WorkSMART Blog

Huge thanks to Britt Andreatta for joining our recent Show & Share by Trainers Warehouse to share Brain Science Training tips from her book, Wired to Grow. The following are top takeaways, drawn from both her wisdom and that of our seasoned training participants. THE BRAIN ON LEARNING Learning builds neural pathways — not just conceptually, but physiologically. When learning happens and gets repeated and repeated, those pathways get bigger and stronger. Researchers can witness this by having participants wear skull caps that show which regions of the brain are activated at any given moment, what neurological structures support learning, what neurons sound like when they’re firing, and how multiple networks of the brain work at once. It’s truly amazing what brain scientists have figured out about how we learn and grow. A few findings pop out to me as I think about the challenges for corporate trainers and talent development professionals: The 20 Minute Rule: Typically, we have 20 minutes of focus before our brains naturally tune out and need to turn to something else. As such, Britt suggest that trainers should: Structure learning days in 15-minute increments Introduce an exercise, break, or processing time, at least every 20 minutes Increase focus by making fidgets available Default Mode Network: This is the part of the brain that lights up when we let our minds wander. The network acts like an orchestra conductor. How to Change Your Mind by Michael Pollan Daydreaming primes the brain for Ah Ha moments Give their brains time to check out… Let Learners Experience Ah-Ha Moments on their Own: Research shows that Ah-ha moments physically transform the brain, making learning sticky. There are also “tells” in the brain when an ah-ha moment is imminent. The Eureka Factor by John Kounios (Author), Mark Beeman (Author), Yvette S. Kounios (Contributor). Ah-Ha moments are accompanied by burst of gamma waves above our right ear Ah-Ha moments often happen in the shower because the absence of visual stimuli (white noise and blank walls) prime our brain for those moments. How to Induce Ah-Ha Moments with Brain Science Training Tips As facilitators of learning, we can help individuals experience ah-ha by how we structure our sessions. For instance, we can: Introduce a range of topics without connecting all the dots. Let the learners do this! Resist being the “sage on the stage.” Consider “Deficit Learning.” That is, creating intentional gaps in understanding so that participants create those connections, or start inferring them before revealing the information later in a workshop. Dedicate blocks of time for reflection so participants can process, discover, and own their learning. Have participants actively apply the learning Give their senses a break — have them jot notes on a blank piece of paper, or look away from computer screens. Embrace SILENCE. Remember that silence gives others the space to think without having to digest continuous information. For online events, try the “waterfall” response approach in chat: time a minute or two of silence while people type/think, then everyone hits ENTER at the same time. Invite groups to develop stories that incorporate the concepts you’ve introduced. LEGO Activities for Training, has some great exercises for this. Use available tools like dry-erase boards, buzzers, etc., to make processing and reinforcement fun and different. Try role-play activities to apply concepts previously introduced. Don’t read your slides. Have participants form groups to digest, consider, or even critique the slide’s content together. Conduct a 3-2-1 recap exercise: Before they leave, have participants write down: 3 things learned, 2 they will apply, 1 to share. Remember the Mantra (and book by Marcia Tate) “‘Sit and Get’ Won’t Grow Dendrites.“ Behavior Change Habits We’re wired to do, to learn from others, and to grow and change. The brain structure most active in turning repeated behaviors into habits is the Basal Ganglia. Concentrating and learning something new requires a lot of work and energy in the prefrontal cortex, causing us to burn a lot of glucose (and get hungry!). After we’ve done that new thing for a while, our brain transforms it into a “low energy package” or habit, so it doesn’t draw so much energy. Research shows that a new neural pathway can begin to develop in as few as 20 repetitions, but it won’t transform into a habit until 40-50 repetitions. After 66 repetitions, the pathway begins to thicken. In light of this, what can we facilitators do differently? Be sure that company executives understand the need for practice and repetition. If a workshop ends and participants simply go back to their jobs without using the material, the time will be wasted. Build repetitions into our training. Match learning offerings to the needs of the learners–do they need beginner-level exposure? Competency? Deep experience? Mastery? Read more here: The Power of Habit book. Engage in “Deliberate Practice,” where you aren’t just doing the same thing mindlessly, but you continue to grow using coaches, new goals, intense focus, and feedback. Read more in Peak, Secrets from the New Science of Exerpertise, by Anders Ericsson. Britt introduces a Process of Practice that start with a “Throw Away” where participants are encouraged to give something a messy first try, to get dirty, and expect to fail. After, ongoing practice attempts will help the learner to improve, hone, groove, and polish their skills. Combine in-class role-play or practice with breakout rooms, learning labs, observation, etc. Don’t try to do too much. Focus on what’s most important! Designing Learning - Start by Asking the Right Questions! “Engaging learning is born from the intersection of Discovery, Design, and Delivery.” ~Britt Andreatta Don’t just say “yes” to any request for training. Rather, dig deeper with probing questions to understand the true needs. Say, “Tell me more.” Britt generously offered to share the chapter of her book that focuses on “Asking the Right Questions.” DOWNLOAD THE CHAPTER HERE: Britt’s Consulting Questions, OR PURCHASE THE BOOK FOR 25% OFF! MORE RESOURCES For Eye Care: EyeCare 20 20 20 For Avatar Practice Session: Synthesia.io HeyGen

I had the pleasure of co-facilitating a session with Angela Agresto, introducing her new tool, Brain Building Blue Prints to our Trainers Warehouse community. The tool, based on Sharon Bowman’s 4C-framework for designing and delivering training, maps perfectly to brain-based learning. By pairing brain science with the four Cs of training design and delivery — Connections, Content, Concrete Practice, and Conclusions — facilitators have immense power to affect genuine learning and retention. Where Memory Happens What’s most exciting about the framework is that it maps so perfectly to how our brains and memory work. You see, the truth is that we forget most of what we experience, like that 6-digit authorization code you got an hour ago. Brain scientists Elizabeth Kensinger and Andrew Budson, authors of The Science of Memory: Why We Forget and How to Remember Better, explain that our brains likely evolved as they did so we don’t drown in minutiae and can focus on new information that will keep us alive and safe. Instead of remembering everything that crosses our mind, we remember just what we take time to think about, process, encode, store, and retrieve. “Memory is the residue of thought.” ~ Daniel Willingham Training that’s both designed and delivered with this in mind will be most memorable. The challenge for any trainer or presenter is to help their audience focus on information long enough for it to be held in the hippocampus (short-term memory storage) and engage with it enough that it moves to the cortex (long-term storage), which happens while we sleep. This must be done at each of the four stages of learning: C1 – Connections – creating mental links to current pertinent knowledge C2 – Content – learning and experiencing new material C3 – Concrete Practice – practicing new skills and putting new information to use C4 – Conclusions – reinforcing, recalling, remembering, and planning next steps How Memories are Encoded Sometimes experiences stick with us because they effected us profoundly and we spend a lot of time thinking about it before, during, or after the fact. For all the other stuff we experience day-in and day-out, we need to mentally tag it, for it to stick in our minds. Tagging or “encoding” information is an active process requiring F.O.U.R. actions. We must: Focus – Put time and effort into holding the memory. Organize – Chunk material into related groups (because most remember 4-7 things at once). Understand – Make sense of difficult material or experiences. Relate, Recall/Retrieve, Repeat* – Tie learning to something we already know. These FOUR work together and reinforce one another. For instance, organizing helps with understanding and takes focus. Through understanding, we relate new information to prior knowledge, and so on. Next, as we pair this F.O.U.R. with the 4Cs (4 x 4), we see that: Connections help learners relate new material to something they already know Content. learning new material requires focus, organization of principles, and repetition Concrete Practice and putting new learning to use reflect deeper understanding, and focus Conclusions, or planning next steps, similarly necessitates repetition, recall, reinforcement, understanding, and relations 6 Brain Principles to Increase Focus! Through each stage of the 4Cs framework – Connection, Concepts, Concrete Practice, and Conclusions – a facilitator’s goal is to help learners engage with new materials in ways that require focus. The more focus, the more areas of the brain that are engaged, the better. Bowman’s 6 brain principles can guide us toward approaches that increase the likelihood of successful encoding. Here’s why… Movement beats sitting – both because it involves multiple areas of the brain and helps move oxygen to the brain, giving it fuel. Writing beats reading – it requires movement, tactile input, focus, organizing notes, and occupies multiple areas of the brain. Talking beats listening – listening is passive, but talking requires focus. Images beat words – for several reasons: humans think in pictures, images evoke emotion, and images are colorful and creative. Images also help us chunk multiple thoughts into a single concept. Shorter beats longer – the hippocampus has limited capacity. Breaks give learners time to organize, relate, and re-focus on what’s important and worthy of memory. Different beats same – we notice what’s new and stop paying attention to things to which we’ve we’ve grown accustomed, like the new curtains we hung years ago and couldn’t take our eyes off of are now invisible to us. “4 by F.O.U.R.” EXERCISES & ACTIVITIES Brain-friendly learning exercises for each of the 4Cs might include the following, which involve a rich combination of movement, writing, talking, images, and brevity: C1 – Connections The first step calls on trainers to help learners connect with new content and other learners. They can do this by: Mingle & Mention – find a partner and explain why you’re taking the class Share 3 – explain to another participant 3 things you already know about the topic Sort & Match – with a partner, organize new principles by moving them into place Dot Voting on Outcomes – place a dot by the learning outcome you hope to achieve Find a photo – choose a picture from an image deck that reflects your feelings about the topic C2 – Content Delivering new content, the primary goal of learning, calls on trainers to expose learners to new material in ways that will engage their full brain and focus. They might facilitate the encoding of new material by having learners: Map a journey or order next steps – create a timeline or road map Illustrate a concept – pull out the art supplies and get creative Create a mind map – illustrate how different concepts fit together Create a cheat sheet – organize concepts and highlight key points Compare multiple approaches – discuss options in small groups Amplify/Reduce – what would happen if new concepts were moved to extremes Critics Corner – stand, walk to a corner, say what could go wrong if… C3 – Concrete Practice When practicing new skills or putting new information to use, learners can make the material their own through exercises like these: Fill in the blanks – complete old-school-style worksheets “Gallery Walk” through pictures, collages, or image boards – have students explore the projects or synopses that other groups have put together on a topic Stage a debate – Role plays different situations – set up practice sessions to try different approaches in a safe environment Teach back – have students teach back a segment to one another or a colleague C4 – Conclusions Finally, the practice of recalling, remembering, and planning next steps helps reinforce newly learned information. For instance, learners might engage in one of these activities that would require focus, understanding, and the use of their new knowledge: Prepare and share a presentation Stage a debate Postcard to yourself Post a poem Paper Airplane Reminders Brain-Science 4x4 Conclusions When we align our training with how the brain naturally learns, we unlock the true potential for lasting memory, skill development, and behavior change. The Brain Building Blueprints kit, rooted in the 4Cs model and backed by solid neuroscience, offers facilitators a powerful roadmap to create more engaging, impactful, and memorable learning experiences. By intentionally designing opportunities for connection, focused content delivery, hands-on practice, and meaningful conclusions — and by weaving in strategies that maximize focus through movement, dialogue, imagery, and variety — we not only teach better, we honor the way our brains are built to thrive. Ultimately, training that is brain-friendly leaves learners not just informed, but also able to remember, apply, and grow. * NOTE: Kensinger and Budson expound on the importance of repetition and retrieval in the memory cycle, but don’t include it in their description of the F.O.U.R. strategies to start the encoding process. READ MORE Brain Bites – a synopsis of Kensinger and Budson’s, The Science of Memory: Why We Forget and How to Remember Better Brain Science in Training – more on Sharon Bowman’s 6 Principles, including activities to put these into action.

