Do it When you want to develop creativity
Divide participants in the group of three. Give 3 cards with famous or less famous brands to each group. It doesn’t matter what the industry is. The most important part is that they have the picture of that brand in front of them. Each group will choose just one card (one brand). Then they will have to make a story connected to that brand. Dedicated time work is 5 minutes. After that they will forward their 3 brands to the next group and receive 3 new brands from the previous group. You can stop this circling (or implementation of World Café methodology) depending on the dedicated time. Leave at least two minutes for each presentation of the created stories. Most probably the stories will be fictitious. However, I have one true story for you. It is about the beer company and its famous label. The person in the picture is famous Milosav Mitrović Losa. He was a soldier in the WWI from 1914-1918. During that war he was badly wounded and the both legs were amputated. He had a coach with two horses and whenever he wanted the beer he used that … Read more
Idea #76 Life in a virtual reality! Yes or No?
Do it during an individual or team session. Imagine your world as a game with significant others who would act different roles. Let them become how you would like them to be in reality. You can change their personal traits by adding or taking away whatever you find important or irritating. Create your own rules and boundaries and see how the game is going to develop.
There are some questions for you:
1. Did you take part in this game actively as a protagonist or you only observed the game as a creator?
2. Whose personality in the game differs most from his/ her real personality?
3. How satisfied are you with your life on a scale from 1 to 10 where 10 stands for maximum satisfaction and 1 stands for minimum satisfaction.
4. How would you change the other people’ s behavior by changing your own behavior? Make a list of activities.
Thank you for sharing your ideas!
If you are willing to try a coaching session with me, Call me at Skype vlada.srma
Idea #71 Fables for the 21 century
Do it When your want to talk about desirable characteristics in your company. Aesop’s Fables or the Aesopica is a collection of fables credited to Aesop, a slave and story-teller believed to have lived in ancient Greece between 620 and 560 BCE. Every fable has a story in which characters of the people are personified in animals. In addition, every fable has its morale and because of that fables are told to the children while they were building their value systems. I think that nowadays fables should be used in companies to build value system of the organizations. Divide your participants in small groups and in each group tell them to find 3 characteristics that are totally unacceptable in your organization. After that, tell them to reverse those characteristics and find 3 positive. Now, for each characteristic they have to find one animal that will represent it. After that each group just has to make its unique fable. To make it more interesting each group will make a drawing about its fable. In the end, read them all and show the morale of each fable. While preparing the workshop for my group, 3 fables came to my mind. … Read more
Idea #69 Life is a carousel
Today is my birthday and I want to thank all my friends on social networks who have made this day even more special to me. So, I want to give them something in return. This idea is dedicated to all of you. You can do it When your employees have to think about your company’s values. A carousel or merry-go-round is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders. The “seats” are traditionally in the form of rows of wooden horses or other animals mounted on posts, many of which are moved up and down by gear work to simulate galloping, to the accompaniment of looped circus music. The earliest known depiction of a carousel is in a Byzantine bas-relief dating to around 500 A.D., which depicts riders in baskets suspended from a central pole. Your employees will have to make a carousel from a candle, a wire and paper. The instruction is shown on the picture below, but the main task is to choose seats for the riders. Just imagine that your company is represented by carousel. What would be the presentations for seats? Horses are not allowed! What seats will you choose? … Read more
Idea #68 3 years to retirement
Do it When your employees have to think about themselves. From time to time it is necessary that we all make this exercise. You are going to get retired. Be relaxed, it will not happen this year, but in 3 years. So, you will have a lot of time to make some changes. Imagine that during that ceremony 3 persons will talk about you. The first one will be your boss. Write down what will be his/her 5 sentences about you. The second person will be your colleague, someone that is at the same level of hierarchy in the company with you. Write down what will be his/her 5 sentences about you. The third person will be your subordinate. If you have no one that is at lower level of hierarchy than you, imagine that you have someone that is just 3 months in your company. Write down what will be his/her 5 sentences about you. When all employees finish with this task, ask them to grade their satisfaction on the scale from 1 to 10 when the 10 is maximum. Ask them to write down one action for each from those 3 people that will … Read more
Idea #66 Do your Best At All Times!
Do it When you have to discuss with employees why to do their best now. An old carpenter was getting ready to retire. He told his employer of his plans to leave the house building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife. He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire. The employer contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He restored to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end his career. When the carpenter finished his work and the builder came to inspect the house, the contractor handed the front door key to the carpenter. “This is your house,” he said, “my gift to you.” What a shock! What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently. Now he had to live in the home he had built none too well. So it is with us. We … Read more
Idea #59 What are Characteristics of your Team?
