WorkSMART Blog

Posted by guest blogger, Betty Lochner, Cornerstone Coaching & Training It may sound overly simple, but adding purposeful appreciation towards others can be one of the most powerful communication tools you can hone. People want and need to feel appreciated . People will respond better, and perform better when they are genuinely valued. Try any of the following appreciation exercises and watch what happens! 1. Caught Ya! Catch someone doing something right and recognize them for it. For example, say something positive when someone picks up a poster that has fallen down, someone holds the door for you, or someone cleans your dish in the sink. You can go one step further, even giving them a small gift, like a small bag of candy, and leaving it with a short note. 2. Validation Validate someone for something they did for you that made your life better or easier. For example, someone may retrieve coffee when you’ve left it lying somewhere, a neighbor smiles when you walk by, your office mate offers to help with a project, etc. Start with the description of what they are doing. For example, “you are so thoughtful to bring my coffee to me,” “you are always so helpful,” and “you always greet me with a smile.” 3. Share Your Gratitude in Front of Others Tell someone, in front of someone else, or better yet in front of a group, “You did a great job!” Another good way to express your gratitude is to send a note or e-mail, or make a call to that person’s boss and tell them the same thing. For those for whom public recognition is uncomfortable, a word in private will let people know that you do notice and appreciate it. Don’t we all wish our co-workers, customers, and friends, would find ways to show their appreciation for our work more often? 4. No Special Reason Give a note to someone for no special reason. Say something like, “I’m glad you are my son”; “I’m glad you are here”; or “Your smile made my day!” I received an e-mail from a new boss about a week after I started and all it said was, “We are lucky to have you on our team.” I think I still have that note. 5. Group Appreciation This may be one that is out of the comfort zone for some, but it can be a very effective way to connect. Get in a circle with your workgroup or family. Start with one person, and share one thing you appreciate about that person. As you go around the circle, each person adds something different or elaborates on something for that same person. As you go around the circle, each person adds a comment. You continue around the circle until everyone has commented on that person. Then go to the next person in the circle and do this exercise until everyone has received an appreciation comment from each person. Some examples might be, “What I appreciate about you is how you always greet me with a smile”; “I appreciate that you always meet your deadlines and I never have to remind you”; “I appreciate you for always being willing to help me in any way”; “I appreciate that you do the dishes without asking”; “I love your smile”; “You are a fabulous cook.” Bonus: This exercise also can be a great esteem builder for kids. I used this for my Girl Scout troop and the kids loved it. You can also get creative, make a poster for each person, and have everyone say something positive about that person on the poster. My daughter still has the poster we made for her years ago. 6. Group Meetings Have everyone in a group (staff meeting, family reunions, etc.) write down something they appreciate about someone in the group. Put the pieces of paper in a bowl and draw one for a simple prize, candy, coffee, or a silly trophy that is passed around from meeting to meeting. For the appreciation notes left that weren’t drawn, give them to the person with a short verbal thank you. At one of my jobs, we passed around a Dilbert doll to the person who did something helpful or special that week. Sometimes we “enhanced” his appearance by adding a hat or sticker before passing him on. Dilbert became a prized possession. (He even was kidnapped for a while and we had to pay a ransom to get him back). When I left my job there, I was given Dilbert as a going-away present. I still smile every time I see him on my shelf. 7. Weekly Note Every Monday morning, or any specific day, write one hand-written note to someone you appreciate for something they did. I keep inexpensive cards in my desk drawer and start each Monday by writing one note. I put a reminder note on my calendar and try to make it the first thing I do. I always feel good afterward. And, no matter how many times someone gets a note, they still love it. I almost always get a comment back from the recipient. And no, no one has ever gotten tired of getting a note of appreciation. It can be a very powerful team-building tool as well. 8. Remember Birthdays This may sound silly, but whether we admit it or not, we all love to have our birthday remembered, especially by someone you don’t expect. Keep a file of birthdays on your calendar of friends, colleagues, neighbors, etc. Keep cards on hand and simply sign your name and give (or mail) it to them. It takes very little time and has a huge impact on relationships. 9. Write a Letter; Make a Call I use this exercise in workshops and usually meet some resistance at first. It is out of the comfort zone for many. But, for those who have the courage to try it, it is a very powerful exercise for both people involved. Sit down and write a thank-you letter to someone for whom you feel gratitude. Describe the qualities that had an impact on your life, such as courage, loyalty, support, kindness, wit, or persistence. Then call or visit that person and read your heartfelt description. Thank them for being an influence on your life. 10. Remember Names Make it personal! Remember their name and say it. Don’t tell yourself and others that you are bad at names; that will be a self-fulfilling prophecy. When I met the president of Whitworth University, Bill Robinson, for the first time, it was on a student visit with my daughter. When I met him again a year later, what stood out to me was that he remembered my name. Apparently, Bill is quite notorious on campus and beyond for remembering people’s names. I was so impressed that I have stepped up my effort in working on this skill. Betty Lochner is the Owner and President of Cornerstone Coaching & Training. She specializes in personal and organizational transformation and is the author of Dancing with Strangers: Communication skills for Transforming Your Life at work and at home. To find out more about Cornerstone’s services and offerings visit our website: https://www.cornerstone-ct.com  

Conflict resolution is a hot topic, whether you teach negotiation, team-building, leadership, or communication skills. Here are a few conflict resolution games that will help you quickly cut to the core and identify challenges and processes to manage difficult relationships. Each of the conflict resolution activities shared here were shared by our online community. Arm Wrestle Not all negotiation games are what they appear to be! In this quick and easy activity, pairs are set up in what looks like an arm wrestle challenge. It’s up to each team of players whether they approach it as a “wrestle” or as an opportunity to create more value for both. The debrief uncovers our tendency to make assumptions and approach negotiations as a win-lose game. More here… Knot or No-Knot I use a problem-solving initiative called Knot or No-Knot. If facilitated correctly, it’s a very powerful exercise. Out of sight of the group, place a length of rope on the ground in a pile. My rope is about 20′ long. I use a two-colored rope to make it a little more difficult. The object is for the group to decide whether, when they pull the ends of the rope, it will be knotted or not. Before allowing them to closely examine the rope, I ask them to come up with a consequence that the whole group must do if they guess wrong. Also, the decision of the group must be unanimous. Then the fun begins. Usually, one or more participants have a strong opinion one way or the other. Those are the ones I focus on. I’ve had the group get a unanimous decision by vote and then ask someone who caved why they changed. On occasion, the entire group has turned its decision around. You might ask that person who went against their strong opinion what they would do if they were assigned to be the leader of the group and their decision was the final one. Groups often pick the easiest consequence. So once they have come to a unanimous decision, ask those who gave in how difficult the consequence would have had to be for them to stand their ground. Your instance, you might say, “Suppose you each had to pay $100 or $1,000, or suppose someone would be hurt if the decision was wrong? You can do so much with this exercise. It’s very telling when it comes to conflict resolution. A conflict resolution activity posted online by Larry Riggs The Orange Negotiation In Roger Fisher’s book, Getting to Yes, The Orange Exercise was first described as a challenge for two kids fighting over a single orange, the