Do it when you want to train decision making. Often we say that while making decisions is good to exclude emotions, using only our logic. At the same time, there are so many emotional decision making techniques. Even with what we believe are rational decisions, the very point of choice is always based on emotion. It is much easier to understand if we say that emotions are signals from the subconscious mind. Now, we can start game. Divide participants in 2 groups. First group has to prepare presentation of one of your products using only logic. Presentation has to include poster and sales speech. Other group has to do the same thing using only logic.
Give them 15 minutes for preparation. Then they will do the presentations.
Objections and questions from the other group are the most important part.
Answering them each group can use bith, emotion and logic.
Coaching questions for you:
1. Imagine that your career is guided just by your intuition and that you can fail. How confident will you be on a scale from 1 to 10?
2. Beside confidence, what other your values will benefit?
3. How your life looks then? … Read more
Idea #36 Compare your present & dream 24 hours
Do it when you have to organize your day. Some people believe that they are delivering Time Management training. I don’t think that is possible. You can only manage your actions, not time. I am not playing with word. When you realize difference you are on the right way. So I am asking you to fulfill two identical circles. One with actions that you are doing right now during 24 hours period. Then do the other which is called your dream 24 hours. Then compare the difference. All you have to do is to make action plan how are you going to manage the difference. And that is managing actions in time. Take time and do this. Remember what Seneca said: “If not us, who, if not now, when?”
Now, more coaching questions for you:
1. Looking at your dream 24 hours, tell me what kind of person would you be with that kind of organizing your actions?
2. Who else will benefit from that?
3. How satisfied will you be on a scale from 1 to 10?
4. What will you be able to do to have that kind of life?
5. What will be the time frame … Read more
Idea #35 You in 5
Do it when you have to explain the importance of change. Give a flip chart paper to participants. Their task is to draw. First, in lower left part they have to draw them in present time. Their faces are toward center of the paper. Then in upper right part of the paper, they have to draw themselves in 5 years. Again faces turned to the center of the paper. Now they have to connect those 2 pictures. They can choose type of the line. It can be straight or more in the waving mood. But it has to start from left lower corner and finish at upper right corner. Now they have to draw and explain critical moments in those 5 years. What they predict has happened and how they have overcome it.
Crucial is that suddenly they will come to the idea that they have to change themselves.
At this moment mankind posses only 5% of the knowledge that it will have in 2060.
So we have to invent and to learn 95% of it. 
Now, coaching questions for you:
1. Imagine yourself going in year 2060 and taking that knowledge. Remember now you have only 5% of … Read more
Idea #34 Action plan at The End
Do it when you have finished your training. It is always good to see how participants have accepted training and what are they going to implement. On one page of handout give them matrix 2 x 2. In 4 quadrants give them headlines: I will do More, I will do Less, I will Stop and I will Start. On every quadrant make at least 3 lines so they can fulfill them. At the end of that page make a space so participants can sign. This is very good commitment that they will really follow their action plan.
And remember that We Can Not Change our Past but We Can Change the Future.
Now, coaching questions for you:
1. Find area in your life where you want to make improvement. Which area is that?
2. How important on a scale from 1 to 10 is it to you?
3. Whom will you be when you make that improvement?
4. To make that improvement you will have to start doing something differently. Name 3 things!
5. You will have to stop doing something. Name 3 things!
6. You will have to do something more than you are doing now? Name 3 things!… Read more
Idea #33 Remember details like Napoleon
Do it when you have to develop participants’ management of details. Napoleon was genius of military tactics and strategy. One of his core values was his brilliant management of details. He never forgot a single point of advantage. He has remembered every soldier, river, stream, mountain, hill, valley, and ravine down in his mental note book. Let’s see why and how we are going to develop similar skill in our business. Each one in our group has to create a mental picture of one of our customer. Write down as much as possible data about him (name, address, company, age, gander …). Now we can go deeper in Master details. Explain his/her look, color of hair, eyes, any characteristics, what he/she likes, favorite product, his/her family, favorite places…). When you finish there is even deeper level. Subordinate Details which means detailed look of his/her office, accent, details in body language, characteristic words that are used, changing of skin brightness, changing in voice, changing in tempo…) Lets count how many you have counted in each column.
Now, coaching questions for you:
1. Imagine that your core value is brilliant management of details, like Napoleon’s. In which area of your … Read more
Idea #32 Change what you do
Do it when you want to show importance of change. Give to all participants colored paper balls. Ideally, there are 14 of participants. On your sign they have to throw paper balls to each other. Every time someone has to catch just one ball. On sign everyone will have new ball. Do that 8 to 10 times. Then ask them to wrap up all paper balls.
On every paper should be just one word. Give them 3 minutes to make sentence.
Correct answer should be “If you do what you always do you will get what you always get.”
Now, coaching questions for you:
1. Imagine that you can restart your life, starting from the year that you are now. But, you can work your dream job. What it will be?