Do it When you want to make a team building. Divide your team in the groups of three. Give them the same task. Imagine that your team is represented with an animal, but that animal has to be the combination of three animals with one characteristic from each one. For example, we are as brave as a tiger, with the speed of an antelope and we are strong like an elephant. Now each group should draw its animal as a group logo. All three members of the group should draw at the same time. At the end make presentations and discussions. Remind them of this quote: “What we need to do is learn to work in the system, by which I mean that everybody, every team, every platform, every division, every component is there not for individual competitive profit or recognition, but for contribution to the system as a whole on a win-win basis.” – W. Edward Deming
Now, coaching questions for you:
1. Imagine that for solving your main company problem you should develop three characteristics. Name all 3 of them?
2. What does the solution to this problem mean to you?
3. How would you know … Read more
Idea #57 Handprints after 3 years in Company
Do it When you want to establish company values. Establish a book where all employees, after 3 years in company will post their handprints. On the same page each one of them will write in one sentence his/her advice to someone who is entering company. Handprints are something very personal so everyone will be glad to leave his/her marks for someone that will come after them.
As the great Marcus Tullius Cicero said: “The life of the dead is set in the memory of the living.”
Now, coaching questions for you:
1. What will be the advice that you would like to write under your handprints?
2. According to that advice what would be the goal for this session?
3. What values are the most important for reaching that goal?
4. On a scale from 1 to 10 how important is to you to live under those values?
5. What would your colleagues benefit from your values?
6. How would you implement your goal?
7. What obstacles would you overcome?
8. Explain how you have overcome each obstacle in 5 sentences?
9. When was the first sight that you are on the right tracks?
10. When you have finished … Read more
Idea #46 Make your company commercial
Do it During Team Building when you want to establish company values. Divide participants in smaller teams. Tell them that they have to make company commercial. Each team will have to prepare scenario, do the acting and video tape commercial. If you have a time they can use different computer programs and prepare movie. In the evening you will have presentation of commercials. After that you will have discussion. What was the message that we were sending from our company?
Now, coaching questions for you:
1. What is you key message that you want to send to the other people?
2. Why is that message so important to you?
3. How that message is influencing your everyday life?
4. Who else thinks that message is important?
5. How those people could be helpful in spreading that message?
6. How could you make that massage even more important?
7. What would be your action plan for making your message widely spread?
8. Now when you have made your plan, how do you feel?
Thank you and good luck.
Idea #42 Support hand made
Do it when you discuss company values with employees. Connecting company values with values of each employee is important for supporting their motivation. Nowadays everyone has laptop. And we all carry them in laptop bags. So ask participants how your company lap top bag will look like. Ask them to draw it on a flip chart. Then to make presentation and talk about values that are represented with drawing.
Now it is your time to surprise your employee. Make arrangement with local women group to make laptop bags from drawings. I did it with Marija Hand Made and now I have privilege to enjoy this beautiful laptop bag.
Now, coaching questions for you:
1. Imagine that your laptop bag is your company brochure. What it tells about you?
2. Why do you exist as company?
3. How do you serve your country?
4. Who else is gaining benefit from your company?
5. How will scale your service from 1 to 10?
6. What can you do to make your service even more beneficial?
7. How will you make a system that will guide you through servicing others?
8. Write your full action plan. What will be the time … 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 #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 #18 Make Your Team Rules
Do it When you motivate your team or during team building. Nobody likes rules.
That’s because rules are limitations that someone else is putting on us.
That is so demotivating. But rules are necessary for doing business.
Without them we would be in anarchy. So lets turn it around.
Ask them to write down 10 rules that are so important for them on the job.
Then one by one has to say his 10 rules and someone is writing on the flip chart. Obviously, some of the rules are gonna be said several times. Just count it like votes.
At the end you will have 10 rules or you can narrow to 5 rules that are confirmed by all of them. Those rules are your company values and can be easily transferred into company mission.
Now coaching questions for you?
Imagine that you have to make your life according to 3 rules.
1. What would you choose?
2. What sort of person would you be if you obey those 3 rules?
3. Who else would benefit then?
4. Why is this important to you?
5. What will be your next steps?
Write down on comments or if it is more … Read more
Idea #10 Little notebook that boosts your Self Awareness
Do it When you want to boost your Self Awareness.