only one left in the fruit bowl. In that scenario, the children learn that one needed the peel for baking and the other needed the juice to quench his thirst. On LinkedIN, Susan Meredith has shared another conflict resolution activity based on this scenario. Her negotiation game goes like this: The group is split into 2 teams, “A” & “B.” The facilitator plays the role of Mandez, the keeper of the only remaining Mandezine Orange (a very rare variety) and the one with whom the teams must negotiate during the conflict resolution activities. Each team receives a scenario explaining why they must buy this special fruit and are told that they may only contact the grower one spokesperson at a time. During the private instructions, Group A learns that they need the rind of the orange to create an important nuclear component that will save the world. They appear to have unlimited resources, which occasionally makes them a bit careless or arrogant. Group B learns they need the pulp of the orange to create a serum to protect pregnant mothers from a deadly disease that is ravaging the area. Without it, all of the expectant mothers will become tragically ill and die. In my experience running this conflict resolution activity, only once did the two teams bypass Mandez and negotiate directly with each other. Once they realized that they each needed different components of the orange they became collaborative and resolved the issue satisfactorily even going so far as to share the costs. They provided Mandez with a reasonable profit even though the demand had radically shifted. Another version of this conflict resolution game, called the Ugli Orange Exercise, which was developed by Search for Common Ground, is here. T-Trade T-Trade from RSVP Designs involves three groups, each trying to achieve the best business outcome for themselves but needing to ‘make deals’ with other groups to be successful. How do they go about making mutually acceptable agreements and yet maintain their focus on achieving the best individual team results they can? Nine Dots Challenge This is a quick “think outside the box” activity. On a piece of paper, draw nine dots in a 3 x 3 grid. The challenge is to connect the nine dots with only 4 straight lines, without lifting the pencil from the paper. Following is a description of the solution . . . don’t read on until you’ve tried it! Starting in any corner, draw a diagonal line to the opposite corner. Second, make a horizontal line from that dot to the dot at the other side of your square, but continue onward the length of a fourth invisible dot. Third, draw diagonally, through two middle dots, again continuing your line to the next imaginary dot. Finally, draw a vertical line through the two remaining dots. Partisan Perceptions I use a story from Steven R. Covey’s book 7 Habits of Most Efficient People, to show that people often come to a negotiation from very different mindsets. Without seeing the world from their perspective, it can be difficult to come to an agreement. Covey tells of an experience on a subway ride: Some kids are jumping around in the same car he is in. As they were really bothering him (he elaborates the scenario), he went over to the children’s father and asked if he could please control his boys. The father responded, saying was that he did not notice that his boys were bothering anyone. Steve thought this was very strange. The boys were clearly out of control. He asked the father how he could possibly not have noticed. The father explained that he was extremely sorry, he simply did not notice. He continued, explaining that he just left the hospital where he and his boys got word that their mother, his wife, died. The father said that none of them had any idea how to act in this situation. At this (if told well enough), everyone in the room gets goosebumps. This new information suddenly makes everyone move from feeling alienated from the father to feeling strong sympathy towards him. Steve also changed his perception and became very sympathetic. He offered to help the family learn to deal with the situation (and he did). Steve (and I) explain that this is called a paradigm shift. Everything we think is always affected by the paradigm through which we are looking. This negotiation skills training game was posted by Joshua Weiss The Blind Men and the Elephant This age-old parable is another great example of being influenced by your unique set of perceptions without understanding the big picture: It was six men of Indostan, to learning much inclined, who went to see the elephant. (Though all of them were blind.) That each by observation, might satisfy his mind. The first approached the elephant, and happening to fall against his broad and sturdy side, at once began to bawl – “Bless me! But the elephant is very like a wall!” The second, feeling of the tusk cried, “Ho! What have we here? So very round and smooth and sharp, to me its very clear. This wonder of an elephant is very like a spear!” The third approached the animal and happening to take the squirming trunk with both his hands, thus boldly up and spake – “I see,” he said, “the elephant is very like a snake!” The fourth reached out his eager hand, and felt about the knee. “What most this wondrous beast is like is mighty plain,” quoth he. “Its clear enough the elephant is very like a tree!” The fifth, who chanced to touch the ear, said, “even the blindest man can tell what this resembles most; deny it if you can, “this marvel of an elephant is very like a fan!” The sixth no sooner had begun about the beast to grope; than seizing on the swinging tail that fell within his scope, “I see,” he said, “the elephant is very like a rope!” And so these men of Indostan disputed loud and long, each in his own opinion exceeding stiff and strong, though each was partly in the right, and all were in the wrong! <By John Godfrey Saxe – Vermont poet & humorist 1816-1887> Old Lady / Young Lady and other Optical Illusions I sometimes use a series of 6 optical illusion images (e.g. old woman/young woman) that when viewed from different angles, or by different people, look like something else. I put these on slides and ask participants to number a page 1-6. Then, show them a series of these images for 10 seconds each. They are to write down what they believe that they see. At the end of the slide show I have each person turn to someone else and compare lists as I comment that since everyone saw the same images, responses should be the same. Of course, they usually are not. This leads to dialogue about why not and how based on experience, education, and other factors we often view things differently. Conflict Resolution game was posted by Bob Lucas, BS, MA, MA, CPLP Rattling Assumptions – a Think-Outside-the-Box Exercise We used to play this game at the dining room table, when we had friends over. You ask people to look at the pattern the silverware (or pens) is making and attribute a number to it (1-5). Demonstrate first, then create new patterns and ask them to tell you what the number is: Place 1 item vertically and show one finger on the table or on your knee. Say it is a “1“ Put 2 items vertically and show two fingers on the table or on your knee. Say it is a “2“ Layout 3 items vertically and show three fingers on the table or on your knee. Say it is a “3“ Arrange 3 items horizontally and show four fingers on the table or on your knee. Say it is a “4“ Place 5 items crisscrossed and show five fingers on the table or on your knee. Say it is a “5“ Set 1 item horizontally and show one finger on the table or on your knee. Say it is a “1“ You can make up as many patterns as you like. The correct number will always refer to the number of fingers you show, not on the pattern of the items. Even if you say, “look outside the box,” participants are often stumped because they’re focusing on the pattern of the items, not on the fingers you’re showing. As a debrief, discuss why it was difficult, how it felt when others could see the pattern and they could not. Alliance Training Solutions provides facilitation instructions for similar conflict resolution games using markers. They have a video so you can see it in action. Pushy Pairs Add this one to your library of super-quick conflict resolution activities. Working in pairs, get each person to stand facing another. Ask them to put their arms straight out in front of them at shoulder level and touch palms with the other person. They are going to push as hard as they can against each other so get them to stand in a way that is safe. Once they have pushed and felt what it was like – keep them pushing and then tell them suddenly to stop pushing and feel how much of a relief it is. This is what happens when we are in conflict with someone. each of us trying to ‘push’ their message home. It makes for great discussions and learnings. Posted online by Gail Page So many options! Add these conflict resolution activities to your negotiation training repertoire. Because negotiation skill requires good communication and keeping an open mind, each serves an important role in conflict resolution training.