As trainers, we always hope to create lasting new memories, chock full of learning to support improved work performance. Given how bombarded we are with social media images and marketing messages every day, it’s crazy that anything new “sticks” in our brains. That said, we trainers might have an opportunity here, which we aren’t yet seizing. Faced with so many challenges, people’s longing for simpler days is stronger than ever. So let’s jump on the bandwagon and harness the power of nostalgia in training. Memory cycles and the importance of nostalgia in training First, let’s take a moment to draw on our knowledge of brain science and our understanding of how memory works. After all, brain scientists remind us that our brains are wired to forget much of what we take in. To remember more trainers do best by: Linking new information to a scaffolding of existing memories Eliciting feelings of happiness to encourage the release of endorphins, which enhance memory Extending the amount of time learners spend digesting and thinking about the new material. Nostalgia is defined as a sentimental longing for the past, typically a time and place that carries happy personal memories. Perfect! For trainers, nostalgia checks all three of these boxes about how to remember more — it creates the scaffolding to bridge new information to old; elicits feelings of happiness; and involves spending time thinking back. 5 Practical Applications of use Nostalgia in Training Trainers can use nostalgia to enhance learning in a variety of creative ways. Below are just a handful of tools and resources: Create “think back” connections from the start Open sessions with relatable anecdotes, imagery, or cultural references that evoke shared memories. Alternatively, ask learners to think back about: Something they already know or learned about this topic in the past A time when ignorance was bliss–when knowing this information wasn’t necessary or might have changed a situation A photographic or illustrated image that reminds them of anything related to the new topic. Climer Cards are great for this as they’re likely to spark memories that might not otherwise be top of mind. Leverage Sensory Cues Incorporate music, visuals, or even scents that transport participants to a specific time or place. For example, playing a well-loved song from a relevant era can activate memories while setting a positive tone for learning. For a creative experience, have teams write new content-related lyrics to an old familiar song. Use memories of the past to anchor lessons Storytelling is a natural vehicle for nostalgia. Sharing stories that connect to universal themes, such as overcoming challenges or achieving success, can prime learners to emotionally engage with the material. Use a Shaped by Our Past Thumball or UNZIP-it! Deck to draw out past experiences. Ask those sharing to relate their past experience to a current topic-relevant challenge. Assemble a LEGO structure that relates to a prior understanding of your topic LEGO toys alone are likely to bring back some feelings of nostalgia or memories of the past for many learners. However, whether or not this is the case, the familiar childhood toys are an amazing adult learning tool. 21 LEGO Activities for Training offers handfuls of ways to use building structures to create connections with content, as well as teach communication, leadership, and other soft skills. End by inviting personal reflection At the end of your session, when it’s time to reinforce learning, ask learners to do a short journaling activity. Have them reflect on and write down, three top learning moments. Next, ask them to jot down 1 prior memory or image they can use as a memory jogger. Encourage them to visualize that image supersized beyond belief. Finally, have them share the learning points and memory joggers with a partner or small group. Why Nostalgia-based Training Works Rooted in brain science, nostalgia isn’t just about reminiscing for the sake of sentimentality—it’s a powerful cognitive mechanism that can supercharge learning. After all, training is most effective when learners are emotionally invested and when the content resonates with their lived experiences. Nostalgia enhances both. By activating positive emotions and leveraging long-held memories, nostalgia gives meaning to new concepts and makes them memorable. At its core, nostalgia isn’t just about looking back; it’s about moving forward with purpose. In the context of training, it’s a tool to honor the past, enrich the present, and create a future where learning truly lasts.

Always on the lookout for new research about the correlation of workplace appreciation with job satisfaction and performance, I was happy to stumble across the latest research study by Canva. I wanted to find out just how much recognition and reward affect workers’ performance. Following are some of the highlights of the Canva Study and other citations noting the importance of creating a culture of appreciation at work: Appreciation correlates with “loving my job” In a recent study by Canva, research showed that 94% of employees who feel highly appreciated love their workplace and 91% love their job. By contrast, of the 18% of employees who reported feeling “unappreciated” or “neutral” about their workplace, only 33% expressed love for their job. An organizational culture of appreciation also correlates with employee satisfaction. 81% of the “very satisfied” employees said their company fosters a culture of appreciation. Recognition improved performance by as much as 24% A large number of studies over the years have verified that recognition is indeed a powerful reinforcer of employee behaviors leading to performance improvement. A Meta-analysis of 19 reinforcement theory studies revealed an average effect of recognition on performance improvement of 15% (Stajkovic and Luthans, 1997 ). This was followed by a more comprehensive meta-analysis that examined 72 reinforcement theory studies in organizational settings that found an average effect size of social recognition on performance of 17% (Stajkovic and Luthans, 2003 ). Finally, in a recent field experiment, informal recognition increased performance of workers in the manufacturing setting by 24% (Stajkovic and Luthans, 2001 ). … A nationwide survey of US workers found that about 70% report that non-monetary forms of recognition provide the best motivation ( HR Focus, 1999). This same survey found that employees favor recognition from managers and supervisors by a margin of almost 2:1 over recognition from co-workers or other sources. (Nelson, 1994). Fred Luthans and Alexander D. Stajkovic, “Provide Recognition for Performance Improvement.” Progress, Catalysts, Nourishers In a May 2011 article in the Harvard Business Review, Teresa Amabile and Steven Kramer explain how to “truly engage your workers.” They suggest: “Help them see their own progress.” Workers’ diaries in a number of jobs show that good days are characterized by three things: progress, “catalysts”, and “nourishers”, and bad days are marked by the opposite: setbacks, inhibitors, and toxins. Thanks to Kim Marshall and the Marshall Memo, for his brief synopsis of this great article. “The Power of Small Wins” by Teresa Amabile and Steven Kramer in Harvard Business Review, May 2011 (Vol.89, #5, p. 70-80), no e-link available; the authors can be reached at tamabile@hbs.edu and stevek1006@workevents.net. So what types of non-monetary rewards are the most effective? Bob Nelson, author of 1001 Ways to Energize Employees reports research indicating that the type of recognition employees appreciate most is recognition for their work. In fact, 78% of employees indicated that recognition by managers for good work was “very” or “extremely” important (Nelson 2004). The number one choice for recognition is sincere praise given promptly with specific examples. INFOGRAPHIC: Just Right Recognition READ MORE Just-Right Recognition – a dozen ways to say “good job!”

I learned about the “team breath” at a recent conference. Well, maybe I didn’t just learn about it, as I’ve been practicing yoga for almost 7 years now. At yoga, classes typically open and close with a “cleansing breath.” In fact, at its core, yoga is a “breathing practice.” This is what my yoga teacher tells us in every class. While the 5000-year-old tradition draws together the mind and body, today’s yoga poses (a.k.a. asanas), sweating, and core strengthening are secondary to the discipline of focused, meditative breathing. So, she reminds us at every class “If all you do is sit for an hour, focusing on breathing in and out, you’re doing yoga.” But let’s get back to it. Applied to training, the execution of a team breath is quite simple. Announce to the group that together you will take a “team breath.” Ask everyone to slowly draw a deep breath in through their nose. Then, ask them to release it, even more slowly. Go ahead and do it with them, making your own breath audible. That’s it. Then pause. Take a beat. When and why take a Team Breath? Deep breaths tend to calm our mind and body, helping to reduce stress and refocus the brain. They’re useful for trainers and their learners alike, throughout a training event. Consider integrating a breathing pause at these junctures: At the start: Introducing the Team Breath at the beginning of your session will calm your nerves, relieve anxiety, and slow your speaking pace. However, students will also benefit. Think of it like pressing a reset button. For any who rushed to make it to class on time or have their minds swimming with thoughts, simply focusing on breath creates a separation from the craziness of whatever came “before.” So, after your brief intro, pause, and take a Team Breath. Regroup in the middle: If you’ve just finished a long explanation or a heady topic, or if you find the group’s energy is waning. Try a breathing exercise. Transitions: When you’re about to move onto a new topic, pause, breathe, then move on. Or, after a super fun game, take a moment to let the excitement settle and the learning imprint. Stop, breathe, and discuss what’s next. Weariness: You may find your group is tired after a long session, but you’d hoped to close with one more chunk. Introduce a breathing exercise, to prepare your group for the home stretch. Refocus: Perhaps a handful of participants are having a side conversation and you want to gather everyone’s attention. This too might be a good time to take a Team Breath. Stretch: Finally, you want to add movement to the session because everyone’s been sedentary for too long. Stand, stretch, and then. Take a Team Breath. Inhale as you take a body-opening stretch; exhale as your body contracts and pushes out the air. Many Forms of a Team Breath A single deep inhale and exhale may be enough. However, if you use the technique frequently, you may want to mix it up and add some variety and impact with this array of breathing exercises: The Fog: Breathe in through your nose (2 seconds); open your mouth and exhale, like you’re fogging a mirror. Whistle Style: Breathe in through your nose (2 seconds); purse your lips and blow out slowly. Like a Lion: Inhale deeply through your nose; open your mouth, stick out your tongue, and exhale. Ujjayi Pranayama (a.k.a. Darth Vadar): Breathe in through your nose (4 seconds); keep your lips sealed and breath out, making a raspy sound. Right-Left Nostril: using a thumb and finger, inhale through your left nostril, exhale through your right; then switch sides. Equal In & Out: Through your nose, breathe in for 4 counts then out for 4 counts. Box Breath: Breath in for 4 counts; hold for 4 counts; breath out for 4 counts; hold for 4 counts. Body Breath: Place one hand on your chest and the other on your belly; slowly breathe in feeling your chest expand then slowly exhale. Count to 10 and let it go: Take long, slow breaths, as count to 10 in your mind. Om: As a group, take a deep breath in, very slowly let it out as you say Om (see how long you can make it last). 6 seconds: Take 10 six-second breaths — in for 6 and out for 6. 3 x 1: Take three quick “sips” in, then one big puff out. 60 in 60: for 60 seconds, focus on contracting (pulling in) your belly to quickly exhale (let the inhales happen on their own). 4-7-8: Breathe in for 4 counts; hold for 7 counts; breathe out for 8, making a “woosh” sound. Repeat for 4 rounds. Mornin’: Raise your arms above your head and take three deep breaths. Mantra breathing: Repeat to yourself: I breathe in “peace, happiness, acceptance.” I breathe out “stress, worry, anger.” I Am – Mantra: Breathe in “I am,” Exhale “happy”; Breathe in “I am,” Exhale “fearless”; Breathe in “I am,” Exhale “enough” Brain Science Behind a Team Breath Okay, I admit I’m not a brain scientist. However, I have done enough research on memory and the brain to confidently stand by these explanations about the positive impact of breathing exercises in learning environments. Improved focus: Calm, deep breathing helps clear out distractions and focus on our minds. By refocusing, we can turn our attention to the specifics of the learning content. We remember beginnings and endings more than middles: By pausing for breathing exercises, we create additional opportunities for new beginnings. Reduced stress improves memory: Deep breathing exercises signal our brain that we’re safe, thereby reducing stress hormones like cortisol, which are known to impair memory. When it comes to yoga, I’m the first to run from “hippy-dippy” practices. That flavor of yoga just isn’t my thing. Still, I’ve come to appreciate the calming effect and focus that result from pausing, reflecting, and breathing deeply. The next time you need to refocus your group give it a try. If you go all-in, and then want to startle your group out of a meditative, reverie, a three-toned chime could do the trick. READ MORE Learning from Yoga

