Have you participated in more than your share of bad icebreakers? Those introductory exercises that happen when someone wants to get a group engaged. Ones where you just want it to be over fast? We have too, which is why we were determined to create something different. What’s the purpose of an icebreaker? Icebreakers serve [...] Click to continue reading »
Tip: Let's Talk Conflict
Shhhhh… If we don’t talk about it, maybe it won’t happen. Let sleeping giants lie. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Maybe it will just go away. Any of these sound familiar when it comes to talking about conflict? For many people, the default setting for dealing with the issue is “Avoid.” Unfortunately, hoping [...] Click to continue reading »
Icebreaker: A Deck In The Hand…
Sometimes, you just never know when VisualsSpeak may come in handy! Take, for instance, the case of Jane Schue. Jane is a facilitator who is working with a local nonprofit, Life By Design NW. Life By Design, in cooperation with a local community college, works to be the “go-to place” for people rethinking their life [...] Click to continue reading »
Working with Stressed Teams
Many of you are faced with creating programs for teams who are exhausted from change. The team may have faced layoffs and most are being asked to do more work with less resources than ever. In this five minute video I show you how to get these sessions off to a strong start by making [...] Click to continue reading »
Group Storytelling: Once Upon a Group
Purpose: This exercise gets energy flowing by tapping into the creative side of the participants Process: Each participant adds one or two sentences—and an image—to the story that begins with the prompt. Each participant has 30 seconds to select an image to continue the story. Prompt: “Once upon a time, there was a group who [...] Click to continue reading »
Icebreaker: Trust for Success
Purpose: This icebreaker gives people a chance to talk about what success looks like to them. Answers will help indicate how trust can be built or eroded. Choose a prompt. This may seem like a quick and obvious step, but actually, it is by far the most important. A well-formed and well-chosen prompt will reveal [...] Click to continue reading »
Visual Writing Prompts: Easy Free-Writer
Purpose This exercise gives participants a chance to slow down and take stock of where they are in the process. It lets them focus on a particular area of what they have covered so far. Choose a prompt. This may seem like a quick and obvious step, but actually, it is by far the most [...] Click to continue reading »
Stop whining and see alternatives
Everyday we hear stories about how stressed our customers organizations are. Continuous change, resource limitations, and uncertainty are the themes that are constant companions. What is whining all about? One concern is that if you let people talk, all they will do is whine. There are other ways to look at it. Whining happens when [...] Click to continue reading »
Visual Icebreaker: Today's Hope for the Meeting
Purpose: This icebreaker gets people to talk about what they want out of the session, and to add their concerns to the process. They can also weigh everyone’s views and hopefully accommodate these other opinions. Choose a prompt. This may seem like a quick and obvious step, but actually, it is by far the most [...] Click to continue reading »
Tip: Make your icebreakers meaningful
Believe it or not, icebreakers can be a loaded topic for some people. Announcing this kind of exercise can leave people feeling anxious, because they might have to do something that is outside of their comfort zone. Others immediately scoff and KNOW their time is about to be wasted. You’ve probably done these kinds of [...] Click to continue reading »