When I was growing up, gymnastics and skating were my passions. While I loved my sports, I always regretted never playing on a real team–the closest I got was being one of three sisters. Nowadays, I have two young boys who are completely into team sports–baseball, basketball, and soccer are among their favorites. Usually, when we arrive at the field or the gym, the energy is palpable. When a team works, it works! But like most kids, my boys have also been on teams that simply never gel. The same happened to our Boston Red Sox last summer. When that happens, nobody wins! The same is true for teams within organizations and teams of students working together. Whether you’re building a high-performing corporate team or engineering an effective learning environment, your attention to how the team forms and works together can make a huge difference in the groups’ overall success. If we use Bruce Tuckman’s model for small group development, introduced in 1965 and amended 10 years later (that’s when he added “adjourning”), I think we can improve both learning environments and team performance. Following are the characteristics of each stage: Forming (group comes together) Leader plays a crucial role Individuals roles and responsibilities are unclear as participants start testing the leader and each other Storming (conflict and polarization) Team members vie for position as they attempt to establish themselves in relation to other team members Clarity of purpose increases but plenty of uncertainties persist Cliques and factions form and there may be power struggles Norming (cohesiveness develops) Group agrees on shared goals Roles and responsibilities are clear and accepted Big decisions are made by group agreement. Smaller decisions may be delegated to individuals or small teams within group. Commitment and unity is strong Team engages in fun and social activities Performing (focus on goals) The team is able to work towards achieving the goal. Disagreements occur but now they are resolved within the team positively Roles become flexible and functional, and group energy is channeled into the task. Structural issues have been resolved, and structure can now become supportive of task performance Adjourning (break up of group) Group completes tasks and reduces dependency on each other Teams feels good about their accomplishments Team experiences the loss of breaking up and moving on Applying the Model Tuckman’s model has been widely used and analyzed. Many have reflected that the stages are neither as distinct from one another or as linear as the model suggests. For trainers and teachers, the most important takeaway is the acknowledgment that whenever we ask groups to work together (even if the task is as simple as “share your insights and report back as a group,”) they will experience the forming-storming-norming-performing stages in some form. We should consider how we can ease the early-stage challenges, so they can quickly reap the benefits of later stages of working together. In light of this model, we might: Facilitate their selection of a “leader” Help them identify goals or challenges Be clear about their purpose and process Encourage the sharing of ideas Maximize the long-term benefit of the relationships they built during the session

I’m always on the lookout for data supporting the use of playful, stress-reducing learning techniques. This article was synthesized by Kim Marshall and posted in his wonderful weekly journal, The Marshall Memo. Of the five happiness-enhancing activities listed below, the one found to have the greatest impact was to “write a positive message to someone in your social support network.” As trainers, perhaps we can build such an activity into the end of a learning session. Have participants write a positive message to someone else in their group, identifying a new idea they picked up from them. The synthesis of the article follows. How Mindset Affects Happiness – and Productivity In this intriguing Harvard Business Review article, corporate CEO and author Shawn Achor says that when anxious managers pester their employees with urgent demands and frequent meetings, they “jack up everyone’s anxiety level” and activate the part of people’s brains that processes threats (the amygdala), which steals resources from the part of the brain that handles problem-solving (the prefrontal cortex). This is why a negative management style is counterproductive: it results in unhappy employees and continuous damage to the organization’s mission. High-pressure, intrusive managers often take their cues from two misconceptions about employees’ happiness: • Misconception #1: That people attain a happy state when they’ve accomplished something worthwhile: Once I achieve my goal, I’ll be happy. This belief can make a boss demanding and uncaring about people’s feelings, thinking they’ll be happy when they’ve done good work. “In fact, it works the other way around,” says Achor. Happiness precedes success. “People who cultivate a positive mind-set perform better in the face of challenge.” • Misconception #2: That how happy people are is largely inborn – some people are naturally cheerful and some people are sourpusses. This belief leads all too many bosses to scorn the “touchie-feelie” stuff because it doesn’t make any difference. But people’s general sense of well-being is “surprisingly malleable,” says Achor. “The habits you cultivate, the way you interact with coworkers, how you think about stress – all these can be managed to increase your happiness and your chances of success.” So he urges managers to take the time and effort to create a more positive culture: “Research shows that when people work with a positive mindset, performance on nearly every level – productivity, creativity, engagement – improves.” And he says that training our brains to be more positive is not very different from training muscles at the gym: specific activities and new habits can literally rewire the brain. Working with a tax company during a very busy and stressful filing season, Achor asked employees to choose one of the following activities and do it every day for three weeks: Jot down three things you’re grateful for. Write a positive message to someone in your social support network. Meditate at your desk for two minutes. Exercise for ten minutes. Take two minutes to describe in a journal the most meaningful experience of the past 24 hours. After three weeks, researchers assessed these tax workers’ level of optimism and life satisfaction and found it was significantly higher than that of a control group – and the advantage was still there four months later. “Just one quick exercise a day kept these tax managers happier for months after the training program had ended,” says Achor. “Happiness had become habitual.” Of the five activities above, the most effective was the second – engaging positively with people in a social network. “Strong social support correlates with an astonishing number of desirable outcomes,” writes Achor. “igh levels of social support predict longevity as reliably as regular exercise does, and low social support is as damaging as high blood pressure.” This works in both directions – providing social support and receiving it. One study found that people who help coworkers who were overwhelmed by their work, pick up slack for others, invite colleagues to lunch, and organize group activities are not only happier but more successful. In another experiment, Achor asked 11,000 