2. How will you know that it is your real dream job?
3. How satisfied would you be on a scale from 1 to 10?
4. Who would you be working that job?
5. Who else will be proud of you?
6. What type of resource you have?
7. What would you be ready to do to achieve that dream job?
8. What would be your first step?… Read more
Idea #31 Maximum training results
Do it when you are asked: “How can you guarantee that participants will accept skills from your training?” I have applied at some French company for delivering soft skills to their managers. In application form one of the questions was: “How can you guarantee that participants will accept skills from your training?” If you have any experience in training than I am sure that you have seen curve explaining that training without mentoring and coaching sessions will make maximum 10 % improvement. So I come to the following idea. I will guaranty that participants will gain any percentage that we would agree was acceptable. And after a month we will do evaluation. If participants fail, company will have to pay 3 times value of training. In that way I am 100 % sure that they will find way for coaching, mentoring, refreshing and everything that is necessary for successful learning. What are your thoughts?
Now, coaching questions for you:
1. Imagine that you have to deliver training to a very important group of managers. How would you prepare?
2. How important is that training to you?
3. Who will also benefit from it?
4. Who are you in eyes … Read more
Idea #30 Think outside the box
Do it when you want them to think outside the box.
All you need is flipchart. Draw following:
1
11
21
1211
111221
Now they have to continue. Give them 5 minutes. Help them by giving a clue:
_ _ _ _ _ _
Answer is in reading. First line is one one which is explained in 2nd line. 2nd line is two one which is said in 3rd line. 3rd line is one two, one one which is said in 4th line.
Next we continue with one one, one two, two one said in 5th line.
6th line will be 3 1 2 2 1 1 (three one, two two, one one).
All over the world 20 % of children 3rd grade solve this problem.
You are clever to; Just, we all have to think outside the box.
Now, coaching questions for you:
1. Think what is it in your business that at this moment no one is doing because it is impossible?
2. Make a list of 20 items. What from that list would be the most important for your business?
3. What would be the first step … Read more
Idea #29 You last day at office
Do it When you want to bust morale among employees.
Everyone has to imagine that this is his/her last day at office. But not that way, most people are afraid. A long time form now, they are going to retirement. Each one will receive golden watch. On the back of the watch 3 words are engraved. Obviously those 3 words will be summary of his/her previous work in the company. Invite all of them to write his/her 3 words and to put them in one sentence. Good beginning of that sentence will be: “I want to be remembered in this company as person who was: __________, __________ and ____________. “
Tell them that by Changing their values, they can change their lives!
Now, coaching questions for you:
1. Imagine that your child (children) are coming to visit your company 5 years from your last day in that company. They met on of your employees. What would he/she said about you?
2. Lets imagine he/she will have to scale all your skills from 1 to 10. What mark would you got?
3. Why you have deserved such high grade?
4. What would be the week point?
5. What would be … Read more
Idea #28 Positive feedback for the end
Do it When you are finishing the training. After any training it is very important that people leave it with positive feeling. This means that everyone has done his part in developing total success. Using this tool everyone will leave training with something very concrete. Supply everyone with piece of paper. Then he/she has to write his/her name on the top of the paper. Than each one has to give his paper to the person left to him/her. Each person has to write one sentence what that person has developed during that training. After that he will pass that paper to the left. At the end every person will have positive feedback from all colleagues. It is important that one by one read aloud what was written.
Now, coaching questions for you:
1. What was the nicest thing that anyone in the company said to you?
2. How you have felt when you heard that?
3. What other values you had that time?
4. Which melody can repeat that feeling to you?
5. What other things you can do to regain those feeling?
6. Where and when in the future you can use those values?
Thank you and … Read more
Idea #27 Your office library
Do it When you want to make your employees to learn for a lifetime. In every office there is a library, because every employee has to learn.
As great Peter Drucker said: “We now accept the fact that learning is a lifelong process of keeping abreast of change. And the most pressing task is to teach people how to learn.” This game you can play with your team, but also this library can be for real.
Your team has to make drawing of library that will represent your company. Everyone has to participate and to explain what is so special and unique for your company.
At the end send drawing to the carpenter and you will have special library that every employee will be glad to read.
Now, coaching questions for you:
1. Imagine that solution to your main company problem is in one of your books in your library. What is it?
2. Why is solving that problem so important to you?
3. On which book shelf is that book?
4. What is the name of that book?
5. Turn the last page, where usually are all answers?
6. What is the first answer to that question?
7. What … Read more
Idea #26 Firm as this stone
Do it When you want quickly to introduce all participants, and make them think about their characteristics. Give the basket with stones to the participants. Everyone has to take one stone and keep it in his hand. After that one by one each person has to say: 1) His name 2) His job position and the most importantly 3) His main good characteristic. He will do that by saying: “My enthusiasm is firm like this stone!”