This is a tool from my friend Master ZI which I have implemented in my life several years ago. As good friend of mine he can coach me whenever I am looking for some answers in my life. But he has taught me how I can coach myself every day.
All we need is a nice small notebook.
On the first page you will write 2 questions:
1. What have I done today that makes me proud?
2. Which one of my virtues helped me to succeed in that?
Every night before you go to bed just shortly answer those 2 questions.
In a month you will have written proof how good you are. What have you accomplished, and what nice virtues you have.
Whenever you are in some doubts about your Capabilities and Self Awareness just read the notebook 😉
This is really great, but only if you are persistent to write down whenever you go to sleep and you are proud of something you have done.
So in the morning be sure that you will do something that will make you proud to your dairy. Now questions for … Read more
Idea #8 Tea of wishes for closing Team Building
Do it When you want to connect your people, talk about strategy, values and at the end of any training.
This is perfect for cold winter days when you are having team building outside. At the beginning of any event people have some expectations, or wishes. It is very important to have them at the beginning of any training. If you don’t know what they are expecting how can you fulfill those expectations? So, carefully write down what they say and by paraphrasing be sure that you understand it.
During the last break or at the end, when they will score evaluation form, prepare them a tea. Make those tea bags really special. On each tag write in just one word what they expected at the beginning. Now it is time for each of them to say aloud what is written on his tag, and how this training (team building) helped him in fulfilling his expectations (wishes)?
What have you learned?
How beneficial this training was on a scale from 1 to 10?
You can encourage discussion by asking the others what they can add. And I am encouraging you to say
what variations of this, or other ideas … Read more
Idea #6 Hey, is this your company Snowman?
Do it When you want to connect your people, talk about strategy, values and image, during team building.
Making snowman is very educational game. People have been making things in their images, and then materialising that for a long time.
If you see children playing in the Winter, usually they will have a snowball fight from behind snow walls. But making snowman is something very different.
In fighting, someone has to win and the other has to loose. In making snowman, children are joining forces to make something productive. Something that will last for several days. On the top of that, it is easy and fun 🙂 to make a snowman.
Knowing that, here is a new task for your group. You have to make a snowman.
But, your snowman is the special one. It will represent your company. Remember, you are now allowed to use your company logo, flag or write name of your company.
Still everyone that will pass by, will be clear that it is your snowman.
Discuss among your group.
What is so unique in your company that everyone will recognise?
What else you can do so you can be even more unique?
When you
… Read more But, your snowman is the special one. It will represent your company. Remember, you are now allowed to use your company logo, flag or write name of your company.
Still everyone that will pass by, will be clear that it is your snowman.
Discuss among your group.
What is so unique in your company that everyone will recognise?
What else you can do so you can be even more unique?
When you
Idea #4 Company Logo from Values
Do it When you want to connect their values with values of the company.
Company values are something much more than a poster on the office wall. It is our life guidance, and if our company values are different from our personal values, we are in the wrong company, living a miserable life.
So, let`s start with drawing a company logo on the white board. The logo has to be big, so there will be enough space for posting yellow or colored tags. Each person has to write a value that is important to him and post it on the company logo.
When everyone has posted his value, people will start voting for those values. The value with more votes will be posted higher on the logo.
In the end you will have a company logo made from your real values. Take a picture and send to all of your employees and/or frame it at work and place it in some premises important to them.
Coaching questions:
1. What 3 values are you looking for in your career?
2. Why are those values important to you?
3. For each value, how satisfied are you on the scale from 1 … Read more
Idea #2 Hidden symbol in your Logo
Do it During Team building when you want your team members to think thoroughly about your company mission or when you want to send a subliminal message with your logo.
Companies have had logos for decades. Logo represents more than just a company`s name in some nice letters. It represents values, and how a company wants to be seen in the eyes of customers. It is image. Amazon obviously wants to be seen as someone offering from A to Z. Right? So just look at their logo. An arrow is starting from the letter A and ends at Z. On the top of that the arrow makes a smile. Great, because it is not obviously.
Let`s see Federal Express logo. It also has an arrow that you can see between the E and the X. What values does an arrow represent? Obviously it is speed and precision, which is excellent for a shipping company.
Now it is your turn. Take a logo of your company and put a hidden symbol in it.
It has to represent some of your values.
1. What are your most important values?
2. Where are they already hidden?
3. What is the … Read more