employees in a large health-care organization to adopt the “10/5 Way” – when they walked within ten feet of another person in the workplace, they were to make eye contact and smile. When they walked within five feet, they were to say hello. Most people complied, and this simple intervention led to measurable improvements in unique patient visits, patient recommendations, and medical-practice provider scores. “Social support appears to lead to not only happier employees but also more-satisfied clients,” says Achor. Stress is another cause of unhappiness and health problems. There are lots of stress-reduction programs, but some of them get people even more in a tizzy as they worry about all the ill effects. Achor believes that stress is an inevitable part of work – and in fact, it’s often the crucible of personal and professional growth (there’s evidence for this in the biographies of successful people). What’s important is our attitude toward stress. Achor recommends that the next time we’re feeling overwhelmed, we should make a list of the things that are stressing us out and then sort them into two groups: those we can control and those we can’t. “Choose one stress that you can control and come up with a small, concrete step you can take to reduce it,” he says. “In this way you can nudge your brain back to the positive – and productive – mind-set.” “Positive Intelligence: Three Ways Individuals Can Cultivate Their Own Sense of Well-Being and Set Themselves Up to Succeed” by Shawn Achor in Harvard Business Review, January-February 2012 (Vol. 90, #1-2, p. 100-102), no e-link available

When I was a kid, I collected buttons — not the kind you sew on clothes, but the kind with a pin on the back. I had buttons for gymnastics (my childhood passion), “Big Mac attacks,” political campaigns, you name it. I had hundreds of them. More recently, I’ve been collecting motivational quotes because trainers often need them to adorn their classrooms and motivate learners. I started my collection over 15 years ago and continue to add to it. I’ve also tried to capture “favorites” listed online by trainers and educators. Because there are so many, I hope the categories help. Attitude “Doubt is a thief that often makes us fear to tread where we might have won.” ~ William Shakespeare “The best attitude is the sense of gratitude” “If it makes you happy to be unhappy, then be unhappy.” “Life is what you make it” “Attitude not aptitude, determines altitude.” ~ Jesse Jackson “I can have any kind of day I want.” “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, …” ~ The Little Engine that Could “Enthusiasm is contagious. Be a carrier.” ~ Susan Rabin “When life give thousands of reason for struggle, just show millions way to smile.” “What I do best is share my enthusiasm.” ~ Bill Gates “My goal in life: to be the kind of person my dog thinks I am.” “Life’s not about waiting for the storm to pass… It’s about Learning To Dance In The Rain.” ~ Vivian Greene “Frogs have it easy. They can eat whatever’s bugging them.” “’The difference between stumbling blocks and stepping stones is how you use them.” “You can’t do anything about the length of your life, but you can do something about its width and depth”. ~ Evan Esar “Happiness is a perfume. You cannot pour it on others without getting a few drops on yourself.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson “If you do not hope, you will not find what is beyond your hopes.” “Whenever you are in conflict with someone, there is one factor that can make the difference between damaging your relationship and deepening it. That factor is attitude.” ~ William James “Live your life each day as you would climb a mountain. An occasional glance towards the summit keeps the goal in mind, but many beautiful scenes are to be observed from each new vantage point.” ~ Harold B. Melchart “Laughter is a form of internal jogging. It moves your internal organs around. It enhances respiration. It is an igniter of great expectations.” ~ Norman Cousins Change “You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something; build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.” ~Buckminster Fuller “If you don’t change your direction you might end up where you’re going.” “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” ~Nelson Mandela “Nothing changes if nothing changes.” “If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten. ” ~ Anthony Robbins Communication “I know that you believe you understand what you think I said, but I’m not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.” “Good communication is when your words, your voice and your body speak the same language.” “Knowledge is power but communication is empowerment.” “The word that is spoken is never the same as the word that is heard.” Confidence “Never argue with an idiot for they will bring you down to their level and then beat you with experience.” “Some people will like me and some people won’t, so I might as well be myself because then I know that those who like me, really like me.” Hugh Prather “Stand for something or you will fall for anything” “If you believe, you can.” “Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent.” ~Eleanor Roosevelt “You are the difference, that MAKES the difference.” “You were born an original, don’t die a copy .” ~ John Mason Effort “Better to try and fail, than fail to try.” “The difference between ‘try’ and ‘triumph’ is just a little ‘umph’.” “Start from where you are. Work with what you have. Do what you can.” “Don’t spend too much time on the bed, because only prostitutes make money there!! Get Up.” “Excellence begins with the perfection of the basics.” Raytheon “The harder you work, the luckier you get!” “I’m like a duck: calm above the water, and paddling like hell underneath.” ~ Fred Shero “It’s not what you’ve got but what you do with what you’ve got that matters.” “Just do it” ~Nike “The mind is like the land, it gives you precisely what you give it.” In other words, “You get what you think about most of the time.” “The worst form of failure is failing to try.” “Your future is created by what you do today, not tomorrow.” “Expect Nothing. Blame Nobody. Do Something.” “If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause and say, ‘Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well’.” ~ Martin Luther King Jr. “One doesn’t cross a river without getting wet.” “The biggest room is the the room for improvement.” “Be part of the solution, not part of the problem.” “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.” ~ Brian Littrell Leadership “A great leader motivates people. A mediocre leader helps motivated people A bad leader helps no one. “ “The ultimate measure of a leader is not where he/she stands in moments of comfort, but where he/she stands at times of challenge and controversy.” ~ Martin Luther King Jr. “It’s difficult to inspire others to accomplish what you haven’t been willing to try.” “Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” “I always wondered why somebody didn’t do something about that. Then I realized, I was somebody. ~ Lily Tomlin “When you’re getting kicked in the rear, it must mean you’re in front.” “First rule of leadership: to lead the orchestra, you must first turn your back on the crowd.” “They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.” ~Carl W. Buechner “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” ~ John C. Maxwell “Integrity without knowledge is weak and useless, and knowledge without integrity is dangerous and dreadful.” ~ Samuel Johnson “Every right implies a responsibility; Every opportunity, an obligation, Every possession, a duty.” ~ John D. Rockefeller “Leadership is Action, Not Position.” ~ Donald McGannon Learning “It’s what you learn after you know it all that really counts.” “Live as if you will die tomorrow; learn as if you will live forever.