Objective:
- The participants will interact and have to use thinking and describing skills
- To generate enthusiasm and motivation in Idea generation
- Build confidence in communication
Overview:
This icebreaker/ energiser can be done at any time, it is ideal to be done the beginning of the training session to get everyone communicating and thinking in a fun/ positive way. This can be done with groups of any age, any level and can be used as an entirely generic activity which builds skills, or the task can be tailored by the tutor to build confidence in topic/programme area.
Activity:
This activity is fun and excellent exercise to get to know one another or to energise a team.It doesn’t take up a lot of time and requires a few simple materials (a pen and piece of paper for each participant).
Steps:
- The group facilitator will ask each individual to write down on a piece of paper a positive word for every letter in their (First Name) to describe themselves in a positive way.
- Once complete, the trainer should ask participants to swap answers with the person sitting next to them and ask them to read out each other’s positive words that they used from each letter in their first name to describe themselves.
AMENDS This generic task can be focused upon subject or sector/industry activities rather than individuals. Each person could take (at random or prescribed) the name of a competitor in the market, or a product that they are exploring – or even create a new product name for a specific target market/to address a specific need and indicate its qualities through its name.
Such an activity creates positive word for every letter in their first name in relation to the organisation they work for/ wish to work for / or a new product or idea - in order to describe the company culture/ mission or values, in order to reinforce these values and positives and help with retention.
This exercise will encourage communication, creativity, motivation and enthusiasm among the participants, whilst also improving retention of ideas. It will also encourage teamwork as interacting with the other team members is necessary and can be deepened in more complex game play that might require more knowledge or research.
Skill Development:
This fun exercise is built upon ground rules of positivity and develops effective individual and team work as well as create a positive experience of communication. The engagement in this task can be deepened through reflective feedback which explores the emotions inherent in undertaking a creative, time pressured task which involves presentation skills. Exploring this with the group and seeking “lessons learnt” for future presentation and creative thinking tasks. Explore blockages and tensions with the groups and how they were overcome in order to deliver. It can also be useful to draw out the emotions of presenting, recognising that most people have an emotional response to presenting which they need to overcome to be effective.
Resources:
A sheet of paper and pen for every person.