SOCIOMETRIC QUESTIONS

OBJECTIVE
Help trainees to find out about one another according to various individual and social characteristics.

PROCEDURE
1) Ask trainees to find someone who:

    * had the same breakfast as you
    * has the same shoe size (or has the same size hand)
    * has a different religious belief
    * you haven't met yet, but would really like to
    * has the same favorite season
    * has the same favorite sense

2) Ask trainees to walk to / arrange yourselves according to:

    * the place where you were born
    * the place where you live
    * a place you would like to visit
    * a place where a memorable event took place for you

3) Ask trainees to lineup according to:

    * number of siblings
    * thumb size
    * number of glasses of water (or cups of caffeine) you drink per day
    * introversion / extra-version
    * how tired / alert you feel
    * number of different countries you've visited

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
None

MATERIAL REQUIRED
None

APPROXIMATE TIME REQUIRED
15 minutes

SOURCE
http://wilderdom.com

SHERLOCK HOLMES

OBJECTIVE
To demonstrate how observant we are


PROCEDURE
1) Ask trainees to form pairs
2) Look at your partner (one minute)
3) Turn away (you cannot see your partner)
4) Write down 7 items of your partner (3 minutes)
5) Face your partner once more. Check the 7  items of their appearance

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
a) How many of you picked all 7 items  correctly?
b) How does the activity relate to our group?

MATERIAL REQUIRED
1. Pen/Pencil
2. 1 A4 Paper

APPROXIMATE TIME REQUIRED
10 minutes

SOURCE
Games Trainers Play Outdoors, Gary Kroehnert, McGraw

ADVANCE LETTER

OBJECTIVE
Relate trainee needs to program objectives

PROCEDURE
1) Approximately two to four weeks before the beginning of supervisory/management development seminar, letters are sent to each trainee's immediate supervisor asking the supervisor to respond the single question, " What is this person's most important developmental need?"

2) Then, trainees are asked to respond in writing during the first hour of the actual program to the following questions: a) "What is your most important developmental need?" b) "What does your boss think is your most important developmental need?"

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
a) How similar/different are your perceptions of your needs from the perceptions of your supervisor?
b) Why did some members' perceptions differ from their bosses' perceptions?
c) Why did some members' perceptions of their needs differ from their thoughts about their bosses' perceptions?

MATERIAL REQUIRED
1) A standard letter for bosses
2) A standard form for trainees to complete
3) A flipcharts to post the results

APPROXIMATE TIME REQUIRED
30 minutes

SOURCE
Games Trainers Play, John W. Newstrom & Edward E.Scannell, McGraw-Hill

CAPTURE THE FLAG

OBJECTIVE
To enhance cooperation and determination among group members.

PROCEDURE
1) There were two teams.Team 1 had the front yard and Team 2 had the back yard, or a field was split between the two teams.  The teams were given a time period, like 5 minutes, to hide their flag in their part of the yard.
2) During this period spies were sent out to see were the flag was hidden as well as look-outs to catch the spies.[optional]
3) When the flag was hidden you call out that you were finished. Then you simply try to get the other teams flag. If you get caught and tagged by the opponent on their territory you had to go to jail and could only be freed by a teammate who grabs you when your opponent isn't looking.
4) The first team to capture the flag wins.  In most versions you had to both get the flag, and bring it back to your side.

MATERIAL REQUIRED
a) 2 flags
b) 2 long sticks

APPROXIMATE TIME REQUIRED
An hour

SOURCE
http://www.gameskidsplay.net

5 EASY QUESTIONS

OBJECTIVE
To demonstrate that some behaviors are quite predictable.

PROCEDURE
1) Ask the participants to take out a sheet of paper and a pen or pencil.
2) Tell them that they will be asked to name five items very quickly in response to four questions. It is their first reaction that is desired.
3) Then, quickly ask them:
a) What is your favorite color?
b) Name a piece of furniture.
c) Name a flower.
d) Pick a number 1-4.
e) Name an animal in a zoo.

Then display the following answers: Red, Chair, Rose,3, Lion.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
a) How many had each item correct? (Ask of a show of hands. A suprising number will have chosen these responses)
b) What does this illustrate you? ( Some human behaviors, attitudes or reactions are predictable.)

MATERIALS REQUIRED
1) Pen/pencil
2) Paper

APPROXIMATE TIME REQUIRED
5 minutes

SOURCE
Games Trainers Play, John W. Newstrom & Edward E.Scannell, McGraw-Hill.