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi “If you think you can’t afford learning…….try the cost of ignorance!” “A smart man wants to be understood, a wise man wants to understand.” “The human mind once stretched by a new idea never goes back to its original dimensions.” ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes “It’s not how smart you are, it’s how you are smart.” ~ Howard Gardner “Learning is a process not an event.” Alison Tucker, Buckman Laboratories “Learning is a treasure that follows its owner everywhere.” Unknown “Dry lectures never satisfy a thirst for knowledge.” “You cannot teach a person anything; you can only help him find it within himself.” ~ Galileo Gallilei “You can never learn less…you can only learn more.” ~R Buckminster Fuller “The only thing worse than training good employees and losing them, is not training your employees and keeping them.” ~ Zig Ziglar “Experience is what you get when you don’t get what you want.” ~ Tom Bosch /Dan Stanford “Education’s purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one.” ~ Marcolm Forbes “It’s never too late to learn . . . and it’s never too early either.” “If you study to remember, you will forget. If you study to understand, you will remember.” “I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.” ~ Confucius “Learning is not a spectator sport.” ~ D. Blocher “When you’re through learning, you’re through.” ~ John Wooden “People can take away a lot of things from you . . . but they can’t take away what you’ve learned.” “You can give a person a fish and feed them for a day, or teach them to fish and feed them for a lifetime.” Proverb “Training is a process, not an event. It begins long before participants show up and continues until we see results in the workplace.” Bob Pike Motivation “If not you, who? If not now, when?” Anon “It’s better to die for something, than to live for no good reason.” “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” “You make a path by walking on it.” An African proverb “You only have one life to live, and this is no dress rehearsal!” “Do the right thing. Do it for the right reasons. Do it with the right people. Do it at the right time. do it in the right order. Do it with intensity. Do it for the right results. Do it in the right way.” “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” ~ Winston Churchill “If you aren’t fired with enthusiasm, you will be fired with enthusiasm.” “Courage does not always roar. Sometimes it is a quiet voice at the end of the day, saying… ‘I will try again tomorrow’.” ~ Mary Anne Radmacher “People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.” ~ Zig Ziglar “If you think you are too small to make a difference! Try going to sleep with a mosquito in the room.” Organization “Plan the work. Work the plan.” “Problems are not stop signs, they are guidelines.” ~ Robert Schuller “If you cannot afford to do something right the first time, when can you afford to come back and redo it?” “Measure twice, and cut once!” “Spectacular achievement is always preceded by spectacular preparation.” Perseverance “Never, never, never give up.” ~ Winston Churchill “Don’t wait for your ship to come in. Row out to meet it!” ~ Unknown “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” ~ Nelson Mandela quoting Marianne Williamson “When you fall down, get up.” “The best way to have a good idea, is to have a lot of ideas.” ~ Linus Pauling “The key to everything is patience. You get the chicken by hatching the egg, not by smashing it.” ~ Arnold Glasow “Try again.” “Mistakes are the portals of discovery.” ~ James Joyce “Be like a postage stamp. Stick to it ’til you get there.” ~Harvey Mackay “Behold the turtle! He only makes progress when he sticks his neck out.”~ James Bryant Conant “It’s not how far you fall, but how high you bounce.” “It isn’t the mountains ahead to climb that wear you out; it’s the pebble in your shoe.” ~ Mahammad Ali “A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor a man perfected without trials.” ~ Lucius Annaeus Seneca “Knowing trees, I understand the meaning of patience. Knowing grass, I can appreciate persistence.” ~Hal Borland Risk Taking “Don’t be afraid to go out on a limb, that’s where all the fruit is.” Mark Twain “Be not afraid of going slowly, be afraid only of standing still.” “Nothing great has ever been achieved except by those who dared believe that something inside them was superior to circumstances.” “Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.” ~ Dalai Lama “A ship is safe in harbor, but that’s not what ships are for.” ~ William Shedd “Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex… It takes a touch of genius — and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction.” ~ Albert Einstein “If you risk ‘NOTHING,’ you risk ‘EVERYTHING’.” “The other side of disaster is opportunity.” “Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.” ~ T.S. Elliot “Don’t worry about failures, worry about the chances you miss when you don’t even try.” ~ Jack Canfield “The impossible: What nobody can do until somebody does it.” “There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home.” ~ Ken Olson, founder Digital Equipment “Sometimes you just have to take the leap and build your wings on the way down.” ~ Kobi Yamada “You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.” ~ Christopher Columbus “If you’re not prepared to be wrong, you’ll never come up with anything original.” ~ Ken Robinson Success “Every organization is perfectly designed to get the results it is getting.” “Being open to new ideas is a universal strength of the truly successful.” “Half of being smart is knowing what you’re dumb at.”~ Solomon Short “It’s always the right time to do the right thing.” ~ Martin Luther King “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” ~ Seneca “When I play hockey I don’t skate to where the puck is; I skate to where it will be.” ~ Wayne Gretzky “Whether you think you can or think you can’t–you’re right.” ~ Henry Ford “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” ~ Winston Churchill “There are many paths to the top.” “If you can imagine it, you can achieve it. If you can dream it, you can become it.” “Some people dream of success . . . others wake up and work hard at it.” “Life does not consist of holding good cards, but of playing a poor hand well.” “Even if you’re on the right track you’ll get run over by a train if you just stand there.” “Logic will take you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.” ~ Albert Einstein “Success each day should be measured by the seeds sown, not the harvest reaped.” ~ John Maxwell “Success comes in cans, not can’ts.” “In any situation, the best thing you can do is the right thing; the next best thing you can do is the wrong thing; the worst thing you can do is nothing.” ~ Theodore Roosevelt “The Road to success is always under construction.” Teams “Build bridges not walls.” “Winning is not everything; it is far better to play the game squarely and lose than to win at the sacrifice of an ideal.” ~ Andy Smith “The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person doing it.” ~ Unknown “Conflict is inevitable, but combat is optional.” ~ Max Lucade “To the world you may be just one person, but to one person you may be the world.” ~ Brandi Snyder Time “You may not have time in this life to do everything you want, but you have plenty of time to do what’s MOST important.” ~Sanaya Roman Additional Motivational Quotes Resources Pinterest is a great source for quotes with interesting graphics. Here’s my collection on Pinterest. Vince Lombardi has a wonderful collection of quotes covering teamwork, commitment, success, discipline, leadership, winning, excellence, mental toughness, habit, passion, and truth. 55 Inspiring Quotes with great typographical presentation

