneous groups. Now ask them to brainstorm ideas in
response to the question, “How can we support the other departments
in their attempts to reach the common goal?”
Not enough time? You can speed up the activity by asking the
groups to come up with just two ideas during each rounds.
Not enough participants? This should not be a problem, since you
can conduct the activity with as few as four participants (two
participants each from two different departments).
Too many participants? It could be a problem if you have hundreds

of participants. To handle this situation, simply divide the larger group
into medium-sized groups (of about 20) with equal representation
from different departments. Then conduct parallel versions of the
activity with each subgroup.
Unbalanced number of participants? What if you have 20 sales

people, 15 support staff, and 4 trainers? The way we handle this
situation is to redistribute participants from the larger groups to the
other groups and ask them to role-play membership of the other
groups. In our example, several of the sales people and a few of the
support staff will pretend to be trainers so each group will have 13
members.
Too few departments? Recently we conducted FIVE IDEAS with

employees from two merging organizations. Each organization sent 10
representatives. We set up two homogeneous groups of five from each
organization for the first round. For the second round, we redistributed
the participants into five heterogeneous groups of four. Each of these
groups had two representatives from two different homogeneous
groups.
Improv Game
FLEXTALK
Can you present the same message in several different ways? This
useful skill provides you with a flexible communication style and helps
you reinforce the message.
This is how FLEXTALK works: Ask the participants to stand in a circle.

Make a statement and toss a ball to one of the participants. This
person catches the ball and immediately makes a different statement
that presents the same message. The participant tosses the ball to
someone else. This ball-catcher repeats the process.
After catching the ball, a participant is eliminated if he or she hesitates
for a long time, repeats an earlier statement, or significantly alters the
meaning of the message. The game continues until only one
participant remains. This participant is the winner.
In a recent play of FLEXTALK, my original message was “Shut up!”. Here

are some of the different versions:
Please close your mouth.
Kindly abstain from any further oral communication.
I'll choke you if you keep talking!
Have you ever considered the wisdom behind the aphorism, “Silence is
golden”?
Stop talking!
You are talking too much. Please give the others an opportunity to
participate in the conversation.
Sh!
It's better to keep your mouth shut and have others wonder if you are
stupid than to open your mouth and confirm their suspicion.
If you have more than 10 participants, divide the group in half and
create two circles.
Obviously, you can load this framegame with messages that are
relevant to your instructional topic. In a computer-literacy class, for
example, you might start with this message: Save early and save
often.
FOOD CHAIN
Purpose:
To explore the relationship among suppliers, employees, and
customers.
Time:
15 to 30 minutes.
Participants:
6 or more, divided into three approximately equal groups. This game
works best with groups of 20-50.
Supplies:
• A large number of index cards (cut in half)
• Play money
• Instruction sheet for each group. Use the samples given at

the end of the game description below.
• Timer
• Whistle
Room arrangement:
Assign Group 1 to one end of the room and Group 3 to the opposite
end. Place Group 2 in the middle.
Flow of the game:

1. Brief the players. Explain that the groups have slightly
different objectives. Also explain that members of Groups 1
and 3 may not interact directly with each other.
2. Distribute the materials. Give $200 in play money to each

member of Group 3 along with the instruction sheet. Give $5
to each member of Group 2 along with the instruction sheet.
Give 50 index card halves to each member of Group 1 along
with the instruction sheet.
3. Ask the participants to read their instructions. Visit
each group and answer any questions.
4. Announce the beginning of the game. Blow the whistle

and start the timer. Let the participants play the game for 5
minutes.
5. Stop the game. Blow the whistle at the end of the 5-minute
period.
6. Identify the winners. Ask members of the first two groups

to count their money. Ask the members of Group 3 to count
their cards. In each group, identify the winner and
congratulate him or her.
7. Debrief the participants. Link the activity to the customer-

supplier chain. Relate the activity to the workplace.
Instruction Sheet for Group 1 Members
• All members of your group have the same instructions. The

two other groups have different instructions.
• Your goal is to make more money than any other member of

your group.
• You have a large supply of index-card halves. Sign your

name on each card half.
• You can sell the signed cards to any member of Group 2. You
cannot sell the cards to anyone else. The suggested retail
price is $1 per card.
• You may sell up to five cards to a single person at any given

time. You may not sell more cards to the same person until
you have sold some cards to someone else.
• The game will end after 5 minutes. At that time, if you have
the most money in Group 1, you win the game.

• Your goal is to make more money than any other member of
your group.
• You begin the activity with $5.
• Your job is to buy cards from the members of Group 1, sign

your name under the signature on each card, and sell the
cards to the members of Group 3.
• The suggested purchase price of the cards from Group 1 is

$1 each. The suggested selling price to Group 3 is $2 each.
• You may sell only one card at a time to any Group 3

member. You may not sell another card to the same person
until you have sold a card to someone else.
the most money in Group 2, you win the game.

• Your goal is to collect more cards than any other member of

your group.
• You begin the activity with $200. You use this money to buy
cards from the members of Group 2.
• Each card costs $2. Make sure that the card has two
different signatures, one below the other.
• You may not collect more than two cards that have the same
two signatures.
the most cards in Group 3, you win the game.
FORBIDDEN WORDS: A Framegame for Reviews

Here's an interesting game to play near the end of a workshop. It

helps you to review major concepts.
Can you describe the concept of simulation game without using any of
these words: simulation, game, play, rules, reflect, represent, model,
win, lose, and real? You may not use other forms of these forbidden
words either. For example, reflection, reflective, or reflected are not
acceptable.
Here's my attempt: This is an activity which is very much like what

happens every day. It involves make-believe and pretending, but it is
not drama or a roleplay. It is usually done on a computer, but a
computer is not necessary. In training, you may have teams of
participants involved in this activity . . .
Here's how to incorporate this idea into a game: Participants are

organized into triads. Each participant picks up a card that has a
concept to be described. This card also lists words which should not be
used in defining the concept. The first player (sender) describes the
concept and the second player (receiver) tries to guess the concept.
The third player (monitor) keeps track of the time and makes sure that
none of the forbidden words are used. When the receiver guesses
correctly and shouts out the concept, the monitor announces the time.
This time is recorded on both the sender's and the receiver's score
sheet.
The second player now becomes the sender, the third player the
receiver, and the first player the monitor. A different concept is used.
The same procedure is repeated until all three players have had a
chance to be the sender. The player with the shortest total time is the
winner.
By the way, if the sender uses a forbidden word, both the sender and
the (innocent) receiver are arbitrarily given a time of 3 minutes!
When you load this framegame, the secret is to select the concepts
and the taboo words with care. Force your players to come up with
plain English translations of technical definitions.
Live eLearning
FREE MONEY
A cash game is a special type of simulation game that involves actual
cash transactions. Cash games don't deal with accounting procedures
or financial management. Instead, they explore interpersonal skills
(such as negotiation) and concepts (such as cooperation) and increase
self-awareness. Since real cash reflects the real world, cash games
bring out natural actions and emotions among participants.
In recent web seminar demonstrations sponsored by Centra (and co-

facilitated by my Aussie friend Harvey Feldstein) and by LearningTimes
(co-facilitated by my friend and fellow-magician Jonathan Finkelstein) I
conducted one of my favorite cash games called FREE MONEY. The game
was lots of fun and very effective.
Here are the details of FREE MONEY if you want to run this game during
your next live elearning session.
Time
15 minutes (7 minutes for the activity, 8 minutes for the debrief)
Participants
At least 10. Larger numbers produce more dramatic results.
Technical Requirement
Your live e-learning product must support polling. All products that I
reviewed (including Centra, Communicast, HorizonLive, Interwise,
Placeware, and Web Crossing) include a convenient polling function.
Potential Cost
You may have to fork out a total of $10 in prize money. However, your
money is safe. Since greed is a universal human value, it is very
unlikely that you will ever have to make this payment.
Flow
Get participants' attention. Announce that one lucky person will win
$10 in the next activity. Ask participants to listen carefully as you
explain the rules. (With money involved, they would be doing this
anyhow.
Brief participants. Display a slide and give the following information.

• You will conduct a poll that offers either $10 or 10 cents.
• This poll will be open only for 99 seconds.
• Each participant may choose either of the two amounts.
• When the polls close, one participant who chose $10 will receive
$10. This person will be selected at random among the people
who chose $10.
Explain the restrictions. Announce that there are some restrictions

about winning the prize amounts. Here they are:
• The prize money will be awarded only if at least 10 people

participate in poll.
• The prize money will not be awarded if more than three people
choose $10.
• If only one person chose $10, she will automatically receive the
amount. If two people chose $10, one of them (chosen
randomly) will receive $10. If three people chose $10, one of
them (again, chosen randomly) will receive $10. If four or more
people chose $10, nobody will receive any money.
Conduct the poll. Display the polling slide that offers a choice
between $10 and 10 cents. Be sure to hide the poll results. Keep the
poll open for 99 seconds.
Display the results. After 99 seconds, announce that you are closing
the poll. Display the results. There is a high probability that more than
three people would have chosen $10. Resist the temptation to make
any comments. Just leave the results on screen. You don't have to rub
it in.
Be prepared for bad news. In the unlikely event that the group
succeeds in winning $10, get the participants who chose $10 to
identify themselves by typing their names in the text-chat box.
Randomly select one of them. Announce that you would send a check
for $10 through postal mail. (And be sure to do that.)
Debrief the group. Here are some suggested discussion questions:
• If you chose 10 cents, how do you feel about your decision? How
do you feel about those who chose $10?
• If you chose $10, how do you feel about your decision? How do
you feel about those who chose 10 cents?
• What primary motive leads people to choose $10? What's the
motive behind the choice of 10 cents?
• What is the best strategy in this game? Why do you think it is
the best strategy?
• How do you react to this statement: Most people are greedy?
• Does this game reflect incidents that happen in your workplace?
Can you describe these incidents?
• Have you ever said, “Somebody should…”? What's the
relationship between a “somebody-should” situation and this
simulation?
• What would have happened if you had to choose between $100
and one cent?
• What would happen if we conducted this game in a face-to-face
classroom and permitted participants to talk to each other before
selecting between $10 and 10 cents?
Adjustments
The flow described above is based on the assumption that you have a
group of 20-30 participants. With larger numbers, increase the
minimum participation requirement and for maximum number of
people choosing $10. Rule of thumb: 30 percent for minimum
participation and 10 percent for the maximum $10 choices.
Field Notes
In each of the three most recent demonstration sessions, we had more

than 100 participants. In all three cases, nearly 50 percent of the
group chose $10. (So your money is safe. You can boldly offer $100
vs. 1 cent.)
Jolt
FREE TIME
I recently used this jolt in the middle of a diversity presentation for
hundreds of participants assembled in an auditorium.
Purpose
To explore how it feels to be excluded—and to be excluding.

Participants
Any number, but preferably more than 10.
Time
6 minutes for the activity and 2 minutes for debriefing.
Supplies
One sticky dot for each participant; half of them green, and half of
them red.
Flow
Organizing groups. As each participant comes to the session,

randomly give him or her a green and red dot. Distribute
approximately equal number of dots of the two colors. Ask participants
to stick the dots to their name tag or their forehead.
Brief participants. In the middle of a presentation, ask all

participants to independently decide how they should spend 3 minutes
of free time in the middle of your session.
Assign planning strategies. Explain that you are going to conduct

an experiment on right-brain and left-brain strategies for planning. Ask
participants to check the colored dot given to them. People with green
dots (“greens”) will prepare a linear to-do list for the 3-minute period.
Ask participants with red dots (“reds”) to close their eyes and visualize
what they will be doing during the 3 minutes of free time. Ask the reds
to keep visualizing with their eyes closed until you blow the whistle.
Give secret instructions to greens. Ask greens to keep their eyes

open. Project the following messages on the screen, one at a time.
Shhh…! Follow these secret instructions.
When I blow the whistle, start an enthusiastic conversation. Share

your ideas for how to spend the free 3 minute time period.
But talk only to other greens. Ignore reds. Don't talk to them.
Shout across chairs to other greens. If necessary, walk over to meet

other greens.
If reds talk to you, don't respond. Ignore them.
Begin the free-time period. Turn off the projector, and after about 2
more minutes, blow the whistle and ask the reds to open their eyes.
Start the timer and invite all participants to discuss their plans for the
3-minute free time. Watch the activities. Blow the whistle after 3
minutes and announce the end of the free period.
Conduct a quick debrief. Follow this suggested sequence:
Ask “How did you feel?” Establish that reds felt uncomfortable
about being ignored and excluded. Also establish that greens felt
uncomfortable about ignoring others and excluding them.
Ask “What happened?” “As a green, what did you and why did you
do it? As a red, what did you do and why did you do it?”
When greens explain that they were merely following instructions,

explain the set-up to reds. Display the secret instructions on the
screen again. Continue with debriefing.
Ask greens “Why?” Discuss why the greens chose to follow the
instructions even though they felt uncomfortable. Point out that you
indoctrinated them in just a few seconds. Ask them how strong their
behavior would have been if you had “enculturated” them for several
years.
Relate to the workplace. Ask, “In what ways is this activity similar
to what happens in your workplace?” Discuss responses from
participants.
Ask what-if questions. Use questions such as, “What if there were a
higher number of reds than greens?” and “What if the free time period
lasted for 10 minutes?”
Ask “What-next?” questions. Use questions such as, “Knowing

what you learned from this activity, how would you change the way
you include or exclude people who belong to different groups?”
GAMEGAME
GAMEGAME is an application of a flexible small-group activity to enable
players to express, explain, and exchange their opinions about training
games.
GAMEGAME has two important outcomes:
• Players express, explain, and exchange a wide range of opinions

about training games.
• Players work cooperatively and creatively in teams.
Time Requirement
About 40 minutes. You can easily expand or contract the game to suit
the available time.
Materials
• Twenty or more index cards with different opinions about training

games. Here are some examples:
o You lose control of trainees.
o They motivate participants.
o They ensure transfer of training.
o Only lazy trainers use them.
Flow Of The Game
In the following description, the phases of the game are printed in

regular type, while sample segments from an imaginary play of the
game are printed in italics.
Preparing The Initial Set of Cards. Before the workshop, prepare a

set of opinion cards. Each card should contain one opinion about
training games. Come up with a variety of positive and negative
opinions. Prepare at least two opinion cards for each anticipated
player. If you cannot make up that many opinions, use duplicates.
Bob is conducting a workshop for a group of corporate trainers.

Twenty participants have signed up for the workshop, including a few
OD specialists.
The day before the workshop, Bob prepares 40 opinion cards.

Getting Started. Start the game quickly. When the players are ready,
say to them: “I'd like to begin right off with a group activity that will
help us get to know each other. It will also allow us to discover what
opinions people have about training games. This activity should set the
stage for the rest of the workshop.”
Bob catches everyone's attention and gives his introductory

presentation.
Card Writing by Players. Hand out four blank index cards to each
player. Ask them to write down an opinion about training games on
each card. The opinions need not reflect the personal views of the
writer. They should represent enthusiastic and skeptical points of view.
Give some sample opinions to the group.
The workshop starts at 8:30 a.m., and Susan arrives 5 minutes late.
She sees the others writing busily. Bob gives her four blank cards and
asks her to write her opinions. Susan thinks for a moment and comes
up with the following:
• Trainees have fun, but they don't learn anything.

• You cannot make managers play games.
• Games make abstract concepts much more concrete.
• Games help you build teams.
Distributing Cards. After about 3 minutes, collect opinion cards from

players. Secretly add your prepared cards to this pile. Mix the cards
well and deal three cards to each player. Ask the players to study the
opinions and arrange them according to their personal preference—
from the most to the least acceptable opinion.
following order:
• Games add interest to instruction.

• Simulation games help students learn how to make
decisions.
• Games are not suitable for adult learners.
Exchanging Cards. Arrange the remaining opinion cards on a large
table at one side of the room. Tell the players that they may discard
cards from their hands and pick up better replacements. Players must
work silently; they should not talk to each other during this phase of
the game. At the end of this exchange, each player should have three
cards that may or may not include cards from the original set.
Susan takes her cards to the table and rummages there. She discards
• You cannot design an effective game in a short time.

• Games trivialize serious ideas.
Susan is surprised to see another player eagerly picking up her

discards!
Swapping Cards. Instruct players to exchange cards with each other

to make their hands better reflect their personal opinions. In this
phase, any player may swap cards with any other player; every player
When Bob announces the beginning of the exchange, Susan wanders

around until Arthur stops her. Comparing cards, Susan sees one that
says, “Games encourage holistic learning.” She bargains with Arthur
until he exchanges this card for her card about games trivializing
serious ideas. Before Susan can find someone else to swap with, Bob
calls time to end this phase of the game.
Forming Teams. Ask players to compare their cards with each other
and to form teams with people holding similar opinions. There is no
limit to the number of players who may team up together, but a team
may keep no more than three cards. It must discard all other cards,
and the three cards it keeps must that meet with everyone's approval.
Susan goes around the room checking with others. She runs across
Betty, who has excellent cards, and they decide to team up. The two
set out to find other kindred souls. Tony wants to join them, and they
agree, provided that he drops the card that says, “Games create
problems for trainers and trainees.” In a few more minutes, their team
recruits two other players, including Arthur. They study the combined
collection and reduce it to these three:
• Games encourage holistic learning.

• It is difficult to design an effective training game.
• Games are highly motivating.
Preparing a Poster. Ask each team to prepare a graphic poster that

reflects its three final cards. This poster should not include any text.
After 5 minutes, ask each team to read its three cards, display its
After some discussion and debate, the team decides that Susan should
group of smiling faces with bubbles on top of their heads and a variety
of symbols to reflect holistic learning. Another panel shows a trainer
sweating over a game board. During the “show-and-tell” period,
Arthur reads the three cards and Betty assists Susan in explaining the
poster.
Awards. Identify winning teams in each of these categories:

Susan's poster did not receive an award, but Bob judged the team's
three cards to be the most consistent!
Structured Sharing
GENERATIONS
This activity is an application of a framegame called MATCH AND MIX. In addition
to the purpose specified below, GENERATIONS can also be used to explore the
characteristics, values, and preferences of different age groups.
Key Idea
During the first round, each team is assigned a specific age level and asked
to brainstorm ideas for a common goal. During the second round,
participants are reorganized into mixed teams with each member of a
different age level and asked to synthesize their earlier ideas.
Index Tags
Structured sharing. Generations. Age differences. Diversity. Brainstorming.

Idea generation. Evaluation. Community planning.
Purpose
To come up with ideas that will appeal to people at various age levels.
Participants
Minimum: 9
Maximum: Any number
Best: 16 to 20
(Each participant is assigned to two different teams during the two rounds of
this activity.)
Time
30 to 60 minutes.
Supplies
• Team Allocation Cards, one for each participant
• Pens or pencils
• Timer
• Whistle
• Flip chart pads
Room Setup
Tables (preferably round ones) with chairs around them to facilitate

teamwork.
Preparation
Prepare team allocation cards. All participants belong to two different

teams during the two rounds of this activity. An important requirement of
this activity is that members of the first team are allotted to different second
teams. To facilitate this type arrangement, each participant receives a Team
Allocation Card that contains a letter and a number.
Examples: A4 or C2.
During the first part of the activity, participants organize themselves into
teams according to the letter in their card. During the second part, they
reorganize themselves according to the number on the card.
Example: The participant with the card C2 belongs to Team C during the first
round and Team 2 during the second round.
Before conducting the activity, find out how many participants you will have.
Check with the Team Allocation Table to figure out the combinations of
letters and numbers for the cards. Write the appropriate letter-number
combinations on blank index cards.
Example: You have 21 participants. Looking up this number in the table, you
prepare the following Team Allocation Cards:
A1, A2, A3, A4, A5

B1, B2, B3, B4
C1, C2, C3, C4
D1, D2, D3, D4
E1, E2, E3, E4
Flow
Brief the participants. Explain that you are going to facilitate a structured
brainstorming activity in two rounds. Specify the goal for brainstorming.
Example: What should the community park look like?
Form matched teams. Shuffle the Team Allocation Cards and distribute
them, one card for each participant. Point out that each card contains a
combination of a letter and a number. Ask participants to find others with the
same letter and form themselves into teams. Depending on the total number
of participants, you may have three to six teams.
Example: We have five teams, A to E.

Assign age groups. Explain that each team will represent a specific age
level. Assign the age groups according to this list:
• Team A = 57-year-olds
• Team B = 47-year-olds
• Team C = 37-year-olds
• Team D = 27-year-olds
• Team E = 17-year-olds
If you have more teams, add more age groups (such as 7-year-olds and 67-
year-olds). Use as many age groups as you have teams.
Generate ideas. Ask members of each team to brainstorm strategies for

achieving the goal from the point of view of the age level assigned to them.
Ask teams to generate several ideas, discuss these ideas, and select the 10
best ideas. Assign someone in each team to record the ideas. Announce a 9-
minute time limit for this activity.
Form mixed teams. After 9 minutes, blow the whistle and stop the activity.
Tell participants that you are going to reorganize them into a new set of
teams. Ask participants to check their Team Allocation Card once more and
find others with the same number to form new teams. (If there are one or
two people left over, as in this case with 21 participants, they may join any
team they choose.)
Regenerate ideas. Ask members of the new teams to continue

brainstorming for achieving the original goal. Ask participants to maintain
their loyalty to the age groups from the previous round but try to focus on
satisfying the needs and preferences of other age groups. Encourage
participants to recall and share their ideas from the previous round and keep
an open mind toward other perspectives. As before, ask teams to select the
10 best ideas and record them on a sheet of flipchart paper. Announce a 9-
minute time limit for this activity.
Present lists of ideas. Blow the whistle at the end of 9 minutes, and ask
teams to post their lists on convenient areas of the wall. Invite all
participants to take a gallery walk and review the lists from other teams.
Follow Up
Consolidate the lists. With the help of all participants, come up with a
common list that contains high-frequency ideas and avoids duplicates.
Alternatively, make a complete list of non-duplicate ideas, photocopy this list,
distribute them to the participants and others, and have each person select
the top three ideas. Use this information to prepare the final list of ideas for
immediate implementation.
Team Allocation Table
Participants Team Allocation Cards
9 A1, A2, A3 B1, B2, B3 C1, C2, C3
A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, B3 C1, C2, C3

10
A4
A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, B3, C1, C2, C3

11
A4 B4
A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, B3, C1, C2, C3, C4

12
A4 B4
A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, B3, C1, C2, C3, C4

13
A4, A5 B4
A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, B3, C1, C2, C3, C4

14
A4, A5 B4, B5
A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, B3, C1, C2, C3, C4, C5
15
A4, A5 B4, B5
A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, B3, C1, C2, C3, D1, D2, D3, D4
16
A4 B4 C4
A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, B3, C1, C2, C3, D1, D2, D3, D4
17
A4, A5 B4 C4
A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, B3, C1, C2, C3, D1, D2, D3, D4
18
A4, A5 B4, B5 C4
A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, B3, C1, C2, C3, D1, D2, D3, D4
19
A4, A5 B4, B5 C4, C5
A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, B3, C1, C2, C3, D1, D2, D3, D4, D5
20
A4, A5 B4, B5 C4, C5
21
A4, A5 B4 C4 D4 E4
22
A4, A5 B4, B5 C4 D4 E4
23
A4, A5 B4, B5 C4, C5 D4 E4
24
A4, A5 B4, B5 C4, C5 D4, D5 E4
25
A4, A5 B4, B5 C4, C5 D4, D5 E4, E5
26
A4, A5, A6 B4, B5 C4, C5 D4, D5 E4, E5
27
A4, A5, A6 B4, B5, B6 C4, C5 D4, D5 E4, E5
28
A4, A5, A6 B4, B5, B6 C4, C5, C6 D4, D5 E4, E5
29
A4, A5, A6 B4, B5, B6 C4, C5, C6 D4, D5, D6 E4, E5
30
A4, A5, A6 B4, B5, B6 C4, C5, C6 D4, D5, D6 E4, E5, E6
GENERATIONS Game Plan
Here's a list of steps in GENERATIONS, complete with suggested time

requirements and facilitator and participant activities. You may use this easy-
to-refer job aid while facilitating this activity. (Thanks to Austin reader Karen
Bantuveris for coming up with the name “Game Plan”.)
Preparation (10 Prepare appropriate

minutes) number of Team
Allocation Cards.
Briefing (2 Explain the topic for Think up suitable ideas.

minutes) brainstorming.
Form matched Randomly distribute team Find others with the same letter
teams (3 assignment cards to each and form teams
minutes) participant.
Assign age Assign different age levels Get ready to play the role of a
groups (3 to each team. person in the assigned age group.
minutes)
Generate ideas Give instructions. Teams generate ideas related to

(10 minutes) the topic and select the top 10
ideas.
Form mixed Give instructions. Find others with the same number
teams (3 and form new teams.
minutes)
Regenerate Give instructions. Generate ideas (related to the

ideas (10 same topic) that will appeal to
minutes) people at different age levels.
Select top 10 ideas.
Present lists of Give instructions. Post your ideas on the wall. Review
ideas (5 ideas from other teams.
minutes)
Follow-up (9 Conduct a discussion. Create a common list with high

minutes) frequency, non-redundant ideas.
[Table of Contents]
Web Game Shell
Jennifer Plays GENERATIONS

Recently, Jennifer participated in the play of the GENERATIONS game. We have
created a list of different things she did in this game.
Your challenge is to rearrange the seven game activities in the correct order
by dragging and dropping the items. If your list is correctly arranged within
60 seconds, you get a perfect score of 100.
You can replay the game any number of times. Each time you play the game,
you may see different activities arranged in different orders.
If you get bored, try the game at a higher level of difficulty. You will have less
time to complete the task.
If you are ready, play Jennifer Plays GENERATIONS.
Classification Card Game
GINNY
In the previous issue of PFP we discussed the advantages of two-
person training games and presented detailed instructions for a card
game called TRUMPS.
Here's another two-person card game called GINNY that is based on GIN
RUMMY. This game also deals with the stages in team development. It
uses the same deck of classification cards.
Team Development
See the Four Stages of Team Development instructions to review

information about the four stages of forming, storming, norming, and
performing. (For your convenience, we have duplicated this handout
from last month's PFP.)
Purpose
To rapidly recognize the behaviors, attitudes, thoughts, perceptions,

expectations, problems, and strategies associated with the four stages
of team development.
Participants
Two. Larger groups may be divided into pairs to play the game in a
parallel fashion. If an odd player is left out, the facilitator can play the
game with this person.
Time
5 - 10 minutes. The game may be replayed several times to

determine the winner of a match.
Supplies
How To Play GINNY Handout. This handout summarizes the rules of the
game. Make a copy for each player.
Four Stages of Team Development Handout. This handout summarizes

Tuckman's model. Make a copy for each player.
Feedback Table. This table is used for settling disputes during the
game. The table lists each card number and the correct team-
development stage (or stages) associated with it. Make a copy for each
player.
A deck of GROWING A TEAM Cards. This deck contains 99 cards. Prepare

your own deck by typing the numbers and statements from this list on
your own cards. (See below if you don't have the patience to do this.)
[Table of Contents]
Handout 1
How To Play GINNY

(All words in italics are defined in the glossary.)
Deal the cards. Deal nine cards to each player, one card at a time.
Deal the next card (the 19th card) face up on the table. This is the
upcard. Place the rest of the deck face down. This becomes the stock.
Assemble Sets. The object of the game is to assemble at least one

set of each of the following types:
• A suit set that contains three or more cards of the same suit.
• A rank set that contains three or more cards of the same rank.
A set may have up to six cards. A player may also assemble three
sets, each with three cards. In this case, the third set may be a suit
set or a rank set. Any card that does not belong to a set is a
deadwood.
Make the first move. The nondealer begins by picking up either the
upcard or the top card of the stock (which is face down). After adding
this card to her hand, this player discards a card face up on top of the
upcard.
Repeat the procedure. The other player now picks up a card (either
the upcard or the top card of the stock) and discards a card.
Continue the game. Players take turns to repeat the procedure,

trying to assemble the required sets. At the end of each round, the
player's hand contains nine cards.
Go out. Whenever a player has assembled the required sets and

wants to conclude the game, she goes out after picking a card during
her turn and placing the discard face down on top of the current
upcard. She then places her hand (with the cards arranged in sets)
face up on the table. The other player also reveals her hand.
Win the game. The players check out both hands. The player who
went out wins the game if her hand contains no deadwood. If it
contains deadwood, then the number of her deadwood cards is
compared with the number of deadwood cards in her opponent's hand.
In this case, whoever has fewer deadwood cards wins the game. (So it
is possible for the player who goes out to lose the game if the other
player has a better hand.)
Strategy
Reduce deadwood. Remember that you may lose the game even if
are the first player to go out with the two required sets. This will
happen if you have more deadwood cards than your opponent. To
reduce this probability, keep adding cards to your two sets (by
collecting cards of the same rank or suit). Alternatively, you may
create a third set (either a suit set or a rank set) of three cards.
Optional Rules
Using the Feedback Table. Permit beginning players to refer to the

Feedback Table whenever they want. However, wean them from the
use of this cheat sheet as soon as possible to help them make
decisions on their own and become more fluent about the four stages
(suits).
Break the tie. In the rare occasion when both you and your opponent
have the two required sets and equal number of deadwood cards, use
this rule: The player who has the card with the lowest number (in the
sets or deadwood cards) wins the game.
Penalty. Advanced players should play without referring to the

Feedback Table. At the end of the game, use the Feedback Table to
make sure that all cards in the suit set belong to the same suit. If they
don't, this player loses the game and the other player wins by default.
Glossary
Dealer. At the beginning of the game, one of players shuffles the deck
and distributes the cards one at a time. This player is the dealer. When
more than one game is played, players alternate being the dealer.
Discard. Removing a card from your hand and placing it, face up, on
top of the upcard. This card becomes the new upcard.
Hand. The set of nine cards that each player has at the beginning and
end of their turn.
Nondealer. The person who is not the dealer for this game.
Number. One of the three attributes of a card. This is the complete

value of the number printed on top of the card. (See also Rank and
Suit.)
Rank. One of the three attributes of a card. The rank of the card is the
last digit (units digit) of its number. Card ranks range from 0 to 9.
Example: The rank of card 27 is 7. Cards with the numbers 18, 38, 88,
and 118 all have the same rank of 8. (See also Suit and Number.)
Stock. Cards that are not dealt at the beginning of the game.
Suit. One of the three attributes of a card. The suit is the category to
which the printed item on the card belongs. Example: Forming (See
also Rank and Number.)
What Card Is That?
Every playing card in the GROWING A TEAM deck has three attributes:
rank, suit, and number.
Here's a sample playing card from the GROWING A TEAM deck:
The number of the card is the complete number on the card. The
number of the sample card is 48.
The rank of the card is the last digit of the number on the card. The
rank of the sample card is 8, which is the last digit of 48.
The suit of the card is the stage of the team development process
associated with the statement on the card. This is not directly printed
on the card; you must read the statement and decide which suit it
belongs to. This sample card belongs to the forming suit because the
statement belongs to the forming stage.
It is easy to determine the rank of a playing card: Just ignore the first
digit of the card. So 12, 22, 32, 42, 52, 62, 72, 82, and 92 all have the
same rank (that is, 2). Ranks run from 0 (the lowest) to 9 (the
highest).
It takes some effort to determine the suit of a GROWING A TEAM card.

Read the statement on the card, analyze it, and classify it correctly.
Some statements may describe more than one stage of team

development. These playing cards belong to more than one suit. When
you play one of these cards, you choose the suit to which the card
belongs.
[Table of Contents]
Handout 2
Four Stages of Team Development

In 1965 B. W. Tuckman, who had been studying the behavior of small
groups, published a model that suggests that all teams go through
four distinct stages in their development:
Forming. The first stage in a team's development is forming. During

this stage, the team members are unsure about what they are doing.
Their focus is on understanding the team's goal and their role. They
worry about whether the other team members will accept them. Team
members frequently look for clarification from their leader.
Storming. The second stage in a team's development is storming.

During this stage, the team members try to get organized. This stage
is marked by conflict among the members and between the members
and the leader. Through this conflict, the team attempts to define
itself.
Norming. The third stage in a team's development is norming. This

stage follows storming, after the team members have succeeded in
resolving their conflicts. They now feel more secure with one another
and with their leader. They effectively negotiate the structure of the
team and the division of labor.
Performing. The fourth stage in a team's development is performing.