Experiential learning isn’t just for fun. Diving into Elizabeth Kensinger and Andrew Budson’s book, The Science of Memory: Why We Forget and How to Remember Better, took me on an odyssey of understanding the brain and how trainers can harness its power to deliver more memorable training. It will likely come as no surprise that experiential learning is successful because it draws on the natural ways that our minds process information. Following are my highlights from their book, as well as a handy Brain Bites Infographic that will hopefully help you remember the key points and make use of brain science for training. Memory takes effort Memory doesn’t just happen. “Memory is the residue of thought.”  ~ Daniel Willingham We’ll only remember what we take time to think about. Remember being introduced to someone and forgetting their name almost instantly? It happens to all of us. To remember that name or anything else, we have to take a moment to pause, focus, and store it away. The Memory Cycle includes forgetting! In fact, our brains evolved to forget much of what we take in and experience. Think of all those security numbers you promptly forget after entering them into your banking app, for example. We lose those numbers because we have no further need of them. To understand how our brains rewrite and update memories, consider too how you remember what an old friend looks like. In your mind’s eye, you’ll likely see them as they looked most recently, having replaced old memories of what they looked like 10 or 20 years ago. Not only is forgetting normal, but it’s also quite helpful as it allows us to prioritize information that will help us in the future. 3 Phases of the Memory Cycle Because our brains are more likely to forget than remember, we must consciously process new information or episodes through this cycle: Encoding – information is encoded in our brain when we learn or experience something Storage – we consolidate and store the info Retrieval – access the info when it’s needed. Memory is a cycle, because the effort of retrieval restarts the encoding process. To understand how we unconsciously remember, refer to the five distinct memory systems described below. F.O.U.R. Strategies to Start the Encoding Process These F.O.U.R. strategies can help us avoid forgetting information that we hope to retain. For the most part, encoding is an active process where we “tag” something for memory. Remembering requires that we: Focus – We must want to remember and work at it. The more effort, the more memorable! Organize – Chunking material into groups of related information helps because we only remember 4-7 things at a time. It also forces us to think (see above)! Understand – Spend time making sense of the material also takes effort (see above). Relate – Finally, we must tie the learning to something we already know or create a new “mental scaffolding” to hold those memories. How memory works The place where it happens: The Brain Scientists are learning more and more about the makeup and complexity of the brain. Keeping it simple here, these brain parts are most critical in the formation and storage of memories: Hippocampus: Behind your ears and shaped like a seahorse, it holds short-term memories, but has limited capacity Cortex: At the back of your head, it stores long-term memories. Prefrontal Cortex. Near your forehead, it’s the “CEO” of your memory system. 5 Distinct Memory Systems Memory is not one thing. Rather, we have five distinct and separate memory systems that work together seamlessly. Two of those are associated with short-term memory and three are for long-term memory. SHORT TERM  1) Working memory—info currently “in mind” (like a phone number you need to ring). 2) Sensory memory – sights, sounds, smells, tastes, tactile senses; usually fade in a few minutes. LONG TERM 3) Episodic memory – episodes and events that happen in your life. 4) Procedural memory – “muscle memory,” repetition of movements and unconscious habits. 5) Semantic memory – facts, information, and names of things. Storage and Retrieval Storage: While we sleep, memories are off-loaded from the hippocampus to the cortex, for long-term storage. Unfortunately, the hippocampus has limited capacity, sort of like a hard drive on a computer. As such, we need to take time to process information, relate it to other knowledge, and go to sleep! Retrieval: You haven’t remembered if you can’t recall it. By retrieving information, you also re-encode it! Memory Boosters Scientists have discovered a few tried and true ways to improve memory. Exercise – “Releases growth factors and can actually enlarge the size of your hippocampus.” Sleep – Sleep helps for two reasons: 1) it’s hard to pay attention when you’re tired; 2) Hippocampus has limited capacity to store new memories. When we sleep, the day’s memories move from the hippocampus to the cortex (short-term to long-term memory). Sleep has been shown to give a new perspective on a problem. Positive attitude – Positive feelings aid memory, while stress tends to interrupt memory by diverting our attention to other topics. Music – Music activates the brain’s motor system involved in movement (same regions involved in procedural memory), and activates your emotional and episodic memory regions, including those next to the hippocampus. It also makes you feel good. Multiple Memory Systems – Using several of the 5 memory systems translates to longer-lasting memories. Memory in a Nutshell I realize as I assemble these notes that my effort to synthesize years of research and a digest of a book, into a single-page infographic, is laughable. And yet, by focusing on these key points, relating them to other information previously stored in my brain, and creating a colorful visual presentation, they’ve become imprinted in my memory. I hope these resources are useful to others as well. Read More After synthesizing these notes, I also assembled a list of training strategies and tips that draw upon this knowledge. Find these Brain Science Training Tips here. Brain Science in Training 6 Brain Science Principles Every Trainer Must Know

Use your Halloween candy for training adults or teaching kids. Try these Halloween-inspired facilitation tricks and treats and make the most of the Halloween season in your training sessions: Icebreakers Favorites? Ask your group what their favorite Halloween candy is. Let them know that even though yours is “Candy Corn” you’ll try hard not to make any more “corny” jokes. Memory Test Ask your teams how many different types of Halloween candy they can remember. For the team that thinks up the most unique entries (that no other teams got), toss them a piece of candy. Chocolatey Treats: 100 Grand, 3 Musketeers Bars, Almond Joy, Baby Ruth Bars, and, Bit-o-honey, Butterfinger Bars, Charleston Chew, Chunky Bar, Clark Bars, CowTales, Fireballs, Junior Mints, Kit Kat, Krackle – Hershey, Life Saver, M&Ms, Malted Milk balls, Mars, Mentos, Mike & Ikes, Milky Way Bars, Milky Way Midnight Bars, Mounds, Mr. Goodbar – Hershey, Nestle Crunch, Oh Henry, PayDay, Reeses, Rolos, Snickers, Snickers Bars, Sugar Babies, Tootsie Rolls, Twix Bars, York Peppermint Patties. Fruity favorites: Air Heads, Blow pops, Bottle Caps, Gummi Bears, Jolly Rancher, Jujy Fruits, Laffy Taffy, Lemon Heads, Nerds, Now & Later, Skittles, Pez, Pop Rocks, Razzles, Sour Patch kids, Spree, Star Burst, Swedish Fish, Sweet Tarts, Tootsie Pops. Candy Slogans The website sporcle.com has a bunch of trivia-type games that challenge individuals or groups to come up with a series of answers to a category challenge. In this example, teams must look at the “Slogan” below and come up with the Candy it advertises. Melts in your mouth, not in your hand (M&M’s) Taste the rainbow (Skittles) Makes mouths happy (Twizzlers) Two for me, none for you (Twix) Hungry? Why wait? (Snickers) Sometimes you feel like a nut. Sometimes you don’t (Mounds and Almond Joy) Crispety, crunchety, peanut-buttery (Butterfinger) A lighter way to enjoy chocolate (3 Musketeers) Get the sensation (York Peppermint Patty) It’s more than a mouthful… (Whatchamacallit) Gimme a break (Kit-Kat) Share Something Juicy (Starburst) Comfort in every bar (Milky Way) For the Kid in You (Nestlé Crunch) That’s Rich! (100 Grand) Perfect (Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups) The Great American Chocolate Bar (Hershey Bar) How many licks does it take to get to the center of… (Tootsie Pop) Curiously strong … (Altoids) Stay fresh (Mentos) Thicker-er (Chunky by Nestle) Double your pleasure, double your fun (Doublemint gum) Smoking prohibited, PEZing allowed (Pez) Participation Hacks Candy Treats: Perhaps one of the easiest ways to use Halloween candy for training is to toss a miniature candy bar to the first participants to answer a question or share an idea. You’ll be sure to get lots of people raising their hands to contribute when they see the enticement! Non-Candy Treats: Of course, sweet treats are most popular at this time of year. However, for the calorie-conscious, try creating your own Scratch Tickets,and write in your own fun treats. Pipe-cleaners: Learning is inherently a creative process as our brains reform to absorb new information. Stimulate your learners’ creativity with Pipe Cleaners. They can either fiddle with the pipe cleaners during the learning event, or work with table-mates to form a topic-relevant structure. Develop Metaphors for Learning Points Okay, I realize some of these are a push, but maybe it will push all of us to think creatively! Now & Laters: For project and time management. And for encouraging people to get things done right away, rather than procrastinating. Good & Plenty: For strategic planning as well as hopeful thinking for the months and years to come. Smarties: For superlative learning and drawing the smarts out of every good brain in the room. Butterfingers: For excellent handiwork, fast fingers, and gracefully dealing with problems that arise. Charms: Charms lollipops, for mind-blowing customer service. $100,000 Bar: Identify winning actions and behaviors that yield results. M&Ms: What it takes to succeed is Methodology and Mastery. Snickers: The ability to laugh at oneself (and not laugh at others is key). Halloween-inspired Debriefs Fill an UNZIP-it! pocket with favorite Halloween candies. Then ask your group to share accordingly: Starburst – a big idea you learned Smarties – a smart way you’ll apply your learning M&Ms – a Memory that will lead to Mastery Dum Dum – ask a dum or not-so-dumb question 1,000,000 Bar – your one-in-a-million idea Almond JOY – a joyful learning moment Reeses – two ideas that came together for you Milky Way – an idea that expanded your thinking Snickers – something that makes you laugh Dots – a way you’ve “connected the dots” Twizzler – something that still twists your mind Bottle Caps: Don’t bottle up your potential. Discuss what you’ll share Snickers: Just for fun, tell a stupid joke and have a laugh Lifesavers: Share some “life-saving” info Whoppers: Identify huge learning moments Creative Kudos for Learning Get creative in sharing your appreciation and kudos. Jot a note and leave the treat at a colleague’s or learner’s workstation: Almond JOY – you put JOY into our day Baby Ruth – you “hit it out of the park” Milky Way – your work is outta this world! Kit Kat – you deserve a break today Mr. Goodbar – your GOOD work raises the BAR! Mounds – you deserve MOUNDS of appreciation Whoppers – you did a WHOPPER of a job! Junior Mints – celebrate Learning Mo-MINTS Reeses – you brought two new concepts together M&Ms – magnificent & marvelous accomplishments Skittles – you made our day colorful Swedish Fish – O-FISH-ally accomplished! HAPPY HALLOWEEN AND HAPPY TRAINING!    