I’ve been following a rich discussion on Time Management on the T&D Training and Development LinkedIN group. One of the group members recently asked if there was a good way to capture all of the great time management tips located within the discussion. So, in the interest of Time Management, I took it upon myself to synthesize and organize the contributions. I will try to keep it updated as more comments are added. Quick Time Management Tips ORGANIZATION Create schedules – when you will do email, return phone calls, or “get work done” Keep track of how long things take so you can plan accordingly Know when you’re at your best – do the work that requires the most attention at this time Prioritize – every morning ask, “What is the most important thing to do today?” Or, “If I get nothing else accomplished today, what is the most important task today I need to accomplish today!” (Michael Woodard) Create time-logs so you know where your time is going Distinguish “want to” from “have to” “It is not about managing your time, but about managing priorities; we don’t lack time, we lack direction. The key is to distinguish the ‘vital few’ tasks from the ‘trivial many’ tasks.” (Matthew Moxon) Track progress daily COVEY’S “THE 5 CHOICES” Act on the important, don’t react to the urgent Go for the extraordinary, don’t settle for the ordinary Schedule the big rocks, don’t sort the gravel Rule the technology, don’t let it rule you Fuel your fire, don’t burn out More info here. STRATEGIES FOCUS – Use 60-minute focus sessions Put a price on the cost of meetings The Dreaded Task set a 5-15 minute timer and work on one aspect of the task for that designated amount of time, without interruptions (no phone or email except for emergencies) “Eat the Frog” – do the dreaded task first thing in the morning The Whiteboard Grid – One technique I find highly effective is to divide a large, prominently displayed whiteboard into sections for all the important parts of my role. For example I have sections for dealing with email, marketing, CPD, and so on. At the end of every day, use the board to review the day’s activities and put a green happy face (or whatever) for all the ones where something has been achieved that day, and a red unhappy face (or whatever) for all the ones no-one has done anything. Great for focusing on what’s really important and no To-Do lists. (Richard Andrews) TRACK – ANALYZE – SET GOALS: TRACK how you *currently* spend your time (log all activity in an Outlook calendar using categories such as “professional development”, “reading email”, “telecommuting”, “vacation”, “one-on-one support” etc. ); ANALYZE the calendar by exporting it to Excel and use data functions to calculate the amount of time spent on each category; finally, SET GOALS (after looking at how you currently spend your time, re-evaluate your schedule and set goals to better plan your time). (Debra Dexter) Create free, “open-door” times Establish rituals for certain repeated tasks Think of time the same way out do investment of money Learn to say “no” Delegate Create and stick to schedules Focus on “self-management” not “time management” Talk less, listen more. Don’t gossip. Give problems cooling down time before you tackle them. ON DELEGATION Understand the challenges of delegation. Sharon Gander captures them like this: Many (most) of us are individual contributors with no one to whom we can delegate Even those who have someone to whom they could delegate are not good at doing so. The “stuff” we could delegate is often the stuff we enjoy doing and have no desire to delegate We don’t like to ask for help on the stuff that we find difficult, even though it may be that someone else loves to do that stuff and would love to be asked to help out LISTS AND LIST ALTERNATIVES Create a To-Do list DAILY Forget “to do” lists, and instead create “results” lists (Duncan Brodie) Instead of notepad lists, try “sticky notes.” They let you skip around if needed, and they can be color-coded. Use the Time management 2×2 Matrix of importance and urgency. Focus on the “important” quadrants, not just the urgent ones. (Steven Covey) ON EMAIL Use filters and file folders to move content by sender or topic If you have a secretary, teach them how to “triage” your email Have yourself taken off distribution lists you never read Go to work an hour early to clear out overnight emails. Schedule times to look at email . . . don’t check it every 10 seconds! Resources and Models Steven Covey’s Time Management Matrix.  David Allen’s Getting Things Done, (a.k.a. GTD) Mark Forster’s Do It Tomorrow – among other things, in the book he explains about two different processes in the brain: ‘Stimulus – Reaction’ and ‘Thought – Decision – Action’. Learn more on the "Get Everything Done blog." Owen Fitzpatrick’s Not Enough Hours. Sally McGhee’s Take Back Your Life: Using Microsoft® Outlook® to Get Organized and Stay Organized Self-Assessment Understand it as SELF-MANAGEMENT not TIME MANAGEMENT and take the time to Assess yourself! Identify your personal time robbers (procrastinating difficult work/creative work? ineffective \ delegation? inability to say no to requests? poor meeting management?) Determine goal setting and goal attainment capability (failure to identify goals? failure to set priorities against goals? too many or poorly written goals? failure to determine if activities connect to an important goal?) Recognize and capitalize on your peak efficiency hours (are you doing the more difficult work during peak times?) Set boundaries (establishing a start/stop time for the day? managing interruptions – emails, phone calls, visitors, meetings?) (Karina Napuri) INFRASTRUCTURE vs. REVENUE vs. STRATEGY. Tracy Gravensande credits Shirlaws Business Coaches with this method: look at how you spend time based on three areas of business – Infrastructure (cost based activities), Revenue and Strategy. Each type of activity requires a different energy level. By organising based on these categories I have found that my energy levels aren’t as undulating as they were before I began to use this technique – when I would be working on admin activities for half and hour and then moving on to revenue and back again, etc. This has certainly led to increased productivity and better results all round. (Tracy Gravesande) Activities In addition to the time management tips above, these time management activities can raise awareness and initiate rich conversations about the use of time. Icebreakers: Start with an ice-breaker where each team member shares their best practice as it relates to time management. You may want to give the team a heads-up on this request so they can think about it before the session. This type of exercise begins the workshop on a positive note while offering meaningful tips in the context of their own work environment. (Jill McGillen) Mayo Jar: Read more about this visual example of using rocks, pebbles, sand, and water to fill up a mayo jar. Read More Brain Science of Procrastination Time Management Activities (including the “Jar Illustration” mentioned above)  