During this stage the team members behave in a mature fashion and
focus on accomplishing their goals. This stage is marked by direct,
two-way communication among the team members.
[Table of Contents]
Handout 3
Feedback Table
Card. Suit Card. Suit Card. Suit Card. Suit Card. Suit
1. P 21. F 41. P 61. S 81. F

2. N 22. P 42. F 62. N 82. P
3. N 23. S 43. S, N 63. F, S 83. P
4. P 24. S 44. S 64. S 84. N, P
5. F 25. N 45. N 65. F 85. P
6. P 26. N 46. N, P 66. N 86. F, S
7. F 27. P 47. P 67. F 87. P
8. P 28. S 48. F 68. P 88. P
9. F 29. N 49. S 69. P 89. N
10. S 30. S 50. F 70. P 90. F
11. S 31. S 51. P 71. P 91. S
12. N, P 32. S 52. P 72. F 92. S
13. F 33. N 53. S 73. N 93. F, S
14. P 34. F 54. F 74. P 94. P
15. F 35. N 55. P 75. N 95. F
16. N 36. N, P 56. F 76. P 96. S
17. P 37. F 57. F 77. N 97. P
18. F 38. N, P 58. P 78. P 98. N, P
19. F 39. N, P 59. S 79. F 99. N
20. N 40. N 60. P 80. N, P
[Table of Contents]
Facilitator Job Aid
Card Numbers and Items

1. All members participate in all team activities.
2. Disagreements become more civilized and less divisive.
3. Feeling of us-them increases.
4. Ground rules become second nature to team members.
5. If there is a formal leader, team members tend to obey him or
her.
6. Leadership is shared among different members.
7. Cautious
8. Leadership role is rotated among appropriate members.
9. Members are anxious and suspicious of the task ahead.
10.Challenging
11.Members are more committed to their sub-groups than to the
team as a whole.
12.Members are more friendly toward each other.
13.Members are not committed to the group's goal.
14.Collaborating
15.Conversation is polite and tentative.
16.Each team member decides what his or her role should be.
17.Everyone begins to experience success.
18.Members are not fully committed to the team goal.
19.Members are proud to be chosen for the team.
20.Members are relieved that things are progressing smoothly.
21.Everyone is wondering, “Why are we here?”
22.Members are satisfied about the team's progress.
23.Members argue with each other—even when they agree on the
basic issues.
24.Everyone wants to have his or her say.
25.Facilitator encourages team members to critique their behaviors.
26.Members attempt to figure out their roles and functions.
27.Members begin to enjoy team activities.
28.Facilitator encourages team members to discuss their negative
feelings.
29.Facilitator helps team members uncover and discuss hidden
agendas.
30.Members challenge, evaluate, and destroy ideas.
31.Members choose sides.
32.Members compete with each other.
33.Facilitator points out violations of ground rules and helps team
members revise the ground rules, if appropriate.
34.Facilitator uses an icebreaker to help team members to get
acquainted with each other.
35.Members deal with each other with greater confidence.
36.Members develop great loyalty to the team.
37.Members don't have enough information to trust each other.
38.Members feel comfortable about their roles in the team.
39.Members feel confident about disagreeing with each other.
40.Team members decide on the appropriate level of risk taking.
41.Members feel empowered. They take initiative without checking
with the leader.
42.Members feel excitement, anticipation, and optimism.
43.Members form subgroups that get into conflicts.
44.Members freely ask questions and express their frustrations.
45.Members have a better idea of whom to trust and whom to
distrust.
46.Members have a realistic sense of trust based on their
experiences with each other.
47.Members have clear understanding of the strengths and
weaknesses of each other.
48.Members take a “wait-and-see” approach.
49.Members tend to avoid the tasks and argue about ground rules.
50.Members tend to be polite to each other.
51.Members tend to become complacent.
52.Members understand the team processes.
53.Members' feelings and attitudes keep fluctuating.
54.Most conversations are to and from the team leader.
55.Most discussions are about getting the task done.
56.Most discussions are shallow.
57.No ground rules established. Members depend on their previous
team experiences to decide how to behave.
58.Regular team meetings are replaced by a variety of as-needed
communications.
59.Several conflicts develop.
60.Some members become bored with the routine and begin
looking for new challenges.
61.Some members demonstrate passive resistance.
62.Team members decide who should do what.
63.Some members dominate team discussions.
64.Some members still dominate team discussions.
65.Team members depend on the facilitator to explain what is going
on.
66.Team members experience this stage after storming and before
performing.
67.Status of members inside the team is based on their status
outside.
68.Team activities become more informal.
69.Team becomes creative in accomplishing its goal.
70.Team begins celebrating its success.
71.Team begins to receive payoffs.
72.Team members feel frustrated.
73.Team members list their ground rules on a flip chart.
74.Team demonstrates greatest levels of flexibility.
75.Team establishes ground rules for interactions among the
members.
76.Team generates solutions that are acceptable to all members.
77.Team members negotiate with each other to decide how the
team should be structured.
78.Team members participate in a balanced and supportive fashion.
79.Team goal is unclear.
80.Team ground rules are clearly established.
81.Team holds abstract discussions of concepts and issues.
82.Team is able to prevent potential problems.
83.Team members share the leadership role.
84.Team members trust each other more because they have
established clear guidelines for interaction.
85.Team is likely to suffer from groupthink and lack of objective
evaluation.
86.Team is not very productive.
87.Team members are committed to the goal and to the task.
88.Team members are more natural and less self-conscious in their
interactions.
89.Team members attempt to understand their goal and task.
90.Team members complain about organizational barriers.
91.Team members disagree and argue with each other.
92.Team members disagree with the leader.
93.Team members don't participate fully.
94.Team members resolve conflicts easily.
95.Team members seek clear guidance.
96.Team members talk and argue with each other.
97.Team spends more time on task and very little time on ground
rules.
98.The team becomes increasingly productive.
99.The team has a better understanding of the goal, but still needs
guidance.
Don't Want To Prepare Your Own Deck of Cards?
We will sell you a deck of ready-made printed cards with team-

development items, along with the Feedback Table. Currently selling
for $18, we will give you a 50 percent discount of $9 and throw in free
shipment (for USA orders only)! Order your decks through our secure
online store.
Featured Activity
GIVE AND TAKE

This is one of those activities that look more complicated in print than
they are in reality. Just to give you an orientation, here is a brief
summary of the activity:
After agreeing on a common goal, each team member writes down

three items that she expects from each of the other team members.
Without discussing these items, each team member now writes down
three items that she wants to give to each of the other members.
Team members organize these items into a Give and Take Matrix and
negotiate their roles and responsibilities to achieve a perfect score.
Purpose
To clarify roles and responsibilities of each team member in their joint

effort to achieve a common goal.
Participants
3 to 10 members of an intact team. (If there are more than 10

members in the team, you are probably going to face coordination
problems. So consider reducing the size of your team.)
Time
30 minutes to 3 hours. The actual time requirement depends on the

number of team members and how well they understand each other's
roles and responsibilities.
Supplies
• Pads of sticky notepaper (Post-It® notes) in two different colors

• Flip chart
• Calculator (to compute scores and percentages)
Flow
Here are the steps for conducting this activity. To illustrate each step, I
have included (in italics) activities from a recent meeting of the Zurich
Conference Team.
Specify a common goal. Ask team members to discuss their goal to

ensure that they have a shared mental picture. Encourage team
members to discuss the quality standards related to this goal.
Eric, Heidi, Peter, Sam, and Thiagi meet to play GIVE AND TAKE. They
begin the activity by reminding themselves that the team's goal is to
design a brochure for next year's international intercultural conference
in Zurich. They discuss the criteria for ensuring that the brochure will
be professional looking, easy to read, and convenient to use.
Introduce Take List. Give each team member a pad of green-colored

sticky notepaper. Explain that they are going to create a Take List that
specifies what each team member needs to take from each of the
other team members to help achieve the goal. Ask each participant to
write her name on top of the notepaper followed by the phrase “takes
from ____”, filling in the name of another team member.
Each of the five members of the team prepares four Take Lists, one for
each of the other members. For example, Eric prepares these four
lists:
• Eric takes from Heidi …

• Eric takes from Peter …
• Eric takes from Sam …
• Eric takes from Thiagi …
Prepare Take Lists. Ask each team member to list three items that
she needs from each of the other team member (whose name is
specified in each Take List) in order to ensure that the team achieves
its goal. Ask each person to work independently, without talking to the
others.
Here are some examples of Eric's Take Lists:
Eric takes from Sam
• A list of items to be included on the front cover of the

brochure
• Edited descriptions of eight different workshops
• Final list of items to be included in the registration form.
Eric takes from Heidi
• Information about the conference hotel

• Suggestions for the design of the brochure cover
• Timely approval of the layout for the brochure
Collect the Take Lists. After a suitable pause, gather the Take Lists
from each team member, making sure that there is a list for every
other team member. Put these lists aside without reading them.
Since there were five members in the team and since each person
wrote four Take Lists, the team produces a total of 20 Take Lists.
Introduce Give Lists. Give each team member a pad of yellow-

colored sticky notepaper. Explain that they are going to create Give
Lists that are the opposites of the Take Lists. The Give List specifies
what each team member will give to each of the other team members
to help achieve the common goal. Ask each person to write her name
on top followed by the phrase “gives to ____”, filling in the name of
another team member.
Each of the five members of the team create four Give Lists, one for
each of the other members. For example, Eric prepared these four
lists:
• Eric gives to Heidi …

• Eric gives to Peter …
• Eric gives to Sam …
• Eric gives to Thiagi …
Prepare Give Lists. Ask each team member to write a list of three
items that she will give to each of the other team members in order to
help the team achieve its goal. As before, ask each person to work
independently, without talking to the others.
Here are some examples:
Eric gives to Sam
• Specifications for the brochure

• Sample layout of a typical workshop description
• Three alternative formats for the Conference Registration
Form
Eric gives to Heidi
• A blank form for listing information about the hotel

• Three sample cover designs
• Copy of the outline, along with specific requests for feedback
Prepare the Give and Take Matrix. While team members are busy
writing their Give Lists, draw a matrix on the flip chart and label each
column and each row with the names of the team members, in the
same order. Ignore the diagonal cells with the name of the same
person as the label for both the column and the row. Notice that each
of the other cells of the matrix is identified with a name for the column
and a different name for the row.
Here is the matrix for the Zurich conference program team:
Eric Heidi Peter Sam Thiagi

Eric
Heidi
Peter
Sam
Thiagi
Post the Take Lists on the matrix. Organize the Take Lists that you
collected earlier by the name of the person that appears as the first
word in each list. Work through each column of the matrix and stick
each list (with its three items) on the top half of each cell.
Here's the matrix with the Take Lists placed in the correct cells. Notice
that the diagonal cells (with the same person's name for both the
column and the row) are blank:

Heidi takes Peter takes Sam takes Thiagi takes
Eric from Eric … from Eric … from Eric … from Eric …
Eric takes
Peter takes Sam takes Thiagi takes
from Heidi
Heidi from Heidi … from Heidi … from Heidi …
…
Eric takes Sam takes

Heidi takes Thiagi takes
from Peter from Peter
Peter from Peter … from Peter …
… …
Eric takes Heidi takes Peter takes Thiagi takes

Sam from Sam … from Sam … from Sam … from Sam …
Eric takes Heidi takes Peter takes Sam takes
from Thiagi from Thiagi from Thiagi from Thiagi
Thiagi
… … … …
Collect and organize Give Lists. After a suitable pause, gather the
Give Lists from each team member, making sure that there is a list for
every other team member. Work through each row of the matrix and
stick each note (with its three items) on the lower half of the
appropriate cell.
This is what the matrix looks like at this juncture:

Heidi takes Peter takes Sam takes Thiagi takes
from Eric … from Eric … from Eric … from Eric …
Eric
Eric gives Eric gives Eric gives Eric gives
Heidi … Peter … Sam … Thiagi …
Eric takes
Peter takes Sam takes Thiagi takes
from Heidi
from Heidi … from Heidi … from Heidi …
…
Heidi
Heidi gives Heidi gives Heidi gives
Heidi gives
Peter … Sam … Thiagi …
Eric …
Eric takes Sam takes
Heidi takes Thiagi takes
from Peter from Peter
from Peter … from Peter …
… …
Peter
Peter gives Peter gives
Peter gives Peter gives
Heidi … Thiagi …
Eric … Sam …
Eric takes Heidi takes Peter takes Thiagi takes
from Sam … from Sam … from Sam … from Sam …
Sam
Sam gives Sam gives Sam gives Sam gives
Eric … Heidi … Peter … Thiagi …
Eric takes Heidi takes Peter takes Sam takes
from Thiagi from Thiagi from Thiagi from Thiagi
… … … …
Thiagi
Thiagi gives Thiagi gives Thiagi gives Thiagi gives
Eric … Heidi … Peter … Sam …
Score the matrix. Inform participants that you are going to analyze
the matrix and discuss ways to improve the teamwork. Explain that
each cell in the matrix can earn a maximum score of 3 points if the
items in the Take List are the same as the items in the Give List. If the
actual score for the matrix is the same as the maximum possible
score, all team members share the same mental map of how they
should interact with each other. With the help of participants, go
through each cell in the matrix and write down the scores. Add the
scores and compare this total with the maximum possible total score.
Discuss the difference.
The Zurich conference team matrix yielded a total score of 27. Since
there were 20 cells in the total matrix (ignoring the five blank cells),
the maximum total score is 60. The actual total score of 27 is 45
percent of the maximum indicating there is plenty of room for
improvement!
Compute and discuss empathy scores of individual team

members. Work through each row and add the scores of all cells in
that row. This total indicates the correlation between what the team
member is willing to give the others and what the others want from
her. If the total score for a row is the same as the maximum possible
score, this team member has a high level of empathy since she is
giving to the other team members exactly what they want from her.
In the Zurich conference team matrix, Heidi received the highest

empathy score of 5. Since the maximum score for the row is 12,
Heidi's level of empathy was slightly less than 50 percent. The other
team members scored lower, with Sam scoring a dismal 16 percent.
Discuss ways to move toward a perfect score. Debrief the activity

by working through each cell in the matrix. Ask the two members
associated with the cell to explain what they want from each other and
what they are willing to give each other. Invite other team members to
facilitate this discussion. Emphasize the fact that all team members
should focus on achieving the common goal. Based on these
discussions, revise the Take and Give items on each cell to achieve a
perfect score for the matrix.
The Zurich team needed more than an hour of heated discussion

before each team member's expectations and commitments were
aligned to each other. Although the discussion was exhausting,
everyone ended up feeling positive about the shared understanding.
Variations
In the preceding discussion, we explored how GIVE AND TAKE can be

used to help team members to get their act together. Here are a
couple of other applications of this activity.
Cross-Cultural Communication. We use this version with teams

whose members come from different cultures. We conduct the GIVE AND
TAKE activity in its original form, except we ask each team member to
prepare a list of three cultural values that affect their teamwork. (Each
team member prepares only one list.) We then ask each team member
to prepare a cultural-values list for each of the other participants
based on their previous knowledge of this culture. We create a matrix
similar to the Give and Take Matrix, except the top half of each cell
contains identical items for each column. We then score the matrix and
discuss important cultural values and stereotypes.
Cross-Functional Collaboration. Recently, one of our high-tech

client organizations decided to introduce a new workflow procedure for
designing, producing, and marketing new integrated-circuit chips. The
new procedure required close collaboration among different divisions
of the organization. As a part of introducing the new procedure, we
conducted orientation sessions for groups of 30 employees. We
conducted GIVE AND TAKE with groups of participants instead of
individuals. We organized the participants into five groups according to
the division that they represented: Marketing, Product Engineering,
Product Validation, Configuration Management, and Customer Support.
Some groups had fewer members than the others, but this did not
affect the activity. We asked each group to come up with a list of
requirements from each of the other four groups and another list of
what they planned to provide to each of the other groups. We
organized these lists in a Give and Take Matrix as in the original
activity. We then scored the matrix and discussed ways for improving
collaboration among different functional divisions to ensure more
effective implementation of the new procedure.
GLOSSARY: A Framegame for Reviewing Concepts

Remember the DICTIONARY game in which the players try to fool the
others with their fictional definitions of esoteric words? Here's a
version of the game for reviewing technical terms from your workshop.
You can play GLOSSARY with any number of people from 3 to 30. With
up to 6 people, play this as an individual game. With 6-30 people,
divide them into three or more teams of approximately equal numbers.
The game description that follows is for the individual version. You
should have no difficulty modifying it for the team version.
Each round of this game requires 3 minutes. Play at least three

rounds.
Select a technical term (for example, performance gap). Distribute

index cards to all players. Give 2 minutes for each player to write
down a definition of the term, imitating the textbook definition that
would be found in a the glossary section of a technical manual. Ask the
players to put their initials on their definition cards. While the players
are busy, copy the official glossary entry from the technical manual.
After 2 minutes, collect everyone's definition cards. Mix the official

card with the others, shuffle them, and read one card at a time. Ask
the players to try to identify the official definition from the technical
manual.
Read each card again. After reading the card, ask players if anyone
thinks it is the official card. Write down the number of players selecting
each card.
This is how the scoring goes:
• Each card receives as many points as the number of players

who thought it was the official card. These points belong to
the player who wrote the card.
• Also, each player loses a point for being fooled by an

unofficial card.
• Finally, players who chose the official card receive an extra

point.
Play the game for a prespecified number of rounds. Use a different

technical term for each round. For example, I used these terms for the
next five rounds: internal customer, input standards, process map,
metric, and root cause.
At the end of the last round, the player with the highest score is the
winner.
GLOSSARY forces individuals and teams to review the critical features

of various technical concepts. You can apply it to any technical subject-
matter area.
Featured Activity
Each issue of Play for Performance features a ready-to-play interactive, experiential

activity. We provide complete instructions, debriefing suggestions, and reproducible
master pages for the field-tested activity.
THE GRID
Here's a structured activity that encourages introspection and increased self awareness.
You can "play" THE GRID by yourself by following the instructions, taking care not to
read ahead before completing each task. You can also facilitate someone else through the
activity by giving these instructions while the other person follows them.
Work through THE GRID before helping others to use it. You may be able to use this
activity as a closing exercise in many of your training programs by limiting and relating
the scope to your objectives.
PURPOSE
• To examine personal likes and dislikes.

• To come up with a personal plan for attaining valuable outcomes, cherishing
existing outcomes, preventing undesirable outcomes, and accepting things beyond
your control.
PARTICIPANTS
This is primarily an individual activity. However, you can conduct the activity with large
groups of participants by asking them to work individually, without interacting with each
other.
TIME
30 - 45 minutes
SUPPLIES
A copy of the grid for each participant. To create the grid, fold a piece of paper in half
and then fold it in half again in the other direction. Open the folded paper and lightly
number the four quadrants thus:
4 1
3 2
FLOW
Write different items in each of the four quadrants.
• In Quadrant 1, write a list of "things" that you want and you currently have. For
example, I have a laptop computer that I like. I also have a sense of humor and a
few nice friends.
• In Quadrant 2, write a list of "things" that you want but currently you don't
have. For example, I want a complete collection of all Agatha Christie mysteries,
a reliable doctor, and a trip to Western Australia.
• In Quadrant 3, write a list of "things" that you don't want and you currently
don't have but people in your situation seem to have. For example, some of my
age cohorts have several extra pounds and some of my fellow trainers have a great
need to lecture.
• In Quadrant 4, write a list of unpleasant "things" that you don't want but you
currently do have. I have cataract in my left eye and a habit of making sarcastic
comments that hurt other people.
You can write anything that pops into your mind, as long as you write it in the
appropriate quadrant.
So start writing. Stop when you feel that have run out of steam.
Don't read the next section until you have completed this task.
Enhancements
Did you really complete the task of writing items in the four quadrants before reading this
section? If you did not, that's okay. Your behavior merely indicates that you are dyslexic
or incapable of following directions or capable of making up your own rules.
Review the following list of Thought Triggers. See if these categories suggest more items
that you can add to your grid:
• People
• Objects
• Books
• Activities
• Attitudes
• Beliefs
• Celebrations
• Climate
• Mentors
• Competencies
• Competition
• Consultants
• Peers
• Crises
• Customers
• Equipment
• Events
• Experience
• Facilities
• Furniture
• Location
• Managers
• Negative feelings
• Personality traits
• Physical abilities
• Positive feelings
• Previous history
• Professional reputation
• Rejection
• Acceptance
• Relationships
• Skills
• Strengths
• Supervisors
• Tools
• Values
• Weaknesses
• Work environment
• Work relationships
Add more items to the grid as suggested by these thought triggers.

Do this before reading the next section.
Debriefing
Think back on what you did earlier in completing your grid.
I am going to ask you a series of questions. Think of the answers (you don't have to write
them down or share them with anyone else) and figure out what they suggest about you.
Process Check
• Did you enjoy the process or did it make you uncomfortable?
• Do you enjoy or dislike thinking about yourself?
• Did you feel calm and centered or hassled and distracted?
• Did you work in a systematic manner or did you jump around among different
quadrants?
• Did you work at the same pace or did you work fast some times and slow down at
other times?
• Were you self conscious about what you were doing or did you feel detached as if
you are analyzing someone else?
• Were you conscious of the time or did you totally forget it?
• Do you know how much time you spent on this activity? Was it more time than
you anticipated? Or less time?
• Did the thought triggers suggest more items than your earlier set of items? Or did
they add only a few more?
Content Check
• Which items came to you quickly and spontaneously? Which items did you have
to drag out slowly?
• Which quadrants have more items and which ones have fewer?
• Which items have you been thinking frequently throughout your life? Which
items appeared from nowhere?
• Which items are about you and which ones are about others?
• Which items are about people and which ones are about objects?
Paired Comparisons
• Compare the number, significance, and type of items on the right ("want") side
and the left ("don't want") side of the grid. What does this tell you about your
comparative focus on positive and negative aspects?
• Compare the number, significance, and type of items on the top ("have") half and
the bottom ("don't have") half of the grid. What does this tell you about your
comparative focus on current status and future status?
• Compare the number, significance, and type of items on the two diagonal
quadrants 1 and 3 with the other diagonal quadrants (2 and 4). What does this tell
you about your comparative inclination toward optimism and pessimism?
Think about the grid. Add more items whenever you feel like it.
Please proceed with the next section of debriefing only after you have done this.
More Debriefing
So what implications does your grid have for future action? Here are some suggestions
for you to think about. Feel free to write down the action items.
Quadrant 1
Review the items on the first quadrant. These are items that you want and have. Take one
item at a time and think about the following action steps:
• Cherish this item. Are you enjoying this item as much as you should?
• Avoid taking it for granted. Guard against its loss. Do maintenance activities to
keep it at the current level.
• Avoid a feeling of letdown. Sometimes when people strive hard and achieve an
item, they go through a feeling of letdown. Do you still have the same positive
feeling that you had when you recently acquired or achieved this item?
• Leverage this item. Add items to the quadrant below to help you fully utilize,
exploit, and market this item.
• Share this item. Give it to others without any strings attached. You will enjoy the
item more and gain some important things.
• Be ready for potential loss. Sooner or later, in spite of your best efforts, you may
lose this item. Are you ready to cope with this loss?
Quadrant 2
Review the items in the second quadrant. These are items that you want but currently
don't have. Take one item at a time and think about the following action steps:
• Plan. What steps should you undertake to acquire or achieve this item?
• Explore. You may come up with a systematic plan to achieve this item. But
perhaps there are also some intuitive approaches for doing this.
• Sacrifice. You may not be able to move an item up from this quadrant without
moving something down from the first quadrant. Think about what you have to
sacrifice.
• Evaluate. Conduct a cost-benefit analysis: How much time and effort do you
have to spend to obtain this item? What potential benefits are you likely to get
from this item? Is the cost worth the benefit?
• Avoid obsession. Don't become so focused on what you don't have that you don't
have time to enjoy what you already have.
• Ask for advice. Other people may give you useful suggestions, but remember you
are unique and your learning and working style may be different from those of
others.
Quadrant 3
Review the items in the third quadrant. These are items that you don't want and don't
have--but there is a chance that you may get them. Take one item at a time and think
about the following action steps:
• Prevent. Identify and take appropriate precautions to prevent yourself from

acquiring this item.
• Avoid brooding. Don't spend so much time and energy on preventive measures,
anxiety, and worry that you forget to have fun in the other quadrants.
• Remember your choices. Sometimes, all you have to do is to simply say "No" to
this item.
• Avoid denial. You cannot avoid this item by denying possibilities and pretending
that it will not affect you.
• Invest. Spend the necessary time and energy to safeguard your future from this
item.
Quadrant 4
Review the items in the fourth quadrant. These are items that you have -- but don't want.
Take one item at a time and think about the following action steps:
• Remove. If it is within your control, do whatever is needed to get rid of the thing
that you dislike. Add an opposite item to the second quadrant.
• Reduce the impact. Do what it is needed to make sure that this item does not
drag you down.
• Compensate with technology. Use suitable tools to help you minimize the
impact of this item.
• Accept reality. If you cannot change this item, accept it with wisdom and
maturity.
• Stop feeling guilty. Avoid blaming yourself for your past behavior. It is time to
move on.
• Take time to grieve. If a new item appears in this area, give yourself time to
accept it.
Additional Suggestions
Here are some additional thoughts about THE GRID as a self-assessment tool:
• Keep adding items. Throughout this day, this week, and this lifetime -- keep
adding items to the grid.
• Retirement scenario. Try a time-travel activity. Imagine that you are retiring
from your professional career. What would the items in the grid look like?
• Role-playing. Pretend you are your manager or your mother. How would she or
he fill out the grid for you? How would your significant other fill out this grid for
you?
• Narrow the scope. Take one specific aspect of your life such as your career as a
consultant. Complete the grid with items that are relevant to only this aspect.
Review the items and come up with an action plan.
• Happy Birthday! Fill out the grid on the eve of your birthday. Review the
differences between last year's grid and this year's. Are you headed in the right
direction?
May the items on your grid keep moving toward the top right. However, may new items
keep popping up all around the grid to keep your life exciting.
GUT TALK
Most employees are trained to control and hide their emotions and
behave in a professional fashion. However, professionals have
emotions too. These feelings and emotions are critical components of
many conversations. As Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, and Sheila Heen
point out in their brilliant book, Difficult Conversations (published by
Viking) unexpressed emotions leak into conversations, take a toll out
of our self-esteem and relationships, and make it difficult for us to
listen to what the other person is saying.
Purpose
To effectively express appropriate feelings and emotions in
professional conversations with another person.
Participants
Any number
Time
60 - 90 minutes
Supplies
• Copies of GUT TALK Checklist
• Sets of role cards (instructions for five different roles)
• Felt pens
• Timer
• Whistle
Preparation
List of scenarios. Review the GUT TALK Checklist and the list of
sample scenarios. If you want to, prepare your own scenarios that
are locally relevant. However, don't make them so close to real
incidents and people that they may arouse conflicting reactions. To
specify your scenario, all you need is a one-or-two-sentence
description so participants can personalize it with their own
experiences and preferences.
Demonstration roleplay. Select one of the scenarios and prepare a

roleplay to demonstrate the application of the checklist items to the
situation. If possible, record a roleplay with a friend (playing the role
of a listener) on videotape. If you prefer, rehearse the roleplay with
a co-facilitator so that you can perform it "live" during the play
session.
Room Setup
Arrange chairs in clusters of five. You don't need tables for this
activity.
Flow
Present the framework. Briefly discuss the costs associated with
both suppressing and expressing feelings and emotions in the
workplace. When a person decides that it is worth clearing the air by
expressing feelings in a specific situation, he or she should clearly
identify these feelings and analyze them. The roleplay activity that you
are planning to conduct can help the person effectively express his or
her emotions without becoming emotional.
Discuss the GUT TALK Checklist. Distribute copies of the checklist

to each participant. Explain that the six items in the checklist are
recommendations for expressing feelings. Pause briefly while
participants review the checklist items. Invite questions and comments
and discuss them.
Demonstrate appropriate behaviors. Inform participants that they

will be roleplaying in the ensuing exercise. Briefly introduce the sample
scenario. Play the videotaped demonstration or roleplay the situation
with your co-facilitator. If you don't have a videotape or a co-facilitator,
ask for a volunteer. Assign the role of the listener to this person,
assume the role of a speaker, and conduct the demonstration roleplay.
Form groups. Divide participants into groups of five to seven. Five is

preferable to six or seven. However, try to keep different groups
roughly the same size.
Assign roles. Give a packet of five role cards to each group and ask
each participant to take one. If there are more five people in a group,
ask the observer to share the card with one or two of the others
without cards. Explain that the ensuing activity will involve three
minutes each of preparation, roleplaying, and debriefing. Explain that
each role card contains instructions on what to do before, during, and
after the roleplay. Pause briefly while participants review their role
cards.
Specify the scenario. Briefly describe the situation in which the

roleplay is to take place. Use your own scenario or one from the list.
Explain that the speaker and his or her coach will make up any
additional details and assumptions as needed.
Begin the preparation activities. Ask players and coaches to find

each other and get ready for the roleplay according to the instructions
on the cards. If the groups have more than five members, ask
observers to find each other (within each group) and decide who will
observe which checklist item during the roleplay. During the
preparation time, supply blank pieces of paper and felt pens to the
coaches and briefly review how to use them.
Begin the roleplay. After 3 minutes, blow the whistle and instruct
participants to take their positions: In each group, the speaker and the
listener are seated facing each other. The speaker's coach stands
behind the listener and the listener's coach stands behind the speaker
so that they can hold up the coaching cards without distracting the
other person. The observer (or observers) is seated in front of the
roleplayers. Ask the speakers at each group to begin the roleplay.
Monitor the roleplay. Float around the roleplay groups, observing

and noting down interesting actions and comments--without
interfering with the roleplay. Your co-facilitator should also be doing
the same thing.
Conduct in-group debriefing. After 3 minutes, blow the whistle to

stop the roleplay. Explain that the members of each group will give
feedback only to the speaker (because we are focusing on this
person's behavior). Each group member will take turns to make one
positive comment about the speaker's behavior and suggest one
change for the speaker to consider. Emphasize that each person is
limited to just two brief statements and these statements should relate
the speaker's behavior to the checklist items. Ask the participants to
follow the sequence specified in their role cards: observer (or
observers), speaker's coach, listener's coach, listener, and the speaker.
Ask the observer in each group to get the debriefing started. People
who have later turns should avoid the "others-have-already-said-what-
I-wanted-to-say" ploy and make a new statement even if it is of a
lower priority.
Conduct general debriefing. After 3 minutes, get the attention of all

participants from different groups and provide some general feedback
based on what you (and your co-facilitator) observed during the earlier
roleplay. Then briefly discuss participants' insights about different
checklist items.
Change role assignments. Within each group, ask each participant

to pass the role card to the next person so that the speaker becomes
the listener, the listener becomes the speaker's coach, the speaker's
coach becomes the observer, the observer becomes the listener's
coach, and the listener's coach becomes the new speaker.
Repeat the procedure. Present a new scenario and ask participants

to repeat the roleplay procedure with 3 minutes each of preparation,
roleplay, and debriefing. At the end of each round, conduct a general
debriefing, change role assignments, and start a new round.
Conclude the activity. At the end of the final round, announce the
conclusion of the activity. Suggest that each participant think of a
situation where he or she can actually use the approach outlined in the
GUT TALK Checklist. Pause for about 30 minutes while participants
complete a rapid action plan by identifying a suitable situation and
writing down some notes.
GUT TALK Checklist

1. Explain why you want to express your emotions and ask for
the other person's permission to do so.
2. Specify all the different feelings you have. Don't focus on

just one negative feeling.
3. Don't blame or judge the other person.
4. Own your feelings. Make "I feel..." statements rather than

"You make me..." statements.
5. Listen to the other person's responses.
Speaker Role Card

Before the roleplay
• Work with your coach.
• Think about the situation. Add appropriate details.
• Examine different feelings related to the situation.
• Use the checklist and prepare an outline of what you are

going to say.
• Identify specific areas for your coach to remind you.
During the roleplay
• Express your feelings clearly.
• Modify your actions and statements based on your coach's

prompts.
After the roleplay
• Wait until everyone has given his or her feedback.
• Identify the one most positive thing that you did or said
during the roleplay.
• Identify one most important thing that you would change

during similar situations in the future.
Speaker's Coach Role Card

Before the roleplay
• Work with the speaker.
• Help the speaker think about the situation and add

appropriate details.
• Help the speaker examine different feelings related to the

situation.
• Help the speaker use the checklist and prepare an outline of

what he or she is going to say.
• Identify specific areas that the speaker wants you to remind

him or her.
During the roleplay
• Observe the speaker's behaviors and listen to his or her

statements.
• Compare these behaviors and statements to the original plan

and to the checklist items.
• Write simple prompts on a piece of paper and hold them up

for the speaker to see.
After the roleplay
• Wait until the observers have given their feedback.

• Identify the one most positive thing that the speaker did
during the roleplay.
• Suggest the one most important change that you would like
the speaker to consider during similar situations in the
future.
Listener Role Card

Before the roleplay
• Work with your coach.
• Think about the situation.
• With your coach's help, plan how to react to the emotional

statements of the speaker.
• Plan realistic and plausible reactions to the speaker's

statements.
During the roleplay
• Listen to the speaker's statements.
• React in a realistic fashion.
• Modify your reactions based on your coach's prompts.
After the roleplay
• Wait until you coach has given his or her feedback to the
speaker.
• Identify the one most positive thing that the speaker did or
said during the roleplay.
future.
Listener's Coach Role Card

Before the roleplay
• Work with the listener.
• Help the listener think about the situation.
• Help the listener plan how to react naturally to the emotional

statements of the speaker.
During the roleplay
• Observe the listener's reactions.
• Write simple prompts on a piece of paper and hold them up

for the speaker to see.
After the roleplay
• Wait until the speaker's coach has his or her feedback.
• Identify the one most positive thing that the speaker (not
the listener) did during the roleplay.
future.
Observer Role Card

Before the roleplay
• Work with other observers, if any.
• Review the checklist and decide what behaviors to observe

related to each item on the checklist.
• Divide the checklist items among all observers (if there are
others).
During the roleplay
• Observe the speaker's behavior and listen to his or her

statements.
• Take notes on behaviors and statements associated with
each checklist item.
• If there are other observers, focus on the items assigned to

you.
After the roleplay
• Give feedback to the speaker, based on your observations. If

there are other observers, wait for your turn in the sequence
of checklist items.
• Identify the one most positive thing that the speaker did (or
said) during the roleplay.
future.
Scenarios
Both your parents are facing major medical problems. You are not sure
if you should ask for a leave of absence.
Even though employees in your corporation have been assured of job

security, several of your friends have been downsized.
You are excited about a major project assigned to you, but you are not
sure if you have the experience and expertise to handle it.
You are having great difficulty making an appointment to meet your

manager.
You contributed a lot to the successful completion of the project. But

your name is not even mentioned in the final project.
You feel that the company has not given you enough freedom to use
your talents.
You feel that your manager is making promotion decisions based on

the 360 feedback given by your co-workers. You are convinced that
one of them is trying to sabotage your promotion.
You want to tell your mentor how grateful you are. But you are worried
she may think that you are flattering her.
Your budget is reduced by 10 percent--and no other budget is affected.
Your co-worker has failed to deliver a critical report to you on time.

Now your report is going to be delayed.
Your manager has been making disparaging remarks about you while
talking to other managers.
Your manager keeps forgetting previous assignments given to you and

keeps giving you more and more assignments.
Simulation Game
HARVEST
by Dennis Meadows
In the 1980s I created FISHBANKS, LTD, a 2-hour, computer-assisted role
playing game that teaches key ideas about the sustainable
management of renewable resources. Thousands of sets are in use in
at least 15 countries. But there has been demand for a simpler, faster
version that does not require a computer. So I created the following
exercise, which I call HARVEST. Some features of this exercise were
originated and used by others, long before I came along. But the
exercise described below has unique characteristics for which I am
responsible. It is in the public domain, and it may be copied and
adapted by anyone for any purpose. It would not be correct to give me
full credit for this game. I do not know its parentage. I am describing
here a very simple version intended for children. But you'll see it could
be modified by replacing the candy with money or poker chips. Then it
would work as well for adults. A slightly more complex version of
HARVEST, based on teams, is described in the Systems Thinking
Playbook.
Supplies
To run the game you need one medium-sized bowl, a whistle or bell,
and 150 - 200 pieces of candy.
Participants
The game may be run for groups of from 3 to 15.
Player Instructions
Here is a bowl with 50 pieces of candy in it.
In just a moment I will blow my whistle to start the first round. Then
all of you will have 5 seconds to take from the bowl as many pieces of
candy as you wish to or are able to grab.
After 5 seconds I will blow my whistle again, and you must stop.
After you stop, I will count how many pieces of candy are left in the
bowl, and I will double them or bring the total up to 50, whichever
requires fewer pieces of candy. So, for example, if you left 35 pieces
in the bowl, I would add 15, making the total for the next round 50. If
you left 20 pieces in the bowl, I would add 20.
After I have added the required number of pieces of candy, I'll give
you a few moments to consider your strategy, and then I'll blow the
whistle again to start the second round. In that round each of you will
once again have 5 seconds to take as many pieces as you wish to or
are able to grab.
After 5 seconds, I'll stop the round, count the candy, add the
necessary pieces, and give you few moments to consider your
strategy. Then I'll blow the whistle for the third round.
We will continue in this way for several cycles.
Your goal is to get as much candy for yourself as you can.
Facilitator Notes
I usually try to blow the whistle for the first round before they have a
chance to talk about a common strategy. But after that, if they ask
about the possibility of talking together, I say they should do whatever
they feel will let them maximize the amount of candy they can get. If
they ask how many rounds will be played, just say, “We'll do this for
awhile, until I decide to stop.”
Debrief
One key issue in the game is the choice between collaboration and
competition. Collaboration requires joint decision making, coordination,
and trust. It is useful to get the participants to share their thoughts,
observations, and strategies on this choice and to discuss where and
how this choice confronts them in real life.
The game introduces a concept analogous to “Maximum Sustainable

Yield” in a renewable resource system. If the participants take the
candy to zero, you do not add any more for the subsequent rounds.
But blow the whistle anyway for several more rounds, so they can
experience intensely the frustration of going to an empty bowl. If they
do not take any candy, leaving it at 50, you also do not add any. By
taking enough candy in each round that the bowl is left with 25 pieces,
the participants can maximize the amount that you must add each
round.
Of course, over the long term, they cannot take out on a sustainable
basis more than you put in. You can draw a graph to make this clearer.
On the horizontal axis is “Number of pieces at the end of the round”
ranging from 0 to 50. On the vertical axis is “Number of pieces added”
ranging from 0 to 25. The data curve has the shape of a equilateral
triangle with its peak at the point (25,25). Engage them in discussions
about where this kind of regeneration confronts them in real life. The
relation to fisheries, forests, and ground water is obvious. The game
also makes points about softer resources, like faith in government.
Metaphorical Simulation Game
In our June contest, we invited PFP readers to design a variation of

Tic-Tac-Toe that will keep adult players intrigued and challenged. The
winning entry, coincidentally, is from this month's guest gamer!
HEADS AND TAILS: Beyond Tic-Tac-Toe

by Les Lauber
This Tic-Tac-Toe variant challenges adult players by forcing them to
trade off tactical gains for strategic advantage, find balance between
aggressive play and thoughtful resource conservation, and bluff.
Instead of taking alternate turns, players bid for the right to place their
marker on the grid, but when they win the bid their available cash
resources are diminished.
Purpose
To explore how individuals use resources to accomplish a task.
Time
15 minutes
Participants
Two. You can divide a larger group into pairs to play the game. See
variations for team versions.
Supplies
• 51¢ for each player, in these denominations: 1 quarter, 1 dime, 2

nickels, 6 pennies
• A Tic-Tac-Toe grid
• Blank paper slips or index cards for each player
Flow
Explain the Game. Present these two important points to the players,
using your own words:
• You will not use X's and O's to mark your plays on the tic-
tac-toe grid. Instead, you will use your coins to mark the grid.
One of you will be the “Heads” player and will place coins heads-
up on the grid. The other will be the “Tails” player who will place
coins tails-up on the grid.
• You will not take turns to move. One of you may get to place
several coins in a row before the other player gets to place a
coin on the grid.
Conduct the Bidding Round. Both players take a blank slip and write
a bid on it. The bid must be at least 1¢ but no more than the amount
of money they currently have.
Reveal the Bids. Both players ante up with one penny. They then
reveal their bids. The player who bid the highest amount takes back
the penny. The penny from the other player (who bid the lower
amount) is discarded from the game.
Rebid if necessary. If the players tie, they rebid until one player wins
the Bidding Round. The original ante maintains until the bidding round
is over: players do not need to ante up more than once in any round.
Place the Coin. The player who won the bid places the highest value
coin involved in the winning bid on the grid. It is not allowable to say
“My winning bid of twelve cents was two nickels and two pennies”,
unless the player's dime has already been played onto the grid. The
balance of the bid remains with the player for use during the next
round.
Conduct the Next Bidding Round. The player who lost the first bid
now has a pot worth 50¢ (the ante was not returned). This player may
therefore only bid up to 50¢ in the second round. The player who won
the first bid now has an amount reduced in value by the largest coin
used in that bid. (Example: If the player winning the first bidding
round played a dime, that player has only 41¢ available for bid,
including the ante that was returned.)
Continue the Game. The sequence of bidding and placing coins

continues until one player has placed three coins in a row or the game
has reached a tie.
Debriefing
Ask the players how their strategies and tactics changed during the
game as they lost or won bidding rounds. Discuss the game experience
with these types of questions:
• How did you react to losing or being reimbursed your antes?