Thanks to the Hidden Brain podcast, I learned about the Character Lab’s studies on procrastination. I’d already been sensitized to the topic by loved ones with ADHD who find it insanely difficult to jump right into a task. And, although I’ve sold thousands of “round TUITS,” I realize that reminding people to “just do it” (not wait ’til they “get around to it”), is not particularly helpful. The brain science of procrastination suggests that procrastinators have deep reasons for putting off a task, not addressed by trite procrastination tips. Why We Procrastinate Research finds that emotions are the primary driver of procrastination. Experts say procrastination is the body’s attempt to protect itself from negative feelings like dread, incompetence, insecurity, and stress. When thinking about big tasks, the brain’s amygdala sets off a panic response causing a “FLIGHT” reaction. Even worse, the first act of procrastinating causes more negative feelings, exacerbating the situation. Ultimately, procrastinators have two options: Make tasks less daunting and threatening Alter the reaction to cumbersome tasks In other words, the brain science of procrastination suggests that we can either change the situation or our reaction to the situation. Procrastination Hacks for ADHD Another common time-management tip promoted by Brian Tracy encourages procrastinators to “Eat the Frog,” to do the most difficult task first thing in the morning. The advice originates with Mark Twain who famously said, “If the first thing you do each morning is to eat a live frog, you can go through the day with the satisfaction of knowing that it is probably the worst thing that is going to happen to you all day long.” Unfortunately, those with attention disorders find this procrastination tip completely unhelpful, as well. It’s not that they don’t want to “Eat the Frog.” Rather, the whole prospect of tackling an entire project is simply too much. Going back to the emotional response, we understand that putting a task may create less angst and more happiness, than getting to work. Instead of jumping in whole hog, or whole frog in this case, try these tips: Make tasks less threatening or overwhelming Those skilled in managing ADHD or random tendencies toward procrastination have likely found a host of strategies that help make large projects more manageable. For instance, they might: Start chunking — divide tasks into tiny subtasks Identify some easy-to-do tasks Start the day with an easy task, or by doing something pleasurable Choose a Start Date to take the first steps, rather than focusing on a Due Date for completion   “Keep starting – finishing will take care of itself. If you must worry, worry about starting, never worry about finishing.” ~ Dr. Neil Fiore Manage reactions to difficult tasks In addition to breaking large projects into a series of smaller, less scary steps, procrastinators often need to play some mind games with themselves, to minimize the paralyzing negative emotions. For instance: Accept that failure is part of the process. Be prepared for a few false starts and try to get back on track after you do. Add tasks to your list that are easy to cross off. The act of crossing something off your list is somehow more satisfying than it ought to be. Way over-estimate the time needed for a task. Then if you complete the task in less time than anticipated, you can celebrate your success. Schedule “NO SHOULD” days. That is, give yourself a day with nothing you “should do.” Identify the negative emotions that prompt procrastination, understand them, and journal about them. Show yourself compassion. After all, being hard on yourself layers on additional negative emotions, making the threat more intense. Develop new norms and processes To set yourself up for success, consider these additional procrastination tips: Find an accountability partner — find a person to check in with and keep you on track. A number of online services can set you up with a virtual work buddy, including Flow Club, Focusmate, and WorkBuddiesOnline. Remove distractions — give yourself a boost by eliminating easily accessible distractions and triggers. Remove phone apps or limit internet connectivity for a period of time using tools like Freedom.to. Procrastination Tip: No Need to Dump the TUITS Going back to those small round TUIT tokens, I’ve wondered if we should stop distributing them altogether. I still like them as a reminder and the word TUIT is kind of catchy. With a greater appreciation of the paralyzing emotions around doing all of “IT,” I prefer to think of the I.T. as an Initial Task. Finishing each small initial task will create a sense of accomplishment, eliminate some of the negative emotions, and allow steady progress on the daunting task you’ve been avoiding. Read More… Time Management Tips Productivity Tips Time Management Activities

When we first moved into a small, rustic house in the heart of the Berkshires, our first task was cleaning — cobwebs, dust, grease, old pots and pans, the works. Reflecting on the hard work, I appreciate that the same sort of preparation is required whenever you create something new — a garden, a freshly-painted room, an office space, and yes, the development of a new skill. Before putting in new plants and flowers, I spend days weeding, clearing, and tilling. Before applying a fresh coat of paint, painters take great care to fill holes, caulk gaps, and tape off the edges. In each instance, thorough prep work paves the way for whatever goodness comes next. Teaching and training require that same sort of preparation, helping learners clear their minds before tackling new challenges. Explore clean slate neuroscience and understand how you can help learners maximize their brain performance. The Neuroscience of a “Clean Slate” Several cognitive psychology and neuroscience findings support the necessity of beginning every learning endeavor with a “clean slate” or a focused mental state. Consider each of these brain science discoveries: Attention and working memory are linked Attention plays a crucial role in learning and memory processes. When we have a cluttered mind or are preoccupied with unrelated thoughts or tasks, it can be challenging to allocate sufficient attention and working memory resources to the new information we are trying to learn. Clearing our minds and focusing our attention can help optimize these cognitive resources for effective learning. Interference increases forgetfulness Interference occurs when new information interferes with the recall or retention of previously learned information. Imagine trying to remember a string of 7 numbers so they can be repeated in reverse sequence. Remembering 4 numbers is easy for most of us. With each digit we add, the challenge becomes more difficult. In an effort to remember the latest numbers, we’re prone to forget the earlier numbers. When a phone call, text, or knock on the door diverts our attention… forget about it! Similarly, if we try to learn something new without a clear mental state, the likelihood of interference from unrelated thoughts or memories increases, which can hinder the encoding and retention of new information. Starting with a clean slate can minimize the interference of random thoughts and promotes better learning. Cognitive load impedes comprehension Cognitive load refers to the mental effort required to process information during learning. When our minds are cluttered or preoccupied, the cognitive load increases, making it more challenging to comprehend and integrate new information effectively. Creating a clean mental state helps reduce unnecessary cognitive load and facilitates better encoding and retention of new knowledge. Mindset and focus Having a clear mental state before learning can also contribute to a positive mindset and increased focus. When we intentionally clear our minds and prepare ourselves for learning, we signal to our brain that we are ready to engage in the task at hand. This mental readiness and focus enhance our receptiveness to new information and improve learning outcomes. Optimizing Learning Trainers can help their student clear their minds in several ways. Share the break schedule. Your participants may have personal or work matters requiring their attention during the day. Let folks know when you’ll be taking breaks so they can attend to phone calls, emails, or other pressing matters on their to-do list. Invite the sharing of current knowledge about the topic. Invite participants to share their prior experience with the topic you’ll be addressing. Ask what they already know and understand. Probe to learn their challenges and their pain points. Finally, identify existing knowledge gaps. Then, target the learning event to the appropriate level, discuss misinformation or new approaches, and draw upon the group’s existing wisdom. Articulate questions and concerns in advance. As part of your intro, ask participants to articulate any concerns or wishes they have for the learning day. At this point, you can address any misconceptions or misunderstandings about what the learning event will address. Record these thoughts on a flip chart so you can revisit them throughout the session. Then, tailor the session to address the group’s specific interests. Encourage To-Do lists. So that every thought that enters their minds does not become intrusive, suggest that participants keep a “parking lot” of to-do items. By writing thoughts down, for easy retrieval at some later time, our brains are free to focus more fully and absorb other information. Tend to the basics first. Be sure learners feel safe, comfortable, fed, and hydrated. Feeling cold, hungry, or preoccupied with emotions will certainly inhibit the brain from learning. Practice Mindfulness. Mindfulness is being in a state where you’re fully focused on the present moment. Through mindfulness, we calmly acknowledge and accept feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations without judgment or personal rebuke. Some practice meditation or yoga to achieve mindfulness. Teachers and trainers can facilitate exercises that ask participants to do breathing exercises, set an intention, develop a gratitude list, be still for a minute or two, listen to the very end of the sound of a chime, and so forth. Mindfulness card decks can also be a good resource for those looking for appropriate exercises and activities that can quiet the mind. The Trainers Warehouse Session Openers Thumball will assist with some of these tasks, but you can also utilize flip charts, sticky notes, and other traditional facilitation tools to put these suggestions into action. Find your Optimal “Clean Slate” Optimal learning conditions can vary between individuals. Additionally, the impact of a clean mental state on learning may depend on various factors such as the simplicity or complexity of the material being learned, an individual’s prior knowledge, and the specific challenge at hand. Personally, I often find that I need to clean my desk or tidy up the kitchen (if I’m working from home) before I embark on a new, focused, mental challenge.  