Many years ago, I taught Negotiation and Conflict Resolution with a group called “Conflict Management, Inc.” They were an offshoot of the Harvard Negotiation Project. Every so often, I’m asked, “can you recommend an activity or icebreaker that will help launch a soft-skills workshop?” The Arm Exercise (a.k.a. Arm Wrestle Icebreaker) remains one of my all-time favorites, to break the ice or raise awareness of assumptions. It’s active, quick, and clearly establishes the need for training, showing our tendency to: Assume a zero-sum world Approach negotiations as adversaries Restrict communication Limit negotiators’ ability to find an optimal solution Setting up the Arm Exercise — Never say “WRESTLE”! You must never say the words “arm wrestle.” Here’s what you do: Have everyone find a partner.  Ask partners to “assume this position.” Demonstrate with a volunteer, and hand link position with both of your elbows on the table. Explain, “This is a very easy exercise. There are two things you must know. - You get a point if the back of your partner’s hand touches the table - You want to get as many points for yourself as possible. You don’t care about anyone else. - “Each ‘point’ is worth one M&M. You will have only 10 seconds to get as many M&Ms as you can. GO.” The Debrief Poll the group: By a show of hands, ask how many points each person got. “0 points?” “1-5 points?” “6-20 points?” “More than 20?” Behavior questions: For a team that got a LOT of points, ask, “What did you do?” If everyone gets locked, ask “How did you lock? Why? Could you have done anything differently?” Offer to show how some teams generated many points: by either flip-flopping their hands backward and forward or by repeatedly tapping one player’s hand on the table and agreeing to share the points. Reasoning questions: For pairs who got many points, ask how or why they did what they did. How did they come to that? Who said what to whom? What were you thinking? Did the person who came up with the idea offer to tap the back of their partner’s hand on the table, rather than their own? Assumptions questions: For teams that got very few points, try to tease out the assumptions they made that limited their success, such as: We’ve seen this game before We know how this game is played We assumed no communication We assumed we had to keep our hands together We didn’t trust each other We assumed the rules were set Conclusions At the end of the arm wrestle icebreaker, discuss how difficult it is to dismantle assumptions and develop a collaborative approach when folks assume that more for one person means less for the other. Read More on Icebreakers Icebreakers to Start a Soft Skills Session Probing Questions for Goal-Setting Icebreakers Icebreakers for Virtual Meetings and Training Networking Icebreakers for Large Groups

I recently came across the term and book Gamification, by Gabe Zichermann and Christopher Cunningham, which seems to have taken the marketing world by storm. The word refers to “the use of game play elements for non-game applications.” Companies are using it to make their websites, social media, and mobile apps “sticky, viral, and engaging to their customers.” I also had the pleasure of meeting Gabe after his recent presentation at the NEMOA Direct Xchange Conference for direct marketers. As I listened, I considered not only how gamification could help Trainers Warehouse, but more importantly, how it could help teachers and trainers understand and maximize the effectiveness of learning games? My reflections on how gamifying learning is both old and new, can be found on both the Gamification blog and below. Gamification History While it’s a hot buzzword for today’s marketers, it’s hardly a new concept for teachers and trainers. In the early 1980′s the term “edutainment” came into vogue as software developers looked to create applications that would be both educational and entertaining. Their goal, three decades ago, was to marry children’s computer games and learning. Two decades ago, in the early 1990s, Active-Learning (AL) became a much talked-about topic in the adult learning world, and has continued to grow in popularity since then. Active learning covers methods such as class discussions, “think-pair-share,” student debate, video discussions, role playing, and of course, game-play. In fact, during this time, Trainers Warehouse, has grown as the go-to source for creating tools, toys, and games to make learning more innovative, fun and effective. Although the concept is not new, watching the evolution of Game-Based Learning (GBL) has been exciting. In grade school, I remember matching games were quite popular, as a method to learn vocabulary or concepts. 10 years ago, Jeopardy-like games were the go-to game paradigm for energetic, competitive learning reinforcement games. Today, we look to games to do even more heavy-lifting—not just help to reinforce and remember information already presented, but we look to games as a way to introduce new information and engage the mind in fun, challenging, emotional, competitive, and memorable ways. As an example, see how third grade teacher, Mr. Pai, has transformed his class. Finding Games Ideas for games that support a variety of learning initiatives are everywhere – in books, in card decks, for sale online, for free in blogs and in social media discussion groups, for hire through consultants. Games seem to have been created to cover every topic under the sun — icebreakers or openers, teambuilding, communication, leadership, project management, process improvement, customer service, sales, marketing, banking, you name it. Making Games If you can’t find a game already created for your content, you can create your own. Lots of “game guys” are out there waiting to create a snazzy customized game for you, complete with all the latest and greatest in game design. It will take some time and some “kish-cay” (my son’s term) – but it’ll be good. However, if that is simply cost-prohibitive, you can still “gamify” your training with popular game structures or “Frame Games,” (a term that Dr. Sivasailam Thiagarajan, a.k.a. “Thiagi” uses), consisting of generic shells into which you can load your own content, for instant customization. Some games are geared toward information discovery—that is, learning new information. Others act as learning reinforcement and memory aids. Many do both. Following are some popular options. Jeopardy-like games This is my starting point, because it’s so popular and familiar. Although there are many free versions online, those tend to be loaded with advertisements and do not look particularly professional. The great thing about Jeopardy-like games is that they can be easily adapted for live, webinar, and online learning. They can also accommodate individual play, team play or “all-play” needs. Although Jeopardy is often perceived as a reinforcement game, you can also use it to introduce new material—starting and stopping the play to explain a new concept, explore nuances of an answer, or clarify confusion. Other TV Game Shows the vendors listed above also base learning games on TV favorites