• What were your reactions to the way you used your resources
(the coins)?
• In what way does this game reflect experiences in the
workplace?
• What analogies can you draw between what happens in this
game and what happens in your organization?
• What will you do differently in balancing strategies, tactics, and
resources in your jobs as a result of what you have discovered
here?
Variations
Auction Bids. Instead of a secret bidding round, one player opens

with a bid, the other makes a response. The opening player may then
bid again or allow the second player to win the bidding round. This
continues until one player wins the bidding round.
Best of 3. This variation focuses on balancing a long-term strategy

against immediate tactics. The players start with 3 quarters, 3 dimes,
6 nickels, and 16 pennies. They play three games; the player winning
two of the three games wins the match. (If they tie, the player with
the larger balance wins.) Money played on the grid or lost in the ante
phase may not be carried to the next game.
Teamwork. Two teams of 5-7 people each determine the amount to

bid and where to place the coins by consensus.
Hierarchy and Bureaucracy. Each team is organized into a bidding

group (2-3 members), a placing group (2-3 members), and a
manager. The bidding group may not talk to the placing group. The
Manager approves all decisions, and may alter them at will. The
manager may transfer members between teams, or remove members
altogether, at will.
HELLO!
Purpose:
To collect background information about the participants.
Time:
15 to 30 minutes.
Participants:
At least 10.
Supplies:
• Flipcharts or blank transparencies
• Timer
• Whistle
Preliminaries. Before the workshop, figure out what types of

information you want. In order of priority, here is a sample list for a
workshop on simulation games: participants' needs, participants' jobs,
simulation gaming experience, attitude toward simulation gaming,
reason for attending the workshop, and preferred mode of learning.
Team Formation. At the start of the workshop, divide the participants

into as many teams as there are categories of information you want.
Assign each team to a different topic.
Planning Session. Ask the teams to retire to convenient corners and

spend 3 minutes devising a strategy for efficiently collecting the
information from all participants. Warn everyone that the total time for
collecting all the data will be only 3 minutes.
Data Collection. Announce the beginning of the data collection

period. Ask the teams to collect the data (using whatever strategies
they devised earlier) within the next 3 minutes. Step back to avoid
being trampled in the hectic rush to interview each other.
Summarizing Data. After 3 minutes, call time. Ask the teams to

retire to their corners, process the data, and produce a summary
report on a transparency or a poster.
Presenting Results. After 3 minutes, announce the start of the show-

and-tell period. Call on teams in a random order and give each team a
minute to make its presentation.
Variations:
Too many people? Assign the same topic to different teams.
Not enough time? Suggest that teams sample representative

participants rather than attempting to interview everybody.
Too much time? Conduct a preliminary brainstorming activity to
identify relevant areas of information to be collected. Ask teams to
design a questionnaire before collecting the data.
Too late? Use the game as an end-of-workshop activity. Here are

some suggested topics: the best feature of the workshop, the worst
feature of the workshop, the most useful skill learned, plans for
using the skill, and suggestions for improving the workshop. Use the
same frame, but call your game GOODBYE!
Framegame
HIGH SCORE
by Steve Sugar
Here's a multi-purpose review game that can be used to follow up a
reading assignment, a training video, or a lecture presentation.
Purpose
To help participants to recall critical information from the training

content.
Participants
Two or more, divided into pairs. If you have an odd number of

participants, have the extra person “pair up” with you.
Time
15-45 minutes
Supplies
• Mini-tests. Prepare five mini-test sheets, each set with five

review questions that require short answers
• Timer
• Whistle
Flow
Form pairs. Pair up participants and ask members of each pair to sit
next to each other.
Explain the procedure. Use your own words to present this

information:
• There will be five mini-tests, conducted one after the other. Each
test will contain five questions to be answered in 3 minutes.
• Each participant will take the mini-test individually and write the
answers on the test sheet.
• At the end of a mini-test, participants in each pair will exchange
their test sheets with each other.
• You will announce the correct answers to each question.
Participants will mark each other's answer paper.
• After marking all five answers, participants will compare their
test sheets. If both have correctly answered an equal number of
questions, each participant will score 1 point. If one participant
has more correct answers, then he or she will score 2 points and
the other participant will not get any points.
Conduct the first round. Distribute the first mini-test, face down.
Ask participants to turn over the test sheet and begin writing the
answers. Blow the whistle at the end of 3 minutes to announce the end
of the first mini-test. Ask participants to switch the test sheets with
the other member of the pair. Go over the correct answers to each
question and ask participants to score the test sheets. After the fifth
answer, ask each pair to compare the number of correct answers and
award scores depending on whether or not both participants had the
same number of correct answers.
Repeat the procedure. Conduct four more mini-tests.
Conclude the activity. Identify participants with the highest score

and declare them to be the winners. Ask participants for disputes
about the correctness of any answers. Discuss the topic to correct any
misconceptions.
Jolt
How Fast Can You Solve It?

During recent months, we have been exploring the use of crossword
puzzles in training sessions. Refer back to the April issue of PFP to read
about a dozen uses of crossword puzzles and a review of a software
program for creating your own crossword puzzles. Here's a brief jolt
that incorporates a crossword puzzle.
Purpose
To explore our tendency to compare our performance with the

performances of others. To discuss the impact of such comparisons on
our self esteem.
Basic concept
Players race to be the first one to solve a crossword puzzle. What they
don't know is that there are two sets of clues for the same puzzle and
a few of the players are struggling with the difficult clues while the
others are breezing through the easy ones.
Here's the easy clue for the puzzle word cat: “An animal that says
‘Meow.’” Here's the difficult clue for the same word: “Feline mammal.”
Players
Any number. Best game involves 10 to 30 players.
Time
20 minutes (7 minutes for the play of the game and 13 minutes for
debriefing).
Supplies
• One copy of a crossword puzzle for each player

• Timer
• Whistle
Preparation
Make copies of the crossword puzzle. Make one copy of the

difficult version (4KB PDF) for every tenth player. Make copies of the
easy version (4KB PDF) for the other nine players. Mix up these copies
so that the difficult versions are given to random players.
Flow
Brief the players. Explain to them that this activity is designed to

explore the impact of positive self talk and concentration on players'
performance speed. Players will be racing to be the first one to solve
the crossword puzzle. Ask players to put themselves in a positive
frame of mind and to concentrate on solving the puzzle without being
distracted by others. Also instruct players to stand up as soon as they
have solved the entire puzzle.
Distribute crossword puzzles. Give everyone a copy of the puzzle

without paying too much attention to who receives the difficult version.
Start the timer and ask players to rapidly solve the puzzle.
Recognize fast solvers. As players stand up one by one to indicate

that they have solved the puzzle, announce the time they took and
congratulate them.
Stop the activity. When the majority of players have solved the
puzzle, blow the whistle and ask everyone to stop solving the puzzle.
Congratulate the players who are standing up and ask them to sit
down.
Read the solution. Ask everyone to check their answers as you read
them. Read these answers (without reading any clues):
1 across: cat
2 across: ship
5 across: three
6 across: bed
7 across: ball
8 across: run
9 across: house
11 across: green
12 across: year
1 down: cash
3 down: Hamburger
4 down: meeting
5 down: tea
7 down: book
10 down: sky
Point out that there are 15 words in the puzzle and so a perfect score
will be 15 points. Ask players to count the number of correct words
and write down the score.
Begin a debriefing discussion. Encourage players to discuss these

questions:
• How do you think the first players to solve the puzzle feel about
their performance?
• How do you think the players who did not solve the entire puzzle
feel about their performance?
• How do you think the first players to solve the puzzle feel about
those who did not solve the entire puzzle?
• How do you think those who did not solve the entire puzzle feel
about those who did?
• What is the impact of other players' performance on your self
image?
• If you enjoy solving crossword puzzles, would that fact have
reduced or increased the impact of other players' performance?
Reveal the secret about two versions of clues. Explain that a few
players received a difficult set of clues. Ask players to read the easy
and difficult versions of clues for the same words.
Continue the debriefing. Ask questions similar to these and

encourage discussions:
• How do you think the first players to solve the puzzle now feel
about their performance?
• How do you think the players who did not solve the entire puzzle
feel about their performance?
• How did the knowledge of the two sets of clues affect your self
image?
• How do players' behaviors and feelings reflect similar behaviors
and feelings in the workplace?
• Did your self image suffer damage in the workplace just because
you were slower than your co-workers?
• What is the workplace equivalent of receiving easy and difficult
clues?
• What if the first player to solve the puzzle received a cash prize?
How would that have impacted other players' feelings?
• What if I never revealed the secret about the two versions of the
clues? How would this have affected your self image?
• What if only one player received the difficult set of clues and
everyone else finished solving their puzzles?
• What if we had teams solve the puzzle and one team had the
difficult set of clues and the other teams had the easy ones?
How would this have affected the unity among team members?
Summarize major insights from the debriefing discussions. Ask

players how they would apply their new insights to their workplace
performance.
Structured Sharing
How Much Do You Weigh?

Every culture has taboos against asking certain types of questions. For
example, in most cultures, you never ask people for their age or their
salaries.
Sometimes, however, you may need personal data from the

participants to facilitate meaningful discussion. For example, in a
recent meeting of consultants, we wanted to find out the average daily
rate that we charged our clients. Here is the playful strategy that we
used for data collection without violating anyone's privacy. All you
need is a calculator.
• One of the participants secretly punches in a four-digit number

in the calculator, presses the + key, and passes the calculator to
the next participant. The first participant must remember the
four-digit number. I recommend easy-to-recall numbers such as
the first four digits of the participant's telephone number.
• The next participant enters the daily rate that she charges the
clients, presses the + key, and passes the calculator to the next
participant. The display will show the total of the earlier
numbers. However, since nobody knows the first number, the
second participant's daily rate is kept confidential.
• The activity is repeated with each participant entering her daily
rate, pressing the + key, and passing the calculator to the next
participant.
• When everyone has entered the data, the first participant enters
her daily rate, and subtracts the original four-digit number. The
display now shows the total daily rate. Divide this total by the
number of participants to find the average daily rate. This piece
of information provides a reliable base for further discussion of
daily rates.
We have used this activity in different situations. For example, we used

it in a weight-control program to find our average weight without
embarrassing anyone. We used a modified version of this technique to
find the average attitude of a focus group toward affirmative action.
We punched in numbers on a 10-point scale with 1 indicating total
agreement and 10 indicating total disagreement with the basic idea.
I'M A ....
Here's a fast-paced activity to highlight different cultural variables.
Ask participants to complete this sentence:
I am a(n) _______________ .
After they have done this, ask them to complete the same sentence 10
different ways.
Ask each person to place his or her list (written side down) on a table
and pick up some else's.
Debrief by calling out various categories and asking for examples from
different lists.
Here are some suggested categories:
• activity level (couch potato)
• age (senior citizen)
• association membership (Mensa member)
• astrological sign (Aries)
• belief (pro-life proponent)
• birth order (first born)
• ethnicity (hispanic)
• family type (person from a large family)
• gender (woman)
• interests (mystery-story reader)
• language (Spanish speaker)
• marital status (divorced woman)
• national origin (African)
• national politics (Democrat)
• organization (IBM employee)
• personal characteristic (impatient person)
• personality type (introvert)
• physical characteristic (tall person)
• political ideology (capitalist)
• profession (trainer)
• professional approach (behaviorist)
• race (Caucasian)
• region (Southerner)
• religion (Roman Catholic)
• socioeconomic status (yuppie)
• thinking style (analytical)
• tribe (Kpelle)
Stress the main learning point that there are more dimensions of
difference than race or national origin.
Featured Activity
IMPROVED SOLUTIONS
You can improve any solution by objectively reviewing its strengths and
weaknesses and making suitable adjustments. In this creativity framegame,
you improve the solutions to several problems. To maintain objective
detachment, you deal with a different problem during each of six rounds and
assume different roles (problem owner, consultant, basher, booster, enhancer,
and evaluator) during each round. At the conclusion of the activity, each
player ends up with two solutions to her problem.
Purpose
To identify problems, to generate solutions, and to improve the solutions.
Learning Outcomes
• Generate ideas for dealing with briefly-described problems.
• Evaluate strengths and weaknesses of a solution.
• Improve the potential value of a solution.
• Compare the potential value of two different solutions for handling the
same problem.
Participants
Six or more. Ten to 15 players produce the best results.

Time
30 minutes to 2 hours. (Six rounds, each lasting about 5 - 20 minutes,

depending on the complexity of the problem)
Flow
Brief players. Explain that the game will consist of six rounds and announce
time allocation for each round. Indicate that players will specify a problem in
the first round and let go of it during the subsequent rounds while they are
busy with other problems and solutions.
Ask for problems. Select a topical area (example: cross-cultural

communication) and ask players to come up with a real or fictional problem
in that area that they would like to solve. Ask each player to describe the
problem by briefly answering the following questions:
• Who owns the problem?
• What is the context for the problem?
• Who are the key people involved in the problem?
• What is the gap between the desired state and the current state?
Announce a time limit for completing this task.
Let me illustrate the steps of this activity by reproducing one of the problem
statements from a recent play of the game: “My name is Russ Powell, and I
am the Director of Customer Service at a Financial Services organization.
Sam, one of the four team leaders who work for me, presents a performance
problem. When we recently collected feedback data using a 360°
questionnaire, six out of ten members of Sam's team rated his
communication style as unacceptable. All these six employees are women.
(The four male members of the team rated Sam's communication style as
acceptable.) I have also heard complaints about Sam's rude behavior from
women employees in other teams. My performance goal for Sam is that all
members of his team, irrespective of the member's sex, rate his
communication style as acceptable.”
Ask for solutions. At the end of the time limit, ask each player to give her
problem description to the next player. (The last player gives her problem
statement to the first player to complete this sequence.) Tell players that
they will play the role of a creativity consultant during this round. Explain the
task by asking players to review the problem description (generated by the
previous player) and write a suitable solution. Encourage players to keep the
suggested solution brief and specific. Discourage them from using such
delaying tactics as asking for additional data or suggesting further analysis of
the problem. Announce a time limit for completing this task.
Here's the solution suggested by the next player: “Send Sam to a training
workshop on cross-gender communications that focuses on skills related to
communicating with women. Also ask Sam to read popular books on gender
differences.”
Ask for critiques. At the end of the time limit, ask each player to rotate her
solution and the problem description to the next player as before. Tell players
that they will play the role of a cynical basher during this round. As the
basher, each player reviews the problem and the suggested solution. She
identifies the weaknesses, limitations, and negative consequences of the
solution and records them in a short critique. Encourage players to ignore all
positive aspects of the solution, accentuate the negative, and avoid
suggesting specific changes to the solution. Announce a time limit for
completing this task.
This is the critique from the next player: “The suggested solution assumes
that Sam has a skill/knowledge problem. It is more likely that his problem is
primarily attitudinal, arising out of a need to maintain a macho image. Sam
will perceive the training workshop as a punishment and a challenge. In
Sam's perception, he probably wants to treat all employees the same,
irrespective of their gender. So he may treat the suggestion as an example
of politically-correct management behavior. Anyhow, most workshops on this
topic merely increase players' awareness levels and don't provide any useful
skills. These workshops are of a generic nature and examples used in them
are likely to be irrelevant to the specific needs of Sam's organization.
Combining the workshop with reading assignments is likely to add to Sam's
frustration and irritation. Most pop-psychology books in this field are written
by charlatans without any empirical basis. Principles and procedures
presented in these books are likely to contradict each other and contradict
what is taught in the training workshop.”
Ask for testimonials. At the end of the time limit, ask each player to rotate
the packet of three items (problem, solution, and critique) to the next player
as before. Tell players that they will play the role of a booster during this
round. As a booster, each player reviews the problem, the solution, and the
critique. She identifies the strengths, virtues, and positive consequences of
the suggestion and records them in the form of a short testimonial. The
booster is asked to overlook all negative aspects of the solution and to avoid
suggesting any specific changes. Announce a time limit for completing the
task.
This is the testimonial from the next player: “I like the double-barreled
approach: a training workshop and popular books. There are many effective
performance-based workshops that can increase Sam's level of awareness
about the impact of his communication style on women. Such a workshop
will also provide useful knowledge about differences in communication styles
between men and women. Most importantly, the workshop will provide skills
practice though low-risk role-playing. There are many popular books that are
both research-based and practical. Some of these books have been on best-
seller lists, suggesting high perceived value.”
Ask for improved solutions. At the end of the time limit, each player
rotates the packet of four items (problem, solution, critique, and testimonial)
to the next player as before. Tell each player that she will play the role of an
enhancer. In this role, she will review the problem, solution, critique, and
testimonial and suggest an improved solution to the original problem.
Announce a time limit for completing this task.
Here's the improved solution from the next player: “Have a coaching
conversation with Sam, presenting a business case and a personal case for
reducing complaints from women employees. Establish a mutual and
measurable goal related to cross-gender communication skills. Let Sam work
out details of how he will reach the goal and demonstrate his achievement.
Offer a menu of several appropriate strategies including training workshops,
books, counseling from the Employee Assistance Program, and discussion
with his team members. Assure Sam of your support but explain negative
consequences of continued complaints from women employees.”
Ask for comparative scores. At the end of the time limit, instruct each
player to rotate these three items to the next player: problem, original
suggestion, and improved solution. (Withhold the critique and testimonial.)
The two solutions should be shuffled a few times before being handed over to
the next player so that there is no indication which one is the original and
which one is the enhanced version. Tell each player that she will play the role
of an evaluator. In this role, she will compare the two solutions and distribute
99 points between them to reflect their relative effectiveness. Announce a
time limit for completing this task.
The next player awarded a score of 34 points for the original solution
(training workshop plus books) and 65 points for enhanced solution
(coaching and other support).
Conclude the activity. Tabulate the scores from different players, by

recording the scores for the original solution and the enhanced solution. Give
each pair of solutions to the player who wrote the original problem
description associated with them. Invite players to review the two solutions
to their problem and use them as the basis for arriving at their own solution.
Also ask players to reflect on the six different roles (problem owner,
consultant, basher, booster, enhancer, and evaluator) they played during the
game and think about what they learned in each role. Suggest that they
should be able to objectively play all six roles the next time they solve their
own problem.
Variations
Lots of players? If you have 12 or more players, organize them into six
teams of 2 to 5 members. Use the same procedure as described above,
except require members of each team to work together to create a single
problem, solution, critique, testimonial, improved solution, and comparative
scores.
Not enough time? Skip the first step. Instead of asking players to describe
a problem, give each player (or each team) a ready-made problem that you
had created earlier. Also skip the last step that requires evaluating and
awarding score points.
Not enough time for a single session? Spread the activity over six
different sessions. Exchange the information packets during each session,
give instructions for the next step, and let participants complete their task at
their own time.
Textra Game
INDIVIDUALS AND TEAMS

I used this textra game in a recent workshop to explore the concept of textra
games. The following description includes my handout (An Introduction to
Textra Games) and a multiple-choice test (on the content of the handout).
You may not be interested in this specific topic (unless you are conducting a
“train-the-trainer” session). But you can use this frame to create versions of
INDIVIDUALS AND TEAMS that incorporate handouts and tests on your own training
topics.
Key Idea
Taking a test twice is used as a learning strategy: Participants read a handout

on the training topic and take a short test. Later, they take the same test
again, this time working with other members of a team.
Index Tags
Textra game. Handouts. Tests. Teamwork.

Purpose
To identify key features of textra games and describe a few typical examples
of this type of game.
Participants
Minimum: 4
Maximum: 100 or more
Best: 12 to 30
Time Requirement
30 minutes for the game described below.
The actual time required for textra games on other topics will depend on the
length and complexity of the reading assignment.
Handouts
• An Introduction to Textra Games (one copy for each participant).
• Textra Games Posttest (one copy for each participant. Later, one copy
for each team.)
• Answer key for the test (one copy for each participant)
Flow
Read the handout. Distribute copies of the handout. Explain that

participants will have 8 minutes to study the handout and take notes. At the
end of the study period, there will be a test. During the test, participants are
not permitted to refer to the handout or their notes. Start the time and ask
participants to begin reading the handout.
Take the test (individually). After 8 minutes, blow the whistle. Take back
copies of the handouts and any notes from the participants. Distribute copies
of the test. Explain that participants will have 6 minutes to select and circle
the best response for each multiple-choice test item. Start the timer and ask
participants to begin working on the test.
Take the test (in teams). Blow the whistle at the end of 6 minutes. Ask
participants to write a four digit number on the top right corner of the test
(and remember this number). Collect the test papers from all participants.
Organize participants into two or more teams, each with two to seven
members. Distribute a new copy of the test for each team. Ask teams to
jointly take the test by discussing each item and selecting the best
alternative. Encourage team members to announce their choices, explain
their reasons, and conduct a logical discussion whenever there is a
disagreement about the best choice. Start the timer.
Score team test responses. After 8 minutes, blow the whistle to announce
the end of the team test period. Ask teams to switch their test papers.
Distribute copies of the answer key (the test with the correct answers
circled), one to each participant. Ask teams to score the other team's test.
Score individual test responses. Blow the whistle and each team to
announce the score. Identify the team (or teams) whose test received the
highest score and congratulate them. Redistribute the individual test papers
that you had collected earlier, one test per participant. Ask each participant
to score the test she received by using the scoring key.
Debrief. Blow the whistle and announce the participant (or participants)
whose test received the highest score. Congratulate these participants. Start
a discussion about the test items that were difficult, confusing, or unclear.
Adjustments
Longer reading assignment? Assign the reading as a homework activity.

Conduct the individual and team tests in the classroom.
Don't like multiple-choice test items? Use a set of short-answer

questions instead. Make sure that all questions have a single correct answer.
Test too easy? The effectiveness of this approach depends on using

questions that require higher levels of thinking. So spend appropriate effort
in constructing a fairly difficult test.
INDIVIDUALS AND TEAMS Game Plan
1. Read the Distribute copies of the handout. Read the handout

handout. Explain that there will be a test. carefully.
(8 minutes)
2. Take the test Take back the handouts. Distribute Take the test
individually. copies of the test. individually.
(5 minutes)
3. Take the test Take back the test papers. Organize Work with other team
in teams. participants into teams. Distribute a members and respond to
(7 minutes) new copy of the test for each team. the test items.
Ask teams to jointly take the test.
4. Score team Ask teams to switch their test Working as a team,

test responses. papers. Distribute the answer key. score the test responses
(3 minutes) Ask teams to score the tests. from another team.
5. Score Identify and congratulate the Score individual test

individual test highest scoring team. Distribute responses.
responses. individual test sheets. Ask
(3 minutes) participants to score the test
responses.
6. Debrief. Identify the highest-scoring Participate in the

(3 minutes) individual. Discuss test items that discussion.
were confusing.
[Table of Contents]
Handout 2
An Introduction to Textra Games

A textra game combines the effective organization of written materials with
the motivational impact of playful activities. Players begin by completing a
reading assignment before participating in a game that uses peer support
(and peer pressure) to encourage transfer and application of what they read.
Sample Textra Games
EACH TEACH. This textra game is appropriate for teaching step-by-step

procedures. Prepare a set of handouts to describe each step. Distribute a
single handout to each participant so equal numbers of participants receive
each handout. Ask participants to read the handout and master the step
explained in it. After a suitable period of study time, organize participants
into teams so each member of the team has mastered one of the different
steps in the procedure. Give several practice exercises and ask team
members to cooperate with each other to complete the task. Later, ask team
members to teach their steps to each other so everyone masters all the steps
in the procedure.
LEARNING TEAM. Divide the reading assignment into convenient sections and
prepare a set of short-answer questions for each section. Organize the
participants into teams and ask them to study the first section of the
handout. Encourage team members to coach each other and get ready for a
quiz game. Assign all participants to different contest groups so that each
group has a representative from each team. Use the short-answer questions
and conduct a quiz game among the contestants in each group. At the end of
the contest, send the players back to their original teams to combine the
score points earned by each member. Repeat the procedure of cooperative
learning and competitive contests with each section of the handout. The
team with the most combined score points wins the game.
MINING THE LIBRARY. Collect several books on the same topic. Ask participants to
select and read one of the books, looking for six immediately-applicable
techniques. After a suitable pause, ask each participant to find a partner and
share the practical techniques. Now ask each pair to team up with another
pair. Ask each member of this team of four to explain the six ideas from her
partner. Finally, ask each team of four to select the most practical technique
and present it to the entire group.
RIP OFF. This is a textra game for exploring the broad cultural aspects of a
country. Obtain copies of English-language newsmagazines (or newspapers)
from the target country. Separate them into individual pages and distribute
two or three pages to each participant. Ask participants to review the pages
and write down salient cultural characteristics reflected in the news items,
articles, and advertisements. Participants should write these characteristics
on index cards, one item per card. After a suitable pause, collect the cards
from all participants. Organize the participants into teams and give each
team equal-sized piles of cards. Now ask the teams to organize the cards into
suitable clusters and identify the most salient cultural characteristics of the
country. Compare the lists of characteristics generated by different teams.
Advantages and Cautions
You can plug in existing handouts, reprints, articles, and books into the
framework of a textra game to create an instant training activity. Textra
games combine the effective organization and independent study of text
materials with the peer support and team learning of games. Different types
of textra games can be used for achieving different types of instructional
objectives. However, don't use these games to compensate for sloppy writing
and don't use review questions that emphasize mindless recall of
meaningless facts.
[Table of Contents]
Handout 3
Textra Games Posttest

1. A textra game is a combination of ____
A. reading and writing
B. written materials and tests
C. games and discussions
D. text materials and games
2. EACH TEACH is most appropriate for teaching ____

A. factual information
B. step-by-step procedures
C. attitudes and values
D. concepts and principles
3. The game in a textra activity is used to provide ____

A. peer support
B. peer pressure
C. peer support and peer pressure
D. preparation for a test
4. In EACH TEACH, each student studies a handout that covers ____

A. all of the steps
B. half of the steps
C. two of the steps
D. one of the steps
5. In the beginning, participants in the EACH TEACH game ____

A. study a handout as a team
B. study a handout individually
C. complete a practice exercise as a team
D. complete a practice exercise individually
6. In EACH TEACH, students learn from _____
A. reading a handout and listening to other team members
B. only reading a handout
C. only listening to other team members
D. listening to a lecture from the instructor
7. In LEARNING TEAM, ____

A. different students independently study different sections of a
handout
B. different teams jointly study different sections of a handout
C. different students independently study all the sections of a handout
D. all teams jointly study all the sections of a handout
8. During the quiz game in LEARNING TEAM, each student plays with
____
A. members of other teams
B. members of his or her own team
C. winners of the previous contest
D. any opponent of his or her own choice
9. MINING THE LIBRARY requires ____

A. several books on different topics
B. several books on the same topic
C. a single book on a specific topic
D. no books
10.During the last round of MINING THE LIBRARY, each team presents to
the entire group ____
A. four ideas (one from each team member)
B. a single idea
C. six ideas from each team member
D. six ideas from the team
11.The RIP OFF textra game is used for exploring ____

A. movie reviews from a country
B. current literature from a country
C. cultural characteristics of a country
D. copyright violations
Recordings Framegame
INFLUENCING CO-WORKERS WITHOUT AUTHORITY

In the April issue of TGL, we presented a framegame called RECORDINGS. It
works this way:
• Distribute copies of a checklist and walk participants through the
items.
• Ask participants to conduct a roleplay that highlights key behaviors
from the checklist and produce an audio recording of the roleplay.
• Have a team evaluate different recorded roleplays and comment on
them.
• Add your own comments and conduct a debriefing discussion.
We invited TGL readers to try their hand at creating their own versions of the
RECORDINGS game. Dave Piltz, one of our loyal readers, sent a copy of the
following checklist that could be easily incorporated in the RECORDINGS frame.
Thanks, Dave, for sharing this effective checklist. (You may learn more about
Dave in the TGL interview published in the April issue.)
A Checklist for INFLUENCING CO-WORKERS WITHOUT AUTHORITY
1. Actively listen to uncover your co-worker's needs and wants.
2. Create a plan that meets the needs of your co-worker so anything she
does for you is outlined in the plan.
3. Present ideas as options and present more than one option at a time.
4. Allow your co-worker to choose an option that works best for her from
the list you generated.
5. Ask questions of your co-worker in regards to her work load and

commitments.
6. Create mutually acceptable options that meet deadlines.
7. Provide data to your co-worker that forms the basis of your request.
8. Empathize with your co-worker's stress and workload demands.
9. Ask your co-worker what priority she uses to determine the sequence
in which she works through different projects. Use this information
when presenting options so that they are aligned with your co-worker's
priorities.
10.Describe the benefits to your co-worker of completing the project or

task.
11.Empower your co-worker to make some of the decisions about the

project. Or create a mutually acceptable decision criterion that you
both use.
12.Ask your co-worker what the benefits are to her in working on the
project with you. Help her brainstorm if she is unable to describe any
benefits.
13.Create a sense of team pride for completing organizational goals

together.
14.Thank your co-worker for any help she is willing to provide. Continually
provide positive feedback for being a part of the team.
[Table of Contents]
Hint
A hint for the puzzle

The first four words of the first item are “A CLEAR AND EASILY”.
Back to the puzzle.
Opener
INTRO
At the beginning of my training workshops, I have been trying to avoid
the usual routine of everyone standing up and introducing herself.
However, participants have resisted this innovation and demanded the
traditional introductions. As a compromise, I have added an ending to
the usual ritual to let participants have it their way while I stay faithful
to my principle of interactivity in everything I do. This opening activity
rewards participants who pay attention to other people's introductions
instead of rehearsing what they are going to say.
Purpose
To encourage careful listening and accurate recall of information about

people.
Participants
Minimum: 6
Maximum: 30
Best: 10 to 20
Time
10-20 minutes, depending on the number of participants.
Flow
Briefing. Announce that you are going to start the session in the usual
fashion by asking everyone to take turns to stand up and briefly
introduce themselves. Explain that most participants do not pay too
much attention to these introductions. For a change, ask participants
to listen carefully to what other participants say about themselves.
Facilitate introductions. Ask the first person to stand up, clearly

state her name and briefly introduce herself. Ask other participants to
continue the activity by repeating this procedure. Once again, remind
participants to pay careful attention to the others.
Prepare quiz questions. Listen carefully and jot down a list of

questions related to content of participants' introductions. This is for
your benefit only and so you don't have to practice your best
penmanship. (But make sure that you can read your writing later.)
Each question should have a single correct answer. (Be sure to jot
down the answer also.) Here are some samples:
• Who is currently working as a Creative Director for a law firm?

• What is Leeva's last name?
• Which participant claims to have learned a lot of leadership skills
by working with her horse?
• Who has been a manager for more than 15 years?
You don't have to write down a question related to each participant.

However, you may want to write more than one question about the
same participant just to keep participants wide awake. You may have
to edit some of the earlier questions during later introductions to
ensure that there is only one correct answer.
Example:
• Who has been a manager for more than 15 years and recently
visited Shanghai?
Announce a contest. Ask participants to hide their name tags and

any other personal identification. Announce that you are going to
conduct a quiz contest. Ask everyone to grab a piece of paper and a
pen. Read your questions, one by one, and ask participants to write
down the answer. After a suitable pause following each question, give
the correct answer. Ask each participant to show her written answer to
her neighbor to get credit.
Determine the winner. After about a dozen questions, identify the

participant with the most correct answers. If there is more than one
participant with the highest “score” ask a few more tie-breaker
questions until you have singled out a winner. Lead a round of
applause for this participant.
Online Activity
KARMA
“Enjoy the moment” is a valid piece of advice. “Think of the future” is
another valid piece of advice. KARMA is a PC (that is, Playing Card)
simulation that gives you practice in choosing between these two
guidelines in making a series of decisions.
Purpose
To explore the impact of choosing to live in the moment or letting

future consequences determine your decisions.
Participants
Minimum: 2
Maximum: Any number
Best: 10 to 20
(Participants are divided into pairs.)
Time
15 to 30 minutes
Supplies
A set of 10 black playing cards (Ace through 10 of spades or clubs)

and 10 red playing cards (Ace through 10 of hearts or diamonds) for
each pair of players. (You can assemble two sets of these cards from a
standard deck of playing cards.)
Paper and pencil for keeping score.
Flow
Brief the participants. Demonstrate the rules of the game by playing

a sample game with a volunteer from the audience. Assume the role of
the dealer and let the volunteer make the decisions. Play the game
according to the rules as explained below.
Finding a partner. Ask each participant to find a partner. Give each

pair of partners a set of 10 black cards (the “hand”) and 10 red cards
(the “stock”). Select one player to be the dealer and the other player
to be the decisionmaker for the first round.
Explain the basic objective. Tell the participants that KARMA is

primarily a solitaire game that is played for 10 rounds. The object of
the game is to accumulate a high score by the end of the tenth round.
Explain that participants usually accumulate a score of about 30
points.
Conduct the first round. Ask the dealer to shuffle the hand and ask
the decisionmaker to take any card and turn it face up.
Reasonable enjoyment. If the card selected by the decisionmaker

has a value of 1 through 5 (counting Ace as 1), then this value is
recorded on the player's score sheet as the enjoyment score for the
first round.
Reckless enjoyment. If the card selected by the decisionmaker has a

value greater than 5, it is labeled a temptation card. The
decisionmaker has the choice of enjoying or resisting it.
• If she chooses to enjoy it, the value of the card is recorded on
the score sheet as the enjoyment score for the first round. In
this case, the dealer shuffles the stock, takes some red cards
from it, and inserts them, face down, in the hand of black cards.
The number of red cards depends upon the magnitude of
temptation: If the decisionmaker accepted a 6, one red card is
moved to the black hand. If she accepted a 7, two red cards, and
so on. (The number of red cards equals the value of the
temptation card minus five.)
• If the decisionmaker resists the temptation card, she does not
receive any enjoyment points for the round. No red cards are
moved to the hand of black cards.
Continue the game. Game continues in the same fashion. The value
of any black card less than six is added to the decisionmaker's
enjoyment score for the round. In the case of a temptation card, the
player has the choice of accepting it (which results in adding points to
the score and moving red cards from the stock to the hand) or
resisting it (which results in no addition of points to the score or red
cards to the hand). If there are not enough red cards remaining in the
stock, the player must resist during that round.
Deal with red cards. During any round, if the decisionmaker selects
a red card, its value is subtracted from the decisionmaker's current
total score.
Reflect on your past. During any round, the decisionmaker may

choose to reflect. This involves not picking any card but taking the
hand from the dealer, inspecting all of the cards, and removing any
one red card (which is put back in the stock of red cards). The
reflection move does not add to the enjoyment score but reduces the
likelihood of losing points during future rounds.
Conclude the game. Game ends after the tenth round. The
decisionmaker's total enjoyment score becomes her score for the
game.
Reverse roles. The decisionmaker of the first game becomes the

dealer for next game. The game is repeated as before.
Debriefing
To ensure that participants don't treat KARMA as mere recreational

activity but gain useful insights from it, conduct a debriefing session.
Use questions like these to structure the discussion:
• How does this game reflect your professional life?