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS

OBJECTIVE
To focus a manager's thinking on the 'team readiness' image the organization reflects

PROCEDURE
1) Ask the manager to rate each item on the 'problem identification checklist by placing a check mark in either the 'partial reflection' column or the 'total reflection' column. Each check mark should indicate the general impression that the manager has about each item.
2) Suggest that the manager further rate each item checked in the 'partial reflection' column on a scale of 1 to 10, one being low evidence of a problem & 10 being high evidence of a problem. All 'total reflection' items and any 'partial reflection' items with a rating of 6 or more should help the manager see more clearly where initial efforts at team building should be directed.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
a) What general images is reflected?
b) Which common organizational problems are mirrored in your organization?
c) Do your biggest problems have any commonalities?
d) Can you use your ratings to begin to identify a strategy for problem solving & team building?

MATERIAL REQUIRED
A 'Through the Looking Glass' Problem Identification Checklist

APPROXIMATE TIME REQUIRED
30 minutes

SOURCE
Team Games For Trainers, Carolyn Nilson, McGraw-Hill.

20 QUESTIONS

OBJECTIVE
Encourage the trainees debrief themselves.

PROCEDURE
1) To prepare for the game, generate 20 questions about the base activity.
2) Organize the participants into teams of four to seven.
3) Explain that you are going to ask a series of questions. Each participant should think of the answer—without blurting it out.
4) Each participant now turns to the player on his or her left and whispers a prediction of how the player on the right will respond.
5) Participants take turns giving their personal responses. If a response matches the prediction, the predictor scores one point.
6) The game continues in this fashion with you asking one question at a time.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
None

MATERIAL REQUIRED
A copy of 20 questions

APPROXIMATE TIME REQUIRED
30 minutes

SOURCE
http://www.thiagi.com

Sample Questions

Here are the 20 questions used for debriefing a group that participated in Dollar Auction:

1. What word best describes your feelings during the auction?
2. What word best describes the probable feeling of the second-highest bidder at the conclusion of the auction?
3. What encouraged some people to participate in the initial bidding?
4. Why did some participants not bid at all?
5. Why did participants continue to bid beyond a dollar?
6. Do you agree that eventually all bidding will be restricted to just two participants?
7. Do you agree the best way to enjoy this game is to get the mischief started and then drop out?
8. Do you agree that men tend to bid more aggressively than women?
9. What if we auctioned off $500 instead of just $1? How would that have changed the participants' behaviors?
10. What if the profits from this auction were contributed to some charity? How would that have changed the participants' behaviors?
11. What if we auctioned off some merchandise (such as a book) instead of money? How would that have changed the participants' behaviors?
12. What if all bidders (instead of just the top two) were required to pay the amount they bid? How would that have changed the participants' behaviors?
13. What if you could skip increments during the bidding? How would that have changed the participants' behaviors?
14. What real-life behaviors does this activity simulate?
15. What is a real-world equivalent of bidding more than a dollar for a dollar?
16. If we conducted another auction under the same rules, how would you behave differently?
17. What advice would you give to somebody who does not know how this auction usually ends up?
18. This activity illustrates people throwing good money after bad. What real-world examples can you give of this type of behavior?
19. This activity also illustrates the principle of escalation in which one person's action decreases his or her pain and increases the other person's pain—and sets up a vicious cycle. What real-world examples of escalations can you think of?
20. What changes would you make in Dollar Auction to make it more interesting?

POSITIVE FEEDBACK

OBJECTIVE
To encourage people to verbalize positive feelings toward others.

PROCEDURE
Divide the group into dyads. Each person is asked to write 4-5 things they have noticed in their partner. The items must all be positives ones. After a few minutes of writing, the trainer will open for discussion (each group of two), whereby the observer states he/she wrote about the other.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
a) Were you comfortable with this exercise? If not, why?
b) What would make it easier for us to give positive feedback to others?
c) What would make it easier for us to receive positive feedback from others

MATERIAL REQUIRED
None

APPROXIMATE TIME REQUIRED
15 minutes

SOURCE:
Games Trainers Play, John W. Newstrom & Edward E.Scannell, McGraw-Hill.

CATEGORY

OBJECTIVE
Enables participants to mix, mingle and learn some interesting facts about one another.

PROCEDURE
a) Ask the large group to separate into smaller groups that you are about to announce.
b) Call out a "category" using any of the suggested questions below (or make up your own).
c) Allow enough time for the groups to form (anywhere from 5 seconds to 30 seconds, depending upon the category).
d) Repeat steps one and two. Continue until the group is warmed up and ready for a new activity.

Category Questions to Get You Started
1) Clasp your hands together and fold the thumbs across the top. Is your right thumb on top or your left? [If this is your first question, follow the question with something like "All lefties to this side of the room, all righties over there." This should help them understand your process.]
2) Fold your arms across your chest. Is your right arm on top or is your left arm on top?
3) Which month of the year were you born in?
4) Which season of the year were you born in?
5) Do you see yourself more as a Cadillac, a Miata, or a Jeep?
6) Quickly choose a partner. Turn to them and give a spontaneous wink. Which eye did you wink with?
7) What is your shoe size?
8) Imagine yourself licking an ice cream cone. Are you twirling your cone clockwise, counterclockwise, or are you licking up and down?
9) Can you roll your tongue?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
a) Did you enjoy the activities?
b) Is there any difficulties when doing those activities?
c) If yes, why?