We’re often asked if these creative, brain-based learning techniques work. We think using brain science in training works, but try it yourself. Complete this brain science worksheet, then see how many of the 6 brain-science principles you remember. Brain research focusing on learning and memory continues to deepen. The research is so voluminous now that we’ve synthesized the key findings and assembled dozens of ideas to help make your training more innovative, effective, and fun. GREATER ENGAGEMENT = DEEPER LEARNING The more areas of the brain you involve in learning, the more memorable it becomes. To engage more senses, think of TAMMIE… Touch – activate learners’ tactile sense with fidget toys and writing. Aromas – scents and smells can keep participants engaged and alert. Plus, they’ll trigger memories down the road. Movement – incorporate physical movement of any kind. Walking at least 10 paces sends 15% more oxygen to the brain after 1 minute. Music – not only is music engaging and memorable, but it can act as a memory trigger. Images – utilize all sorts of visual images from photos, icons, and pictures, to illustrations and drawings. Emotions – stories, competitive games, and strong feelings will help participants stay focused and remember what they experienced. BETTER FOCUS = MORE KNOWLEDGE Anyone who has sat through a presentation recently knows it’s hard to stay focused for more than 10-20 mins. To improve focus, try these tips: Keep it short. Break 40-minute segments into two 20-minute sessions. Change-it-up. Alter teaching methods frequently. Add an activity, game, group challenge, or pair-and-share. Go off-topic for quick asides. Doodle. Besides the fact that doodling requires movement, it can also enhance memory. Take a hike. To increase blood flow, have learners stand up to discuss questions. Or, ask them to write an answer on their own, then stand and walk at least 10 paces to find a discussion partner. Shush! Avoid lectures. Let class participants do the talking and teaching. Pause. Give learners time to consider new information and store it along with something they already know. Practice. Increase the amount of time and ways in which students engage with the material. MEMORY HACKS = LONGER RETENTION Unless we work really hard at remembering something through focus, practice, and repetition, we’re likely to forget as quickly as one-day or even-one hour after learning it. Heck, haven’t we all forgotten people’s names within moments of learning them? Brain science in training memory hacks work because they make us focus on new information, process it, then consciously store it in our brains. To supercharge your group’s memory, have them try on these creative personas: Pen Pal: Writing is a kinesthetic activity that helps us remember. Ask learners to “write this down,” use worksheets, or highlight key learning points. Drama Queen: Have participants create and share a story that dramatizes a key learning point. Whiz Kid: Create a mnemonic where each letter stands for a key concept, like TAMMIE on page 32 or “every good boy does fine” (to remember musical notes E, G, B, D, F). Songwriter: Challenge groups to make up a jingle to jog their memory. Artist: Draw an icon or choose a striking visual image that represents a key point. GOOD HORMONES = BETTER BRAIN ACTIVITY My 9th-grade biology teacher said “if you don’t know an answer, guess “hormones.” Hormones is the right answer here too. Simply, endorphins are the hormones that promote feelings of euphoria and stimulate our frontal lobes (the part of our brain responsible for learning). Cortisol is the hormone that inhibits memory and attention. It is released into our bloodstream when we’re under stress. To Enhance Endorphins: Inspire laughter with jokes or silliness. Laughter reduces at least four o neuroendocrine hormones, including cortisol. Create Warm Welcomes: Make learners feel welcome. Say hello to participants by name. Praise effort, not success: Make everyone feel capable and respected. Say their names: Address participants personally. Refer to previous contributors to show you value their input. To Crush Cortisol: Work in teams. Minimize stress by having participants work together. Don’t put individuals on the spot. Celebrate mistakes. If people think mistakes will yield judgment or criticism, they’ll withdraw and resist making mistakes. With two dozen tips to apply brain science in training, we challenge you to try just a few.

I was cruising around some training and coaching websites and noticed Diana Frances’ link to UGLY PHOTOS. I really did “LOL” as I browsed her portraits laden with half-closed eyes and silly expressions—shots that normally get trashed, not posted. While most of us completely avoid showing our blemishes, we also jump at the opportunity to view others’ “oops, outtakes, and bloopers”! As trainers, I think we have an untapped opportunity here; an opportunity to use people’s natural urge to witness others’ foibles to enhance learning and retention. Read on to explore the ins and outs of mistakes and mishaps or skip to the bottom of the article for a bunch of strategies for learning from mistakes and making wrong answers a wonderfully fun and effective learning experience. Our Weakness for Negative News As the media knows well, people are more drawn to negative news—news of horror, tragedy, mistakes, and accidents—than positive. In fact, scientific studies find that negative news creates a stronger psychophysiological reaction. That is, we react more strongly to negative than positive information. We also spread that bad news more quickly than good news. Evolution may explain some of this “negativity bias.” When a storm is coming, for example, survival could depend on whether we ignore or heed negative news. However, as humans, our proclivity for negative news isn’t just a matter of physical safety. Case in point: our two Trainers Warehouse emails that received the highest-ever open-rates were titled, “Oops we messed up!” and “Some sad news to share.” The Happy Facade Despite our appetite for consuming negative news, we’re very quick to beat ourselves up for our own mistakes. Instead of sharing our daily struggles, we plaster our happiest-ever photos on Facebook; amazing parties, fabulous children, and wonderful vacations. Friends and family scroll through the feed, with alternating feelings of good wishes and envy. It’s no wonder psychologists have faulted Facebook and other social media platforms for the increased teen suicide rates. Already, we chastise ourselves if we fall short of expectations. The more we see everyone around us in their perfect worlds, the more we strive for perfection in ourselves and feel bad when our lives don’t measure up. Learning from Bloopers – Making Wrong into Right In a handful of situations, doing things wrong and making mistakes, becomes the key to success. Improv and Comedy: in one of my clowning improv workshops, we had to grab a prop and use it in the silliest way we could imagine. The more “wrong” the application, the funnier it was. Sarcasm: in other attempts at humor, people say the opposite of what’s true, with the hope of making it funny, or making someone feel silly. Creative brainstorming: creativity experts encourage brainstormers to share the wackiest ideas possible. Their hope is that one of these out-of-the-box bad ideas will spur another good idea. Clowning: it’s funny when a clown trips, falls, accidentally gets hit, or loses his pants. When it happens to a clown, we’re encouraged to laugh. But if the same thing happens to a “real person,” even if they don’t get hurt, we’re supposed to pretend it’s not funny. Welcoming Mistakes in the Classroom Carol Dweck’s theories about growth mindsets and learning from mistakes, have infiltrated the education world. Still, teachers struggle to design learning experiences so that mistakes are not embarrassing, and errors are more humorful than hurtful. Can we encourage and reward students for incorrect answers? Could well-crafted games use lots of “wrong” answers to reinforce right answers? I put the question to our training community, got tons of sage suggestions, and put my own creativity to work. Below, you’ll find a mix of tried-and-true facilitation tips and a bunch of new game frameworks that might put a fresh spin on your teaching and training: Set a Tone that Values Vulnerability Value mistakes over easy wins: Encourage participation and diversity perspective rather than simply rewarding absolute answers. Remind your groups that mistakes and challenges shape you just as much (if not more) than easy wins and quick successes. Make it okay to be right sometimes and wrong sometimes. ~ Chanelle Carver Create risk-friendly environments through skillful facilitation: Creating an environment in which participants choose to engage and take risks, is quite complex. Many dedicate their entire careers to honing their facilitation skills – non-verbal communication, listening, observing, questioning, and authentically valuing every contribution. Their effort pays off. During well-facilitated experiences, the trust in the room becomes palpable, and underpins people’s willingness to risk a “wrong answer.” ~ Chris Halward Reward willingness to be vulnerable: Without validating wrong answers, teachers can support students’ willingness to be vulnerable by always saying “thank you for sharing,” regardless of whether an answer is correct. In addition, teachers can engage students in a discussion by saying “tell us why you think that,” “please share your thinking,” or “show us why you think that.” ~ Jennifer Bieszczad Establish a culture of acceptance: Promote an all-answers-are-welcome policy. From the start, establish classroom norms and ground rules. Get groups to commit to a “no answers are wrong” culture, either by vote or written agreement. ~ Colin Preece Ask Open Questions Steer clear of right/wrong questions: To the extent you can, ask questions that do not have a right or wrong answer. Rather, develop questions that require critical thought. After all, in many instances, “right” and “wrong” is subjective.” ~ Chanelle Carver Something different, please: Ask your group, “how can we say that differently?” This invites participants to open up and gives them permission to say anything at all – not a right answer or a better answer – just a different answer.” ~ Derek Good Strategies & Training Games to Make it Fun Nobody knows! In the style of the game Balderdash (or Fictionary), ask a question that you expect nobody will know. Ask each player to make up an answer (or word definition). Collect all the answers and mix them in with the one correct answer. Have everyone vote on the answer they believe to be correct. Award points for both correct guesses AND made-up answers that are guessed by another player. Design the exercise to encourage laughter and release fears about making mistakes. Score Keeper. Make score-keeping fun. Devise scoring systems that encourage people to share many answers, and reward both top and/or bottom scorers. Best explained answer: Whether an answer is right or wrong, acknowledge the best “argument” or the “best articulated” answer. Most creative wrong answer: In the circus, the motto was “make it big.” If you’re gonna mess up, do it in a big way! In keeping with the “make it big” philosophy, encourage participants to take a risk and share a thought that has the most chance of being “way off.” Group scoring: To further remove emotion and add to the fun, have the whole group score or weigh each answer so you end up with a collective agreement on prioritizing ideas/right answers. “Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me”: I often listen to the NPR radio program called, “Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me!” On their weekly news quiz, they make it fun to have right AND wrong answers. They always want to see their players be successful, so they set them up to win. What can we learn from this popular radio broadcast? Lots of funny answers: Share multiple possible answers that are so hilarious that choosing any option is fun/funny. Close-enough answers: On the show, they sometimes discuss whether points should be awarded – it’s not always up to the host/facilitator. 2-out-of-3 Wins – you don’t have to answer every question correctly to be a winner, you can answer 2-out-of-3 or even 1-out-of-3 to “win.” Give Plentiful Hints – When players are stumped, they’re invited to ask for a hint without shame or penalty. Teamwork: It’s so much more fun to be wrong as a group than as an individual. As a group, you can bond over your success and failure, and laugh at it together. Working in groups, you can either: Have teams agree on a single answer to submit Have teams write a handful of different answers on a set of dry-erase answer boards, allocating the number of points they want to give to each guess. Rounds of Applause and Standing Ovations: Applaud anyone who answers – right or wrong – to validate the attempt to come up with a reply. Two Wrongs and a Right: This is a spin-off on both “Two Truths and a Lie” and “Two Wrongs don’t make a right.” Give participants a chance to answer a question and come up with two wrong answers and one right answer. Involve the group in a discussion of all three answers. Even if none of the three answers is correct, it opens a discussion about multiple ideas and perspectives. 4 Balls / 3 Strikes: To really explore a new topic or questions, try this technique (feel free to adapt it to your needs): First person (or team) to answer HAS TO say something wrong? Second person (or team) to answer must explain WHY it might be wrong Third person (or team) to answer offer another WRONG answer Fourth person (or team) to answer must EXPLAIN why the answer is incorrect and how to think about a correct answer RULES: if a “right answer” is shared in responses #1, #2, or #3, that player or team gets a STRIKE for each violation. Can they get to response #4 without a strikeout? Wrong answers only: Guess the wrong answer: offer multiple-choice questions, in which all the answers are correct except for one. Players must identify the one wrong answer. When players are under time pressure, this can get really silly. Even if you answer a multitude of questions in rapid succession, it can be hard to keep giving wrong answers. In the “Wrongify” style, For each round, one person reads the questions aloud to the player. The player answering must give a wrong-but-related answer to score a point. Wrong Answer Buzzers: Teachers and trainers typically shy away from using the Right-Wrong Buzzers or Me First Buzzer’s Most-Wrong-Answers When used “right,” Wrong-Answer games just might transform your thinking about how to create fun, laughter, and learning in educational settings. Anticipating Challenge Can Improve Learning Frederique Autin, PhD, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Poitiers in Poitiers, France conducted a study that was published online in APA’s Journal of Experimental Psychology: General. In three separate experiments involving over 100 French sixth graders, one group was told that learning is difficult and failure is common, but practice will help, just like learning how to ride a bicycle. The other test groups did not receive this message. In each of the three tests, the children who were told that learning is difficult scored higher than the other groups. From ScienceDaily (Mar. 12, 2012). Opportunities to Share your Own Bloopers The challenge for teachers and trainers is to transform the oops, outtakes, and bloopers into funny, memorable learning experiences. Although these ideas haven’t all been tested in the classroom, I hope you’ll give some a try and share both your successes and disasters! Finally, step out on a limb and share your own vulnerabilities with your trainees. Sometimes there’s no better way to encourage vulnerability than by sharing your own!