• How does this game reflect your personal life?
• Does the second decisionmaker let the first player's score
influence her choices and her perception of the final score? Why
do you think this happens? How does this reflect the real world?
• When you came across your first temptation card, what did you
decide to do? Why?
• How would you have reacted if your score became negative?
• What was your decision during the last round? Did it differ
significantly from your behavior during earlier rounds?
• Did you ever reflect? What made you decide to reflect?
• Do you agree or disagree with the statement: Decisionmakers
play in a reckless fashion during the last round. They don't resist
temptations during this round.
• If the hand contains several red cards, are you likely to reflect or
to grow more reckless? Why?
Variations
No one to play with? You can play the game all by yourself by taking
on both roles of the dealer and the decisionmaker.
Don't have a deck of playing cards? Buy a deck (or several decks)
as soon as you can. In the meantime, you can play our automated
version on the computer by visiting http://thiagigroup.com/karma/ .
Structured Sharing
LEADERSHIP ADVICE FROM YOUR ROLE MODEL

Today, when I searched Amazon for books on leadership, I had to deal
with a potential list of 15,483 items. I am sure that this number will
swell tomorrow because writing and publishing books with leadership
advice is a growth industry.
This structured sharing activity provides a faster, cheaper, and better
alternative to buying and reading a lot of books: You tap into the
wisdom of the group—and of their role models.
Purpose
• To explore different pieces of advice on leadership styles,

characteristics, attitudes, behaviors, and skills.
• To identify and analyze similarities and differences among these
pieces of leadership advice.
Participants
Minimum: 5.
Maximum: 30.
Best: 10-20.
Time
At least 20 minutes. (Actual time requirement depends on the

number of participants and the depth of discussions.)
Supplies
• Index cards
• Whistle
Flow of the activity
Select a role model. Everyone has one or more ideal leaders whom
they have personally met or read about. Ask participants to
individually select a role model who has inspired them. This role model
could be a family member, a school teacher, a boss at work, a captain
of the industry, a political leader, a sports coach, a military genius, a
spiritual mentor, an inspiring writer, a fictional hero, or a prophetic
guide. Ask each participant have a clear mental picture of this leader.
Name the role model. Distribute index cards to each participant.

Have them write the name of the role model (example: Mother
Theresa) if other participants can recognize this leader. Otherwise, ask
participants to write a brief description of this role model (example:
my third-grade teacher). Pause while participants independently
complete this task.
Roleplay the role model. Ask participants to take on the role of the
role model they selected. Ask them to imagine that a young person is
asking this role model for leadership advice. Ask participants to write
on their index card one important piece of advice they would give (in
their assumed role) to this young person. The advice may be about
leadership styles, characteristics, attitudes, behaviors, or skills.
Encourage participants to limit themselves to one or two short
sentences. Pause while participants complete this task.
Exchange the advice cards. Ask each participant to turn the card
with the written side down and exchange it someone else. Repeat this
procedures until all cards have been rapidly and repeatedly exchanged.
Blow a whistle to get participants' attention and ask them to stop the
process.
Read the piece of advice. Ask each participant to read the piece of
advice on the card that they received. Invite them to think about this
piece of advice and how it would help them personally to become a
better leader. Encourage them to think about applying this piece of
advice to their personal and professional life. Pause while participants
do this.
Read aloud. Select a participant at random. Ask this person to stand

up and read the piece of advice from the card, without revealing the
role model. Ask everyone else to listen carefully. If necessary, ask the
participant to read this piece of advice again.
Guess the role model. Ask everyone to think about the piece of
advice for a minute. Then ask them to guess who could be the role
model (leader) who gave this piece of advice. Invite participants to call
out their guesses. Point out that most leaders have similar traits,
perceptions, behaviors, and ideas. Ask the participant who read this
piece of advice to identify the role model specified on the card.
Read similar pieces of advice. Invite other participants whose cards

contain similar pieces of advice to read them aloud. Identify minor
differences among these ideas. Discuss the potential impact of these
differences.
Read opposing pieces of advice. Ask participants to review the

piece of advice on their cards and see if it contradicts the advice read
earlier. Invite any participant with such an opposing piece of advice to
read it aloud from her card.
Reconcile the differences. Point out that even though these pieces
of advice contradict each other, it is not as if one of them is correct
and the other one is incorrect. This is because effective leadership
requires a variety of flexible styles depending on the nature of the
situation, the type of the followers, and the personality of the leader.
Discuss the context in which each of the opposing pieces of advice
would be effective.
Continue the process. Select another random participant (who has

not yet read the piece of advice from her card) and read aloud the
advice from her card. Follow this by guessing the role model, and
reading and discussing cards with similar and opposing points of view.
Select a piece of advice. After the discussions, ask participants to

think back the variety of advice from different role models and select
the one that they want to implement in their personal and professional
life. Remind participants not to count the number of pieces of advice
they have received but make the one selected piece of advice count.
Encourage them to begin implementing this piece of advice
immediately.
Adjustments
Don't have enough time? You do not have to read and discuss all
the cards. Conclude the activity whenever you want by moving to the
final step (of personal selection and implementation). After the
session, collect all the cards, type up the pieces of advice, and send
them to the participants.
Not enough participants? Ask each participant to write two separate

pieces of leadership advice, one on each card. During the card
exchange step, ask participants to give away both cards, each to a
different person.
Continuous Design
One of the key outcomes of this activity is the discussion of situational

leadership. This requires a sufficient number of opposing pieces of
advice (example: Do it now vs. Plan carefully; Tell people exactly what
to do vs. Ask your followers for advice; Exude self confidence vs.
Maintain humility). After conducting the game, collect all the advice
cards. Carefully review items and save the good ones, especially those
with opposing pieces of advice. In subsequent games, ask participants
to exchange the cards they wrote with a card from your stock.
Framegame
LETTER FROM THE FUTURE

by Bill Matthews
Teams that fail to develop a shared vision of what they are all about
and what they need to do suffer later on when team members start
implementing the common mandate based on individual assumptions.
To help teams get started on the right foot, Tom Buck and I have put
this process together for creating a shared vision.
Purpose
To create a common or shared vision for your work group
Time
1-2 hours
Supplies
Flipchart (one for each team)
2-3 felt-tipped markers (for each team)
Masking tape
Flow
Part 1 - The Set Up
Divide the team into subgroups using any strategy that makes sense
to you. Ideally, each group should have a minimum of three
participants and a maximum of six. Assign each team a working area
and provide its members with a flipchart and markers.
Introduce the process by presenting the following content in your own
words:
In a few minutes you will develop a shared vision for your team. If you
have ever done visioning exercises before, you may find this approach
to be different from what you are used to. If you have not done
visioning exercises before, this should be a relatively painless process
for you.
Before I explain the process, let us spend a few moments thinking
about all the likely changes that could take place in the world during
the next 5 years.
Ask the group to speculate about changes in different categories such

as world processes, shopping habits, and communication systems.
Invite participants to share their ideas by calling out potential changes.
Part 2 - Letter Writing
After 5 minutes of sharing potential futures, inform participants that

they are now going to create a vision of the their teams' future by
writing letters back from the future!
Ask each team to think of someone who is with the organization today
but who may not be with the organization five years from now. Inform
the team that it will be writing the letter to this person.
Remind teams that a good letter has an opening, a body, and a close.
Write some prompt questions such as these on the flipchart:
• What specifically has the team accomplished?

• What did it take to reach these accomplishments?
• What obstacles and barriers did the team have to overcome?
How did they overcome these barriers?
• What is the impact of the team's accomplishment for the
organization and its customers?
• What are the team's biggest challenges for the next 5 years?
Suggesting that the team's letter should address these questions.
Tell the teams that they will have about 25 minutes to write their
letter. Ask the teams to get started.
Monitor the time. Give teams up to 30 minutes, as long as they are

working and making progress.
Part 3 - The Reports
Announce that it is now time to read the letters. Invite participants to

listen to other teams' letters and identify significant themes in each
letter.
Choose a team and ask for a volunteer to read the team's letter. After
the letter has been read, ask other participants to call out the major
themes in the letter. Record these themes on a flipchart.
Now ask the members of the team that wrote the letter to respond to
these questions:
• Were you surprised by any of the themes that the others

identified?
• Did the others miss any of the themes that you wished to
communicate?
Give a round of applause to the team. Ask other teams to take turns to
read their letter. Repeat the same process.
Part 4 - Follow Up
Facilitate a dialogue around the common themes and integrate them

into a shared vision for the future.
Ask participants to prioritize different themes in terms of their

importance to the team's future.
Ask participants to identify specific and realistic themes and convert

them into goals.
Finally, conduct a discussion of suitable strategies for translating the

common vision into reality.
LIGHT, MEDIUM, OR HEAVY
Purpose:
To encourage the participants to make personal statements.
Time:
15 to 20 minutes
Supplies:
• Stimulus cards. These cards contain words or phrases that
the participants talk about. Create your own packet of about
20 cards to suit your participants and your topic.
• Paper and pencil for keeping score
Example: Here are some of the stimulus words that we used in a

workshop on teambuilding: lemonade, followers, income tax,
freeloaders, my role, groundrules, goal, waste of time, computers,
budget, beeper, midnight, window, money, short people, and
leadership. Note that some words are related to the topic and some
are irrelevant; some are bland and some are potentially embarrassing.
Participants:
3 to 7. If you have more participants, divide them into roughly equal-
sized groups of 3 to 7 and have the groups play in a parallel fashion.
Flow of the game:

1. The stimulus cards are shuffled and placed face down in the
middle of the table.
2. The first player picks up the top card and reads the stimulus
word. This person now has to make a personal statement
related to the word that reveals something about himself or
herself. This statement should not take more than a minute.
Example: Greg picks up the card with the stimulus word

lemonade and says
When I was about 9 years old, my mother always asked me to

get lemonade for my grandfather. I used to spit in the glass
before getting the lemonade because I guess I didn't like my
grandfather. When he died recently, he left me a lot of money. I
feel very guilty about what I did during those lemonade days.
3. After the statement, each of the other players holds up 1, 2,
or 3 fingers to indicate how personally revealing the
statement was. A light or flippant statement gets 1 point. A
heavy, emotional, embarrassing statement gets 3 points.
Other statements belong to the medium category and get 2
points. Different players may hold up different numbers of
fingers. The speaker counts the total number of fingers and
writes it down on his or her scorecard.
Example: The four other players found Greg's statement

schmaltzy. They all gave him 3 points, for a total of 12.
4. If a player does not want to talk about a particular stimulus

word, he or she can pass, getting no points for the round.
The next participant may then use the skipped card, or pick
a new card.
5. The activity continues with the next player picking up a new

stimulus card. All players keep track of their total scores.
6. Depending on the available time, the activity may end after

the third, fourth, or fifth round. Make sure that everyone has
an equal number of turns.
LITTLE-KNOWN FACTS: Two Icebreakers
People enjoy learning little-known facts (LKFs) about each other. They
also enjoy revealing such facts to total strangers--perhaps because it
makes them feel like celebrities.
Here are some typical LKFs that participants share about themselves:
• I have a twin brother.
• I always need to know which direction North is.
• I am addicted to soap operas.
• I read one murder mystery each week.
• I always check with my son for answers to highly-technical

computer questions.
In one of my workshops in Vancouver, two teams developed and
conducted icebreakers that involved the use of LKFs. I offer them here
for your use:
LITTLE KNOWN FACTS - I

Game Designers: David Scott and his teammates.
Key element: Participants guess LKFs about other people by asking

Yes/No questions.
Participants: Any number
Time: 20 minutes
Supplies: Index cards
Flow
Distribute index cards to each participant. Ask the participants to write

a little-known fact about themselves and keep it hidden from the
others.
Divide the participants into two equal-sized groups. Collect the cards
from one group (called the confessors) and give them to the other
group (called the inquisitioners), one card per participant, with the
written side down. Warn the inquisitioners not to read the statement in
the card they received.
Ask all participants to stand up. Ask the inquisitioners to hold the index
card against their forehead with the written side showing. Make sure
that the inquisitioner holding the card is not able to read it, but
everyone else is able to. Ask the inquisitioners to walk around the
room, asking different confessors whether the card belongs to them.
If a confessor sees her card, she has to say "Yes". Once an

inquisitioner has tracked down the correct confessor, she asks a series
of Yes/No questions to discover the exact nature of the LKF. The
confessor responds truthfully but limits her responses to "Yes" or "No".
The question and answer session continues until the inquisitioner

discovers the LKF. She verifies her guess by reading the statement on
the card, places the card on top of her head, and walks around the
room in search of someone else holding a card on top of her head.
Participants with the cards on tops of their heads swap cards with each
other (without reading the LKF on the card) and repeat the search-
and-question process all over again.
Conclude the first round of the icebreaker after a suitable period of

time. Repeat the activity by collecting the original LKF cards form the
inquisitioners and giving them to the confessors. Switch the roles of
the participants and replay the icebreaker.
LITTLE-KNOWN FACTS - II
Game Designers: Shane Finlay and his teammates.
Key element: Teams match LKFs with participants.
Participants: Any number
Time: 20 minutes
Supplies: Index cards
Flow
Distribute index cards to each participant. Ask the participant to write

a little-known fact about himself in the index card and keep it hidden
from the others. Collect all the cards and set them aside.
Ask the participants to stand up, walk around, meeting each other, and
share two little known facts about themselves. One of these LKFs
should be the one written on the card.
After a few minutes, ask the participants to return to their seats.

Organize the participants into teams and distribute equal numbers of
LKF cards to each team.
Ask the participants to remove and hide their name tags and then
work with their teammates to match each LKF card with the person
who wrote it. They should do this by sharing the information they
collected earlier during the walkaround session. (Some LKF cards may
belong to the members of the team itself, simplifying this task.)
After a suitable pause, randomly select one of the teams to present its
report. This team should read the LKF cards, one at a time, and
identify the writer. The team earns 1 point for pointing to the correct
writer and 1 more point for correctly naming the writer. The team loses
1 point for pointing to an incorrect writer or incorrectly naming the
writer. No points are earned or lost if the team confesses its ignorance.
Repeat the procedure with each of the remaining teams. The team
with the most scores wins the game.
Debriefing
Usually, icebreakers of this type do not require any debriefing.

However, since there is something intriguing about what facts people
choose to reveal about themselves, I conduct a quick debriefing using
these questions. Although the questions ask about people in general,
they are designed to encourage the participants to reflect on their own
individual behaviors:
• What facts do people reveal about themselves?
• What facts do they hide from others?
• Why do people choose to reveal some facts and hide others?
• What facts do people reveal to friends, to acquaintances,

and to strangers?
• Which is easier: to write anonymous statements or to talk

about them in a face-to-face situation?
• Would some people distort or make up facts about

themselves? Why?
• How would the types of little known facts vary between

extroverts and introverts? Between men and women?
Between younger and older people?
• Do you think that this icebreaker will produce similar results

when used with people from other cultures?
LONG WORDS
The real name of this jolt is PROACTIVE PLANNING, but using that
name will give away the key point that we want players to discover.
Presented as a word game, this jolt lulls lures players to go after
immediate gains in a mindless fashion only to regret the action later.
Purpose
To stress the importance of proactive planning and anticipating future

problems created by present solutions.
Time
20 minutes (10 minutes for the activity and 10 for minutes debriefing)
Players
Any number, divided into groups of five or six.
Supplies
• One set of 15 tiles (index cards cut in half) for each player
with these letters:
A, A, E, E, G, I, I, M, N, N, O, P, R, S, T
• Handout: Instructions for Playing LONG WORDS
Preparation
Create a handout that begins with these instructions:
Instructions for Playing LONG WORDS
You have 15 letters. Your objective is to create the longest word

among the contestants in your group using as many letters as
possible.
The judge will tell you when to start. You have 30 seconds to come up
with a long English word. You cannot use proper nouns (such as names
of people or brand names of products).
When the judge announces the end of 30 seconds, give her or him the
letters that make up the word.
The judge will determine the winner (or winners) who created the
longest word.
The judge will keep the letters and begin the second round.
You will play two more rounds of the game.
Then add a section called Secret Strategy at the bottom of each

instruction sheet. You need to create four or five different versions so
that each contestant receives a different Secret Strategy.
Give this strategy to one of the contestants:
Secret Strategy
Remember you have to play three rounds. The letters that you use for
the first round cannot be used in future rounds.
For the first round, give the judge a single-letter word: I. You will lose
this round, but you will save 14 of your letters.
During the second round, use the word MANAGERS, an eight-letter

word.
During the third round, use the word POINT, a five-letter word. (You
will be left with an unused letter, E.)
For the other contestants, give a suggested list of long words as the
Secret Strategy. Use two or three different words from this list for each
contestant: generations, germination, greasepaint, impersonate,
innermost, insertion, interposing, nominates, migration, omnipresent,
presenting, resignation, and separation
Flow
Form groups and assign roles. Divide players into groups of five or
six. In each group, ask players to identify the person with the fanciest
digital watch. Assign the role of judge to this player. The remaining
players are contestants who compete with one another within their
group.
Brief players. Distribute a copy of Instructions for Playing LONG

WORDS to each player. Ask players to read the instructions. If players
ask any questions, ask them to read the instructions again.
Conduct the first round. Ask the judge for each group to begin the
first round. Ask players to start creating long words. At the end of 30
seconds, ask judges to stop the round and collect the word from each
player.
Find winners of the first round. Ask the judge to identify the winner
in each group who created the longest word. If more than one person
created words of the same length, they are all declared winners.
Get ready for the next round. Ask the judges to gather all the
letters they received from the contestants and put them away.
Emphasize that these letters will not be used in the future rounds. If
any contestant protests, refer back to the instruction sheet.
Conduct two more rounds. Ask the judges to start the round, stop it
after 30 seconds, and collect the long words created by the
contestants. As before, ask the judges to identify the winners.
Find the overall winner. Ask the judges to identify the contestant
who won the most rounds. It is very likely that the contestant who
received (and followed) the secret strategy about playing a single-
letter word during the first round is the overall winner in each group.
Discuss the winning strategy. Ask players to reconstruct the

winning strategy. Point out that this strategy involved proactively
planning a long-term strategy and implementing it.
Conduct debriefing. Ask players to reflect on their experience and

share their insights. Use suitable questions to help players discover
these learning points:
• Today's solutions may create tomorrow's problems. Always

anticipate of future consequences of present solutions.
• Don't accept a solution just because you think it is brilliant or

other people say it is brilliant.
• Keep asking yourself, "What do I do for an encore?"
• Proactively plan to use all available resources in the most

effective and conservative fashion.
LOW, HIGH, MOST

Here's another game in our recent series of two-person games with
classification card decks. This game is similar to TRUMPS, which was
presented in our July 2004 issue. This game also involves winning
tricks. However, you may win a game without winning the most tricks.
Purpose

Participants
Time
5 - 10 minutes. The game may be replayed several times to determine

the winner of a match.
Supplies
How To Play LOW, HIGH, MOST Handout. This handout (which includes a
glossary page) summarizes the rules of the game. Make a copy for
each player.

development stage (or stages) associated with it. Photocopy this
handout to provide a copy of this table to each player.
A deck of GROWING A TEAM Cards. This deck contains 99 cards.

Prepare your own deck by typing the numbers and statements from
this list on your own cards. (See below if you don't have the patience
to do this.)
Getting Ready to Play
Assemble play groups. Organize participants into pairs. Give a deck

of GROWING A TEAM cards to each pair. Also distribute a copy of the
Feedback Table to each player, asking players to place it with the
printed side down.
Introduce the four stages. Distribute copies of the knowledge-base

handout, Four Stages of Team Development. Make a brief
presentation, using examples that are relevant to the players.
Brief the players. Acknowledge that most players may not have a
complete grasp of the four stages in team development. Explain that
you are going to play a card game that will help them become more
fluent with these stages.
Introduce the GROWING A TEAM cards. Ask each player to pick up a

card from the deck. Ask a player to read the statement on the card
and invite everyone to identify the team-development stage associated
with the statement. Announce the correct stage. Explain that this is
the suit of the card. Demonstrate how to verify the suit by using the
Feedback Table.
Explain the three attributes of each card. Use the information

from the What Card Is That? section of the handout. Give some
practice in determining the rank, suit, and number of several cards.
Explain the rules. Distribute copies of the handout, How To Play LOW,
HIGH, MOST. Walk the players through the rules.
Monitor the game. Ask the players at each table to select the first
dealer and begin the game. Walk around the room, clarifying rules and
settling disputes among players as needed.
[Table of Contents]
Handout 1
How To Play LOW, HIGH, MOST

(All words in italics are defined in the glossary.)
Deal the cards. Deal five cards to each player, one at a time. Turn the
next card (the 11th card) face up. Check with the Feedback Table and
announce the suit of the card. This is the trump suit. Place the rest of
the deck face down. This becomes the stock.
Object of the game. At the end of each game, you get one point
each for winning
• the most (three or more) tricks

• the trick with the lowest-ranked card
• the trick with the highest-ranked card
You win the game by scoring two or three points.
Play the first trick. Nondealer starts the first round by playing any
card from her hand. You follow suit by playing a card of the same suit.
In this case, the player of the card with the higher rank wins the trick.
If both cards are of equal rank, the player of the card with the higher
number wins the trick.
If you are not able to follow suit, you may play a card of the trump suit
and win the trick. Or you may discard (play a card of any other suit)
and lose the trick.
Play the second trick. Winner of the first trick leads a card for the
second trick. Play proceeds as before, with the higher ranked card of
the suit led or the trump winning the trick. (If both cards are trumps,
then the higher ranked trump wins the trick.)
Continue the game. Winner leads a card for the next trick. Game is
continued as before until all five cards are played out.
Conclude the game. The player who won three or more tricks gets a
point. Both players examine the tricks they won and locate the lowest-
ranked card. The winner of the trick with that card gets a point. If
there is a tie for the lowest-ranked card, then the winner of the trick
with the lowest-numbered card wins a point. Similarly, the winner of
the trick with the highest-ranked trick (or the highest-numbered card
in case of a tie) wins a point. The player with two or three total points
wins the game.
Play subsequent games. Take turns to deal the cards. The first
person to win three out of five games wins the match.
Glossary
Dealer. At the beginning of the game, one of players shuffles the deck
and distributes the cards one at a time. This player is the dealer. When
more than one game is played, players alternate being the dealer.
Discard. During the game, playing a card that is neither of the suit
led nor a trump.
Follow suit. Play a card of the same suit as the one that was led by
the other player.
Hand. The set of five cards that each player receives at the beginning
of the game.
High. Scoring one point by winning the trick that contains the highest-
ranked card played in the game. In case of a tie for the highest-ranked
card, the winner of the highest-numbered card scores one point for
high.
Lead. To play the first card to a trick.
Low. Scoring one point by winning the trick that contains the lowest-
ranked card played in the game. In case of a tie for the lowest-ranked
card, the winner of the lowest-numbered card score one point for low.
Nondealer. The person who is not the dealer for this game.
Number. One of the three attributes of a card. This is the absolute

value of the number printed on top of the card. (See also Rank and
Suit.)
Rank. One of the three attributes of a card. The rank of the card is the
last digit (units digit) of its number. Card ranks range from 0 to 9.
Example: The rank of card 27 is 7. Cards with the numbers 8, 18, 38,
88, and 118 all have the same rank of 8. (See also Suit and Number.)
Stock. Cards that are not dealt at the beginning of the game.
which the printed item on the card belongs. Example: Forming (See
also Rank and Number.)
Trick. The cards played by both players during a round of the game.
One person plays a card face up from her hand. The other person
plays a card from her hand in response, following suit if possible. (See
Winning a trick.)
Trump (noun). At the beginning of the game, the dealer turns up the
11th card. The suit of this card determines the trump suit. Any card of
this suit is called a trump.
Trump (verb). Playing a trump card in response to the card led by

the other player. You may play a trump card only when you cannot
follow suit.
Winning a trick. Each trick is won by the higher ranking card of the
suit led or the trump. If both cards are of the same suit and rank, then
the trick is won by the card of the higher number.
What Card Is That?
Every playing card in the GROWING A TEAM deck has three attributes:
rank, suit, and number.
Here's a sample playing card from the GROWING A TEAM deck:
The number of the card is the complete number on the card. The
number of the sample card is 48.
The rank of the card is the last digit of the number on the card. The
rank of the sample card is 8, which is the last digit of 48.
The suit of the card is the stage of the team development process
associated with the statement on the card. This is not directly printed
on the card; you must read the statement and decide which suit it
belongs to. This sample card belongs to the forming suit because the
statement belongs to the forming stage.
It is easy to determine the rank of a playing card: Just ignore the first
digit of the card. So 12, 22, 32, 42, 52, 62, 72, 82, and 92 all have the
same rank (that is, 2). Ranks run from 0 (the lowest) to 9 (the
highest).
It takes some effort to determine the suit of a GROWING A TEAM card.

Read the statement on the card, analyze it, and classify it correctly.
Some statements may describe more than one stage of team

development. These playing cards belong to more than one suit. When
you play one of these cards, you choose the suit to which the card
belongs.
[Table of Contents]
Handout2



itself.

[Table of Contents]
Handout3
Feedback Table
1. P 21. F 41. P 61. S 81. F

2. N 22. P 42. F 62. N 82. P
3. N 23. S 43. S, N 63. F, S 83. P
4. P 24. S 44. S 64. S 84. N, P
5. F 25. N 45. N 65. F 85. P
6. P 26. N 46. N, P 66. N 86. F, S
7. F 27. P 47. P 67. F 87. P
8. P 28. S 48. F 68. P 88. P
9. F 29. N 49. S 69. P 89. N
10. S 30. S 50. F 70. P 90. F
11. S 31. S 51. P 71. P 91. S
12. N, P 32. S 52. P 72. F 92. S
13. F 33. N 53. S 73. N 93. F, S
14. P 34. F 54. F 74. P 94. P
15. F 35. N 55. P 75. N 95. F
16. N 36. N, P 56. F 76. P 96. S
17. P 37. F 57. F 77. N 97. P
18. F 38. N, P 58. P 78. P 98. N, P
19. F 39. N, P 59. S 79. F 99. N
20. N 40. N 60. P 80. N, P
[Table of Contents]
Facilitator Job Aid

her.
7. Cautious
10.Challenging
team as a whole.
14.Collaborating
basic issues.
feelings.
agendas.
with the leader.
distrust.
communications.
on.
performing.
outside.
members.
evaluation.
interactions.
rules.
guidance.

online store.
[Table of Contents]
Pithy Saying
Objectives and Objectivity

You must clearly specify all the objectives for your training materials
and activities. You must clearly communicate these objectives to all
learners at the beginning of the training session. During training, you
must focus on helping the learners achieve these objectives.
Most trainers and training designers are obsessed with behavioral

objectives. Objectives are very useful because—
• They motivate learners by providing them with a clear goal.

• They align learners' expectations.
• They provide a preview of things to come.
However, like all profound truths, the opposite principle is also true:
There are times when de-emphasizing training objectives has some
powerful advantages:
As a trainer, you are more open to what happens during the session.
You are less likely to disparage learners' questions and comments that
are not aligned with the training objective. You are willing to listen to
the learner, accept her offer, and pursue new avenues.
As a learner, you maintain a beginner's mind and pursue all interesting

avenues to learning rather than focusing on what is on the test or what
is directly related to the objective.
When you have an objective, you cannot be objective.
Having objectives (or goal or intentions) makes it difficult for you to be

an objective (impartial, open-minded, or critical) observer. What you
teach and what you learn are unduly biased by your predetermined
intent. Obsession with objectives removes healthy playfulness from the
learning process.
Jolt
LPPT
Michel Hodges (Blonder Home Accents) sent a nice piece of feedback about
the online activity (Least Preferred Patient Test) that we published in last
month's TGL. Based on Michel's and other reader's comments, we decided
that this activity deserved a face-to-face version.
Key Idea
Participants make impulsive assumptions.
Index Tags
Jolt. Assumptions. Hospital. Baby.
Purpose
To identify the causes and effects of assumptions that we make.
Participants
Any number
Time Requirement
3 minutes for the activity and 5 minutes for debriefing
Supplies
Handout, Least Preferred Patient Test (one copy for each participant).
Three PowerPoint® slides:
• Patient B. R. (photograph of an old woman)
• Patient S. T. (photograph of an old man)

• Patient J. T. (photograph of a cute little baby)
You can download these slides from http://www.thiagi.com/lppt/patients.zip .

Alternatively, you can create your own slides using your own photographs.
Equipment
• Laptop computer (with Powerpoint® and the slides of the three
patients)
• LCD projector
• Screen
Flow
Distribute copies of the Least Preferred Patient Test. Ask participants

to read the instructions and circle their choice.
Give feedback about the first two patients. Ask participants who
selected Patient B. R. as the least preferred patient. If anybody selected this
patient, it is likely they misread the directions and selected the most
preferred patient. Ask them to re-read the instructions and change their
choice if they want to. Show the slide with a picture of this patient. Repeat
the same procedure with Patient S. T.
Give feedback about the third patient. Ask participants who selected
Patient J. T. as the least preferred patient. It is likely that everyone selected
this patient. Show the slide with the cute baby picture. Pause briefly while
participants realize the impulsive assumptions they made.
Debrief. Don't make fun of the participants' “error”. Ask them what makes
the difference between older people and babies who have same behavioral
characteristics. Follow up by discussing these two questions:
• What assumptions did you make?
• Just because a hospital is well known for its work in geriatrics, does it
mean that it only deals with old people?

Adjustments
Don't have access to a laptop, projector, or screen? Print out the three
Powerpoint® slides. Hold them up for the participants to see. Pass them
around.
[Table of Contents]
Handout 1
Least Preferred Patient Test

You have been recently hired by Burlington General Hospital, well known for
its work in geriatrics. As a part of the hospital's personality testing battery,
they ask you to take this test:
Circle the patient you would least enjoy taking care of.
Patient B. R.
B. R. is kind and appreciative. She cannot talk too much, but is otherwise
communicative. She is friendly, fearless, and inquisitive. She looks good and
is relatively self-sufficient. She asks about the nurse's well-being and sleeps
through the night.
Patient S. T.
S. T. is grouchy, and something of a hypochondriac. He is scraggly-looking.

He needs help walking, but can take care of himself when he reaches his
destination. He sleeps, but not a lot.
Patient J. T.
J. T. is self-centered. He cries a lot, and can't walk or talk. He is incontinent

and can't feed himself. He is almost bald, wrinkly, and cranky. He wakes up
at all hours of the night.
Reflective Teamwork Activity
MANAGEMENT
A Reflective Teamwork Activity (RTA) involves participants creating a
checklist and then evaluating their performance by using the same
checklist they created.
Here's an outline of this activity: Participants are organized into groups

of five. Members of each group are randomly assigned to the roles of a
manager, an assistant manager, and three employees. Each participant
prepares a list related to a different management topic. The manager
has the lengthy task and additional supervisory responsibilities. Other
group members have simpler tasks. After the list preparation activity is
completed, a debriefing discussion relates the manager's behavior to
the items in her list.
Purpose
To explore factors related to delegation by managers
Participants
Any number, divided into groups of five.
Time
15 minutes for the activity. 15-30 minutes for debriefing.
Supplies
• A set of five instruction sheets for each group (One for the
manager, one for the assistant manager, and three for
employees)
• A copy of the Task Completion Form (for use by the manager)
Flow
Get ready for the activity. Make sufficient number of copies of the
three Instruction Sheets using the masters provided at the end of this
section. Read through the contents. Underline the topic of Delegation
in the manager's instruction sheet. Underline one of the other four
topics in the assistant manager's and employees' instruction sheets.
Remember this important point: Even though the focus of this

activity is on delegation, you make it appear that this topic is a
randomly selected along with a set of management topics. Give the
impression that the topics are randomly assigned to different people.
The manager has significantly more work to do than any of the other
members of the group. Do not point this out; let the participants
assume that everyone has an equal amount of work.
Organize groups. Divide participants into groups of five and give a

set of instructions sheets to each member of each group. This ensures
random distribution of the manager's role to a member of the group.
Ask the manager and the assistant manager in each group to identify
themselves. Distribute copies of the Task Completion Form to the
managers.
Brief participants. Introduce the activity as an exploration of

management behaviors. Briefly explain the flow of activity, identifying
the five different topics of feedback, motivation, time management,
delegation, and coaching. If necessary, briefly define any of these
terms.
Begin the activity. Ask managers to note the time and ask everyone
to get started. Walk around the groups, observing participants in
action, without interfering with their activities.
Conclude the activity. Call time at the end of 5 minutes. Check to

see if the managers have completed their list and the filled out the
Task Completion Form.
Debrief the group. Read different Instruction Sheets and point out
that the manager had insufficient time to complete their tasks while
the other members of the group had plenty of free time. Explain that
the focus of the activity was to explore why managers don't delegate.
Explore opportunities for delegation. Read the manager's

Instruction Sheet again and ask participants to identify different task s
that the managers could have delegated. This list could include
delegation of logistic tasks (such as time keeping) to an individual,
delegation of partial tasks to everyone (such as filling out the Task
Completion Form), and asking for everyone's contributions to the
major task (coming up with the list of 12 items related to delegation).
Find out if any manager delegated any of these activities. Congratulate
these managers.
Explore why managers did not delegate. Ask each manager to

read the list of reasons why managers do not delegate. Discuss how
many of the reasons applied to the manager's list preparation task in
this activity. Offer any item from the following list if it did not appear in
the manager's lists:
• Nobody told the managers that they could delegate.