MATERIAL REQUIRED
None

APPROXIMATE TIME REQUIRED
10-15 minutes

SOURCE

http://wilderdom.com/

HELIUM STICK

OBJECTIVE
Learning how to work together and communicate in small to medium sized groups.

PROCEDURE
a) Line up in two rows which face each other.
b) Introduce the Helium Stick- a long, thin, lightweight rod.
c) Ask participants to point their index fingers and hold their arms out.
d) Lay the Helium Stick down on their fingers.  Get the group to adjust their finger heights until the Helium Stick is horizontal and everyone's index fingers are touching the stick.
e) Explain that the challenge is to lower the Helium Stick to the ground.
f) The catch: Each person's fingers must be in contact with the Helium Stick at all times. Pinching or grabbing the pole in not allowed - it must rest on top of fingers.
g) Reiterate to the group that if anyone's finger is caught not touching the Helium Stick, the task will be restarted.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1)What was the initial reaction of the group?
2) How well did the group cope with this challenge?
3) What skills did it take to be successful as a group?
4) What creative solutions were suggested and how were they received?
5) What would an outside observer have seen as the strengths and weaknesses of the group?
6) What roles did people play?
7) What did each group member learn about him/her self as an individual?
8) What other situations (e.g., at school, home or work) are like the Helium Stick?

MATERIALS REQUIRED
1 thin, light-weight, 10 ft Helium Stick.

APPROXIMATE TIME REQUIRED
25 minutes

SOURCE
http://wilderdom.com/

SCORE THREE

OBJECTIVE

To demonstrate how good communication can improve results.

PROCEDURE 

1.Start this exercise by asking for a volunteer. Have the volunteer come to the front of the group with you. 

2.Have your volunteer stay looking in one direction. Tell them that they are not allowed to turn around. Give  them the bag of tennis balls. 

3.Place the garbage bin about 10 metres (30 feet) away from them. Try not to put the bin directly behind them, but slightly off centre in either direction. 

4.Tell your volunteer that it's their job to throw the tennis balls over their shoulder and gave them land in the bin. Again, tell them that they are not allowed to turn around to see how they are doing. Advice them that they must get at least 3 in the bin to be successful. 

5.Let the group know that they can give any verbal directions they feel necessary to help achieve the result.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 

a) What helped to achieve the goal?  

b) What happened to make it more difficult?

c) Did those who gave instructions as well as the 'thrower', feel as though they achieved the goal? 

d) How could we get a better or faster result? 

e) What does this exercise demonstrate? 

f) How does this activity relate to the workplace?

MATERIALS REQUIRED

1 large garbage bin ( to throw balls in)

40 tennis balls in a bag or box ( to throw in the garbage bin)

APPROXIMATE TIME REQUIRED

5 -10 minutes

SOURCE
Games Trainers Play Outdoors, Gary Kroehnert, McGraw-Hill

BE A DETECTIVE !

OBJECTIVES:
To illustrate:
a) the importance of astutely observing an environment
b) the degree to which we make inferences from limited data
c) the difference between observation and inference

PROCEDURE:
Best used at the very beginning of a program before the trainees have had a substantial opportunity to gather much data. The trainer simply asks the participants to state all things they 'know' about the trainer. There are listed on flip-charts or white board. After these are adequately collected, the trainer then asks the group to generate all the inferences they have made about the trainer thus far. These are recorded on a separate list (either through direct group discussion or through previous individual responses on paper.

The trainer may then invite the group to comment on the items produced. For instance, "Are any of the inferences really like facts? Are any of facts more like inferences? Why does some confusion exist?" The trainer should direct the group toward a series of points such as the following:
a) The group 'knew' a lot more about the trainer than any one person did
b) Careful attention to our surroundings can help us learn to acquire more data than we might otherwise have.
c) We often infer a lot about people from very limited first impressions; these inferences may not be valid until examined.
d) We often act upon our inferences, but believe we are acting on the basis of facts.
e) The processes of making accurate observations and astute inferences are quite different and should be consciously separated in our minds.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Why did the observations and inferences differ among group members?
2. Why are first impressions often inaccurate?
3. How can we improve upon our observation and inference skills?

MATERIAL REQUIRED
None

APPROXIMATE TIME REQUIRED
15-20 minutes

SOURCE
Games Trainers Play, John W. Newstrom & Edward E.Scannell, McGraw-Hill.