I’m a happy person, a glass-half-full, an optimist. So when I see an article about the benefits of smiling, I can’t help but smile myself. Smiling seems so core to a positive workplace, effective customer service, and successful training. 7 Interesting Facts about Smiling Smiles use 5 to 53 facial muscles: Just smiling can require your body to use up to 53 muscles, but some smiles only use 5 muscle movements. Babies are born with the ability to smile: Babies learn a lot of behaviors and sounds from watching the people around them, but scientists believe that all babies are born with the ability since even blind babies smile. Smiles are the most easily recognizable facial expression: People can recognize smiles from up to 300 feet away, making it the most easily recognizable facial expression. Smiling is universal: While handshakes, hugs, and bows all have varying meanings across cultures, smiling is known around the world and in all cultures as a sign of happiness and acceptance. Smiling is easier than frowning: Scientists have discovered that your body has to work harder and use more muscles to frown than it does to smile. There are 19 different types of smiles: UC-San Francisco researcher identified 19 types of smiles and put them into two categories: polite “social” smiles which engage fewer muscles, and sincere “felt” smiles which use more muscles on both sides of the face. Babies start smiling as newborns: Most doctors believe that real smiles occur when babies are awake at the age of four-to-six weeks, but babies start smiling in their sleep as soon as they’re born. Women smile more than men: Generally, women smile more than men, but when they participate in similar work or social roles, they smile the same amount. This finding leads scientists to believe that gender roles are quite flexible. Boy babies, though, do smile less than girl babies, who also make more eye contact. 4 Health Benefits Associated with Smiling Boost your mood: Psychologists have found that even if you’re in bad mood, you can instantly lift your spirits by forcing yourself to smile. Toys and Smiley Balls can help bring out smiles for children and adults alike. Strengthen your immune system: Smiling really can improve your physical health, too. Your body is more relaxed when you smile, which contributes to good health and a stronger immune system. Reduce Stress: When we smile (even if it’s a forced or fake smile), our bodies release endorphins. The rapid change of mood, translates to lower stress and more positive feelings. Smiles are more attractive than makeup: A research study conducted by Orbit Complete discovered that 69% of people find women more attractive when they smile than when they are wearing makeup. The better we feel about ourselves, the happier we are. 4 Reasons why Spreading your Smile Improves the Workplace Smiles are contagious: It’s not just a saying: smiling really is contagious, scientists say. In a study conducted in Sweden, people had difficulty frowning when they looked at other subjects who were smiling, and their muscles twitched into smiles all on their own. If you want a quick reminder to smile, try a Trainers Warehouse Smile Mirror. Smiling helps you get promoted: Smiles make a person seem more attractive, sociable, and confident, and people who smile more are more likely to get a promotion. We smile at work, a lot: While we smile less at work than we do at home, 30% of subjects in a research study smiled five to 20 times a day, and 28% smiled over 20 times per day at the office. Draw out more smiles by talking about the topics that bring you happiness. The Get Happy at Work Thumball or UNZIP-IT Pocket is a wonderful tool to promote positive conversation. Voices sound warmer even on the phone: The reason is not psychological but rather physiological. When you smile, the soft palate at the back of your mouth raises and makes the sound waves more fluid. … The same applies to telephone chatter. Smiling helps your voice to sound friendly, warm, and receptive. NOTE: I found much of this content on in this article on PickTheBrain.com

It’s not brain surgery. These 6 brain-science principles for learning, developed by Sharon Bowman, should be used by every trainer and teacher, every day. Period. What’s really cool is that the dozens of active learning techniques explained here can be applied to live or virtual training. You may also notice that many of the activities fall into several of the “trump” categories. 1. Movement trumps Sitting Keep the blood flowing to the brain. Experts suggest we should take breaks every 20 minutes. During online meetings and webinars, consider every 10 minutes! You can incorporate more movement into learning events and meetings by asking participants to: STAND & SHARE – stand up to share a thought, learning, point, or contribution. STRETCH – try a cross-body stretch from a sitting or standing position. WALKABOUT – move about to share ideas, post a reminder note on a mirror or at your workstation, or locate a partner. WRITE – DRAW – DOODLE – FIDGET – really any movement is better than sitting still. I still hear Mr.s Driscoll, my first-grade teacher, asking us all to sit still. If only she understood then what we know now. Sometimes we need a little encouragement to get off our bums (for those who are able), but the minimal effort is worth it. 2. Talking trumps Listening Bowman asserts that the one doing the most talking generally does the most learning. Make that be the students. The technique is effective for several reasons. When people speak their thoughts, they begin to own them. Then, as the words become their own, they start to believe and remember them. Talking exercises include: REPEAT AFTER ME – This may sound silly, but it works. Try saying the 6 trumps aloud. TRADING PLACES (a.k.a. TEACHBACKS) – have individual students or groups study a topic on their own, then teach it to the others. BALL TOSS – Catch a ball (real or virtual) and express a learning point, “ah-ha” moment, or detail you hope to remember. CHAT – discuss answers and observations with colleagues at your table or in an online breakout room 3. Images trump Words Vision is humans’ primary sense and we think in images first. To make training memorable, build in activities that tie the content to visual images. For instance: DRAW IT – request that the group draw an icon to represent the top 3 concepts. It makes it no less powerful if you draw the icon first and ask them to replicate it. If you want to remember the 6 brain-science trumps that every trainer should know, try drawing each of the icons in the infographic. METAPHOR MAGIC – display images of photos, using either an online selection of photos or a card deck, and have participants select an image that relates to their thoughts or observations about the topic you just taught. Have them share that explanation with a small group or partner. You could alternatively have them select an object in the room to use as their metaphor. METAPHOR MEMENTOS – if you use fidget toys, squeeze balls, or bendable or moldable materials, have learners create a shape or object that will remind them of important learning points. Be sure they take it with them. If you’re doing online learning, consider including a memento in a pre-session care package. 4. Writing trumps Reading Writing has the combined benefits of being visual and requiring movement. We know that people love their devices — phones, tablets, computers — but welcome them to fall in love again with a favorite pen, marker, or notebook. Guide the group to take notes on specific topics that are important to recall. Consider these activities: NOTE TAKING – tell them to jot notes in a notebook or even in a graphic organizer, full of pictures and color. If a point is particularly important, say “write this down” and then pause to give them time to write. SQUEEZE TOYS – many foam squeeze toys will accept pen and permanent marker writing. Ask learners to draw or write on their squeeze ball, so that they’ll remember these points when they see it on their desk or pick it up to use it. NOTE COLORING – have learners review their notes and append them with colorful underlines; circle key points; draw lines to connect related topics; star or highlight “next steps.” 5. Shorter trumps Longer Some say we can stay focused for the number of minutes that match our age. 30 years old . . . 30 minutes. Others say this is hogwash and that EVERYONE benefits from frequent breaks. I expect it’s due to lots of reasons. Our primitive brains evolved to react to interruptions and changes. Moreover, with today’s barrage of beeping phones and commercial messaging, we’re not accustomed to focusing for long periods of time. An added benefit of sticking with shorter learning segments is that studies show people tend to remember beginnings and endings more than middles. Consequently, you’re likely to retain more information from three 10-minute lectures than one 30-minute presentation. To break up longer presentations, try interspersing some of these activities: QUICK PASS – moving quickly from person to person, have each one restate a concept they just heard PAIR-SHARE – take 2 minutes for participants to turn to each other and articulate a learning concept they hope to remember STRETCH & WRITE – invite the group to stand up (if they’re able), ask one person to lead the group in a quick stretch (arms, legs, perhaps a yoga pose), then ask them to jot a note or circle a concept in their notes that is particularly relevant. 6. Different trumps Same Habituation is the idea that we stop noticing and paying attention to anything that’s not new. When you first put up a new picture or hang new curtains in your house, you can’t stop looking at and noticing them. But, after time, they stop capturing your focus. Psychologists define it as the “diminishing response to a frequently repeated stimulus.” As trainers embrace the “shorter trumps longer” teaching principle, they can’t simply default to using the same activities every time. Of course, it would be easier that way, but also less effective. You can easily change each of these quick activities: BRAIN BREAKS – take a complete mental break from the material with a stretch, breathing exercise, chat prompt (i.e. are you a vanilla or chocolate person), or puzzler. TrainersEXCHANGE has oodles of prompts at the ready. STAND-GROUP-SHARE-WALK – change the numbers of people in the groups, change the topic to discuss, or how they move about the room. Have individuals turn in circles, walk clockwise or counter-clockwise around the room, move to each corner of the room, go outside, etc. 6 Brain-Science Principles for Learning The ways to embrace the 6 brain-science principles for learning are truly endless. I’ve shared a bunch here, but once you get the hang of it, I’m sure you’ll be creating your own clever exercises, graphic note pages, and more.