• A lot of time is required to explain the task to the others.
• Managers feel that only they understand what is needed.
• Managers feel that only they can do the job.
• Managers feel that they can do a better job than any of the
others
• Managers feel that nobody can reach their high standards.
• Managers don't trust the others.
• Managers don't have the time to coach and teach others.
• Managers don't like to boss people around.
• Managers feel that they are not doing their job if they delegate
their tasks to others.
• Managers don't know how to delegate.
• Managers feel that the others are too busy on their own tasks.
• Managers want to be in control of everything.
Discuss how managers can do a more effective job of

delegating. Ask managers to read the items from the second part of
their lists. Ask participants for additional suggestions.
Suggest follow-up. Briefly emphasize the need for applying the

insights from the activity to delegating tasks in their workplace.
Explain that you are going to delegate this action-planning task to
each individual participant.
Handouts
(Use your browser's BACK button to return here after you have looked
at each handout.)
• Manager's Instruction Sheet

• Task Completion Form
• Assistant Manager's Instruction Sheet
• Employee's Instruction Sheet
Or you can download and print the PDF handouts (14,948 bytes; may
take a little while)
Group Scoop
My thanks to Robin Weber (Manager of Intercultural Education and Quality,

AFS-USA) and the two volunteer instructors Chris Hawkins and Kathleen
Zamboni who suggested GROUP SCOOP as an alternative name for GROUP GROPE.
Robin reports that his instructors felt that the “typical teenage trainees would
have too much fun with the other name”. I agree that GROUP GROPE has
distracting connotations and we decided to use GROUP SCOOP as the new name
for this structured sharing activity.
MEETING MANAGEMENT
Purpose
To explore a wide range of possible causes of dysfunctional meetings.
Time
About 40 minutes. You can easily expand or contract the game to fit the
available time.
Materials
• Twenty or more cause cards with different reasons for unproductive
and inefficient meetings. Here are some examples:
o Not sticking to the agenda
o Domination by a few people
o Critical information not available
o Critical people absent

Flow
In the following description, the steps of the game are printed in regular
type, while sample segments from an imaginary play of the game are printed
in italics.
Prepare set of cause cards. Before the workshop, prepare a set of cause
cards. Each card should contain a statement about a cause for unproductive
and inefficient meetings. Prepare at least two cause cards for each
anticipated player. If you cannot come up a sufficient number of different
cause cards, use duplicates.
Ramona is conducting a workshop for staff members. Twenty participants

have signed up for the workshop, including a few supervisors. The day before
the workshop, Ramona prepares 40 cause cards.
Getting Started. Start the game quickly. When the players are ready, say,
“I'd like to begin right off with a group activity that will help us get to know
each other. It will also allow us to discover why many of our meetings are a
total waste of time.”
Ramona catches everyone’s attention and gives her introductory

presentation. Players look like they are ready for action.
Card Writing by Players. Hand out four blank index cards to each player.
Ask them to write a statement about some cause of unproductive and
inefficient meetings. These statements need not reflect the personal views of
the writer; they should represent commonly-held opinions. Give some
sample statements to the group.
The workshop starts at 8:30 a.m., and Sam arrives 5 minutes late. He sees
the others writing busily. Ramona gives him four blank cards and asks him to
write his probable causes of unproductive meetings. Sam thinks for a
moment and comes up with the following:
• Top management participants intimidate others.
• Lengthy presentations; very little discussion
• Emotional outbursts and temper tantrums
• Too much acting and posing
Distributing Cards. After about 3 minutes, collect cause cards from all
players. Add your prepared cards to this pile. Mix the cards well and give
three cards to each player. Ask players to study the cause and arrange them
according to their personal preference from the most to the least frequent.
Ramona collects the cards from the players and adds her own collection. She
Sam studies the three cards he receives and arranges them in the following
order:
• Time wasted on tangential discussions
• Nobody does the homework
• Group too large for dialogue
Exchanging Cards. Arrange the remaining cause cards on a large table at

one side of the room. Tell the players that they may discard cards from their
hands and pick up replacements. Players must work silently; they should not
to talk to each other during this phase of the game. At the end of the
exchange period, each player should have three cause cards that may or may
not include cards from the original set.
Sam takes his cards to the table and rummages there. He discards two of his
cards and picks up the following:
• Too much griping and complaining
• Too much socializing
Sam is surprised to see another player eagerly picking up his discards.
Swapping Cards. Instruct players to exchange cause cards with each other
to make their hands better reflect their personal opinions. In this phase, any
player may exchange cards with any other player; every player must
exchange at least one card.
When Ramona announces the beginning of the exchange, Sam wanders

around until Mark stops him. Comparing cards, Sam sees one that says,
“Lack of participation by some people.” He bargains with Mark until Mark
agrees to exchange this card for Sam’s card about too much socializing.
Before Sam can find someone else to swap with, Ramona calls time to end
this phase of the game.
Forming Teams. Ask players to compare their cause cards with each other
and to form teams with people holding cards that they like. There is no limit
to the number of players who may team up together, but a team may keep
no more than three cards. It must discard all other cards, and the three
cards it retains must meet with everyone's approval.
Sam goes around the room checking with others. He runs across Vicky, who
has excellent cards, and they decide to team up. The two set out to find
other kindred souls. Peter wants to join them, and they agree, provided that
he drops the card that says, “Unsuitable location.” In a few more minutes,
their team recruits two other players, including Mark. They study the
combined collection and reduce it to these three:
• Inconclusive ending
• Late start
• No follow-up
Preparing a Poster. Ask each team to prepare a graphic poster that reflects
the three final cards. This poster should not include any text. After 5
minutes, ask each team to read its three cards, display its poster, and explain
the symbolism.
After some discussion and debate, the team decides that Sam should be the
artist and the others give him ideas. The final collage shows a group of
Salvador Dali clocks, a line of lampposts stretching beyond the horizon, and
a graph ending abruptly. During the “show-and-tell” period, Peter reads the
three cards and Vicky assists Sam in explaining the poster.
Awards. Identify winning teams in each category like these:
Sam's poster receives an award for the most appropriate illustration.

Game Plan
Here’s a ready-to-refer summary of the game. We are calling this job aid a
Game Plan (as suggested by our Austin reader, Karen Bantuveris). Thanks,
Karen!
Preparation (20 Prepare a set of cause cards.

minutes)
Write cause cards Distribute four blank index Each participant writes four
(3 minutes) cards to each participant. causes of unproductive and
inefficient meetings.
Distribute cause Mix cause cards from Each participant arranges her
cards (3 minutes) participants with your cards. three cause cards in order of
Give three cards to each personal preference.
participant.
Exchange cards at Spread the remaining cause Each participant silently

the table (3 cards on a large table. discards cards from her hand
minutes) and picks up replacements.
Exchange cards Give instructions. Each participant exchanges at

with one another least one card with other
(3 minutes) participants.
Form teams (5 Give instructions. Participants form teams of

minutes) any size. Each team reduces
its cards to three.
Create posters (6 Distribute flip chart sheets Each team prepares a graphic
minutes) and felt-tipped markers. poster that reflects its three
selected cards.
Present posters (5 Select teams in a random Each team reads its three
minutes) order. cards, displays its poster, and
explains the symbolism.
Distribute awards Distribute different

(3 minutes) categories of awards.
[Table of Contents]
Structured Sharing 2
More About GROUP SCOOP

We have been systematically exploring the GROUP SCOOP (aka GROUP GROPE)
frame since the November 2005 issue of our newsletter. You may want to
review the following articles and games:
GROUP GROPE: The Frame. (How to use the frame to design a structured-
sharing game in 10 minutes)
Design Your Own GROUP GROPE Game
TCF The Game, a game about delighting customers
GAMEGAME: A game about training games
ADULT LEARNING PREFERENCES by Ida Shessel. Use this game to explore adult
learning principles.
TRUST. Explore opinions about trust in the workplace.
Jolt
MEMORY TEST
Here's a quick jolt that helps participants discover basic psychological
facts about our memory.
You can conduct this jolt with any number of people in about 10-15
minutes. You don't need any special supplies other than paper and
pencil.
Brief participants. Tell them that you are going to administer a

memory test. You will read a standardized list of words. Participants
should listen carefully to these words without writing them down.
Later, you will test to see how many words each participant can recall.
Present words. Read the following list of words. Pause briefly between
one word and the next. Do not change the sequence. One of the words
(night) is repeated three times.
• dream
• sleep
• night
• mattress
• snooze
• sheet
• nod
• tired
• night
• artichoke
• insomnia
• blanket
• night
• alarm
• nap
• snore
• pillow
Administer the recall test. Pause for about 10 seconds. Ask each
participant to take a piece of paper and write as many of the words as
he or she can remember. Pause for about 40 seconds.
Explain your intent. Reassure participants that you are not

interested in finding out how each person performed on the test.
Instead, you are going to use the test to explore four basic principles
about memory.
Debrief. Here are four important principles about memory. Explain

each of them, using data from participants' performance on the test:
• Primacy and recency effects. Ask participants to raise their

hands if they recalled the words “dream” and “pillow”. Explain
that people remember the first and the last things in a series.
Most participants will have written dream and pillow because
they were the first and last words in the list.
• Surprise effect. Ask participants to raise their hands if they
recalled the word “artichoke”. Explain that people remember
things that are novel or different. Most participants will have
written artichoke because it is different from the other words in
the list.
• Repetition effect. Ask participants to raise their hands if they
recalled the word “night”. Explain that people remember things
that are repeated. Most participants will have written night
because you repeated it three times.
• False-memory effect. Ask participants to raise their hands if
they recalled the word “bed”. Reveal that this word was not on
your list. Explain that the brain closes logical gaps in what it
hears, sees, or reads, frequently remembering things that did
not take place. Most participants will have written bed because it
logically belongs to this list (even though you never read it).
Encourage action planning. Ask participants how they would use

these four principles to help them remember new terms and ideas in
the training session. Give examples such as, "To compensate for the
primacy and the recency effects, pay particular attention to ideas
presented during the middle of the training session. Make use of the
repetition effect by repeating these ideas to yourself several times."
MULTI-POLLING INTERACTIVE LECTURE
This lecture game can be used in a virtual classroom environment

(such as WebEx, Placeware, or Centra). You can apply the format for
any topic of your choice.
List four or five critical features related to some concept or principle.
In my session, I listed these five critical features of interactivity on the

internet:
• Chat between participant and facilitator
• Chat among the participants
• Interruptability
• Engaging content and process
• Individualized objectives
Display this list as a polling slide. Ask participants to vote for the
critical feature that they would to receive more information and
explanation.
In my session, the last two features received the most votes.
Provide appropriate explanations and examples for the feature

receiving the most votes. Then go to the next highest-vote-getting
feature. Continue as needed. Any features that did not receive any
votes are obviously self-explanatory. Don't waste your time explaining
them.
Project another polling slide asking for the most important feature.
In my session, I asked the participants to identify the most important

feature from the learner's point of view.
Display the polling results. Comment on the choices. Provide data from
actual surveys, if necessary. Discuss the relative importance of each
feature.
Project another polling slide with the same list of features. Ask the
participants to vote for the most difficult feature to achieve.
In my session, I asked the participants to vote for the most difficult

feature for the trainer to achieve.
Display the polling results. Comment on your views and survey results.
Present suitable strategies and short cuts for achieving the desired
feature.
Repeat the procedure with other superlatives as appropriate.
In my session I could have asked for votes for the most interesting,
counter-intuitive, ridiculous, or controversial.
Structured Sharing
NEGOTIATION MAPPING
by Regina Rowland
In their wonderful book Mapping Inner Space (Second Edition), Nancy
Margulies and Nusa Maal write “Because pictures tell more than words,
mapping opens pathways to emotional empathy. In one long-term dispute,
when feuding coworkers mapped their conflict, barriers came down, opening
communication between them as they recognized the emotional impact of
the dispute and connected on a more personal level. After listening and
sharing maps, each of the parties saw the world from the perspective of the
other, in a larger context, making resolution more likely.”
Here's a graphics game adapted from the book.
Purpose
• To create a safe listening and sharing environment
• To resolve barriers to understanding and alignment
• To move the focus away from individual points of view in order to
create an opportunity for resolutions of differences
• To reveal other perspectives
• To create an objective forum for a deeper understanding of issues
Participants
6 to 20
Time
50 minutes
Materials
• Sheets of paper (11x17-inch or larger)
• Colored felt-tip pens
Perparation
Prepare a sample map to demonstrate the visual technique. (You may want
to use this sample map (48KB) about mind mapping.)
Flow
Explain the goal. Emphasize that this activity will provide a viable solution
to a conflict.
Instruct participants to work individually. Provide supplies and show the
sample map (102KB). Ask participants to work individually and complete the
following tasks:
• Name the problem issue and draw a symbol of it in the center of the
sheet.
• Quickly come up with several advantages and disadvantages you can
think of (go for quantity), and connect branches from the center as
shown in the sample map, one for each advantage and disadvantage.
Name each branch with a suitable label (the shorter the better). Use
different colors for the center, the advantages, and the disadvantages.
• Think of the consequences of each branch (advantage or
disadvantage), and add more branches to each item.
• Tap into your emotional image bank and draw symbols in addition to
the words to get your point across quickly and effectively.
Announce a 15-minute time limit for this independent activity.
Instruct participants to share their maps. Ask participants to post their

maps on a wall. Then ask them to take a “gallery walk” around the room,
review different maps, and find a map drawn by someone who has at least
one or two of the same items as in your map. Don't worry if what you
consider to be an advantage is identified as a disadvantage in the other
person's map.
Instruct participants to work in pairs. Invite participants to pair up with

someone else with a similar map. Distribute copies of the sample shared map
(31KB). Ask the partners to create a new shared map that reflects only the
areas on which they agree. The shared map should include an extra layer
identifying what the partners are willing to do in order to solve the problem.
Announce a 20-minute time limit for this paired activity.
Instruct participants to share their collaborative maps. Instruct each

pair to briefly present their collaborative map to the rest of the group.
Suggest that the presentations focus on what they are willing to do.
Announce a 20-minute time limit for this collaborative activity

Conduct a large group discussion. Debrief the entire group by inviting
them to talk about the similarities and differences among alternative
approaches.
Schedule a follow-up discussion. Give everyone a chance to digest

different ideas. Ask participants to bring suitable action plans, timelines, or
budgets for the next meeting.
A Sample Application
The design department at a community college was in conflict about deciding

whether or not to transform its course offerings to an online learning forum.
The department included a variety of faculty members from different
backgrounds, ranging from the traditional to the progressive. Over the course
of the last 5 years, the department has experienced a dispute between
different teaching philosophies that escalated into a major conflict. This left
the faculty emotionally drained and the problems largely unresolved. In
addition, student enrollment started dropping significantly. Online teaching
was considered as a strategy for increasing student enrollment significantly
over the next two semesters. This suggestion resulted in additional conflicts.
Roleplay
NONVERBAL VIOLATIONS
by Stella Ting-Toomey
Purpose
To experience nonverbal violations and then debrief with a mini-lecture

on intercultural nonverbal differences.
Participants
Two or more, divided into pairs. (You may have one or more triads to
accommodate all participants.)
Time
10 - 15 minutes.
Supplies
Nonverbal violations slips. (See the instructions after the game

description.)
Format
Stand-up paired interaction
Procedure
Brief participants. Give these initial instructions:
• Come to the space in the middle and pair up with a friendly face.
• Have an enjoyable conversation, planning for a Diversity
Appreciation Day at your workplace.
• The facilitator will be walking around and giving you a slip of
paper with confidential information.
• Please scan the paper slip and incrementally dramatize the
specific nonverbal behavior. Do not share your confidential
information with your partner.
• You'll have about 10 minutes for your conversation.
Distribute slips of paper. Give the participants about 4 minutes to

get into the conversation. Walk around the room and offers each
participant a slip of paper with nonverbal instructions.
Continue the activity. Give them 5 -10 minutes to continue their

dyadic conversations and a chance to dramatize the nonverbal
instructions.
Conclude the activity. Stop the action and invite participants to

share the instructions in their slips of paper before moving back to
their seats.
Debrief the activity. Ask questions to explore concepts such as

intercultural nonverbal differences, ethnocentrism vs. ethnorelativism,
and mindless vs. mindful interaction.
[Table of Contents]
Handout 3
Nonverbal Violation Slips
Each slip of paper contains two instructions. Each set contains
separate instructions for the two members of each pair. Make as many
copies of these sets as needed to accommodate all participant pairs.
Set 1
To one person in a pair:
• You signal respect by standing physically close to your partner.

Stand Approximately 6 inches away from him/her.
• You enjoy asking a lot of questions to signal conversational
excitement and involvement.
To the other person in the same pair:
• You signal respect by standing at least an arm's length away

from your partner.
• You like to constantly check your watch for fear of running out of
time in the conversation.
Set 2
• You like to use prolonged, direct eye gaze to signal respect for
your partner.
• You like to touch your partner's arm from time-to-time to signal
approval for a good idea.
• You like to touch your own earlobes (sometimes with left hand &
sometimes with right hand) frequently to signal attentive
listening.
• You like to sigh loudly to signal your approval and great
contentment of the conversation.
Set 3

• You like to pace your conversation with deliberate rhythms to
match your conversational partner's rhythms.
• You like to stand very close to your partner (approximately 6
inches) to really pay attention to what s/he is saying.
• You like to fold and unfold your arms constantly to process the
important ideas in the conversation.
• You like to stand still and shift your weight from the left leg to
the right leg to follow the rhythms of the conversation.
Thought Experiment
NOT FAIR!
I am going to debrief you about an intense emotional experience from
your past.
Think of a time when you were treated unfairly.
If you recall a lot of such incidents, select the most intense one. If you
feel that you were never treated unfairly, you are in a state of denial.
Reach back further into your childhood and find something bad that
happened to you.
Answer the following questions, focusing on your feelings. Don't be

mature and understanding. Avoid intellectual analyses. Return to the
time and the place. Relive the experience. Visualize exactly how you
felt. Pretend it is happening to you right now.
How do you feel? Sad? Obsessed? Anxious? Agitated? Disorganized?

Miserable? Lost?
How do you feel physically? Tense? Stressed out? Aching?

Clenching your teeth? Shallow breathing? Sweating? Crying? A knot in
your stomach? Exhausted? Sleepless? Lost your appetite? Tearful?
Heavy?
How do you feel about yourself? Damaged? Helpless? Hating your

life? Hateful? Hoping to die? Self-critical? Worthless? Empty? Like a
failure? Sick? Guilty?
How do you feel about others? Abandoned? Alone? Exploited?
Singled out? Friendless? Paranoid? Betrayed?
Hold on to these feelings for some more time.
Now think about this question: How would you feel if this type of unfair
incident happened to you every day of your life?
This, my friend, is an experiential definition of discrimination.
Take a deep breath. Let go of the feelings. Return to the present.

Relax.
During my cultural diversity workshops, participants frequently ask me

for a definition of discrimination. Instead of giving them a direct
answer, I take them through this thought experiment. Only after they
feel the concept in their guts, I supply them with the verbal definition:
treatment or consideration based on class or category rather than
individual merit.
Roleplay
OBJECTIONS
I designed this game for an annual meeting with hundreds of sales people.
My challenge was to provide a fast-paced activity for a slightly jaded group
whose members were convinced that they had nothing more to learn.
Key Idea
Participants repeatedly pair up and have several brief roleplay conversations

around objections from customers. During the activity, each participant has
an opportunity to play the role of a customer and a sales person. Working in
teams and pairs, participants reflect on their experience and derive a set of
principles for responding to (and leveraging) customers' objections.
Index Tags
Large groups. Roleplay. Conversation Switch. Sales. Handling objections.

Structured sharing.
Purpose
• To anticipate different types of objections from customers.
• To respond appropriately, spontaneously, and clearly to objections.
• To derive a set of principles for effectively responding to (and
leveraging) customer objections.
Participants
16 - 300
(Participants are divided into two groups. Each group is divided into teams of
four to seven.)
Time Requirement
25 - 45 minutes
Room Setup
This is a stand-up activity. Remove all chairs and other furniture from the
room (or move them to the sides, next to the walls).
Supplies
• Timer
• Whistle
• Pieces of paper
• Pens (or pencils)
Flow
Divide participants into two groups of equal size. Ask participants from
one of these groups (“Group A”) to temporarily turn their name tags upside
down (or remove them) so they can easily recognize members of their own
group.
Assign brainstorming tasks. Ask members of Group A to organize
themselves into teams of four to seven. Ask each team to brainstorm several
objections that customers frequently have. After a brief discussion, ask
members of each team to select one objection that they want to use. (Group
A may end up with several objections, but members of each team will have
the same objection.)
While teams in Group A are coming up with objections, ask members of

Group B (participants with their name tags) to organize themselves into
teams of four to seven. Ask each team to brainstorm several principles for
handling (and leveraging) typical objections from clients.
Conduct the first round of conversations. Explain that during the next 5
minutes, members of Group A will repeatedly team up with different
members of Group B and hold a brief conversation. This conversation will
begin with an objection from the Group A member and an immediate
response from the Group B member. This conversation must be realistic and
must not last for more than 30 seconds. The Group A member may conclude
the conversation any time she wants and pair up with another Group B
member to repeat the process. These conversations are repeated for a total
of 5 minutes.
Return to the teams. Ask all participants to return to their teams.
Switch brainstorming tasks. Explain that during the next round of

conversations, Group A members will respond to the objections raised by
Group B members. Ask members of Group A teams to recall and compare the
ways different people handled their objections during the earlier
conversations and come up with general principles for effectively handling
customers' objections. During the process, encourage team members to
reflect on how they could have done better than the strategies used by Group
B members.
Simultaneously to the above, explain that Group B members will play the role
of customers with different objections. Ask members of Group B teams to
recall different objections they heard, brainstorm some more, and select a
common objection for use during the next round of conversations.
Conduct the second round of conversations. Explain that for the next 5
minutes, you will conduct another round of conversations, similar to what
happened during the first round. However, during this round, members of
Group B will initiate the conversations with an objection. As before,
participants will repeatedly pair up with a member of the other group and
hold a short conversation that begins with the objection.
Conduct a debrief. Ask all participants to return to their teams and recall
their earlier experiences. Ask each team to come up with a list of five
different objections and five practical principles for effectively responding to
all types of objections.
OBJECTIONS Game Plan
1. Form two Divide the total group into Become a member of Group
groups (3 two halves. Ask one group to A or Group B.
minutes). turn their name tags upside
down.
2. Form teams and Divide members of Group A Join a team. If a Group A

coordinate and Group B into teams of member, brainstorm
brainstorming four to seven people each. customer objections. Select
tasks (5 minutes). Ask Group A team members one objection for use by all
to brainstorm customer team members.
objections. If a Group B member,
Ask Group B team members brainstorm principles for
to brainstorm principles for handling customer
effectively handling customer objections. Generate several
objections. different principles.
3. Conduct the Give instructions. Start the Group A participants

first round of round. Keep time. Stop the repeatedly pair up with Group
conversations (6 round at the end of 5 B participants and initiate a
minutes). minutes. conversation with their
objection. Group B members
respond to the objection.
4. Switch tasks (5 Ask participants to return to Join your team. If a Group A

minutes). their teams. Ask Group A member, brainstorm
member to brainstorm principles for handling
objections-handling customer objections. If a
principles and Group B Group B member, brainstorm
members to brainstorm customer objections.
customer objections.
5. Conduct the Give instructions. Start the Group B participants

second round of round. Keep time. Stop the repeatedly pair up with Group
conversations (6 round at the end of 5 A participants and initiate a
minutes). minutes. conversation with their
objection. Group A members
respond to the objection.
6. Debrief (5 Ask all participants to return Recall experiences and
minutes). to their teams, recall their discuss them. Come up with
experiences, and derive a list of five customer
useful lists. objections and five general
principles for handling
objections.
Structured Sharing
ONE, TWO, AND MORE

Structured sharing activities facilitate mutual learning among
participants. A typical structured sharing activity requires and rewards
a discussion based on participants' experiences, knowledge, and
opinions.
ONE, TWO, AND MORE is a flexible structured sharing activity for exploring
different topics using different sets of questions. A unique feature of
this activity is answering each question in three different modes:
individual, pairs, and in teams.
Purpose
To explore a topic by independently and interactively answering

relevant questions.
Participants
Minimum: 6, Maximum: 30
(The following description assumes that we are working with a group

of six participants. Instructions for adapting the activity to handle
groups of different sizes are provided in the Adjustments section.)
Time
Depends on the topic and the number of questions. Allow 15-20

minutes per question.
(The following description assumes that you are using three questions,
so the time requirement for this activity would be 45 - 60 minutes.)
Supplies
• Paper and pencil

• ID cards (for specifics, see Adjustments)
• Slides with discussion questions (optional)
• Flipcharts for teamwork (optional)
Preparation
Specify a topic to be explored. Select a topic of broad appeal

without making it sound vague or abstract.
In a recent session in a client organization, we selected the topic of

“Satisfying our customers”.
Specify a list of questions. You can use any suitable sequence of

questions suggested by such processes as systematic problem solving,
human performance technology, or creative problem solving. Three to
five questions provide an effective set.
In our session, we used these three questions, based on the

appreciative inquiry approach:
• What things are we doing exceptionally well in satisfying our

customers?
• What are some common elements among the best practices
in our customer-satisfaction efforts?
• How can we apply these best practices to other areas of our
organization?
Flow
Brief the participants. Introduce the discussion topic (Example:

“Satisfying our customers”). Explain that you will be exploring the
topic by responding to three key questions. Point out that participants
will be working individually, in pairs, and in teams.
Ask the first question. Project a slide with this question or write it on
the flipchart.
In our session, the first question was, “What things are we doing
exceptionally well in satisfying our customers?”
Assign individual work. Ask participants to work individually,

relating the question to the discussion topic and coming up with
several answers. Encourage participants to write down notes for
themselves. Announce a time limit of 2 or 3 minutes.
Distribute identification cards to participants. After the time limit

has expired, give a card to each participant with a letter and a number.
Explain that these cards will be used for organizing partnerships and
teams.
In our session, we distributed these identification cards: A1, A2, A3,

B1, B2, and B3.
Assign work with a partner. Ask participants to check their cards

and to pair up with another person who has the same number but a
different letter. (In our session, participants organized themselves into
three pairs: A1-B1, A2-B2, and A3-B3.) Invite partners to discuss their
answers to the question. Announce a time limit of 3 to 5 minutes.
Encourage partners to take notes about their conclusions.
Assign teamwork. After the time limit has expired, ask participants
to check their cards again. Ask them to form teams with people who
have the same letter. (In our session, participants formed two teams
of three people each: A1, A2, A3 and B1, B2, B3.) Invite team
members to share information from their previous paired discussions
and to discuss the same question one more time. Announce a time
limit of 7 minutes. Encourage team members to use the flipchart (if
available) or paper and pencil for taking notes.
Process the second question. Project a slide with the question or

write it on the flipchart. (In our session, this question was, “What are
some common elements among the best practices in our customer-
satisfaction efforts?”) Explain that participants will be answering the
question using the three different modes as before. However, you will
change the sequence. Begin by asking participants to pair up as before
and discuss the question. After the time limit, form teams and ask
them to share their conclusions from the previous round. Ask
participants to take a couple of minutes to individually reflect on the
question and make notes about their personal responses.
Process the third question. Use a similar approach as before, but
change the sequence. Introduce the question (In our session, the
question was, “How can we apply these best practices to other areas
of our organization?”) Begin with the teamwork mode. Then ask
participants to work individually. Conclude the round by asking
participants to work with their partners.
Conclude the session. Briefly recap the topic and the three
questions. Invite participants to recall sample responses to each of
these questions. Thank participants and encourage them to apply their
conclusions from this activity.
Debriefing
Here's a value-added follow-up. This structured sharing activity

enables participants to experience three different modes: individual,
partnership, and team. At the end of the session, you can conduct a
debriefing discussion to encourage participants to reflect on these
experiences and gain some insights about their preferred working
style. Here are some suggested questions for the debriefing
discussion:
• Which mode did you enjoy the most: working independently,

working with a partner, or working with a team?
• Which mode was the most productive: working independently,
working with a partner, or working with a team?
• What are the advantages of responding to questions individually?
• Under what conditions is individual work preferable to working
with others?
• What are the advantages of beginning an activity with individual
work?
• What are the advantages of concluding an activity with individual
work?
• What would have happened if you did not work with anyone else
and responded individually to all three questions?
• What would have happened if we skipped the individual activity
and discussed the answers to all three questions with others?
• What are the advantages of working with a partner in responding
to questions and making decisions?
• Under what conditions is working with a partner preferable to
working alone?
• What are the advantages of beginning an activity with a partner?
• What are the advantages of concluding an activity with a
partner?
• What would have happened if you worked exclusively with a
partner?
• What would have happened if we did not work with a partner any
time during this activity?
• What are the advantages of working as a team?
• Under what conditions is teamwork preferable to individual work
or working with a partner?
• What are the advantages of beginning an activity with
teamwork?
• What are the advantages of concluding an activity with
teamwork?
• What would have happened if you worked exclusively in teams
while discussing all three questions?
• What would have happened if we skipped teamwork and worked
on all three questions individually? What if we worked with a
single partner throughout the activity?
• Which would you prefer: working with the same partner or with
different partners? Why?
• Which would you prefer: working with the same team members
or with different team members? Why?
Adjustments
Use the table below for creating cards for pairing and teaming.
If you have an odd number of participants, give a card to yourself so

you will pair up with one of the participants and become a member of
a team. Be careful not to dominate the discussion when you are
participating in paired work or teamwork.
Number of Number
Cards Number
Participants of Pairs of Teams
6 A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, B3 3 2

8 A1, A2, A3, A4, B1, B2, B3, B4 4 2
A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, B1, B2, B3,
10 5 2
B4, B5
A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6, B1, B2,
12 6 2
B3, B4, B5, B6
A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6, A7, B1,
14 7 2
B2, B3, B4, B5, B6, B7
16 A1, A2, A3, A4, B1, B2, B3, B4, 8 4
C1, C2, C3, C4, D1, D2, D3, D4
A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, B1, B2, B3,
18 B4, B5, C1, C2, C3, C4, D1, 9 4
D2, D3, D4
A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, B1, B2, B3,
20 B4, B5, C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, 10 4
D1, D2, D3, D4, D5
A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6, B1, B2,
22 B3, B4, B5, B6, C1, C2, C3, C4, 11 4
C5, D1, D2, D3, D4, D5
A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6, B1, B2,
B3, B4, B5, B6, C1, C2, C3, C4,
24 12 4
C5, C6, D1, D2, D3, D4, D5,
D6
A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, B1, B2, B3,
B4, B5, C1, C2, C3, C4, D1,
26 13 6
D2, D3, D4, E1, E2, E3, E4, F1,
F2, F3, F4
A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, B1, B2, B3,
B4, B5, C1, C2, C3, C4, C5,
28 14 6
D1, D2, D3, D4, D5, E1, E2,
E3, E4, F1, F2, F3, F4
A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, B1, B2, B3,
B4, B5, C1, C2, C3, C4, C5,
30 15 6
D1, D2, D3, D4, D5, E1, E2,
E3, E4, E5, F1, F2, F3, F4, F5
Textra Game
OPEN BOOK
OPEN BOOK is a quiz game that helps participants become familiar with
the structure and organization of a reference manual. During the first
phase of the game, individual participants review the manual and
prepare 10 questions. During the second phase, participants form into
teams and select their five best questions. During the third phase, you
conduct a quiz program using these questions and some others that
you have prepared earlier.
Participants
Any number. Best game involves 9 - 30.
Time
40 minutes
Supplies
• Copies of the reference manual

• Index cards
• Timer
• Whistle
• Flip chart (for keeping score)
• Set of prepared questions, each on an index card
Preparation
Prepare a set of typical questions that participants might look up in the

reference manual. Write each question on one side of an index card
and the page number that contains the answer on the back.
Flow
Brief participants. Distribute copies of the reference manual to each

participant. Explain that the manual will enable participants to find
answers to most questions that they may have in the future.
Assign the individual task. Tell participants that they have a 10-
minute “survey” assignment. During this time, they should review the
manual and figure out the structure. Participants do not have to read
about any specific topic in detail or memorize any information.
However, they should be thoroughly familiar with the organization of
manual so they can efficiently find answers to questions.
Generate questions. Distribute 10 index cards to each participant. As

a part of the reading assignment, each participant should write at least
five and not more than 10 questions that can be answered by referring
to the manual. These questions should not be “trick” questions but
should represent the types of questions that a participant may have in
the future. Participants should write each question on one side of an
index card and provide a page reference on the back of the card.
Announce time limit. Explain that participants have 10 minutes to
complete the task. Indicate that the more questions a participant
generates, the more chances she will have to receive high scores later
in the game. Start the timer and begin the survey-assignment activity.
Organize new teams. At the end of 10 minutes, blow the whistle and
ask participants to stop reading and writing. Ask participants to
organize themselves into teams of four to six people.
Assign the team task. Ask the members of each team to share their
question cards, remove duplicate questions, and select the five best
questions. Announce a 5-minute time limit.
Get ready for the quiz show. Blow the whistle and collect the five
question cards from each team. Tell participants that you are going to
conduct a quiz show using the question cards they generated, along
with a few additional questions that you prepared. This will be an
open-book quiz and whichever team locates the correct information
first will give the answer, reading from the document or paraphrasing
the information.
Prepare for the quiz show. Review the questions generated by

participants. From these questions and the ones that you had prepared
earlier, select 10 good questions that will refer to different sections of
the document. Make sure that these questions represent the types of
questions that an advanced participant will have in the future.
Begin the quiz show. Briefly explain the following procedure:
• I will read a question.