After this introduction you can ask them questions like: “How each of those characteristics can be useful to our team or that training?”
Coaching questions for you are:
1. You have to take one stone and keep it all your life remembering about your most important good characteristic. What is it?
2. Knowing that you have that characteristic, what are the other 2 good characteristics that you also posses and maybe you are not so aware about them?
3. Now when you have those 3 characteristics, choose some area of your life, and some specific goal where you can use them. What is that goal?
4. How important on a scale from 1 to 10 is completing that goal?
5. Why is … Read more
Idea #25 Paper plane evaluation
Do it When you want easily to see how much participant have gained from the training. It is always important to see how much participants have gained from the training. If you ask them directly it can be very bad experience reminding them with school. So let’s use our creativity.
Prepare note book size papers and write on each of them one question concerning topic that was lectured. Ask each participant to take one paper and to make a paper plane from it. Everybody knows to make some kind of paper plane. Then they all have to make a circle as bigger as possible. On your sigh everyone will launch their planes and everyone has to take one plane. If you mark questions with numbers, just ask who has plane number 1 and he/she will read the question and provide the answer.
What variations of this game you suggest?
1. Just imagine your biggest problem. What is it?
2. And imagine that solving that problem you will be much better person. How do you see yourself at that moment?
3. Now, reframe your problem into goal. What it will be?
4. To reach that goal there is a plan … Read more
Idea #24 Masters I give you 3 wishes each
Do it When you want to know what is really important to your people and what they want to change. Just imagine that in a basement of your company building you have found an old lamp. When you rub it a good genie appears. The genie gives to each member of your team 3 wishes. Everyone has to make 3 changes. You have to change yourself, your manager and your job.
You have 5 minutes for preparation and then you start presentations, one by one.
You can make variations by making dividing people on groups of 3, so they can work and make presentation together. In that case give them flip chart. when you finish make a picture of presentations and use them in your company, Of course send one copy to us.
1. While that good genie is in the house, ask him for one additional wish. What it will be?
2. Why is it so important to you, that you will spend that one wish on it?
3. What changes in your life it will make?
4. How might you take it even further?
5. What skills would you need for it?
6. How are going … Read more
Idea #23 Why do you respect your boss?
Do it When you want to connect people and make a team.
African born English Writer, William Plomer said: “Creativity is the power to connect the seemingly unconnected.”
Now, we are going to implement that creativity in practice. All you need is love 🙂 and a bag of m&ms or any other colored candies.
Closed eyes each member of your team has to take one candy. Just tell them that take it doesn’t mean eat it.
… Read more
When everyone has his candy including you tell them the rules. One by one according to clockwise order, everyone has to tell in 3 sentences a story based on following:
Red candy: Why he/she likes to work in your company?
Red candy: Why he/she likes to work in your company?
Blue candy: When he/she was the most proud during his career?
Yellow candy: What was the most difficult client and how he/she has solved that?
Brown candy: When was the time he has felt miserable and how he has overcame that?
Green candy: What is his/her the most ambitious plan in your company?
Orange candy: What his/her boss said to him that made him the proudest person?
When all finish they can eat candies, and we can start coaching!
1. Now,
Idea #22 Learn them to be punctual
Do it When you want to establish that people have to be punctual.
It is another story from Master ZI; I have mentioned in ideas #10 & #15.
“After 25 years in the same parish, Father was saying his farewells at his retirement dinner. One local politician had been asked to make a short speech. But he was late.
So the priest took it upon himself to fill the time, and stood up to the microphone:
“I remember the first confession I heard here 25 years ago and it worried me as to what sort of place I’d come to… That first confession remains the worst I’ve ever heard. The chap confessed that he’d stolen a TV set from a neighbor and lied to the police when questioned, successfully blaming it on a local scallywag. He said that he’d stolen money from his parents and from his employer; that he’d had affairs with several of his friends’ wives; that he’d taken hard drugs, and had slept with his sister. You can imagine what I thought… However I’m pleased to say that as the days passed I soon realized that this sad fellow was a frightful exception and that this … Read more
Idea #21 How to learn a new skill?
Do it When your team have to learn some now skill or to face a difficult change.
People say that:” The Only Thing That Is Constant Is Change”. But employees are often afraid of a change. Sometimes they are even afraid of some new skill that they have to adopt. Show them that learning new skill is easy as A, B, C… or should I said Z, Y, X…?
Ask your group to say alphabet from A to Z. People will laugh and did it with moderate speed. Tell them that new task is to do the alphabet backwards. They will laugh even more and say that is not possible without reading.
Tell them that it is all up to them. If they think it is not possible, for sure they are right.
But they have 3 minutes to prepare strategy for learning and 10 minutes for practicing. During that time they can use whatever they want just to learn that new skill.
After those 13 minutes for sure they will succeed. Ask them:
How did they feel when they heard for the first time what the task is?
In which way preparation of strategy … Read more