We need more super heroes. Not the kind you’re thinking of — that can leap over a tall building in a single bound, defy gravity, move mountains, or see through walls. No, we need more real life training superheroes. Maybe we already have them and we just have to take time to notice. They’re in our midst, disguised as teachers, trainers, and managers. They’re in our schools, offices, and meeting rooms. In fact you, reading this, you may be one of them! Super Natural When I think of the super natural abilities of the great teachers and trainers, I think of: 1) PASSION TO INCORPORATE Play Building playful activities into learning events takes valiant effort, commitment, creativity and forethought. As Jill Vialet suggests in her TED Talk, that those who buck resistance and embrace the power of play reap the benefits of engagement and memorability. Even if a lesson isn’t really conducive to a learning game, training super heroes still build in interaction in these easy ways: Start with a teaser If you want to engage the whole brain in your learning event, start with a “wake-up” activity: Stand up-sit down games: (asking people to stand if a statement is true for them) can get the blood flowing and uncover preconceptions of the content. Choose One: guessing how your partner might answer a question is a super speedy way to promote laughter, build relationships, and warm up the room. It only take a few minutes to set a tone that will continue to energize your group. Change your game plan every 20 minutes Sitting and remaining focused for long periods is difficult for everyone. While you might be afraid of how long it will take to settle your group after a break, console yourself with the knowledge that losing 2-3 minutes is way better than having your group mentally drift for the next 20 to 30 minutes. Favorite ways to break up learning segments include: Take a walk – ask learners to stand, walk around the room, or around a table (1x, 2x, 3x or whatever makes sense for your space), then return to their seats. Pair and Share – ask the group to stand; find a partner; exchange one question or reflection, then return to their seats. S & S / Q & A – interrupt yourself to ask if there are any questions. While you’re at it, welcome all who are seated to stand and stretch (S&S) as they think of their questions (Q&A). Wrap it up Plan for 2 minutes of transition time at the end of your session. Use the time for activities that will bring closure to the learning session or prep the group for whatever comes next. For instance: Jot reminders – have them take notes (or highlight notes they’ve already taken) to indicate what they want to ask, remember, or do later. Think about what’s next – What? So What? Now What? – give your group a moment to put closure on what they just learned and think about what might be happening next in their day. If they can rely on time already carved out to do that, they’ll be less likely to mentally check out prior to the end of class to figure that out. I GOT THIS – ask learners to write down: 3 things they learned; 2 actions to apply what they learned; and 1 way they’ll share their learning. 2) A Compulsion to Compliment Super Heroes are rarely thinking only of themselves. More often, they are preoccupied with rescuing others in distress and saving the world. Everyday super heroes have a similar outward focus. Not only do they notice the effort and contributions of those around them, they take time to point it out. Kartoon Kudos – Shazzam! Pow! Wowza! Gadzooks!, and $%#!(*&! are just a few of the exclamations that cartoon super heroes use to communicate surprise, amazement, or appreciation. Super trainers can do the same with Kartoon Kudos. Token of Appreciation – super heroes are often a force for good, setting a positive tone for others to follow. “Tokens of Appreciation,” which say “Pass it along” on the reverse side can be the everyday super hero’s virtual cape, they resource that’s always available and ready to use. 3) Loyalty to Listening Let’s not confuse the power of super-sensitive hearing with the superpower of listening. Hearing, of course has to do with how sound waves are received by your ear. Listening, on the other hand, requires taking the time to thoughtfully consider what others are saying, and to discern nuance and meaning, without interrupting or pausing to think of a reply. Resources that encourage listening and promote the development of listening as a skill include: Squeezy Foam Ear – the ear stress toy, available in light or dark colored flesh tone can serve as an ongoing reminder to listen. Blocked Perspective – this communication and listening game requires teams to describe a block structure from their unique perspective, and listen well to others’ so they can rebuild the structure without looking an one another’s photographs. Teamwork & Teamplay – among the features on this versatile card deck is a matrix-style puzzle that requires teams to share information verbally, and then decipher the puzzle and come up with an answer. Becoming a Super Hero Even with the many heroes already in our midst, who bring confidence to incorporate play in their daily lives, have a compulsion to compliment colleagues and are loyal listeners, our world needs more super heroes right now. Hopefully this array of resources will enable more and more trainers and teachers to ascend to hero status.

I’m always on the lookout for ideas that apply knowledge of how the brain works to specific teaching and facilitation techniques. So, my interest was piqued when I came across Daniel Willingham’s article, “Unlocking the Science of How Kids Think.“* He explained that 16 years ago, as a psychologist studying brain science, he didn’t think teachers would care about what he had to say. Now, 15 years, four books, and dozens of articles later, teachers and trainers rely on his unique perspective and research studies. In the article, Willingham pairs his research and theories with a collection of scientific observations translated into classroom applications. Putting Theory into Action Synthesizing his recommendations, I recalled a handful of tools and approaches that help teachers carry through on the kinds of efforts he suggests: 1) Practice is crucial. Allow sufficient classroom time to practice new skills. Use paper, computers, or dry-erase boards, books –whatever you need. To eliminate the worry about time, use a Time Timer so everyone can easily see how much they have left. 2) Memory is more enduring if practice is spread over time. Distribute lessons across multiple days. 3) Probing memory improves retention. Use low-stakes or no-stakes quizzes to boost student memory. Jeopardy games are great for reinforcement, but you can also adapt many other game show-style games to your content quite easily. 4) Students who believe they can get smarter through hard work, try harder. Take the time to recognize student effort and communicate your belief in each person’s abilities. No need for time-consuming or expensive endeavors; simply dash a note on a small Kudos Sticky Note or send a KUDOS Memo Note. 5) Shallow Understanding always precedes Deep understanding. Don’t be put off if students’ initial understanding is shallow. Try building a pipe-cleaner tower to symbolize the foundational principles the group is starting with and build it up as concepts and understanding deepen. The visual image acts as a great reminder of the learning process and progress taking place. What’s next? Thanks go out to Dr. Willingham for sharing his research and insights, enabling teachers and trainers worldwide to make learning experiences more meaningful and productive. I’ll definitely be putting his book, Why Don’t Students Like School? on my reading list and will report back more insights! Read more The 10 Biggest Breakthroughs in the Science of Learning Six Brain Science Principles Every Teacher Should Know —————— * “Unlocking the Science of How Kids Think: A New Proposal for Reforming Teacher Education” by Daniel Willingham in Education Next, Summer 2018 (Vol. 18, #3, p. 42-49), https://educationnext.org/unlocking-science-how-kids-think-new-proposal-for-reforming-teacher-education/; Willingham can be reached at willingham@virginia.edu.

Prestige Worldwide, a consulting team of Suffolk University business students, set out to understand the impact of using fidget tools in classroom and workplace environments. They conducted surveys before and after introducing fidget tools into learning environments, asking 119 students in 2 classes about their experiences of engagement, productivity, and stress. Engagement Regarding the first questions, How engaged were you during class?, they report: In the pre-survey, before anyone was introduced to or given a fidget tool, 14.4% of students indicated being ‘not at all engaged.’ After being given a fidget tool to use during class, this value dropped dramatically to 1.1%. On the opposite end of the spectrum, those who claimed they were ‘very engaged’ increased 103.3% (from 9% to 18.3%), when using fidget tool in class. Productivity The team next asked, “How productive were you during class?” Similarly to the engagement question, the number of students reporting that they were unproductive dropped considerably, from 11.7% to 2.2% when using a fidget toy. Stress In the third and final survey question, participants were asked about their experience in feeling stressed during class. Fortunately for the students at Suffolk, the classroom experience is not deemed to be stressful. Consequently, no results are pertinent. Conclusions The group complemented their primary research with secondary research conducted at schools and universities. In doing so, they learned of a sixth grade class consisting of 29 students, who explored the impact of using stress balls during class. In that study, 10% of the students realized significant increases in test scores. Moreover, a stunning 47% of the students were reported to be less distracted during class(1). Evidence for the effectiveness of using fidget toys to improve focus, engagement and productivity continues to abound.   (1) Trade Journal: Stalvey, S., Brasell, H. Journal of At Risk Issues Vol 12 #2; (2006) Article: Using Stress Balls to Focus the Attention of Sixth Graders (2006, August) Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ853381.pdf   Find the best fidget toys for you. Explore more data showing meeting attendees’ preference for toys.