• Teams can refer to the reference manual.
• First participant to stand up gives the answer.
• For some questions, the reference manual may not include any
relevant information. In this case, the first person to stand up
and proclaim that the answer cannot be found in the manual
wins the points for that question.
• If the answer appears to be incorrect, any participant from
another team may challenge by giving the correct answer.
• If there is no challenge, and if the answer is correct, the team
gets 2 points. If there is no challenge, and if the answer is
incorrect, nobody gets any points.
• If there is a challenge and if the challenger is correct, challenger
gets 2 points and the incorrect team loses 1 point.
• If there is an invalid challenge (if the original answer is correct),
the original team gets 2 points and challenging team loses 1
point.
Conduct the quiz show. Read the first question. Identify the person
who stood up first. Listen to the answer. Listen to any challenges.
Award score points. Update the flip-chart score board. If necessary,
discuss the answer and clarify any misconceptions. Repeat the
procedure, and continue for 10 minutes.
Identify the winning team. Congratulate members of the team with

the highest score.
THE OTHER SIDE
Here's a quick game that demonstrates how mindlessly we go through

life, paying scant attention to everyday objects.
The game described below uses a dollar bill. You can play the game
with any two-sided object that can be conveniently held in your hands.
This object should have approximately equal amounts of information
on both sides: You cannot use a picture postcard because one side
contains a skimpy amount of information compared to the other.
However, you can use two picture postcards pasted to each other. You
can also use a credit card, a quarter, a double-sided brochure, a
playing card (with a picture on its back), a page from a menu, or a
canceled check.
You can also use the game to train people about key features of the
object. Example: training bank tellers to recognize the features of a
100-dollar bill so that they can recognize counterfeits.
Here's the flow of the game:
1. Ask each participant to find a partner. If you have an odd

number of participants, pair yourself with the unpopular
individual who gets left out.
2. Ask each pair to pull out a dollar bill. Have them carefully
inspect both sides of the bill for 30 seconds.
3. Ask one member of the pair to hold up the dollar bill by its
narrower edges so that each player sees a different side. It
is important that neither player can see the other side.
4. Explain how the game is played: The players take turns to

make statements about what they see on their side of the
dollar bill. This statement could be true (example: The word
one is spelled out six times) or false (example: The
signature of the U. S. President appears on the dollar bill).
The other player announces whether this statement is true
or false.
5. Encourage the players to make generic statements

(example: The serial number of the bill begins with a letter)
rather than a specific statement (example: The serial
number of this bill begins with the letter G). Also encourage
the players to make sentences that contain a single element
(example: The dollar bill contains two signatures) instead of
multiple elements (example: The dollar bill has two
signatures on either side of the picture of Washington with
the titles of the people under their signatures). In other
words, we do not want any statements that are partially true
and partially false.
6. Explain the scoring system. If the second player's

announcement is correct, neither player scores anything.
However, if the second player's statement is incorrect, then
the first player scores a point.
7. Explain how the game ends. The player who reaches the
total score of 5 points first wins the game.
8. Let the game begin. After a few rounds, suggest that if the
hands that are holding up the dollar bill are getting tired, the
other player may take a turn to be the bill-holder (keeping
the same sides of the bill facing the same players).
9. To repeat the game, ask the players to turn the dollar bill
around for the next round. Or, ask the players to use a $100
bill or some other convenient object.
Cash Game
PERSUASION
This is the most expensive of my cash games for training purposes because it
requires you to give away $100. However, the instructional and motivational
effectiveness of the activity are definitely worth the cost. Many participants
claim that they have never been as intensely involved in a training activity as
in this one.
Key Idea
Participants come up with ideas for spending $100 from you. They work
individually and in teams to persuade their own team members, individual
members of other teams, and the entire group.
Index Tags
Persuasion. Influencing. Presentation skills. Motivation. Cash games.
Purpose
Apply various strategies for persuading people in a variety of situations.
Participants
Minimum: 4
Maximum: 50
Best: 25-35
Time Requirement
30 to 60 minutes.
Room Setup
Arrange the room to seat teams around tables. Leave plenty of space for
participants to walk around, pair up, and talk to each other.
Flow
1. Display a $100 bill. Pass the bill around so participants can verify that it
is the genuine article.
2. Individual brainstorming. Explain that any participant can win the $100
if she (or her team) comes up with the most popular idea for spending it. Ask
each participant to independently and silently think of an idea for spending
the $100 that would appeal to most others in the room.
3. Form teams. Organize participants into 3 to 7 equal-sized teams, each

with 3 to 7 members. Ask members of each team to briefly introduce
themselves to the others.
4. Select team idea. Ask each team to discuss different ideas for spending
the $100. Ask teams to select the most appealing idea suggested by its
members.
5. Announce team selections. Ask each team to briefly explain its selected
idea for spending the $100.
6. Persuade members of the other teams. Ask members of each team to

stand up, move around, pair up with a member of some other team, and
share their ideas for spending the $100. Also ask each participant to
persuade the other to agree that her team's idea is a better one. Announce a
5 minute time limit for this activity.
7. Modify the team's idea. Ask participants to return to their seats,

compare their ideas with other teams' ideas and decide if they should modify
their idea to increase its appeal.
8. Prepare for a presentation. Ask each team to come up with a brief

name for its new and improved idea. Also ask teams to prepare for a 30-
second presentation about their ideas to persuade members of the other
teams to select it as the most appealing.
9. Make team presentations. Select a team and ask its members to

present its idea in 30 seconds. Repeat this procedure until all teams have the
opportunity to present their idea. During the presentations, list the title of
each team's idea (along with a number) on the flip chart.
10. Poll individuals. Distribute blank index cards to all participants. Ask
each participant to secretly write the number that identifies the most
appealing idea presented by other teams. Emphasize that participants must
not choose the idea presented by their own team. When completed, collect
all the index cards.
11. Count the polling results. Give the index cards to a couple of
participants and ask them to separate them by different numbers. While they
are doing the vote tallying, keep the other participants engaged by asking
each participant to make a prediction of which ideas will be the most popular
and which one will be the least popular. After a suitable pause, ask
participants to share their predictions with other members of their team.
12. Announce the results. Announce the number of votes received by each
idea, beginning with the least popular idea. Finally announce the winning
idea and congratulate the team that presented the idea. Give the $100 to the
team to implement their idea.
13. Conduct a debriefing discussion. To obtain maximum learning

outcomes from PERSUASION, ask the following types of questions and encourage
participants to discuss them.
• Who originally proposed the idea that ended up as the winning idea?
How much of the credit goes to this person? How much of the credit
goes to her team members?
• What features of the most popular idea made it so popular in
comparison with the other ideas? Are these features related to the
basic values of the idea or to the way it was presented?
• Did you become emotionally attached to your idea? What made you
give up your idea in preference to other ideas in your team?
• How did you go about persuading individual members of the other
team? What different approaches did the members of other teams

use? Did you change your approach from one person to another? If so,
why did you change it?
• Did you modify your team's idea at the end of individual persuasion of
other team members? Was the modified idea a drastic change or just a
minor adjustment?
• How critical is it to be flexible with your idea in order to make it more
appealing?
• What were the effective strategies for persuading members of your
own team? How do they differ from strategies used for persuading
members of other teams?
• What strategies did you come up with for making your 30-second
presentation? How did these differ from the strategies that you used
earlier during one-on-one conversations?
• Which persuasion approach is more effective: one-on-one
conversations or large-group presentations?
• If you were permitted to, would you have voted for your own team's
idea? How much does loyalty and ownership influence your choice?
• What did you learn from this activity about persuading people?
• Which strategies from this activity can you apply to writing an email
message in support of your idea? Write this type of email appeal as a

homework assignment.
• If the endowment was $1,000 instead of $100 how would your level of
motivation have changed?
• If the endowment was $10 instead of $100 how would your level of
motivation have changed?
• What are some sample ideas that appeal to individual greed? What are
some sample ideas that appeal to philanthropic values?
• Which type of ideas—individual or philanthropic—were more frequently
offered? Which type made it to the top?
PERSUASION Game Plan
Here's a table to summarize the flow of PERSUASION.
Participants
Step Facilitator
1. Excite Hold up a $100 bill. Pass it Make sure that the $100 bill is
participants. around. genuine.
(1 minute)
2. Brainstorm Ask participants to work Come up with ideas for spending

individually. individually to generate the $100. Make sure your idea
(3 minutes) ideas for spending the will appeal to the other
$100. participants in the room.
3. Form teams. Organize participants into 3 Join the team and introduce
(3 minutes) - 7 teams, each with 3 to 7 yourself to other team members.
members.
4. Select team Ask each team to discuss Explain your idea and try to
idea. different ideas for spending persuade your teammates that
(3 minutes) the $100 and select the this idea is likely to appeal to
most appealing one. most people in the other teams.
Listen to other people's
statements and help select the
best idea for the team.
5. Announce Ask teams to take turns Listen and take notes.

team selection. and briefly explain the
(2 minutes) selected idea.
6. Persuade Ask participants to pair up Meet individual members from

members of with members of other other teams. Share your idea,
other teams. teams and persuade them. listen to the other person's ideas
(10 minutes) and try to persuade the other
person.
7. Modify the Ask participants to return to Share different ideas that you
team's idea. their seats, conduct a heard from members of the other
(5 minutes) discussion, and modify their teams. Discuss and decide how to
team's idea to increase its revise and improve your team's
appeal. idea.
8. Prepare Ask each team to prepare a Discuss the key points related to
presentation. persuasive presentation of the team's idea. Prepare an
(5 minutes) its idea for spending the outline and decide who will make
$100. Also ask them to the presentation.
come up with a title for
their idea.
9. Make the Randomly select different When your team is selected,

team teams and ask them to participate in persuasively
presentation. present their idea within 30 presenting your team's idea.
(3 minutes) seconds.
10. Poll Ask each participant to Think of various presentations

individuals independently select the and select the best idea. Write
(3 minutes) best idea presented by the the identification number on an
other teams. index card and give it to the
facilitator.
11. Count Ask a couple of participants Write a prediction of the most

polling results. to sort the index cards and popular and the least popular
organize them by numbers. ideas. Share these predictions
Ask the rest of participants with other members of your
to predict the outcomes. team.
12. Announce Announce the number of Listen to the results and

the results. votes received by each congratulate the winning team.
(7 minutes) idea, beginning with the
least popular and working
up to the most popular one.
13. Debrief. Ask questions about Participate in the debriefing

(10 minutes) persuasion principles and discussion.
insights gained from the
activity. Encourage
participants to discuss
these questions.
Structured Sharing
PERSUASION
At the recent annual conference of the International Simulation and
Gaming Association (ISAGA) in Munich, I facilitated a general session
on conducting activities with large groups.
Purposes
Results focus: To explore opposing elements related to two topics or

issues.
Process focus: To explore factors related to persuading others.
Participants
12 to 200. Best with 50 to 100 participants.
Time
20 to 60 minutes.
Preparation
Design a questionnaire. Select two topics (or issues) that would be

of interest to all participants. Make sure that these topics are
independent of each other. For each topic, specify two positions.
Here's an example from the ISAGA conference:
Topic 1: Name of the organization.
Position 1: We should change the name of our organization to

something new and more memorable than ISAGA.
Position 2: We should retain, respect, and protect the current name

of our organization.
Topic 2: Awards and recognition.
Position 1: We should continue giving an award for the Outstanding

Research Paper. This should be the only annual award given by our
organization.
Position 2: We should give another award for the Outstanding

Simulation or Game. This award should be given in addition to the
Outstanding Research Paper.
Design a questionnaire that contains the two topics and the two
positions for each.
Create Role Assignments. Prepare role assignment sheets for each
of the four choices in the questionnaire. Give instructions for assuming
a specific position related to one of the topics and persuading others to
that position. Print each of the four different role assignments on
paper of a different color.
At the ISAGA conference, I did not have time to print the role
assignments as handouts. Instead I created PowerPoint® slides and
displayed them on the screen.
Here are the four role assignments based on the ISAGA questionnaire:
Role Assignment 1
We should change the name of our organization to something

new and more memorable than ISAGA.
Assume this position with respect to the name of the organization. Set
aside your personal position if this position is different from yours.
During the activity, your mission is to persuade others to take this

position.
Role Assignment 2
We should retain, respect, and protect the current name of our

organization.

position.
Role Assignment 3
We should continue giving an award for the Outstanding

Research Paper. This should be the only annual award given by
our organization.
position.
Role Assignment 4
We should give another award for the Outstanding Simulation

or Game. This award should be given in addition to the
Outstanding Research Paper.

position.
Supplies
• Questionnaire (Two copies to each participant, one for pretest

and another for posttest).
• Role Assignments (four different versions, each printed on paper
of a different color)
• Timer
• Whistle
Flow
Administer a pretest. Tell participants that you are going to give

them a 20-second questionnaire. Distribute copies of the questionnaire
to the participants. Ask them to select one of the two choices for each
item. Collected the completed questionnaires and give them to your
co-facilitator. If you don't have a co-facilitator, set aside the
questionnaires.
Assign roles. Distribute equal numbers of the four Role Assignments

to participants so that each participant gets one assignment. Ask
participants to spend a couple of minutes to read the instructions. In
taking on the assigned role, ask participants to set aside their personal
opinions.
Set up meeting areas. Assign four different areas of the room to

participants with the four different Role Assignments. For example,
point to the northeast side of the room as the location for people who
are assigned one point of view related to the first topic. Assign the
diagonally opposite side (southwest) for participants who have the
same topic but the opposing point of view. Assign participants with the
opposing points of views related to the second topic to the other two
diagonally opposite areas (southeast and northwest).
Form groups. Ask participants with the same role assignment to

move to their assigned areas and form groups of 5 to 10 members
each. Explain that it is not necessary for all participants with the same
role assignment to form a single large group.
Develop strategies. Ask participants in each group to discuss the

role assigned to them and come up with strategies for persuading
other participants in the room to agree with their position. To do this,
members of each team may come up with a clear and compelling
message that they want to deliver to the others. Group members may
also develop logical arguments in support of their position. They may
also share personal anecdotes in support of their position. Suggest a
suitable time limit for this set of activities.
Persuade others. At the end of the assigned time, blow a whistle and
announce the end of strategy-development time. Ask participants to
meet people from the other areas of the room on a one-on-one basis
and try to persuade them to accept their position. Suggest that
participants should meet with others who were working on a different
topic before trying to persuade people with the opposite point of view
on their own topic. Encourage participants to have a conversation
rather than just delivering their message and moving away in search
of the next listener. Announce a suitable time for this phase of the
activity.
Administer a posttest. Distribute copies of the same questionnaire

that you used as the pretest. Ask participants to select one of the two
choices for each item as before. After a suitable pause, collect the
completed questionnaires and quickly count the number of people who
selected each of the four alternatives.
Debrief the results. Announce the pretest results related to the first
questionnaire item in terms of the number of people selecting each of
the two choices. Ask participants to predict whether this distribution
would have changed in the posttest. Encourage participants to make a
guess and to share their reasoning. Announce the actual posttest
results for the first item. Conduct a discussion of the differences (or
the lack of differences) between the pretest and the posttest. Repeat
the procedure with the other item.
Debrief the process. Ask participants to think of the strategies that
they used to persuade others. Conduct a discussion on the persuasion
process using these types of questions:
• Did you use the same strategy to persuade everyone or did you
modify the strategy from one person to the next? If you changed
your strategy, what were the reasons for doing so?
• Did you stay with the original strategy developed by your group
or did you change it? If you changed the strategy, why did you
do that?
• Was your pretest choice different from the role that was assigned
to you? How did this difference impact your strategy?
• If you had to convince others of a position that was different
from your initial position, did you end up changing you own
mind?
• What different types of strategies did other people use to
persuade you? Which of these strategies were effective? Which
ones were ineffective?
• Did you ever try to persuade someone who had the opposing
point of view on the same topic as yours? If so, what strategies
did you use? What were the results?
• Did you have a real conversation with the other people you met?
Did you actively listen to their message?
• Did you change your choice on the other topic between the
pretest and the posttest? If yes, what persuaded you?
• Did you meet two different people who had the opposite points
of view on the other topic? Which of the other two did a better
job of convincing you?
• If we used just one topic and assigned opposing points of view to
equal numbers of participants, how would that have changed the
nature of this activity?
PILE-UP
by Lorraine Ukens
Objectives
• To practice effective team problem-solving and decision-making

skills in meeting team goals.
• To strategically plan for the utilization of available team
resources.
Team Size
Participants will work together in teams of three or four members

each.
Time
Thirty minutes.
Materials
• Twenty different playing cards and one envelope for each team.
• Flip chart and marker.
Preparation
For each participating team, randomly select twenty playing cards and
place them in an envelope.
Process
1. Instruct participants to form teams of three or four players each.

Assign a different team color to each group.
2. Explain that the goal of this game is to reduce an arrangement
of playing cards to as few piles as possible—ideally, to a single
pile.
3. Describe the rules as follows: A team decision is to be made for
each move. You may pick up any card in the array and move it
any distance horizontally or vertically (never diagonally) and
place it on top of another card that matches it in either suit or
rank. A pile of cards moves as a unit, with only the top card
being relevant in determining where the pile may move.
4. Explain that the teams will have approximately 15 minutes to
complete the task. The team that reduces the arrangement of
cards to the smallest number of piles will be the winner.
5. Direct each team to place its cards on the table in a grid pattern
consisting of five columns and four rows.
6. Before you begin the activity, ask each team to predict the final
number of piles it will be able to produce. Record this number on
the flip chart next to the appropriate team color.
7. Signal for the game to begin, then stop when all teams have
finished or after 15 minutes have elapsed.
8. Direct each team, in turn, to report the number of remaining
card piles it has, recording each number next to the appropriate
prediction on the flip chart. Announce the winner as the team
that has the smallest number of remaining piles.
Variation
Rather than giving each team a random set of playing cards, give each
team a duplicate twenty-card set. You can decide to have each group
arrange the cards in the 5 x 4 pattern, or you can supply all teams
with the same pattern arrangement which you will display or
distribute.
Discussion
• How close was your team to meeting the predicted goal?

• What factors affected the end result?
• Describe your team's decision-making approach to classifying
the cards.
• What was your team's planning strategy? Did it change during
the process? Why or why not?
• Because each card arrangement was different, how does
availability of resources affect a team's ability to meet its goals?
(This question is not applicable if you use the first option of the
Variation above.)
[Table of Contents]
THREE SETS
In the July 2004 issue of PFP we discussed the advantages of two-
person training games and presented detailed instructions for a card
game called TRUMPS. In the August issue, we presented another two-
person card game, called GINNY.
Here's a third card game, called THREE SETS. This game also deals with
the stages in team development. It uses the same deck of
classification cards.
Team Development
See the Four Stages of Team Development instructions to review

information about the four stages of forming, storming, norming, and
performing. (For your convenience, we have duplicated this handout
from the July issue of PFP.)
Purpose

Participants
Time

Supplies
How To Play THREE SETS Handout. This handout summarizes the rules of
the game. Make a copy for each player.

development stage (or stages) associated with it. Make a copy for each
player. (For your convenience we have duplicated this from the July
issue of PFP.)
A deck of GROWING A TEAM Cards. This deck contains 99 cards. Prepare

your own deck by typing the numbers and statements from this list on
your own cards. (See below if you don't have the patience to do this.)
Getting Ready To Play

Feedback Table to each player, but ask players to place it with the
printed side down.
Introduce the four stages. Distribute copies of the Four Stages of

Team Development Handout. Make a brief presentation, using
examples that are relevant to the players.

Feedback Table.
Explain the rules. Distribute copies of the handout, How To Play THREE
SETS. Walk the players through the rules.
[Table of Contents]
Handout 1
How To Play THREE SETS

Deal the cards. Deal nine cards to each player, one card at a time.
Set the rest of the deck aside, face down (these cards will not be
used).
Assemble Sets. Study the nine cards in your hand and arrange them
into three sets of three cards each. The object of the game is to create
higher-status sets. Here are the three possible types of sets arranged
in descending order of status:
• Triplet: All three cards in this set belong to the same suit (for
example, all three cards belong to the Storming stage in the
team development process). A triplet is the highest-status set. It
beats all other types of sets.
• Pair: Two of the three cards in this set belong to the same suit
and the third one belongs to a different suit. Example: Two cards
belong to the Performing stage of the team-development
process, and the third card belongs to the Forming stage. A pair
has lower status than a triplet and higher status than a diff
(explained below).
• Diff: All three cards in this set belong to different suits.
Example: One card belongs to the Norming stage of the team-
development process, another card belongs to the Storming
stage, and the third card belongs to Performing stage. A diff is
the lowest-status set. It loses to the other two sets.
The nine cards in your hand can be arranged into different types of
sets. It is important for you to try to maximize the status of your sets.
Reveal the first set. You select one of your sets and place it face
down on the table. Your opponent does the same. Both of you now
turn your sets face up. Whoever has the higher-status set scores one
point for this round.
Break the tie. If both you and your opponent have the same type of
set, use this rule: The player with the card of the highest value
(among any of the three cards) scores the point.
Reveal the second set. Repeat the procedure with the second set
from your hand. As before, whoever has the higher-status set scores
one point for this round.
Reveal the third set. Repeat the procedure with a third set from your
hand. As before, you or your opponent score a point, depending on
who has the higher-status set.
Determine the Winner. The player with the most points wins the
game.
Play the Game Again. Play the game again using the same
procedure. You may want to play a total of five games to decide who
wins the match. Alternatively, you may play the game until one person
scores a total of ten or more points.
Try these Variations. For a more challenging game, try the four- or
five-card set variations described below:
Four-Card Sets. The game is played as before, except each player is

dealt 12 cards. Players arrange these cards into three sets of four
cards each and reveal these sets, one at a time.
With four-card sets, there are five possible sets, arranged below in
descending order of status:
• Quad: All four cards in this set belong to the same suit.
Example: All four cards belong to the Performing stage in the
team-development process. A quad is the highest-status set,
beating all other types of sets.
• Double Pair. Two of the four cards belong to one suit and the
other two belong to another suit. Example: Two cards belong to
the Storming stage of the team-development process and the
other two belong to the Norming stage. A double pair is the
second highest-status set. It beats a triplet, a pair, or a diff. But
it loses to a quad.
• Triplet: Three of the four cards belong to the same suit while
the fourth card belongs to a different suit. Example: Three cards
belong to the Storming stage in the team development process
while the fourth card belongs to the Performing stage. A triplet is
the third highest-status set. It beats a pair or a diff, but it loses
to a double pair or a quad.
• Pair: Two of the four cards in this set belong to the same suit
and the other two belong to two other suits. Example: Two cards
belong to the Performing stage of the team-development
process, the third card belongs to the Forming stage, and the
fourth card belongs to the Storming stage. A pair beats a diff,
but it loses to a triplet, a double pair, or a quad.
• Diff: All four cards in this set belong to different suits. Example:
One card belongs to the Norming stage of the team-development
process, another card belongs to the Storming stage, the third
card belongs to Performing stage, and the fourth card belongs to
the Forming stage. A diff is the lowest-status set and it loses to
any other type of set.
set, the set with the card of highest value wins (as with three-card
sets).
Five-card sets. The game is played as before, except each player is

dealt 15 cards. Players arrange these cards into three sets of five cards
each and reveal these sets, one at a time.
Five-card sets are somewhat similar to poker hands. Here are the six
possible sets, arranged in descending order of status:
• Quint: All five cards in this set belong to the same suit.
Example: All five cards belong to the Performing stage. A quint is
the highest-status set, beating all other types of sets.
• Full House: Three cards in this set belong to one suit and the
other two cards belong to another suit. (This is a combination of
a triplet and a pair.) Example: Three cards belong to the
Performing stage and the other two cards belong to the Storming
stage. A full house is the second highest-status set. It loses only
to a quint.
• Quad: Four cards in this set belong to the same suit and the
fifth one belongs to a different suit. Example: Four cards belong
to the Performing stage and the fifth card belongs to the
Norming stage. A quad is the third highest-status five-card set,
beating a double pair, a triplet, or a pair. It loses to a full house
or a quint.
• Double Pair: Two of the five cards belong to one suit, another
two belong to another suit, and the fifth card belongs to a
different suit. Example: Two cards belong to the Storming stage,
two others belong to the Norming stage, and the fifth card
belongs to the Performing stage. A double pair beats a triplet or
a pair. It loses to a quad, a full house, or a quint.
• Triplet: Three of the five cards belong to the same suit while the
other two belong to two different suits. Example: Three cards
belong to the Storming stage while the fourth card belongs to
the Performing stage and the fifth card belong to the Norming
stage. A triplet beats a pair. It loses to a double pair, quad, a full
house, or a quint.
• Pair: Two of the five cards in this set belong to the same suit
and the other three belong to three different suits. Example: Two
cards belong to the Performing stage, the third card belongs to
the Forming stage, the fourth card to the Storming stage, and
the fifth card to the Norming stage. A pair is the lowest-status
five-card set. It loses to a triplet, a double pair, a quad, a full
house, or a quint.
(In case you are curious, you cannot have a five-card diff because
there are only four suits.)
set, the set with the card of highest value wins (as with three-card
sets).
Optional Rules
Use of the Feedback Table. When you are a beginning player, you
may refer to the Feedback Table whenever you want. Later, when you
have become familiar with the four stages of team development, you
should play the game without using this “cheat sheet”.
Strategy
Remember that the object of the game is to score two or more points
by playing the highest-status set during each round. A lot of bluffing is
involved in deciding when to play your weak set or strong set.
[Table of Contents]
Handout 2



itself.


[Table of Contents]
Handout 3
Feedback Table
1. P 21. F 41. P 61. S 81. F

2. N 22. P 42. F 62. N 82. P
3. N 23. S 43. S, N 63. F, S 83. P
4. P 24. S 44. S 64. S 84. N, P
5. F 25. N 45. N 65. F 85. P
6. P 26. N 46. N, P 66. N 86. F, S
7. F 27. P 47. P 67. F 87. P
8. P 28. S 48. F 68. P 88. P
9. F 29. N 49. S 69. P 89. N
10. S 30. S 50. F 70. P 90. F
11. S 31. S 51. P 71. P 91. S
12. N, P 32. S 52. P 72. F 92. S
13. F 33. N 53. S 73. N 93. F, S
14. P 34. F 54. F 74. P 94. P
15. F 35. N 55. P 75. N 95. F
16. N 36. N, P 56. F 76. P 96. S
17. P 37. F 57. F 77. N 97. P
18. F 38. N, P 58. P 78. P 98. N, P
19. F 39. N, P 59. S 79. F 99. N
20. N 40. N 60. P 80. N, P
[Table of Contents]
Facilitator Job Aid

her.
7. Cautious
10.Challenging
team as a whole.
14.Collaborating
basic issues.
feelings.
agendas.
with the leader.
distrust.
communications.
on.
performing.
outside.
members.
evaluation.
interactions.
rules.
guidance.

online store.
Opener
POSTCARD FROM A FRIEND

Here's an interesting icebreaker that uses the postcards written in the
previous closer activity (POSTCARD TO A FRIEND). It involves distributing
postcards from previous participants with their highlights and advice
for a new group of participants. Be sure that you receive informed
consent from the writers before using their postcards in this activity.
Purpose
To provide a preview of the session and some advice on how to get the
most out of it.
Participants
Any number.
Time
15 to 30 minutes
Supplies
Postcard written by participants in a previous session. If necessary,

photocopy some postcards to make sure that all participants will
receive a postcard.
Flow
Brief participants. Present the following scenario in your own words:
Let's pretend that one of your friends has gone through this training
session earlier. You send her an e-mail note asking for her comments
on the session and advice on how to get the most out of it. She sends
you a postcard.
Conduct the card reading session. Distribute one postcard to each

participant. Explain that it was written under the same scenario that
you presented earlier. Ask participants to read the postcard and review
the information. Tell them that you will be taking the postcard back in
a few minutes.
Ask participants to compare notes. Retrieve the postcards from the

participants and organize them into teams of three to seven. Ask each
team to compare the advice from the postcards and to select the three
most useful pieces of advice.
Prepare posters. Ask participants to prepare a summary of the three

most useful pieces of advice on a sheet of flip chart paper. After a
suitable pause, ask teams to tape their posters to the wall. Encourage
participants to review the posters from the other teams.
Conduct a Q&A session. Ask the participants to return to their

locations. Invite them to ask you questions about any of the items
from the postcards they received. Give brief responses.
Closer
POSTCARD TO A FRIEND
Here's a closer that encourages participants to recall what happened in
the session and to come up with second thoughts about how they
could have benefited more. It also creates useful materials for an
interesting icebreaker.
Purpose
To review the training session and identify personal highlights.
Participants
Any number
Time
15 to 30 minutes
Supplies
A postcard-sized piece of card stock for each participant
Flipchart paper
Flow
Brief participants. Present the following scenario, using your own

words:
Imagine it's three months ago, and you received an e-mail note from a
friend indicating that she's going to attend this training session. She is
curious about your experiences with the session and wants your advice
on how to get the most out of it. You are ready to respond to her by
sending her a postcard.
Begin the postcard writing activity. Ask participants to think back

on the training session and recall one or two highlights. Also ask them
to think about what two pieces of advice they should give this friend.
Distribute a blank “postcard” to each participant and ask him or her to
write a short, friendly note incorporating the highlights and the advice.
Announce a 5-minute time limit.
Conclude the postcard-writing activity. Ask participants who have

finished ahead of the others to decorate their postcards with doodles.
When everyone has concluded, collect the postcards and thank the
participants.
Ask participants to compare notes. Organize participants into
teams of 3 to 7 and ask them to share what they wrote on their
postcards.
Create joint postcards. Ask each team to write a joint note to the
imaginary friend using large letters on a sheet of flipchart paper
positioned horizontally (landscape format). Announce a 5-minute time
limit.
Display the joint postcards. After a suitable pause, ask teams to

tape their giant postcards to the wall of the meeting room. Encourage
the participants take a gallery walk and review the products from the
other teams.
POTATO POWER
by Deb Calderon
Purpose
• To stick a plastic straw through a raw potato

• To use the activity as a metaphor for getting to the heart of a
problem (and other concepts)
Participants
Any number
Time
15 - 30 minutes
Supplies
• Plastic straws
• Medium-sized potatoes that are not too old
Procedure
Give each participant a potato.
Make your point and talk about what the potato represents.
Demonstrate the activity:
• Hold the potato over the edge of a table.

• Hold the straw firmly with your finger over the opening at the
top.
• Ram the straw straight down and into the potato. The straw
should go into the potato, and right through.
Have everyone in the group try it. Emphasize that a finger or thumb
should be covering the opening at the top end of the straw.
Explanation
Here's the science behind this demonstration: The straw is very strong
along its length. The width is not as strong and can be easily bent or
broken. When you ram the straw with all your force, it cuts into the
potato with its sharp edge and goes straight through. Your forceful
movement gets the task done before the straw has a chance to bend.
Precaution
You don't want to push this straw into your leg or any other part of
your body. So stay out of the way of the straw's path.
Presentation Tips
Inertia. It is best to launch into a project before you get a chance to

buckle at its magnitude.
Focused energy. When all your efforts are focused in one place, you
can cut through problems.
Strategy. Potatoes are big and straws are small. However, if you know
where and how to strike, you can beat the competition.
Presentation Tips
Add fun, humor, and energy by asking everyone to yell out the same
power word as they push the straw through the potato.
Conclude the session with this piece of advice: “Be careful not to carry
a concealed straw. It's a dangerous weapon.”
[Table of Contents]
Debriefing
Replace Smile Sheets with SPAM

If you are a trainer, you probably know what a “Smile Sheet” is. It is a
short questionnaire that is used immediately after a training session to
collect participants' reaction to the event. The Smile Sheet typically
focuses on the lowest level of training evaluation and ignores learning
outcomes and application of the new skills and knowledge. Participants
don't take these questionnaires seriously because they are usually
tired at the end of a training program and eager to go home.
Since my recent trip to Australia, I have started using an alternative

evaluation technique that I first encountered in Melbourne. I call this
SPAM, which stands for Socialized Procedure for Application
Measurement. It requires the use of email notes.
Flow
Prepare address cards. Ask each participant to write her name on a

piece of paper along with her email address. If necessary, distribute
index cards for this purpose.
Exchange cards with a partner. Ask all participants to pair up with

one another and exchange their email address cards. Emphasize the
importance of not losing the address card.
Explain the SPAM procedure. Give these instructions (in your own
words) to participants:
• Sometime during the next week, write an email note.

• In this note, describe how you plan to apply your new skills and
knowledge to your workplace.
• If you have already begun applying the new skills and
knowledge, briefly describe how you have done so.
• Add information about your experiences in the training sessions.
Specify what you enjoyed and what you disliked during the
session.
• Send the email note to your partner. Send a copy of this note to
the facilitator.
• If you don't hear from your partner after three or four days,
send her a gentle reminder.
Concluding the session. Emphasize the importance of this follow-up

activity. Thank everyone for their participation during the session.
Email is ubiquitous. During the past 3 months, I have not met any
participant who does not have an email address. If I do, I am ready
with stamped postcards to conduct a snail-mail version of the same
game.
Structured Sharing
POTENT POETRY
by Sonia Ribaux
I've been really enjoying playing with my Magnetic Poetry set. I
thought that this would be fun to use in an instructional setting. I think
that people are intrigued by poetry because most of us can't write it.
Here are a few ideas on how to incorporate poetry in your course.
First, Make Your Own Set of Poetry Cards
It's very easy to make your own set of poetry cards. You need
approximately 200 cards. A 2 by 4 inch format works well. Customize
the cards so that words related to your topic are well represented.
Below is a recipe for the type of words to include on the cards, the
number of words, and some examples. All numbers are approximate.
Verbs (30): create, stimulate, explore, lead, frolic, be, is, lift,
explode, to love, write, show, call, talk, jump
Adjectives (20): mellow, clever, playful, soft, enough, too much,

pale, dark, fast
Nouns (45): bird, integrity, teacher, team, rainbow, cement, light,

bed, table, marble, fence, passion, fruit
Adverbs (20): joyfully, well, elegantly, randomly, why, not, how,

where, far, near, softly, lovely, very, really, wisely
Poetic phrases (15): truth dreams, silver wolf, tender stars, brisk air,
cool stream, darling buds, heavenly honey
Prepositions (10): at, from, with, up, across, under, over, with, for,
of, by, beside, next
Pronouns (10): who, which, what, it, she, he, it, I, you, they, this,
that, any, his, her, none, anything, some, every
Interjections and conjunctions (10): oh, wow, hey, and, because,

as, if, then, for, since, until
Suffixes (10): -s, -ed, -ing, -es, -ness (these can be repeated)
Custom words related to your topic (20-30): For a set I made

recently on instructional games I used words like these: games,
learning, play, teach, coach, creativity, laughter, players, competition,
tomfoolery
Now, Play With the Words
There are many different ways to use the poetry cards. Here are a few
ways to incorporate poetry in any instructional situation.
Review. Ask each team of 4-5 people to create a brief poem that
summarizes what they have learned in the training as a whole or on a
particular topic. Debrief by having a poetry reading. Let the
participants explain the meaning of their poem.
Team Building. Ask teams to use the cards to write a poem or slogan
to express their team's spirit. Post the poem on the walls.
Vision. Ask team to come up with 10 to 20 words that come to mind

when visioning a particular project or idea. Have them write the words
on cards. Give them a set of poetry cards without custom words. Use
the words they wrote as the custom words. Now ask the teams to
come up with a vision poem, using both their words and the poetry
cards. Debrief by having the teams present their vision and discuss.
Icebreaker: THIS DESCRIBES ME. Distribute a set of cards to participants

seated around each table. Have each person select 5 words that
describe him or her. Ask the participants to work in pairs and explain
to each other their choice of words. Have participants to introduce
their partner to the group.
Icebreaker: GROUP POETRY. Use this activity with large groups: Give
each person three cards. Ask the participants to mingle and meet,
showing each other their words. Eventually, participants should form
groups of 5 or 6 people with whom they can form a short poem.
Textra Game
PROVERBS
Miguel de Cervantes said, “A proverb is a short sentence based on long
experience.”
All cultures, languages, and nationalities have encapsulated their core values
in collections of proverbs. I enjoy locating these proverbs and using this
activity to observe similarities and differences among basic cultural values.
PROVERBS is a textra game. Textra games combine the effective organization of

well-written documents with the motivational impact of training games. In a
typical textra game, participants read a book, a chapter, an article, or a
handout, and play a game that uses peer pressure and peer support to
encourage recall and transfer of what they read. PROVERBS is an unusual
example of a textra game because it incorporates a very short proverb as the
basic reading assignment.
Key Idea
Each participant studies two proverbs from an international collection and

makes a reflective presentation on their meaning and application. The
distribution of proverbs is arranged in such a way that two participants
present their personal interpretation of each proverb.
Index Tags
Textra game. Cultural diversity. Intercultural communication. Reflective

thinking. Presentation skills. Proverbs.
Purpose
To reflect on important values and principles embedded in proverbs from

different cultures.
Participants
Minimum: 2
Maximum: 30
Best: 5 to 15
Time Requirement
20 to 45 minutes
Handouts
• Proverb cards (see below)
• Handout, Proverbs from Around the World
Preparation
Create proverb cards. Print or write each proverb from the handout on a
separate card. Make a duplicate copy of each proverb card.
Flow
Distribute proverbs. At the beginning of the session, select as many

proverb cards (and their duplicates) as there are participants. Distribute the
proverb cards so that
• each participant gets two different proverbs
• each proverb is given to two different participants.
Example: In a recent session, we had 17 participants. So we created two

copies each of the first 17 proverbs listed in the handout. Here's how we
distributed the proverbs:
Participant Proverbs
1 1 and 2
2 2 and 3
3 3 and 4
4 4 and 5
5 5 and 6
6 6 and 7
7 7 and 8
We continued this approach until we reached the last (17th) participant. We

gave this person proverbs 17 and 1 to close the loop.
Invite reflection. Explain that proverbs encapsulate the core values of

different cultures. Ask the participants to reflect on each proverb, discover its
deeper meaning for the members of the culture, and identify its universal
application. Warn the participants that they will be asked to make a short
presentation on both proverbs they received.
Call for first pair of presentations. After a suitable pause, randomly select
one of the proverbs from the list. Read this proverb (or display it on the
screen). Ask the two participants who received cards with that proverb to
take turns and make their presentations.
Encourage discussion. If appropriate, ask the participants to vote (by their

applause) to identify the better presentation. Invite comments from the other
participants.
Continue the activity. Repeat the procedure with other randomly selected
proverbs.
Conclude the activity. If you have a large group, it is not necessary that
you must invite every participant to make a presentation. After a few paired
presentations, invite participants who have important insights to share to
make their presentations. Conclude the activity by distributing a copy of the
handout, Proverbs from Around the World to each participant. Encourage
participants to read and reflect.
Adjustments
Distributed presentations. Instead of conducting all paired presentations

at the same time, distribute them throughout the workshop session. For
example, you may conduct two paired presentations after each coffee break
and lunch break.
Game Plan
1. Distribute Give two proverb cards to Receive the cards and read
proverb cards. (2 each participant. Also make the proverbs.
minutes) sure that each proverb is
given to two different
participants.
2. Invite Ask participants to reflect on Think about the significance

reflection. (5 the two proverbs and get and universality of the two
minutes) ready to make presentations. proverbs. Plan for
presentations.
3. Call for first pair Randomly select a proverb If you are one of the
of presentations. and announce it to the selected participants, make
(5 minutes) participants. Invite two the presentations. Other
participants to take turns to participants, listen to these
make their presentations. presentations.
4. Encourage Give instructions. If appropriate, clap for the

discussions (3 winning presentation.
minutes) Discuss your personal
insights and reactions.
5. Continue the Repeat the previous two Repeat the previous two
activity. (10 steps. steps.
minutes)
6. Conclude the Distribute the handout, Study the proverbs at your

activity. (3 Proverbs from Around the leisure and reflect on them.
minutes) World.
[Table of Contents]
Handout
Proverbs from Around the World
1. A leaky house may fool the sun, but it can't fool the rain. — Haitian
2. A man that talks too much accomplishes little. — Ilocano

