Unforgettable Experiential Activities – An Active Training Resource

<p>Preface ix</p>
<p>Acknowledgments xiii</p>
<p>Foreword xv</p>
<p>Introduction 1</p>
<p>Chapter One: Getting Acquainted 11</p>
<p>1. Alphabetical Circle: A Fun Way to Learn Names and a Lot More 12</p>
<p>2. Group R&eacute;sum&eacute;: Who We Are Collectively 14</p>
<p>3. Things We Have in Common: Getting to Know You 16</p>
<p>4. Predictions: Making Guesses About Co–Participants 18</p>
<p>5. Introductory Go–Arounds: Brief Self–Disclosures 20</p>
<p>6. What s in a Name? My Story 22</p>
<p>Chapter Two: Communication 25</p>
<p>7. Communication Tokens: An Awareness Exercise 26</p>
<p>8. Direct Communication: You Write the Scripts 28</p>
<p>9. Explaining Something Complicated: Avoiding Information Dumps 30</p>
<p>10. Obtaining Participation: Using Different Formats 34</p>
<p>Chapter Three: Assertive Behavior 41</p>
<p>11. Concerns About Confronting Employees: Overcoming the Anxiety 42</p>
<p>12. Assertive Starters: Ways to Begin an Assertive Message 46</p>
<p>13. Non–Verbal Persuasion: Assessing Its Impact 50</p>
<p>14. Refusing Unwanted Requests: Practicing Saying No 52</p>
<p>15. Stating Complaints and Requesting Change: Skill Practice 56</p>
<p>Chapter Four: Influencing Others 59</p>
<p>16. Alligator River: Looking at People with Different Glasses 60</p>
<p>17. Question First: The Best Way to Overcome Resistance 65</p>
<p>18. Influencing Others: Four Role–Play Scenarios 68</p>
<p>19. Getting Your Foot in the Door: Avoiding Rejection 72</p>
<p>Chapter Five: Conflict and Negotiation 75</p>
<p>20. Views of Conflict: A Word Association Game 76</p>
<p>21. What You Bring to Conflict Situations: Experiencing Different Styles 79</p>
<p>22. The Ten–Thousand–Dollar Challenge: Working Through a Conflict 85</p>
<p>23. Role Reversal: Arguing the Flip Side 89</p>
<p>24. Rating Methods to Deal with Conflict: Yours and Theirs 92</p>
<p>25. Breaking a Stalemate: Steps to Move Forward 95</p>
<p>Chapter Six: Creativity and Problem Solving 99</p>
<p>26. Getting Ready for Brainstorming: Creative Warm–Ups 100</p>
<p>27. Part Changing: Demonstrating a Technique to Increase Creativity 105</p>
<p>28. Brainwriting: An Alternative to Generating Ideas Verbally 108</p>
<p>29. Inspired Cut–Outs: Freeing the Mind 110</p>
<p>30. Wearing Someone Else s Shoes: Taking a Different Perspective 113</p>
<p>31. Making Decisions After Brainstorming: Narrowing the Options 116</p>
<p>Chapter Seven: Diversity 119</p>
<p>32. Being in the Minority: Simulating an Everyday Reality 120</p>
<p>33. I ve Been Curious: Questions I Have Been Afraid to Ask 124</p>
<p>34. Setting the Record Straight: Things About Me and Others Like Me 127</p>
<p>35. Unlocking Memories: Self–Disclosures in a Diverse Group 130</p>
<p>Chapter Eight: Facilitating Teams 133</p>
<p>36. Multi–Voting: A Constructive Way to Make Decisions 134</p>
<p>37. Rotating Facilitators: Practicing Effective Facilitation 137</p>
<p>38. Card Exchange: A Unique Way to Stimulate Discussion 142</p>
<p>39. The Problem with Majority Voting: A Double Whammy 145</p>
<p>40. Changing the Rules: Altering Group Process 148</p>
<p>41. Removing Egos: A Tool for Team Facilitators 151</p>
<p>Chapter Nine: Exchanging Feedback 155</p>
<p>42. Animal Metaphors: An Exercise in Obtaining Honest Feedback 156</p>
<p>43. Giving Effective Feedback: Wheaties Over Donuts 163</p>
<p>44. Judging the Impact of Words: Applications to Giving Feedback 168</p>
<p>45. When Asking for or Giving Feedback Is Challenging: Your Advice 173</p>
<p>Chapter Ten: Leadership 177</p>
<p>46. The Window Shade: Depicting Different Approaches to Decision Making 178</p>
<p>47. Mirroring: Experiencing the Joys and Tribulations of Being a Leader 181</p>
<p>48. Going Outside Comfort Zones: Brief Exercises in Change 185</p>
<p>49. Changes You Would Make: Dreaming Beyond the Status Quo 190</p>
<p>Chapter Eleven: Teaching and Coaching Employees 195</p>
<p>50. Making Butterflies: It s Not What You Say That Counts 196</p>
<p>51. Brain–Friendly Teaching: Using Four Key Principles 202</p>
<p>52. Building Skills Through Role Plays: You Have Options 208</p>
<p>53. The Components of Effective Coaching: Observing the Process 218</p>
<p>54. Show But Not Tell: Upping the Stakes 218</p>
<p>Chapter Twelve: Understanding Others 221</p>
<p>55. Avoiding Labels: Interpreting Behavior Objectively 222</p>
<p>56. Be Curious, Not Furious: Five Ways to Understand Others 227</p>
<p>57. Comparing Yourself to Others: Looking for Differences and Similarities 231</p>
<p>58. The Three C s: What Makes People Difficult 234</p>
<p>Chapter Thirteen: Sales and Customer Service 239</p>
<p>59. A Convincing Sales Presentation: Warm–up Practice 240</p>
<p>60. Dissatisfied Customers: How to Win Them Over 243</p>
<p>61. To Consult or Not Consult: Assessing Your Selling Style 248</p>
<p>62. Your Company s Sales Philosophy: How Do You Treat Customers? 251</p>
<p>Chapter Fourteen: Team Building 255</p>
<p>63. The Stages of Team Development: A Card Sorting Activity 256</p>
<p>64. Television Commercial: An Unusual Team–Building Activity 262</p>
<p>65. Creative House Building: An Exercise in Teamwork 264</p>
<p>66. Fishbowl Meeting: Observing Group Process 266</p>
<p>67. Making Paper Cups: Simulating a Learning Organization 269</p>
<p>68. Are You a Team Player? Things Team Players Do 274</p>
<p>69. Paper Airplanes: The Power of Collaboration 278</p>
<p>Chapter Fifteen: Train the Trainer 281</p>
<p>70. Active Vacations: Topics Versus Objectives 282</p>
<p>71. Design Challenges: Planning How to Achieve Training Objectives 286</p>
<p>72. Energizers: Ways to Wake Up or Relax a Training Group 289</p>
<p>73. Has This Ever Happened to You? Making Team Learning Work 292</p>
<p>74. Training Styles: Three Continua 296</p>
<p>75. You Have Many Options: Increasing Your Training Repertoire 298</p>
<p>About the Author 301</p>