One recent LinkedIN discussion that drew a lot of interest asked “Why do we use Training Games?” So many people liked and commented, that I wanted to synthesize the conversation and pull out the highlights. Whether you’re using games to improve communication and listening skills, advance leadership skills, or build teams, these 40+ reasons why they work so well are sure to inspire you. Thank you to all the contributors, and especially to Krzysztof Szewczak who posted the question. Following I’ve included an outline of the highlights, organized thematically. Below that are excerpts of contributor’s comments. Create a shared (and recent) experience Not-Real-World Experiences are liberating Reduce threat: Games take the threat out of what maybe a difficult or challenging subject, creates positive team and individual competition, adds the FUN into facilitation and fact finding. Helps support emotional learning without the vulnerability. Pat Tyler. Build confidence: Game experiences can boost confidence. Steven Drezner Time to reflect: After the game has finished it allows time to reflect on whether they have the desired skills for their role or have been conditioned by their experiences and have “learned habits.” Jonathan Pitchfork Safe environment: Experiential exercises allow teams to do very different work together and as a result see the ingrained patterns of behaviour that occurred in the game but also in their daily work together. Other exercises allow individuals to practice new awareness or a newly learned skill in a safe environment to help them embody and refine their understanding preparing them to effectively transfer that wisdom into their workplace. Jenn Lofgren CPHR, MCC Take risks: Humans love to play. Playing is more than a learning strategy, it is a simulation of reality, allowing us to try something different, take risks, experiment, fail, and grow, without pressure. Playing exposes our humanity without masks, letting us act “as real”, and making possible a whole new way of understanding each other, working together and achieving goals. Pablo Luengas Less threatening: Games are a fun way for people to review material and discuss relevance. They also make it less threatening to clarify any misunderstood info. Mark Evans Learn by doing Recent, shared experience: Games are a great way to create a first-hand personal experience related to the topic of the training, and the game experience then can be debriefed together with the group. I found that the depth of learning is much bigger when there is recent personal experience participants can relate to. So, games are not simply for breaking the ice, but for providing a fertile soil for learning. Robert Cserti Develop own insights: People learn best when they gain their own insights rather than being told. Simon Leckie Experience Ah-Ha Moments: Participants have their own ah-ha moments, rather than being told what the learning point is. Sujatha Menon Increase participation: Games and activities enhance participant engagement. It’s all to do with neuroscience. Julie Edmonds Learn more by doing: People learn by doing better than any other ways. When they play, participants get the sense of ownership rather than feeling guests to the training. Hany Adel Games are brain-friendly and aid retention Games are more memorable: From a cognitive standpoint, games create memory markers. The more vivid an experience, the more markers our brains create around an experience or chunk of information. When the time comes to recall information, if it was reinforced by many markers, it will be easier to recall. This is especially helpful when content is dry or formulaic. Throwing in a few games keeps the learners engaged, but also functionally improves their ability to recall (and later apply) the content that they might otherwise have glazed over. Suzanne Corbett High learning intensity: Learning and behavior change are most often linked to Explicit Memory (consciousness), Declarative Memory (facts and events) and Episodic Memory (experiences) – Richard Atkinson and Richard Shiffrin – 1968. Games provide the highest learning intensity outside of trauma. Bill Yetman Evoke emotions: Training games are a great way of creating the space for people to work with any new knowledge they have acquired in the session and apply it. The experience can also help to anchor the learning – a positive experience will evoke emotions that are long remembered after the event itself. Recalling the experience reminds us how good we felt, strengthening the neural connections every time we bring it to mind. Simon Leckie Subconscious learning: Training games allow the learning to slip in by the side door so to speak. By passing the conscious gatekeeper enabling the subconscious to explore, analyse and accept concepts that may on the face of it have been rejected. Patricia M. Hands-on learning: Hands-on learning ensures a higher degree of emotional involvement as well as information retention. The experience in itself evokes positive emotions in most participants. Junie G Use of multiple senses: Training games use three senses not just one. Generally, laughter is involved too which is proven to activate memory receptors. Laughter, doing, thinking and listening are 4 ways to impress on the mind. David Featherstone Laughter: Learning and laughing at the same time, can really help learning stick in one’s memory bank! Chris James Fun: Games engage learners and allows them to integrate themselves into the content. They are also great disruption. They break up the monotony of training and if used correctly, leave a lasting impression on the participant. Because games are kinetic you tie muscle memory to the concept, which allows the learner to access that memory easier in the future. Aja Millar Bring out our “inner child”: When adults play, inhibitions, fear and anxiety turn off and we become more receptive to learning new concepts/topics. Also, games set in friendly, light and joyful environment register in the brain quickly and become positive, happy and long-term memories. Suchitaa Paatil Creativity: Games stimulate the creative and cognitive sides of our brains!! Pat Tyler Self-learning: Many adults don’t like to be taught. They prefer learning by themselves. Games often result in stronger buy-in and fit well with the adult learning theories. Tommy Fung Games change the tempo of a meeting Break the ice: Quite often I have to deal with diverse groups, where participants’ nationalities differ. Irrespective of the age, sex, nationality and level, people love activities and they work bring people together. Saif Rahman Unwind and relieve stress: Activities can help players unwind. They provide a break and some fun to those who are over-stressed from work and life. Saif Rahman Transition. I use activities to introduce new topics. Learning transfer is relatively easier. I use canvas sheets, colors ,symbols and detailed lesson plans for sequencing them. Flip time. Depending on the topic, I might encourage my participants to present a part of the session. I give them ample time to prepare and work as a Coach. I challenge them to present a topic and have activities. This works well as I believe that the best form to learn something is to teach and practice. Saif Rahman Change Tempo and allow for deep thinking: I like games to change the rhythm of the meeting, but more importantly, to let people explore and think more deeply about concepts that have been introduced. It’s a chance to let ideas percolate a little. Carol Bleyle Games impact the learning environment Improved focus and motivation: Although I could teach exactly the same thing in a simpler, traditional way, I prefer to use different methodologies, because it keeps students focused and motivated. Games can also create relaxing learning environments, allowing people to learn in a new and enjoyable way. Mihaela El Azzi Petrov Relaxation: The games help to relax the mind, and open up locked up/shut up mental faculties to be reactivated, this in turn creates active participation in the training. Erican Turyahama Break up the monotony: Games can also break up sections of a course that might be more information heavy (especially when dealing with technical or slightly dry topics), and there’s a lot to be said for energizing learners by getting them moving/up on their feet! Anna Bezodis Energy boost: I use games to boost participants’ energy and level of interest in the session. Munaza Azeem Fun: I train preschool teachers. The more fun they have the more engaged they seem to be and the more the material I am teaching them seems to stick. Trainings do not have to be boring. We need to train the brain and games wake up the brain! Renae Lingafelt-Beeker Games build community Group cohesion: Games help in bringing about group cohesion where each participant aids the others in attaining their goals. A well-planned game and the debrief that follows is much effective than a long lecture in hammering down a point. Vineetha Aravind Team-building: Games encourage collaboration and team-building. Laura Browder Engage quieter learners: Games stimulate the development of team building skills. They allow students to get to know each other and can help you identify leaders and followers. Facilitators can also identify and engage the quieter students. Greg Wills Improvement of class culture: Games increase the intensity of a peer learning environment. The social interactions provide an opportunity to relate with other group members in a positive way. This ultimately improves the class culture and facilitates meaningful learning. Jacade S. Hanson Appreciation of different perspectives: Using games helps people connect and be more open to various perspectives even if they contradict their own beliefs. Kavitha Prakash Opportunity to practice Change from within: A training is intended to bring a change in the individual. But change can come only from within. Training games help the participants to bring their learning into practice and thereby reinforce it. As they understand the need of change, they will be ready to change. Vineetha Aravind Moving from theory to practice: Most people understand the theory when it’s explained to them but going through the motions shows them that it’s often not that easy to do. It’s often easier to remember various steps after having made mistakes or to understand why you should say/do things differently when you’ve been at the receiving end of e.g. badly worded feedback. Minda Carl Opportunity to Debrief Transparency and explaining WHY: I think that beginning with a brief explanation of “Why are we doing this,” as well as a meaningful debriefing. are highly necessary. I saw great games spoiled by poor debriefing and simple games converted into a learning opportunity by an appropriate positioning at the beginning and a relevant debriefing after. Stefania Luca Reflection. Game expert, Thiagi, always said that the whole value of a game is in the debrief. The exercise or playing of the games just gives the fodder for discussion. It’s up to the facilitator to draw out learning points about, a) what happened; b) how it felt; c) what was learned from the experience; and d) how it can be applied to real-world challenges. Susan Landay What to call them? Not “FUN”: I really don’t like to use the words “game” or “fun” While lots of “activities” “experiments” and “exercises” are “enjoyable,” the moment a trainer tells me “we are playing a game and I am going to have fun,” I fear I will have anything but. Steve Robson Think C.O.R.E.: I use this language instead: Closers, Openers, Revisting and Energisers. rather than games and fun. Tracey Davis “Activities,” not Games: “Learning Activities,” not “Training Games.” Graham Nugent Don’t call it anything: You don’t need to give it a name, just ask your group to form themselves into teams and get going. Ryan Barretto Game Resources Trainers Warehouse HRDQ RSVP Designs (UK) Northgate Training Co. (UK)

A good leader knows how to give feedback and praise. Just ask Kim Scott, whose TED Talk on Radical Candor, transformed our understanding of what it means to be a good boss. Certainly, criticism may be hard to take, but withholding feedback doesn’t do anyone any favors. Scott’s “radical candor” encourages honesty, but doing it well takes practice. Feedback vs. Criticism Coaches, trainers, managers and leaders need to find that sweet spot — the middle ground where they share important feedback but also preserve the recipient’s self-confidence. The “Feedback sandwich” (say something positive, then critical, then positive) is not necessarily a magic bullet. Use scenarios and role-plays to practice giving feedback. Praise If the only feedback you ever give is criticism, your team will quickly know to equate “feedback” with “criticism.” However, positive feedback is also critical for success. Several studies have been conducted over the years, which focus on the benefits of praise. In 2004, Chalk & Bizo found that levels of on-task behavior were significantly greater when praise was given for a specific behavior, rather than general praise. In a 2005 study, Keller, Brady & Taylor found that praise increased student motivation, accuracy of responding & task persistence. So praise is not just about being nice and balancing out your criticism. Praise is essential, in and of itself. To get the most mileage out of giving positive feedback, consider these 7 tips: Recognize specific behaviors – keep it credible and meaningful by identifying details that you noticed. Share praise publicly – extend the praise by allowing others to overhear your recognition. They too, can then reiterate the accolades and be inspired to act in praiseworthy ways. Offer praise frequently – don’t save praise for a momentous occasion. Instead, recognize small successes, as well as efforts to grow and change. Praise people behind their back – some suggest you should tell someone else that a person did well. They will inevitably hear about it through the grapevine and the praise will be perceived as more believable. Personally, I prefer the direct method. Make sure the praise is meaningful – don’t give praise for something silly or too effortless or the praise won’t be valued by the recipient. Create a culture of appreciation – encourage peers, siblings, colleagues and friends to give one another positive feedback. Keep it simple – don’t create a cumbersome process for recognition. All you really need is a kind word, a quick note or email. Great tools for sharing praise Positive reinforcement does not require a huge amount of time or a large budget. Try some of these playful and easy-to-implement resources: Use your words – I remember telling my toddlers to “use their words.” The same goes for us grown ups! Take the time to say “Thank you!” Tokens of Appreciation – Share a token that says “Token of Appreciation – pass it along!” The small coin will be a reminder of the appreciated actions and the importance of spreading the sentiment! Kudos Notes – try a memo note, where all you have to do it check a box and sign your name! Mini Kudos Notes – leave a little sticky-note that just says “thanks” The element of surprise If a teacher were concerned about a student’s progress, he or she would not wait until after the final exam to discuss those observations. Similarly, recipients of feedback, especially “constructive criticism,” should be made aware of issues rapidly, as they arise, and not be surprised months later at a performance review. Positive feedback, on the other hand, is always a welcome surprise and should be given without restraint. For more recognition tools, visit Trainers Warehouse (or our friends at Baudville). You might also want to take a look at Pinterest for tons of do-it-yourself recognition ideas. This link will take you to our collection of favorite “candy kudos” ideas. As a final note, let me compliment YOU on reading through to the end of this post! View also: 10 Easy Appreciation Exercises