3. A man who pays respect to the great paves the way for his own
greatness. — Chinese
4. A stumble may prevent a fall. — English
5. A young tree is easy to straighten, but when it's big it is difficult. —

Ilocano
6. Better one day as a lion than a hundred as a sheep. — Italian
7. By the time the fool has learned the game, the players have dispersed.
— Ashanti
8. Do not look where you fell, but where you slipped. — Chinese
9. Every path has its puddle. — English
10.Give me a fish, I have food for the day. Teach me how to fish and I will
have food for every day. — Egyptian
11.He who excuses himself accuses himself. — French
12.If it's work, do it fast. If it's food, eat it little by little. — Ilocano
13.It is the calm and silent water that drowns a man. — Ashanti
14.It's no time to go for the doctor when the patient is dead. — Irish
15.One flower does not bring spring. — Afghan
16.Pull a mountain by tying a hair to it. If you succeed you will get a
mountain; if you lose you will only lose a hair. — Tamil
17.Sometimes you have to be silent to be heard. — Swiss

18.Talk does not cook rice. — Chinese
19.Tell me who you hang out with and I'll tell you who you are. — Spanish
20.The first day you meet, you are friends; the next day you meet, you
are brothers. — Afghan
21.The mouth which eats does not talk. — Chinese
22.The squash on a page cannot be cooked. — Tamil
23.The tongue has no bone but it breaks bones. — Italian
24.What is bad luck for one man is good luck for another. — Ashanti
25.What the eyes do not see the heart does not feel. — Spanish
26.When spiders unite, they can tie down a lion. — Ethiopian
27.Where there are flowers there are butterflies. — Ilocano
28.Worry often gives a small thing a big shadow. — English
29.You can find out if a pot of rice is cooked by testing a single grain. —
Tamil
30.You will never plow a field by turning it over in your mind. — Irish
QUESTION CARDS
A textra game maximizes the learning from handouts and job aids.
This type of game reinforces a reading assignment with peer pressure
and peer support. QUESTION CARDS is a textra game that ensures
that the participants read a handout for details and recall these details
later.
Distribute the handout and ask each participant to read it -- and

prepare 10 question cards based on its content. Each card should have
a closed question on one side and the single correct answer on the
other.
After a suitable pause for studying the handout and preparing the
question cards, organize the participants into groups of four to seven.
Ask each group to mix up the question cards from its members and
exchange the whole pile with another group.
After the exchange, ask the group to place the cards in the middle of
the table, question side up. The first player reads the question on the
top card, without removing it from the pile. Within 10 seconds, this
player gives an answer. Any player may challenge by giving a different
answer.
If there is no challenge, the first player wins the card.
If there is a challenge, the card is turned over to reveal the correct

answer. Whoever gave the correct answer (the original player or the
challenger) wins the card. If neither answer is correct, the card is
buried in the middle of the pile for recycling.
It is now the turn of the next player to read the question on the next
card and continue the game as before. The card pile may contain
duplicate questions or questions that are similar to previous ones. This
introduces an interesting element of chance to the game.
The game comes to an end when the group runs out of the question
cards. (Alternatively, you can stop the game at the end of a
prespecified period of time.) The player with the most cards wins the
game.
Jolt
QUICK CHANGE
This opening activity works well for topics that deal with the challenges of
change. It is adapted from an activity developed and used by Crestcom, a
management and leadership development company.
Purpose
To link the topic of change to something the participants already know
Time
10 minutes
Participants
Any number
Equipment
• Countdown timer
• Whistle
Flow
Ask participants to pair-up with a partner, and stand back to back.
Identify one partner as “A” and the other partner as “B”. For example “A”
could be the person who has worked for the company the longest.
Say:
In the next 60 seconds, partners “A” please change 5 things about

yourselves. Keep your back to partner “B” so that partner “B” can't see you.
When time is up, instruct partners to face each other.
Say:
Partner “B”, in the next 60 seconds, see if you can identify the 5 things that
partner “A” changed.
Announce when time is up, congratulate the participants and instruct the
partners to return to the back-to-back position.
Say:
In the next 60 seconds, partner “A” change 5 more things about yourself.
When time is up, instruct partners to face each other again.
Say:
Partner “B”, in the next 60 seconds, see if you can detect the 5 additional
changes made by partner “A”.
Announce when time is up, congratulate the participants, then instruct the
partners to return to the back-to-back position.
Say:
Partner “A”, please change 5 additional things about yourselves.
By this time, the participants usually start to groan and indicate that they do
not want to participate any longer. Calm the participants, then ask them to
return to their seats and begin the debrief.
Debrief
To prevent participants from treating this activity as a mindless ice-breaker,

conduct a debriefing discussion by using the following sets of questions in the
specific sequence. Notice that each set of questions emphasizes an important
learning point by looking back on the activity, relating it to the workplace,
and brainstorming appropriate change-management strategies.
Change as removal
• When asked to make changes, how many of the “A's” removed items
(such as belt or tie)? Why did most of you choose to remove things
rather than add things?
• Is this how we often look at change? Do we assume that change
means things are going to be taken away? What can we do to help

emphasize the benefits of the change?
Too many, too fast
• How did you feel when I asked you to make changes the third time? I
heard a lot of groaning. You weren't as enthusiastic as you were the

first time.
• How does this relate to the workplace when we ask our employees to
make too many changes too quickly?
Return to status quo
• Right now, how many of the “A's” have already changed back to how
they were originally? This is interesting, because I didn't tell you to

change back yet.
• Is that what happens in the workplace? Without continued support and
direction from upper management, do employees tend to go back to

doing things the same old way?
• How can we lead by example to prevent this from happening?
Framegame
RESPONSE CARDS
Many trainers use this standard method: They ask a question and jot
down key points from participants' responses on a flip chart. Then they
make comments, correct misconceptions, and present additional
information. This approach is definitely more interesting and effective
than a straight lecture. But it does not encourage all participants to
participate.
Here's a quick alternative:

1. Ask an open-ended question and instruct each participant to
write a brief response on an index card. Impose a suitable time
limit.
2. Organize participants into teams of approximately equal
numbers. Collect the responses from each team and give them
to another team.
3. Ask team members to read the responses and select two of
them: the “best” one and the one that is the most “different”
from the others.
4. After a suitable pause, ask each team to read the two selected
responses. Comment on each response.
Textra Game
REVIEW ROULETTE
Textra Games combine the effective organization of well-written
documents with the motivational impact of interactive strategies.
Participants read a handout and play a game that uses peer pressure
and support to encourage recall and transfer of what they read.
Games of pure chance discourage smarter players from mastering new

skills and knowledge. Games of pure skill discourage weaker players
from trying hard once they fall behind. An effective training game
strikes a balance between chance and skill. That's exactly what REVIEW
ROULETTE does.
Purpose
To review training content from a reading assignment.
Participants
Any number. Best game is for 20-30.
Time
20 - 45 minutes
Supplies
• Handout with the training content

• Index cards
• Large envelopes
• Timer
• Whistle
FLOW
Briefing
Distribute the handouts. Ask participants to study this handout

independently, underlining key ideas and taking notes. Warn them that
there will be quiz game based on the contents of the handout.
Announce a suitable time limit.
Generating Questions
Organize participants into teams. After the study time has elapsed,
blow a whistle. Assign participants to different teams. Each team
should have five to seven members. It does not matter if some teams
have one more player than the others.
Ask teams to generate question cards. Distribute blank index

cards to each team and ask participants to write 30 or more review
questions, one question on each card.
Give specifications for the question cards. Explain that the

questions should be written on one side of the card and the correct
answer on the other side. Offer these guidelines:
• Focus the questions on important learning points.

• Avoid trick questions, humorous questions, and trivial questions.
• Go beyond mere recall of facts.
• Use short-answer questions. Avoid true-false and multiple-choice
formats.
• Write the correct answer on the other side of the card. If a
question has more than one correct answer, list all acceptable
answers.
Time the activity. Announce a 10-15 minute time limit for writing
questions. At the end of this time, blow the whistle to stop the activity.
Distribution Of Question Cards
Add bonus instructions. Ask each team to select any six question
cards and write “Take an extra turn!” on the answer side of the card,
below the answer.
Add bad-luck cards. Ask the teams to write, “Lose your turn!” on
both sides of six blank cards and add them to the set of question
cards.
Prepare question-card sets. Ask each team to make sure that all
the cards are arranged with the question side up (except for the bad-
luck cards). Distribute an envelope to each team. Ask teams to shuffle
the cards and place the packet inside the envelope with the question
side facing the opening of the envelope.
Distribute the question-card sets. Take the envelope from each

team and give it to the next team. Ask team members to place the
envelope on the table with the opening facing up.
Playing The Game
Get the game started. Announce that the game will last for 10
minutes. At the end of the time, the person with the most question
cards won (by giving the correct answers) wins the game.
Answer the question. Select one player from each team to be the
first player. Ask this player to take the top card from inside the
envelope, without exposing any other card. This person places the card
on the table (hiding the answer), reads the question, and immediately
gives an answer.
Win the card. Players now turn the card over and check the “official”
answer on the other side. If correct, the player wins the card and adds
it to his or her collection. (If the player's answer is incorrect, the
question card is placed on a discard pile.)
Continue the game. If the answer side of the card contains the
instruction, “Take an extra turn!” the same player picks another
question card. Otherwise, it is the next player's turn. The game
proceeds as before.
Lose a turn. Whenever a player picks a card with the instruction,

“Lose your turn!”, the turn passes to the next player.
Challenge answers. After a player reads a question and gives the
answer, other players may yell, “Challenge!” if they think that the
answer is not correct. The first player to do so becomes the official
challenger and gives an alternative response. The question card is
turned over to verify the answer. If the original answer is correct, the
player wins the card and collects another card from the challenger's
collection. If the challenger is correct, he or she wins the card and
collects another card from the player's collection. (If the player or the
challenger does not have a collection of cards from earlier rounds, no
penalty card is collected.)
Conclude the game. The game ends when all the question cards
have been picked up or when the allotted time of 10 minutes is used
up. At this time, the player with the most cards wins the game.
ROWS AND COLUMNS

Here's another game in our recent series of two-person games with
classification card decks. This game is different from most typical card
games.
Purpose

Participants
Time

Supplies
How To Play ROWS AND COLUMNS Handout. This handout (which includes a
glossary page) summarizes the rules of the game. Make a copy for
each player.

development stage (or stages) associated with it. Photocopy this
handout to provide a copy of this table to each player.
A deck of GROWING A TEAM Cards. This deck contains 99 cards.

Prepare your own deck by typing the numbers and statements from
this list on your own cards. (See below if you don't have the patience
to do this.)
Getting Ready to Play

Feedback Table to each player, asking players to place it with the
printed side down.
Introduce the four stages. Distribute copies of the knowledge-base

handout, Four Stages of Team Development. Make a brief
presentation, using examples that are relevant to the players.

Feedback Table.
Explain the rules. Distribute copies of the handout, How To Play ROWS
AND COLUMNS. Walk the players through the rules.
[Table of Contents]
Handout 1
How To Play ROWS AND COLUMNS

Deal the cards. Deal 10 cards to each player, one card at a time. Take
the next card from the deck and place it, face down, in the middle of
the table. Place the rest of the deck aside, face down. You will not be
using these cards during this game.
Object of the game. You and the other player take turns, playing one
card from your hand, face up, all around the face down card.
Eventually you and the other player will create a 3x3 grid of cards with
the face down card marking the center. If you are the dealer, your
objective is to create horizontal rows that contain cards of the same
suit. If you are the nondealer, your objective is to create vertical
columns that contain cards of the same suit. (The face-down card in
the center is a “wild” card and it may be included in the central row or
middle column to represent a card of any suit.)
Scoring. At the end of the game, when the 3x3 grid is complete, you
calculate your score. If you are the dealer, you score 5 points for any
horizontal row that contains all three cards of the same suit. You score
2 points for any row that contains two cards of the same suit.
Similarly, if you are the nondealer, you score 5 points for any vertical
column that contains all three cards of the same suit and 2 points for
any column that contains two cards of the same suit. (Because of the
wild card in the middle, your score will never be lower than 2.)
Analysis. After the deal and before the play of the game, each player
studies the 10 cards in her hand and organizes them by suit. Play
begins only when both players have completed this analysis.
Taking turns. Nondealer plays first. She studies her cards, selects
any card, and places it above, below, to the right, to the left, or
diagonally to the face-down card. The dealer now studies the
placement of the cards and the cards in her own hand. She selects a
card and places it face up on the imaginary 3x3 grid. Players take
turns playing cards in this fashion, making sure that all cards are
placed adjacent (vertically, horizontally, or diagonally) to the face-
down center card.
Concluding the game. Game ends when the dealer plays her fourth
card face up, completing the 3x3 grid.
Computing the score. The nondealer identifies the cards in each of

the three columns and scores
• 5 points for every vertical column that contains all cards of the
same suit
• 2 points for every column that contains two cards of the same
suit.
After this, the dealer calculates her score for each of the three
horizontal rows.
Continuing. Players alternate dealing the cards and keep a running

total of their score at the end of the games.
Determining the winner. The first player to reach a total of 15 wins

the match.
Glossary
Dealer. At the beginning of the game, one of the players shuffles the
deck and distributes the cards one at a time. This player is the dealer.
When more than one game is played, players alternate being the
dealer.
Hand. All the cards each player receives at the beginning of the game.
High. Scoring one point by winning the trick that contains the highest-
ranked card played in the game. In case of a tie for the highest-ranked
card, the winner of the highest-numbered card scores one point for
high.
which the printed item on the card belongs (example: Forming). Some
cards belong to more than one suit.
[Table of Contents]
Handout2



itself.

[Table of Contents]
Handout3
Feedback Table
1. P 21. F 41. P 61. S 81. F

2. N 22. P 42. F 62. N 82. P
3. N 23. S 43. S, N 63. F, S 83. P
4. P 24. S 44. S 64. S 84. N, P
5. F 25. N 45. N 65. F 85. P
6. P 26. N 46. N, P 66. N 86. F, S
7. F 27. P 47. P 67. F 87. P
8. P 28. S 48. F 68. P 88. P
9. F 29. N 49. S 69. P 89. N
10. S 30. S 50. F 70. P 90. F
11. S 31. S 51. P 71. P 91. S
12. N, P 32. S 52. P 72. F 92. S
13. F 33. N 53. S 73. N 93. F, S
14. P 34. F 54. F 74. P 94. P
15. F 35. N 55. P 75. N 95. F
16. N 36. N, P 56. F 76. P 96. S
17. P 37. F 57. F 77. N 97. P
18. F 38. N, P 58. P 78. P 98. N, P
19. F 39. N, P 59. S 79. F 99. N
20. N 40. N 60. P 80. N, P
[Table of Contents]
Facilitator Job Aid

her.
7. Cautious
10.Challenging
team as a whole.
14.Collaborating
basic issues.
feelings.
agendas.
with the leader.
distrust.
communications.
on.
performing.
outside.
members.
evaluation.
interactions.
rules.
guidance.

online store.
SECRET COACHES
Here's a neat activity to ensure that everyone shares the responsibility

for maintenance functions during a team meeting.
When participants arrive, they write their names on individual index

cards. At the start of the meeting, someone collects these cards, turns
them upside down, shuffles them, and passes them around. Everyone
takes a card, making sure it is not the one with her or his name. The
name on the card (which is kept hidden from others) is the person's
secret protégé.
During the meeting, everybody contributes to the discussion as usual.

In addition, each person secretly monitors his or her protégé and
makes sure that person participates appropriately.
For example, if your protégé, John, is withdrawn, you may encourage

him by saying, "What do you think of Mary's idea, John?" On the other
hand, if John dominates the discussion, you may ask Mary, "What do
you think of John's idea, Mary?"
Set aside 5 minutes at the end of the meeting. Ask participants to

identify their secret coaches. The whole idea is not to be spotted by
your protégé. This means that you distribute your coaching comments
to several different people during the meeting, which is a good idea
anyway. Also, you may work through someone else to coach your
protégé -- which is another good idea.
SECRET MESSAGES

A textra game maximizes the learning from handouts and job aids.
This type of game reinforces a reading assignment with peer pressure
and peer support. SECRET MESSAGES is a textra game that ensures
that the players understand the principles presented in a handout. This
game taps into the players' visual intelligence.
Distribute copies of the handout and ask each player to pay special
attention to the rules, principles, guidelines, and suggestions contained
in it. Suggest that they visualize the main points as they read the
handout. Warn the players that they will be playing a game that will
punish non-readers and reward those who take the reading
assignment seriously. Specify the date, time, and location for the
follow-up textra game.
At the start of the SECRET MESSAGES game, organize the players into
groups of four to seven. Give each group a bowl of counters (pennies,
paper clips, or poker chips) and a packet of message cards. These
cards are blank on one side and have a printed message (a rule or
principle) on the other side.
Ask each group to shuffle the packet of cards and place it in the middle
of the table, message side down.
Ask the tallest person in each group take the first turn to be the artist.
This artist picks up the top card, reads the message silently, and keeps
it hidden from the other players.
One of the players in the group keeps time for 2 minutes.
The artist draws a series of pictures on blank sheets of paper to

convey the message in the card. The artist should not use any letters,
numerals, or symbols found on a standard keyboard.
The other players attempt to guess the message and shout out their
guesses.
If a player shouts out the correct message, the artist says, "Done!"
and shows the card. After verification, he picks up two counters from
the bowl. The player who guessed the message correctly picks up one
counter.
If the timekeeper announces the end of the 2-minute period before

anyone has correctly guessed the message, the card is buried int the
middle of the packet for recycling. No one (except the artist) knows
what the message was.
The player seated to the left of the artist becomes the new artist. The
game continues as before.
The game comes to an end when the group runs out of the message
cards. (Alternatively, you can stop the game at the end of a
prespecified period of time.) The player with the most counters wins
the game.
SERIAL JOLTS
One of the strategies that we explored in the NASAGA e-workshop was

the idea of serial jolts. A serial jolt is the repetition of the same type of
jolt repeated several times with slight variations. There is a playful
spirit of "gotcha" in this strategy as the facilitator tries to entrap the
participants repeatedly--even though they know that's what is
happening.
The serial jolt that we conducted was called SIX TILES, THREE
WORDS. Readers of my free online newsletter, Play for Performance
will probably be familiar with elements of this activity. However, this is
the first time I have presented them as a serial jolt.
The training objective for this serial jolt is to increase participants'

awareness of the assumptions they are making.
I told participants that they would see some slides that would have six
tiles, each with three letters. Then I projected the instruction:
Rearrange the six tiles to spell three words.
Round 1
Here are the six tiles during the first jolt:
MAN LES OBJ AGE SON ECT

This was a fairly easy one, just to help participants understand the
requirements for solving the puzzle.
After a brief pause, I showed them the correct answer:

MANAGE LESSON OBJECT
Round 2
I now projected the second set of six tiles:
ATT END RET ION RIT IRE

I paused while participants struggled to make three words out of these
six tiles. After about a minute, I projected the correct answer:
ATTRITION RETIRE END

During a quick debrief, I pointed out that they are making an
assumption that the three words should all be six-letters long.
Round 3
I projected a new set of six tiles:
ACT FAT HER NIH NOI WIT

Most people felt frustrated as I paused for them to solve the puzzle
and create three words from the six tiles.
After a suitable pause, I projected the solution:
ACTION FATHER WITHIN

After the virtual howl of protest, I showed them how two of the three-
letter tiles can be turned "upside down" to change the sequence of
letters:
NIH -> HIN

NOI -> ION
After the visual demonstration, participants caught on to the strategy.
During the debriefing I pointed out that they had made another
assumption (the tiles cannot be turned upside down).
Round 4
I repeated the instruction with a minor variation at the beginning of

this round: Rearrange the six tiles to spell three familiar words.
Then I projected these six tiles:
AMI EEF LIA RDS RWO THR

After the usual pause, I projected this solution:
THREEFAMILIARWORDS
The assumption that most people made during this round was that the
words should end after a tile (or that there should be a space between
the words).
Round 5
I projected these tiles:
ONE WAY HOW ANY THI ACP

After a pause, I projected this solution:
ANYONE ANYHOW ANYWAY

The assumption discussed during the debrief was that all tiles have to
be used and no tile may be used more than once.
Round 6
Here are the six tiles for the sixth round:
ARL TAI TCG EKH NET DTS

The instructions were the same as before (Rearrange these six tiles to
spell three words). Participants struggled with the challenge for some
time.
I projected the solution:

ARL
TAI
TCG
EKH
NET
DTS
You probably don't see the three words immediately because you are
making an assumption that the words are to be read from left to right.
Try reading words vertically, from top to bottom, and you will see
attend, racket, and lights.
Round 7
Before projecting the next set of six tiles, I projected this set of
instructions: Rearrange the letters in the six tiles to spell three words.
Here are the six tiles:
CUR SEE POT ARY REU OND

Most people fell into the trap of using the same procedure as before.
However, the instructions state that you should suggest rearrange the
letters (not the tiles).
Here's the solution:
RESCUE POETRY AROUND

Conclusion
I could have continued with two other variations on the theme, but I
did not want participants to get hostile. So I stopped after Round 7.
If you come up with more diabolical variations on this theme, please

let me know. I will publish your torture in Play for Performance--
complete with your name and my thanks.
Jolt
Since March 21, 1999, I have been designing a training activity every day
(including weekends and holidays). I throw some of them away, sell others
to my clients, and publish others in books. I decided to publish my 1,147th
activity (designed on February 22, 2002) here.
SIX CHUNKS, THREE WORDS

Purpose
To encourage participants to think outside of the box—and to continue

thinking along new paths.
Brief participants. Give them a handout with this content:
Imagine these three-letter combinations are printed on six different tiles:
ACT
FAT
HER
NIH
NOI
WIT
Visualize the tiles. Move them around in your mind's eye.
Challenge: Can you rearrange these six tiles to spell three English words
that can be found in any unabridged dictionary? Each of the words should be
six letters long.
Do you remember how to solve the puzzle? The solution was published in the
July 2001 issue of PFP.
Prompt the participants. After a suitable pause, drop some hints (like, “Try
standing on your head. Look at the world upside down.”) until participants
work out the solution. Debrief to discover the point of the activity: Begin
thinking outside the box.
Distribute the next puzzle. Give them another handout with this content:
ATT
END
RIT
ION
IRE
RET
Challenge: Can you rearrange these six tiles to spell three English words
that can be found in an unabridged dictionary?
If you want to cheat and look at the answer, click here.
Prompt the participants. After a suitable pause, drop some hints (like,
“Read the instructions again. What's the difference between these
instructions and the previous ones? That's the long and short of it.”) until
participants work out the solution. Debrief to discover the point of the
activity: Don't box yourself in a new location. Keep trying out more
innovative ideas.
Start the third round. Give them a new handout with this content:
PAY
SAN
MAI
SON
GAM
INE
Challenge: Can you rearrange these six tiles to spell three words that can
be found in an unabridged dictionary? Each word should be a six-letter word.
Click here for the solution.
Prompt the participants. After a suitable pause, drop some hints (like,
“Think globally. Parlez vous français?”) until participants work out the
solution. Debrief to discover the point of the activity: There is always another
alternative.
Jolt Solution 3
Solution 3
The three words are PAYSAN, MAISON, and GAMINE. These are the French
words for “peasant”, “home”, and “young girl”. The challenge did not specify
that the three six-letter words had to be in English!
Simulation Game
SURVIVOR
Instructional puzzles can be incorporated into simulation games to act
as metaphors for the realities of the workplace. SURVIVOR is a simulation
game that uses cryptogram puzzles.
Purpose
To explore different aspects of teamwork, productivity, inclusiveness,

and downsizing.
Participants
Six to forty.
Time
30 to 45 minutes.
Supplies
• Copies of different puzzles, preferably with instructional content.

We strongly suggest using the six cryptogram puzzles that are
found at the end of this article.
• Pieces of paper
• Pencils
• Whistle
• Timer
Flow
Form groups. Organize participants into groups of five to seven

participants each. Ask members of each group to sit around a table.
Appoint a Game Warden. Select the tallest member of each group to

play the role of a “Game Warden”. Explain that the other members of
the group will work as a team to solve a series of puzzles, but the
“Game Warden” will not participate in this activity. Instead, the Game
Warden will ensure that the team members follow the rules of the
game.
Explain how to solve the puzzle. Distribute copies of a sample

cryptogram puzzle to different teams. Demonstrate how to solve the
puzzle by walking the participants through the process.
Begin solving the first puzzle. Distribute a copy of the first puzzle
to each team. Ask team members to collaboratively solve the puzzle.
Ask the Game Warden to let you know when the team has solved the
entire puzzle.
Conclude the puzzle solving activity. After all teams have solved
the puzzle or after 3 minutes, blow a whistle to indicate the conclusion
of the first round. Announce the correct solution. Identify the team
that solved the puzzle first (or the team that solved the most items in
the puzzle) and congratulate its members.
Explain the downsizing move. Announce that as a downsizing

move, each team has to eliminate one of its members. The winning
team is not exempt from the elimination. Ask the Game Warden to
distribute pieces of paper to each team member. Ask team members to
think back about the contributions of different people during the
puzzle-solving activity, secretly write the name of the person who
contributed the least, and fold the piece of paper to hide this name.
Emphasize that team members should write the name of the person
who should be eliminated from the team.
Eliminate a team member. Ask the Game Warden to collect the

pieces of paper and place them on the middle of table, exposing the
names. The person whose name appears on most pieces of paper is
eliminated from the team. In case of a tie, ask the Game Warden to
choose one of the tied names to identify the team member to be
eliminated. Ask the eliminated team member to stay at the table and
observe future activities, without participating in them.
Process the second puzzle. Distribute a copy of the next puzzle to
each team. Repeat the process of asking teams to solve the puzzle,
concluding the session after 3 minutes, announcing the correct
solution, and identifying the winning team.
Eliminate the second player. Ask the Game Wardens to repeat the
process of distributing pieces of paper and eliminating the least-
contributing member of each team. (The person who was eliminated
during the earlier round does not participate in the “voting” process.)
Repeat the activity. Continue with additional puzzles and the

elimination of more players, one player per round.
Conduct the final elimination round. When the team is reduced to

just two players, announce a modification in the elimination process:
During this round, all ex-members of the team (those who have been
eliminated during the earlier rounds) participate in the “voting”
process.
Congratulate the survivor. Identify the person who did not get
eliminated during this round. This person is the winner.
Debriefing
To ensure maximum learning from this activity, conduct a debriefing

discussion. Encourage everyone to think back on their experience,
come up with insights about teamwork, and share them with each
other. Begin by asking the survivors how they feel about their current
situation. Follow up with these types of questions:
• How do the people who were eliminated during the first round
feel? How do the people who were eliminated during the final
round feel?
• How did the team members feel about selecting someone to be
downsized?
• How did it feel to win and still have to eliminate a team member?
• What criteria did you use for deciding which team member is to
be eliminated?
• What dilemmas did you face in naming a person to be
downsized?
• Which was easier: to select the first person to be eliminated or
the last person?
• What did you learn from this activity?
• How does the activity reflect what happens in the workplace?
• What if the final survivor received a cash prize? How would that
have changed players' behaviors?
• What if you were the Game Warden? How would you have
behaved?
• What advice do you have for a person who is about to play this
game for the first time?
[Table of Contents]
Handout1
How To Decode Cryptograms

In a cryptogram, each letter in a message is replaced by another letter
of the alphabet. For example,
LET THE GAMES BEGIN
YZF FOZ JUKZH CZJVQ
In the cryptogram Y replaces L, Z replaces E, F replaces T, and so on.

Notice that the same letter substitutions are used throughout this
cryptogram: Every E in the sentence is replaced by a Z, and every T is
replaced by an F.
Here are some hints for decoding a cryptogram:
Letter Frequency
The most commonly used letters of the English language are e, t, a, i,

o, n, s, h, and r. The letters that are most commonly found at the
beginning of words are t, a, o, d, and w. The letters that are most
commonly found at the end of words are e, s, d, and t.
Word Frequency
One-letter words are either a or I. The most common two-letter words

are to, of, in, it, is, as, at, be, we, he, so, on, an, or, do, if, up, by, and
my. The most common three-letter words are the, and, are, for, not,
but, had, has, was, all, any, one, man, out, you, his, her, and can. The
most common four-letter words are that, with, have, this, will, your,
from, they, want, been, good, much, some, and very.
Word Endings
The most common word endings are -ed, -ing, -ion, -ist, -ous, -ent,
-able, -ment, -tion, -ight, and -ance.
Doubled Letters
The most frequent double-letter combinations are ee, ll, ss, oo, tt, ff,
rr, nn, pp, and cc. The double letters that occur most commonly at the
end of words are ee, ll, ss, and ff.
Punctuation
A comma is often followed by but, and, or who. It is usually preceded

by however. A question often begins with why, how, who, was, did,
what, where, or which. Two words that often precede quotation marks
are said and says. Two letters that usually follow an apostrophe are t
and s.
Sample Cryptogram
EMB WX CLGAXWCDLJLAU:
--- -- -------------:
YMCUGDGYMAUV ELMCA UW CLYLMU
------------ ----- -- ------
KLPMRGWCV UPMU MCL CLBMCSLS.
--------- ---- --- --------.
Cryptogram 1
WUI EL DSEARETUW WDUVTRTJ:
--- -- --------- --------:
DXDTAB AOUA UVD UKKESFUTRDH
------ ---- --- -----------

CN RTADTBD DSEARETB VDBYWA
-- ------- -------- ------
RT WETJ-WUBARTJ WDUVTRTJ.
-- ----_------- --------.
Cryptogram 2
SVN WG VUZHFK SKVJTHTL:
--- -- ------ --------:
VUZHFK JKCXWTMHTL XJWMPUKC
------ ---------- --------
OWJK KGGKUZHFK SKVJTHTL ZAVT
---- --------- -------- ----
XVCCHFK SHCZKTHTL WJ JKVMHTL.
------- --------- -- -------.
Cryptogram 3
IMX FA JKMVSNVD MHT ADDTRMVQ:
--- -- -------- --- --------:
IDMKHDKE VMHHFS WMESDK
-------- ------ ------
EQNIIE XNSOFGS KDJDMSDT
------ ------- --------
JKMVSNVD MHT ADDTRMVQ.
-------- --- --------.

Cryptogram 4
FQP JW AGKZVJYX KDAKGVKTNK:
--- -- -------- ----------:
TKP FKQGTVTO XCJYFU RK FVTLKU
--- -------- ------ -- ------
EJ (QTU RYVFU JT) ECK
-- (--- ----- --) ---
KDAKGVKTNK JW ECK FKQGTKG.
---------- -- --- -------.
Cryptogram 5
MFY UQ AGRAZARIFM
--- -- ----------
RAQQVLVGDVK: RAQQVLVGW
-----------: ---------
OVUOMV MVFLG AG
------ ----- --
RAQQVLVGW YFJK.
--------- ----.
Cryptogram 6
SVN WG JKSKFVTUK: KGGKUZHFK
--- -- ---------: ---------
SKVJTHTL HC JKSKFVTZ ZW ZAK
-------- -- -------- -- ---

SKVJTKJ'C SHGK VTM NWJD.
-------'- ---- --- ----.
[Table of Contents]
Handout2
Solutions (for facilitator's eyes only)

Sample Cryptogram
Law of reinforcement: Participants learn to repeat behaviors that are

rewarded.
Cryptogram 1
Law of emotional learning: Events that are accompanied by intense

emotions result in long-lasting learning.
Cryptogram 2
Law of active learning: Active responding produces more effective

learning than passive listening or reading.
Cryptogram 3
Law of practice and feedback: Learners cannot master skills without

repeated practice and feedback.
Cryptogram 4
Law of previous experience: New learning should be linked to (and

build on) the experience of the learner.
Cryptogram 5
Law of individual differences: Different people learn in different ways.
Cryptogram 6
Law of relevance: Effective learning is relevant to the learner's life and

work.
Closer
SNAKE EYES
by Brian Remer
Here is a game that uses an element of chance to drill down into the
major themes of your workshop. Use SNAKE EYES to wrap up and review
the major themes of the training.
Time
20 minutes, longer if you like.
Materials
Flipchart, markers, dice, paper, and pens.
Flow
Ask the group to generate six statements about things they have
learned in the workshop. These can be a one-sentence summary, a
truism, or a piece of sage advice. Post the statements on a flipchart
and number them one through six.
Next, post the following numbered catalyst phrases:
1. Is similar to…
2. Is the opposite of…
3. Is a logical extension of…
4. Is a potential problem for…
5. Is essential for…
6. Should be excluded from…
Divide participants into teams of three to six. Each team takes a turn
rolling two dice. The first die indicates the number of one of the
catalyst phrases. The second die indicates one of the statements that
summarize the workshop (from the list generated by the whole group.)
The catalyst then tells how the second statement must be altered to
make a new statement. Explain to the participants that, if they roll a 1
with the first die, they are to write a new statement that “is similar to”
the statement indicated by the second die. If the first roll is a 4, the
new statement will be “a potential problem for” the statement that
corresponds to the second die.
For example, in a workshop on improving supervisory skills for

managers, 3 and 2 are rolled on the dice. The first die, 3, indicates the
catalyst “Is a logical extension of…” Let's say 2, the second die,
indicates a predetermined statement like “Managers should
communicate clearly and often about their expectations for teams.”
Teams must write a statement that is a logical extension of the
statement about managers and expectations. One team might write,
“Teams should ask for clarification of expectations when they see
evidence of mission creep.” A role of 5 and 2 might produce “Asking
team members a lot of questions is essential for insuring that
expectations are agreed upon.”
Give teams about three minutes to write their new statement then
take turns sharing. Record the statements and distribute them as a
follow up to the workshop.
Variations
• Write the six statements about the session topic beforehand to

save time or to zero in on specific learning points.
• Have all teams write statements using the same role of the dice.
Award prizes for most humorous, philosophical, witty, etc.
• Ask teams to write their statement on newsprint and illustrate it.
• In a brainstorming session, put new ideas in the statement list
then role the dice to stretch those ideas further.
Improv Game
When looking good has become more important than getting the job
done, here's an improv game for you to play.
SOUND BALL
by Alain Rostain
Purpose
To increase spontaneity, teamwork, and participation and to decrease

the tendency to think ahead instead of listening.
Participants
5 to 50. Best with 10 to 25.
Time
12-30 minutes.
Setup
Large empty room or space.
Flow
Ask players to stand in a circle.
Pretend to hold a ball in your hand. “Show” this imaginary ball to

everyone. Tell players that they will be throwing this ball around.
Explain that you are going to throw the ball to one of the players.
Before you throw the ball, you will make a special sound.
Instruct everyone to keep their eyes on the ball and get ready to catch
it. Before catching the ball, the player should make the same sound
that you made.
Make a sound and “throw” the ball to someone. Make sure that this
player makes the same sound and catches the ball.
Explain that the catcher can now throw the player to any other player,
making a new sound as the ball is thrown. The receiving player repeats
the sound and catches the ball. This player throws the ball to any
other player, making a new sound.
Once the ball is being thrown around at a fairly brisk pace, introduce
another imaginary ball and start throwing it. When the group gets
proficient at it, you can have three or four balls in play.
Debriefing
Stop the activity when you the group gets into a flow and it appears
that many of the participants are engaged and having more fun.
Conduct a debriefing discussion. Elicit and emphasize these ground
rules for creative collaboration:
• Pay attention to the present. Be in the moment. Don't think
ahead.
• Build on the ideas of others. Make the next obvious sound.
• Embrace failure. Don't censor your behavior.
• Make your partner look good. Play to team-win.
• If in a brainstorming session: All ideas are ok. Since there are no
such things as “good” and “bad” sounds, this is an opportunity to
practice “throwing out” ideas or sounds without worrying about
whether they are crazy or stupid.
Briefly discuss how these ground rules apply to creative teamwork at

the workplace.
Structured Sharing
TCF: The Game

Purpose
To express, explain, and exchange participants' suggestions for

improving customer service in your organization.
Participants
Minimum: 6
Maximum: Any number
Best: 12 to 30
(Participants form themselves into teams of different sizes during later

stages of the game.)
Time
30 to 40 minutes.
Supplies
20 (or more) prepared index cards, each with a different suggestion

for customer service. (See the Preparation section below for details.)
Four blank index cards for each participant.
Preparation
Before the training session, prepare a set of suggestion cards. Each

card should contain one suggestion for improving customer service.
Come up with a variety of traditional and innovative suggestions.
Prepare at least two suggestion cards for each anticipated participant.
If you cannot make up that many suggestions, use duplicates.
Roger is conducting a workshop for a group of middle managers.

Twenty participants have signed up for the workshop, including two
vice-presidents. The day before the workshop, Roger prepares 40
suggestion cards. Here are a few sample cards from Roger's collection:
• Hire friendly and cheerful people for customer-contact jobs.

• Reward employees who delight customers.
• Constantly survey customer expectations.
• Managers should walk their talk about customer focus.
Flow
Brief the participants. Tell the participants, “I'd like to begin right off
with a group activity that will help us get to know each other. It will
also allow us to discover what opinions people have about customer
service. This activity should set the stage for the rest of the training
session.”
Roger catches everyone's attention and gives his introductory

presentation. Participants look like they are ready for action.
Ask participants to write suggestion cards. Hand out four blank

index cards to each participant. Ask them to write down a suggestion
for improving customer service on each card. The suggestions need
not reflect the personal ideas of the writer. They should represent
traditional and innovative points of view. Give some sample
suggestions to the group.
The workshop starts at 8:30 a.m., and Diane arrives 5 minutes late.
She sees the others writing busily. Roger gives her four blank cards
and asks her to write her suggestions. Diane thinks for a moment and
comes up with the following:
• Feature satisfied customers in our advertisements.

• Conduct a focus-group activity with customers.
• Create a separate unit for collecting customer data.
• Treat angry customers as a valuable source of information.
Redistribute the suggestion cards. After about 3 minutes, collect

suggestion cards from participants. Add your prepared cards to this
pile. Mix the cards well and give three cards to each participant. Ask
the participants to study the suggestions and arrange the cards
according to their personal preference—from the most to the least
acceptable suggestion.
Roger collects the cards from the participants and adds his own
collection. He mixes the cards and gives three to each participant.
Diane studies the three cards she receives and arranges them in the
following order:
• We should incorporate customer needs in the corporate

mission statement.
• All managers should personally serve customers from time
to time.
• Conduct a service audit.
Ask participants to exchange cards. Arrange the remaining

suggestion cards on a large table at one side of the room. Tell the
participants that they may discard cards from their hands and pick up
better replacements. Participants must work silently; they should not
to talk to each other during this phase of the game. At the end of this
exchange, each participant should have three cards that may or may
not include cards from the original set.
Diane takes her cards to the table and rummages there. She discards
• Include customer-satisfaction tasks in all job specifications.

• The first contact resolves 95 percent of complaints.
Diane is surprised to see another participant eagerly picking up her

discards!
Ask participants to swap cards with each other. Instruct

participants to exchange cards with each other to make their hands
better reflect their personal preferences. In this phase, any participant
may swap cards with any other participant; every participant must
exchange at least one card.
When Roger announces the beginning of the exchange, Diane wanders

around until John stops her. Comparing cards, Diane sees one that
says, “Maintain accurate records.” She bargains with John until he
agrees to exchange this card for her card about the first contact.
Before Diane can find someone else to swap with, Roger calls time to
end this phase of the game.
Form teams. Ask participants to compare their cards with each other
and to form teams with people holding similar suggestions. There is no
limit to the number of participants who may team up together, but a
team may keep no more than three cards. It must discard all other
cards, and the three cards it keeps must meet with everyone's
approval.
Diane goes around the room checking with others. She runs across
Becky, who has excellent cards, and they decide to team up. The two
set out to find other kindred souls. Alan wants to join them, and they
agree, provided that he drops the card that says, “Collect information
from all employees who are in contact with customers.” In a few more
minutes, the team recruits two other participants, including John. They
study the combined collection and reduce it to these three:
• Call at least three customers a week.

• Call the customer within six months of a major purchase.
• Have customer input in the design of new services.
Ask teams to prepare a poster. Ask each team to prepare a graphic

poster that reflects its three final cards. This poster should not include
any text. After 5 minutes, ask each team to read its three cards,
display its poster, and explain the graphics.
After some discussion and debate, the team decides that Diane should
telephone with three people, a calendar showing a date six months
later, and a group of people seated around a table. During the “show-
and-tell” period, John reads the three cards and Becky assists Diane in
explaining the poster.
Distribute awards. Identify winning teams in each of these categories:

Diane's poster did not receive an award, but Roger judged the team's
three cards to be the most consistent!
TERRIE: Technology Enhanced Required Reading

Interactive Exercise
Here is an interactive strategy that can be used in virtual classroom

environments (such as WebEx, Placeware, or Centra).
Initialize
1. Display on screen the first section of the reading assignment. (I had
a dense technical description of a software program printed using 18
point type size.)
2. Tell the participants: "Please read this paragraph. It is a part of the

lesson you are going to work on today. As you read--or after you
finished reading--type a series of fact-recall questions based on the
content. Type these questions on your feedback window."
3. Pause for a couple of minutes. Keep track of the questions from the
participants that appear on your feedback window.
4. Move to a slide that says, "End of reading. You have 30 seconds

more to type any more fact-recall questions."
Closed Questions Quiz

5. Move to a slide that say, "End of question construction. Quiz time is
about to begin."
6. Tell the participants: "I am going to conduct a quiz. I will read one
of the questions that you typed. You have 30 seconds to immediately
type the answer. The person who typed the first correct answer will
receive 10 points. The second person will receive 5 points. The third
person will receive 2 points. The other people will not get any points."
7. Read a question at random. Display a count down timer.
8. At the end of the 30 seconds, announce the names of the first,

second, and third participant who typed in the answers.
9. Repeat steps 6-8 a few more times.
Open-Questions Quiz
10. Re-display the same paragraph to be read.
11. Tell participants, "Here's the same paragraph again. This time, you
have 2 minutes to type some open-ended questions based on the
content of the paragraph. Your question should require higher level
thinking such as evaluation, analysis, application, synthesis, making
inferences, and so on. As an open-ended question, there should not be
a single correct answer."
12. If appropriate, give an example of an open-ended question.
13. Review the questions being typed by participants. Select two or

three thought-provoking questions.
14. Announce the end of the question time after 2 minutes. Display a
slide saying, "Quiz Contest".
15. Say, "I am going to read one of your open-ended questions. If you
wrote the question, you cannot answer it. The other participants
should type an appropriate response. Remember that there is no
correct response. We are looking for your thinking skills and
imagination. Don't type more than three lines."
16. Read one of the questions from the participants. Wait until you
have four answers.
17. Display a slide that says "STOP!"
18. Read the first four answers and ask the participants to listen
carefully. Identify the first answer as A, the second as B, and so on.
19. Display a polling slide with the letter A, B, C, and D. Ask

participants to vote for the cleverest answer among the four that you
read. Read the answers again if necessary. Do not display the poll
results until you close the poll.
20. Display the poll results. The percentages are the numbers of points
awarded to different respondents.
Repeat
21. Display the next paragraph to be read.
22. Repeat the closed- and open-question quizzes.
Recognize This?
If you are familiar with my games, you will recognize this as an
Internet version of TEAM QUIZ and FAST GRAB.
TIME WASTERS
Many of us go through life in a mindless fashion, wasting valuable

time. This game encourages you to discover the factors that contribute
to wasted time in the workplace. It also helps you to figure out which
time wasters you share with the others and which ones are unique to
you.
Purpose
To identify major time wasters in the workplace and arrange them in
order of their impact
Time
30 - 45 minutes
Players
6 to 30
Supplies
• Paper and pencil
• Flipchart and felt-tipped markers

Flow of the Game
Brief the players. Explain that several factors encourage (and
sometimes force) people to waste time in the workplace. Ask the
players to name a common time waster. Comment on this example.
Point out that identifying major time wasters in the workplace is the
first step in removing them and reducing their impact.
Begin with individual brainstorming. Ask the players to spend a

couple of minutes to reflect on the major time wasters in the
workplace and to independently write down a list.
Steve thinks about time wasters in his office. After a few moments, he
writes down these ideas:
• Telephone calls
• Saying "yes" to too many people
• Waiting to see the boss
• Meetings without agenda
• Interruptions
Form teams. Organize the players into three or more teams, each
with 2 to 7 players.
Andy, the facilitator, asked the players to form themselves into four
teams of five members each. Steve joins a team with Diane, Ronnis,
Deb, and Peter. The team members briefly introduce themselves to
one another.
Assign teamwork. Ask the teams to spend the next 5 minutes

recording a list of time wasters in the workplace. Encourage the team
members to use the ideas they had generated earlier.
Deb acts as the team's reporter. While other team members call out
different time wasters, Deb writes them down, adding her own ideas
from time to time. In 5 minutes, the team generates a total of 17
ideas.
Ask the teams to narrow down their lists. Instruct each team to
select the five main time wasters.
After some discussion and debate, Steve's team narrows down its list
of time wasters to these five items:
1. Too many reports to write
2. Meetings without agenda
3. Delays in getting budget approval
4. Meaningless committee meetings
5. Open-door policy
Prepare a common list. Ask the teams to take turns calling out one
of the main time wasters on their list. Record this time waster on the
flipchart. Encourage the teams to avoid repeating the items already on
the list. Continue this procedure until the common list has 10 to 12
time wasters.
Here is the final list:
1. People coming to meetings without doing their

homework
2. Waiting to see the manager
4. Lack of planning
5. Wasting time trying to satisfy customers
6. Inability to say "No"
7. Problems in locating documents
8. Delays in budget approval
9. Wasting time on trivial items
10. Too many committees
Ask the teams to select the worst time waster. Explain that you
are looking for an item that everyone will see as wasting the most time
in the workplace. Ask the players to review the items in the common
list and select, with the other members of their team, the worst time
waster.
Explain the scoring system. The teams will receive a score equal to
the total number of teams that selected the same time waster. For
example, if four teams selected, "Telephone calls" as the worst time
waster, then each team would receive 4 points.
Steve has some trouble understanding the scoring system. Peter

explains that they should simply choose the item that most of the
other teams will choose.
Conduct the first round. Tell the teams to select the worst time
waster from the common list on the flipchart. Circulate among the
teams, gently speeding up the slower teams. Write down each team's
choice on a piece of paper.
Peter suggests that the major culprit is "Lack of planning" and

everything else in the list is a result of this factor. Diane disagrees
with this claim. Deb suggests that they should choose "Too many
reports to write" because she thinks most other teams will choose it.
Steve and Ronnis agree to this suggestion.
Award points and rank the worst time waster. Announce each
team's selection. Draw a line through the time waster in the flip chart
list that was selected by most teams during this round. Place the
number "1" in front of this item to identify it as the top-ranked time
waster.
Three teams chose "Wasting time trying to satisfy customers" as the

worst time waster. These teams received 3 points each. Only Steve's
team chose the item about writing reports, so they received 1 point.
The facilitator draws a line through "Wasting time trying to satisfy
customers," and marks it with a "I."
Continue the game. Ask the teams to review the list and to identify
the next-worst time waster. The teams may select (or re-select) any
item from the flip chart list, as long as it does not have a line through
it. After collecting the choices from each team, repeat the scoring and
ranking procedure. Continue until the teams have identified the top 5
time wasters.
During the second round, Steve's team decides to stay with "Too
many reports to write." This item is selected by all the teams, so they
all receive 4 points each.
Break ties. If there is a tie for the worst time waster, award scores as
before -- but do not rank or draw a line through any of the items. Give
the teams 1 minute to prepare a presentation to persuade the other
teams to select the same item. Then give each team 30 seconds to
make its presentation. After the presentations, ask the teams to select
a time waster. Award scores and rank the item receiving the most
choices. If there is still a tie, draw a line through all the tied items, and
give them the same rank.
During the third round, the four teams select four different items.
Andy, the facilitator, gives 1 point to each team and explains the tie-
breaking procedure. Speaking on behalf of his team, Peter explains
how the lack of planning is the root of all time wastage. He also points
out that this factor incorporates all other time wasters. Perhaps as a
result of this presentation, two other teams switch to this item during
the next round.
Conclude the game. Continue with the game until the top 5 time
wasters are identified. Announce the conclusion of the game and ask
the teams to add up their scores. Identify and congratulate the
winning team.
After two more rounds, these are the top five time wasters:
1. Wasting time trying to satisfy customers
3. Lack of planning
4. Delays in budget approval
5. Inability to say "No"
Steve's team has a total score of 13 points and wins the game.
Award points for the original lists. Ask the teams to retrieve their
original lists and compare the time wasters on their list with the final
top 5 list. The original list gets five points if it has the top-ranked time
waster, 4 points if it has the second-ranked time waster, and so on.
Ask the teams to add up the score for their original list. Identify the
team with the highest score total and congratulate its members for
having created the best original list.
Steve and his teammates check their original list and discover that it
has the second and fourth items from the final top 5 list. This gives
the list a total of 6 points. Gary's team has the best original list, with
12 points.
Debrief the players. Ask the players to compare the items on their
original individual lists with the final top 5 list. Encourage the players
to discuss how their personal perceptions differ from those of the
others.
Variations
Not enough time? Eliminate the initial step of individual
brainstorming. Eliminate the final step of comparing the teams'
original five items with the final top five time wasters. Create a
shorter flip chart list. Instead of 10 time wasters, settle for seven.
Specify a time limit for each round. Instead of asking the teams to
select item at a time, ask them to select the top three.
Not enough players? With fewer than six players, play an

individual version of the game: Conduct the game as usual, but with
individuals (instead of teams) generating and selecting the time
wasters.
Too many players? Divide the players into smaller groups. Then
divide each subgroup into teams and play the game in a parallel
fashion.
Jolt
A jolt is a brief experiential activity that delivers a wake-up call to the

participants. An effective jolt lasts for a few minutes but provides
enough insights for a lengthy debrief.
TOO SMART
Write these two words, one below the other, on a flip-chart sheet:
NEW
DEER
Ask the participants to work individually. Give these instructions:
Rearrange the letters in these two words—NEW and DEER—to spell

one word. When you have done this, please stand up.
Pause for about a minute. Quickly check the responses of the

participants who stand up and congratulate them. (The correct answer
is “RENEWED”.)
Now write these two words, one below the other as before, on another
flip-chart sheet.
NEW
DOOR
Repeat the same instructions as before:
Rearrange the letters in these two words—NEW and DOOR—to spell

one word. When you have done this, please stand up.
STOP! Before reading any farther, try to solve this puzzle.
It's very unlikely that anyone will be able to solve this puzzle.
Get the participants' attention and tell them,
Here's how I rearrange the letters in the two words to spell one word.
Write “ONE WORD” on the flipchart. Pause for a few seconds to let the
solution sink in.
Debrief the participants to elicit this learning point:
Sometimes we are too smart for our own good. Instead of approaching
a problem in a direct, straightforward fashion, we assume that the
solution has to be complex and convoluted.
Structured Sharing
UPSET
Dealing with upset customers presents both a challenge and an opportunity.
In many situations, we can prevent upsetting customers by proactively
proving excellent service. However, certain jobs, such as auto insurance
claim adjuster, require you to face customers who are upset because of
things beyond your control. This training activity helps you explore and apply
techniques and principles for healing customers who are in shock, frustration,
anger, grief, fear, guilt, resentment, anxiety, and other such negative
emotional states.
Key Idea
This activity involves two teams and incorporates three rounds of team
discussions followed by paired conversations:
Round 1. One team generates typical demands and questions from upset
customers while the other team comes up with guidelines for responding to
these demands and questions. Following this team discussion, participants
pair up with members of the other team and hold question-and-answer
conversations.
Round 2. Teams change their roles and repeat the same procedure.
Round 3. Both teams discuss the key lessons learned from the previous
rounds and share them through one-one-one conversations.
Index Tags
Roleplay. Upset customers. Questions. Demands. Avoiding defensiveness.

Empathic listening. Customer recovery. Large groups. Structured sharing.
Purpose
• To anticipate different complaints, demands, and questions from upset
customers.
• To respond appropriately, truthfully, empathically, and without
defensiveness to these complaints, demands, and questions.
• To derive a set of guidelines for effectively responding to upset
customers.
Participants
Minimum: 6
Maximum: Any number
Best: 20-50
Time Requirement
25-45 minutes
Room Setup
This is primarily a stand-up activity. Remove all chairs and other furnishings
from the room (or move them to the sides, next to the walls).
Handout
A list of guidelines for handling upset customers
Supplies
• Timer
• Whistle
• Pieces of paper
• Pens (or pencils)
Flow
Brief the group. Explain that this activity is about empathy listening and
helping upset customers. Specify the generic context in which participants
are to play the role of customer-service representatives.
Divide participants into two teams of equal size. Designate one of them
as Team A and the other as Team B. Ask participants from Team A to
temporarily remove their name tags (so everyone can easily tell the
difference between members of the two groups).
Round 1
Conduct the first round of team discussions. Ask members of Team A to

brainstorm a list of situations, complaints, demands, and questions from an
upset customer. Encourage participants to include several provocative or
hostile items in their list. Suggest that team members jot down some of the
demands and questions on a piece of paper for reference during individual
conversations.
While Team A is coming up with this list, ask members of Team B to

brainstorm guidelines for effectively responding to the complaints, demands,
and questions from upset customers.
Announce a 3-minute time limit for the team brainstorming activities. Blow a
whistle at the end of 3 minutes and conclude the activity.
Conduct the first round of paired conversations. Explain that during the
next 5 minutes, members of Team A will repeatedly pair up with different
members of Team B and hold brief conversations. Each conversation will
begin with a statement, complaint, demand, or question from the Team A
member and an appropriate response from the Team B member. The
conversation may continue with additional demands and responses. Once
every minute, you will blow the whistle and participants will switch partners
and begin new conversations.
Conduct this conversational activity for a total of 5 minutes.
Round 2
Conduct the second round of team discussions. Ask participants to

return to their original teams. Explain that the teams will switch their tasks.
Ask members of Team B to share the complaints, demands, and questions
they responded to in the one-on-one conversations and to brainstorm
additional items associated with upset customers. At the same time, ask
members of Team A to share the effective guidelines used by the other team
to respond to upset customers. Also ask them to brainstorm their own
guidelines. Announce a 3-minute time limit and blow a whistle at the end of
this time to conclude the activity.
Conduct the second round of paired conversations. Repeat the same

procedure that was used during the first set of paired conversations but with
the roles of the two team members reversed: During this round, members of
Team B start the conversation by making demands and asking questions and
members of Team A respond to them. Conduct this activity for a total of 5
minutes.
Round 3
Conduct the third round of team discussion. Ask all participants to
return to their original teams and debrief themselves to share the lessons
learned during the earlier activities. Ask each team to come up with a list of
guidelines for effectively, clearly, and truthfully responding to upset
customers.
Conduct the third round of paired conversations. Explain that you will
repeat the procedure of conducting five one-on-one conversations between
members of the two teams. However, instead of asking and answering
questions, participants will share their guidelines for handling upset
customers.
Conduct the activity as before, blowing the whistle at the end of every
minute to signal the time to switch partners.
Follow up. Distribute copies of a handout with guidelines for handling upset
customers. Encourage participants to compare these guidelines with those
they came up with. After the session, update your handout by adding
additional guidelines generated by the participants.
Variations and Adjustments
Too many people? Ask each team to divide itself into sub-teams of 5 to 9
people. Let each sub-team conduct its own discussions. During paired
conversations, explain that any sub-team members from Team A may pair up
with any sub-team members from Team B.
Not enough time? Conduct the first round of team discussions for 3
minutes and paired conversations for 5 minutes. Skip the other two rounds.
Follow with a total group debriefing of another 5 minutes.
Game Plan for UPSET
1. Brief the Explain the objective and Listen to the briefing and
participants. specify the context. think about the context.
(2 minutes)
2. Form teams. Divide participants into two Join your team and introduce
(2 minutes) teams of equal size. Ask yourself to the other team
members of Team A to remove members. If you are a
their name tags. member of Team A, remove
your name tag.
3. Conduct the Give instructions for Team A members: Brainstorm

first round of brainstorming. a list of complaints,
team discussions. questions, and demands from
(3 minutes) upset customers. Team B
members: Brainstorm
guidelines for responding to
upset customers with
empathy.
4. Conduct the Give instructions. Blow the Team A members repeatedly

first round of whistle once every minute for pair up with Team B
paired 5 minutes. members and initiate a
conversations. conversation with a
(5 minutes) complaint, demand, or
question. Team B members
respond appropriately.
5. Conduct the Ask participants to return to Team A members: Brainstorm

second round of their teams. Ask Team A guidelines for responding to
team discussions. member to brainstorm upset customers. Team B
(3 minutes) guidelines for responding to members: Brainstorm a list
upset customers and Team B of typical complaints,
members to brainstorm typical demands, and questions.
complaints, demands, and
questions.
6. Conduct the Give instructions. Blow the Team B members repeatedly

second round of whistle once every minute for pair up with Team A
conversations. 5 minutes. members and initiate a
(5 minutes) conversation. Team A
members respond
appropriately.
7. Conduct the Ask all participants to return Share best practices from the
third round of to their teams, share their previous rounds. Come up
team discussions. experiences, and derive useful with a list of guidelines for
(3 minutes) guidelines for responding to effectively handling upset
upset customers. customers.
8. Conduct the Give instructions. Blow the Repeatedly pair up with

third round of whistle once every minute for different members of the
conversations. 5 minutes. other team and share
(5 minutes) effective guidelines for
responding to upset
customers.
[Table of Contents]
Handout
Guidelines for Handling Upset Customers
Greet the customer in a friendly fashion. Get to the point quickly.
Listen patiently to the customer. Don't cut the customer off.
Don't become defensive. Refuse to be hooked into repetitive arguments.

Ignore provocative statements and manipulative behaviors.
Make reassuring statements to connect with customer.
Make appreciative statements that recognize positive actions by the

customer.
Whenever appropriate, paraphrase the customer's statement and check for

understanding.
Acknowledge the customer's feelings by using reflective statements (“It

sounds like you're quite upset about this.”)
Apologize for the organization's mistakes. However, don't blame any specific
employee or department.
Use “we” statements that put you and the customer on the same side. Avoid
“we” statements that put you on the corporate side and the customer on the
other side.
Use “Yes, and …” statements instead of “Yes, but …” statements.
Gently and patiently refocus the conversation on business-related issues—

without appearing to be impatient.
[Table of Contents]
CLEAR COMMUNICATION
In any content area, one difference between a beginner and an expert is the
latter's ability to come up with different examples that belong to the same
category. This activity strengthens your ability to come up with examples of
communication concepts.
Basic Idea
All players write an example that belongs to the category. Each player votes
for the clearest example among those written by the other players. The
player whose example received the most votes wins the game card.
Supplies
• Pieces of paper
• Pens or pencils
Preparation
Prepare a list of different categories that belong to the same training topic
and for which players can come up with different examples.
Recently we played the game on the topic of communication skills. Here's

our list of categories:
• Active listening behaviors
• Guidelines for writing an effective business memo
• Common communication mistakes
• Conflict management strategies
• Ways in which people filter the messages they receive
• Purposes of communication
• Types of questions
• Types of written communication
• Guidelines for effective graphics
• Rules for effective writing

How To Begin
Select one person to be the Prime Player. The following instructions are for
the Prime Player:
How To Play
Announce a category that belongs to the training topic.
Ask everyone to write down a single clear example that that belongs to the
category. You should write a single clear example too.
When everyone has completed the task, begin with the player on your left
and ask each player to read aloud the example they wrote on the piece of
paper. Tell the players to read exactly what they wrote without any revision
or embellishment.
Read the example that you have written.
After everyone has read her example, ask the players to spread out their
pieces of paper on the table, written side up.
How To Win
At the count of three, ask all players to point to the piece of paper that
contains the clearest example. However, no player may point to her own
piece of paper.
The piece of paper that has the most fingers pointing to it wins the round.
The player who wrote this example earns a point.
In case of a tie, play the game again, using the same procedure. This time,
however, the players may not use any of the examples used during the
previous round.
How To Continue
Appoint the person on your left to be the new prime player. She chooses a
new category that belongs to the same training topic. Play as before.
WHY
Here's an interesting game that produces humorous results. Hidden behind
the humor, however, is subtle provocation that forces participants to think
deeply to justify some of the basic principles and assumptions related to the
training topic.
Key Idea
Participants write “Why?” questions related to the training topic. Then each
participant writes a response to someone else's “Why?” questions. The
questions and answers get mixed up, producing incongruous results.
Index Tags
Leadership. Paper-and-pencil games. “Why?” questions. Principles.

Assumptions.
Purpose
To recall principles and assumptions related to leadership.
Participants
Minimum: 3
Maximum: Any number
Best: 10 to 20
Time Requirement
7 to 15 minutes
Supplies
• Index cards (or pieces of paper), one per participant
• Pens or pencils
Flow
Write a question. Distribute an index card to each participant and ask her
to write a question on one side of the card. The question must begin with the
word “Why” and should be related to the training topic.
Recently we conducted the WHY game on the topic of Leadership. Here are
four questions written by the four players:
Anne: Why are charismatic leaders incapable of producing sustained results?
Bob: Why do most people prefer autocratic command-and-control leaders?
Christy: Why do some leaders get assassinated?
Dave: Why do people make a big issue of differentiating between managers

and leaders?
Exchange questions. After a suitable pause, ask each player to pass the
question to the player on the left. Also ask each player to read the question
given to her and think of a suitable answer that begins with the word
“Because”. Warn the players not to say or write the answer.
In our sample game, Bob got Anne's question, Christy got Bob's question,
Dave got Christy's question, and Anne got Dave's question. They read and
reflected on the question and mentally worked out an answer.
Write the answer on the back of another question card. After a suitable
pause, ask each player to turn over the question card so the written side is
facing down. Ask players to pass the question card (with its blank side up) to
the person on the left. Warn participants not to turn over the card they
receive to see the new question. Instead, ask them to write the answer (that
they thought of during the previous round) on the blank side of the card.
Read and laugh. Ask participants to pass the card to the person on the left.
Each participant now has a card that contains a question on one side and an
answer on the other. The question and the answer are related to each other—
and that is what makes them amusing. Ask participants to read the question
and the answer and laugh at the incongruous combination. Invite participants
to share the most humorous combinations to the other seated nearby.
Christy's question-and-answer combination was rated as the most humorous

combination:
Question: Why do some leaders get assassinated?

Answer: Because they are great at motivating and inspiring people, but not
good at paying attention to details and implementing their ideas.
If you are curious about how the other questions and answers turned out,
here they are:
Anne's question: Why are charismatic leaders incapable of producing

sustained results?
Answer: Because when leaders gather a lot of followers, they also collect a
lot of enemies. In the process, some leaders polarize people. Sometimes
their enemies become so jealous and enraged that they murder popular
leaders.
Bob's question: Why do most people prefer autocratic command-and-control
leaders?
Answer: Because they think that it is cool to be a leader and boring to be a
manager.
Dave's question: Why do people make a big issue of differentiating between

managers and leaders?
Answer: Because most people are too lazy to think for themselves and to
make decisions. They prefer to have someone to tell them what to do, what
to think, and what to believe.
For extra credit, see if you can match each question with its answer.
Game Plan for WHY
1. Write Give Write a question that begins with “Why”.

questions. (2 instructions.
minutes)
2. Exchange Give Give your question card to the person on

questions. (1 instructions. your left. Read the question on the card from
minute) the person on your right. Think of a suitable
answer but do not say or write this answer.
3. Write Give Turn the question card over and pass it to the
answers. (2 instructions. person on your left. Write the answer (to the
minutes) previous answer) on the blank side of the
card you received.
4. Read Give Pass the card to the person on your left. Read
questions and instructions. the question and answer on the two sides of
answers. (2 the card you received. Share with others if
minutes) the combination is humorous.
ZOOM: A Creativity Game

1. Divide the participants into two or more teams of three to
seven members each.
2. Ask each team to identify an opportunity or a problem. Ask

them to convert this opportunity or problem into a question,
using the format suggested by Van Gundy: In what ways
might we . . . ?
Give an example to illustrate the task. Here's one that I use:
In what ways might we sell books to professionals on the

internet?
3. Ask the team to transform this question into four higher

levels of abstraction, one level at a time. Give an example
such as this:
Original question: In what ways might we sell books to

professionals on the Internet?
Question at the next higher level: In what ways might we

sell books on the Internet?

sell things on the Internet?

sell things?

persuade and influence others?
4. Distribute five index cards and a rubber band to each team.

Ask the teams to write their five questions, one on each
card. Then ask them to put the question cards on top of each
other, with the question sides on top. The most abstract
question should be visible on the top card and the other
questions should be hidden below. The most specific
question (the original question) should be at the bottom of
this packet of question cards.
5. Ask the teams to place a rubber band around the packet of

question cards, give the packet to another team and receive
a packet from yet another team. (No two teams may
exchange their packets with one another.)
6. Ask the teams to read the question on the top card and
spend 3 minutes brainstorming alternative responses. The
team should record its answers on a flip chart or a piece of
paper.
7. After 3 minutes, ask the teams to remove the top card and
to read the question on the next card. As before, team
members should brainstorm alternative responses for this
question for the next 3 minutes, building on the earlier
responses.
8. At the end of 3 minutes, ask the teams to read and respond

to the question on the next card. Repeat this procedure two
more times to end with responses to the most specific form
of the question.
9. Ask the teams to return their packet of question cards along

with the lists of brainstormed responses to the appropriate
teams. The teams should review the responses, select the
most useful ideas, and integrate them into an action plan.
(ZOOM is one of the games from Thiagi's forthcoming book, More

Creativity Games. You will find a model for the creativity process and
several games for profiting from opportunities and solving problems in
Thiagi's earlier book, Creativity Games.)
Improv Game
ZOOMING AROUND
by Kat Koppett
The same series of events or information can be transformed into a
myriad of stories. This exercise helps the storyteller work like a movie
camera—zooming in for close focus, zooming out for a broader picture
—in order to highlight elements of a process that is being relayed. The
storyteller can zoom in or out on an action, a descriptive detail or an
emotion.
The key element of this interactive story is that the storyteller tells the
story and is periodically instructed by a “director” to “zoom in” or
“zoom out”.
Purpose
To review and reinforce key steps and principles in a work process.
Participants
Any number, organized into pairs.
Time
10 to 20 minutes.
Flow
Divide the participants into pairs. Have the pair identify one person as
“A” and the other as “B”. Ask B to act as the storyteller and A as the
Director.
Explain how the storyteller and the director interact with each other:
• The storyteller begins telling her story.

• The director periodically instructs the storyteller to zoom in. The
storyteller focuses on a detail within the story and provides
additional information.
• From time to time, the director instructs the storyteller to zoom
out. The storyteller moves to a higher-level view.
• Sometimes the director may say “zoom in” or “zoom out” more
than once in a row to get wide variations of levels in the story.
• The director continues in this way until the process is finished or
time is up.
Announce a suitable time limit of 5 to 10 minutes. Ask storytellers to

begin. Start a timer.
Circulate among participants, eavesdropping in on different stories.

However, don't interfere with the flow of the activity.
When the allotted time is up, stop the activity.
Ask the directors and storytellers to exchange roles and repeat the
process.
Variations
Have participants work alone, writing their stories on paper. From time
to time, call out “zoom in” and “zoom out” to the whole group.
Use the technique as an interactive lecture. Encourage participants to

direct you to zoom in and out during your lecture presentation.
Have members of one team tell a story while members of the other
team direct the flow of the story.
A Sample Application: Telemarketing
Facilitator: Please begin.
Storyteller: Once upon a time there was an outbound sales rep

named Peter. Every day, Peter called prospects from his database.
Director: Zoom in.
Storyteller: He clicked on the dial icon on his computer and waited for
the dialer to ring a prospect. Once the prospect answered, Peter said,
“Hello.”
Director: Zoom out.
Storyteller: Peter greeted the prospect and attempted to make a

sale.
Director: Zoom in.
Storyteller: Peter probed to uncover the prospect's needs.
Director: Zoom in.
Storyteller: Peter asked open-ended questions about the prospect's

current situation.
Director: Zoom out.
Storyteller: After identifying the needs, Peter asked the prospect how
he might help him. Working with the prospect, Peter some services
that his organization could provide.

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$20 GAME

Here's a quick jolt that emphasizes the importance of mindfulness.

Pair up participants. Ask each participant to find a partner and sit

Begin questioning. Ask partners to take turns asking questions

SAMPLES: How many times is the number 20 printed on my side? How

Switch partners. Stop the question-and-answer activity after a few

Continue questioning. Ask the partners to use the same procedure

Conduct a quick debrief. Ask participants to discuss how familiarity

Here is a fast-paced textra game for reviewing training content from

6 to 25. Best game is for 12 to 25 participants, organized into groups

Reading Materials. These are handouts, brochures, booklets,

Question Cards. Each card contains a short-answer about the training

Game Instructions. Prepare one copy of the handout, How To Play 2-

Distribute copies of reading materials. Explain that you will

Demonstrate the play of the game. Distribute copies of How To

Organize groups. Divide participants into two to five groups, each

Distribute cards. In each group, select a player to be the first Game

How To Play 2-Minute Drill

Continue playing. Repeat the process, trying to give as many correct

To explore key concepts associated with a training topic. For this

Any number, organized into four teams.

Prepare four flip chart pages with the following headings:

• Components of great customer satisfaction

• Components are parts of the concept. For example, taking an

Conduct the planning period. Ask teams to spend the next 3

Conduct the data-collection period. At the end of 3 minutes,

Conduct the data-analysis period. At the end of 3 minutes, ask

Conduct the presentation period. Invite teams to take turns to

Debrief the participants. At the end of all four presentations, discuss

To write a 99 WORDS piece, limit the content. Write in a plain, conversational

We walk our talk. This piece is 99 words long!

Write a 99 WORDS piece on topic of your choice. It could be the definition of a

Send your 99 WORDS as an email attachment to thiagi@thiagi.com . We will

Match and Mix

To come up with action plan that will appeal to different stakeholders.

• Team Allocation Cards, one for each participant

• Blank pieces of paper

• Flip chart pads

Tables (preferably round ones) with chairs around them to facilitate

Prepare team allocation cards. All participants belong to two different

A1, A2, A3, A4, A5

Example: Many members of an established professional society felt that the

Example: We have five teams, A to E.

• Team A = New members

• Team B = Established members

• Team C = Staff members

• Team D = Officers of the organization

• Team E = Patron members

Team Allocation Table

Participants Team Allocation Cards

9 A1, A2, A3 B1, B2, B3 C1, C2, C3

A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, B3 C1, C2, C3

A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, B3, C1, C2, C3

A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, B3, C1, C2, C3, C4

A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, B3, C1, C2, C3, C4

A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, B3, C1, C2, C3, C4

ACTION PLAN Game Plan

Here's a list of steps in ACTION PLAN, complete with suggested time

Step Facilitator Participants

Preparation (10 Prepare appropriate

Briefing (2 Explain the goal to be Think up suitable ideas.

Assign Assign different Get ready to play the role of a person

Generate ideas Give instructions. Teams generate ideas related to the