such as: Family Feud, Who wants to be a Millionaire? Wheel of Fortune, Money Taxi, Hollywood Squares, etc. You can easily add your own content into these games. Points and Prizes First, consider what behaviors you’d like to reward – participation, correct answers, timely attendance, etc.? Next, choose a currency to award when students display that behavior. It can be points, play money, self-made scratch tickets, raffle tickets, candy, tokens, or anything else collectible. At the end of your session, reward a prize to the winner and/or the one who’s made the best comeback. Throwables Balls connote game play. They can be used to call on individual contribution or team play. You can easily toss a ball around to solicit contributions. To make a game of it, set people into teams and reward points for correct answers, or take away points for “dropping the ball” with an incorrect answer. Interactivities Interactivity Games are a new style of participatory play developed for online learning. They are generally short and quick, and can be easily inserted into your online course, no matter what authoring tool you happen to use. Sports games, puzzles, flashcards, and Jeopardy-style games all translate well to the online learning environment. What we can learn from Gamification Clearly, we have a myriad of options when it comes to training games. The question for us seems to be not whether to play, but what to play? and how to play? in order to maximize effectiveness. Be aware that true Gamification experts optimize playing experiences for a range of player types, identified by Bartles as Killers, Achievers, Socializers, and Explorers. As trainers looking to simply engage our learners at a deeper level, we haven’t segmented our participants into Player Styles (we have enough industry debate Learning Styles!). Perhaps that’s our next challenge. Meanwhile, let’s embrace the findings of our friends in the marketing department, who have done the research to know that game play is most satisfying when players get to: Compete (against themselves or others) Accumulate points or currency Move to increasing levels of difficulty Face new challenges and celebrate achievements View success and status on “leader boards” that show the highest-ranking players. Indeed, many of the games listed above are successful game experiences because they already employ many of these basic techniques. They are also effective learning techniques because they motivate participation, evoke emotion, challenge the brain, and engage our minds. However, like marketers, let us always keep in mind our reason for playing. For trainers, it’s not to win customers, build fans, or collect survey results – but our games do have a purpose. We are responsible for the growth and development of people. We must view games as engaging vehicles for learning and only select games that will achieve our desired learning results.

I was so happy to come across this great TED talk where Sunni Brown talks about the misconceptions and benefits of doodling. It’s under 6 minutes and worth the watch!  

David Gibson gave me permission to share this terrific exercise on coaching and giving appropriate feedback. All you’ll need is about 12 marker pens and a box the size of a waste paper bin or the waste paper bin itself, plus 3 volunteers. Conducting the exercise is fairly simple: Ask the 3 volunteers to leave the room. Let the group know that they are to remain silent throughout the next part of the exercise. Ask Volunteer 1 to return. Give Volunteer 1 the 12 pens and ask them to close their eyes and not to re-open them until you say it’s time Place the box 3-4 meters away from your volunteer. Let the volunteer know that there’s a box in front of them and that they are to throw as many of the pens as possible into the bin. Instruct them to start (while everyone else remains silent). Thank the volunteer and ask them to take a seat. Chances are that none of the pens will actually go into the box. Now you will move on to Volunteer 2. This time . . . Tell the group of observers, “You may now offer feedback but non-specific feedback. For instance, after throw 4 you say ‘the first throw was closer,’ or ‘you throw like my grandmother,’ or ‘ nice throwing action, nice try’ (even if it isn’t). Ask Volunteer 2 to return. Give Volunteer 2 the 12 pens and ask them to close their eyes and not to re-open them until you say it’s time. Place the box 3-4 meters away from your volunteer. Let the volunteer know that there’s a box in front of them and that they are to throw as many of the pens as possible into the bin. Instruct them to start and encourage the non-specific feedback from the group. Thank the volunteer and ask them to take a seat. Chances are, again, no pens will go into the box. Time to move on to Volunteer 3. This time . . . Give the following instructions to the group of observers, “Offer specific feedback, now. For instance, ‘a little harder,’ ‘more to the right,’ ‘more to the left,’ etc. Ask Volunteer 3 to return. Give Volunteer 3 the 12 pens and ask them to close their eyes and not to re-open them until you say it’s time. Place the box 3-4 meters away from your volunteer. Let the volunteer know that there’s a box in front of them and that they are to throw as many of the pens as possible into the bin. Instruct them to start and encourage the group to give specific feedback. Thank the volunteer and ask them to take a seat. On this third try, chances are the pens started to go into the box. Debrief Ask volunteer 1 how it felt – they are likely to respond with such things as, I had no ideas where I was throwing the pens or where the box (target) was, so I just kept throwing randomly. Ask volunteer 2 how it felt – they are likely to respond with, it was a bit confusing as I was asked to repeat like throw 1 but that was 5 throws before and I couldn’t remember, I liked when they said it was nice but nice in what way, it would have been better if they could have given me specific information. Ask volunteer 3 how it felt – they are likely to respond, it was great getting specific things to try, the first throw was random but after that I felt like I was getting closer to the target with each throw and nice to have a cheer when I actually started getting the pens in the box. Ask the group to work in teams and generate a list of what great feedback should include:Expect them to come up with advice such as: feedback needs to be given or no change will happen; feedback should be specific and timely; feedback should be positive, actionable and meaningful. Thank you David for this suggestion and contribution! David Gibson is currently a Training Facilitator for Eureka’s Train-The-Training workshops at Eureka! in the UK. READ MORE ON COACHING & FEEDBACK Constructive Criticism, an Oxymoron 

This Fast Company article makes a great point about how multi-tasking does not necessarily make us more productive. Likely, it’s just the opposite. Doing two things at once, like singing while you take a shower, is not the same as instant messaging while writing a research report. Don’t fool yourself into thinking you can multitask jobs that need your full attention. You’re not really having a conversation while you write; you’re shifting your attention back and forth between the two activities quickly. You’re juggling. When you juggle tasks, your work suffers AND takes longer–because switching tasks costs. Try This To see what it’s like to use the SAME part of your brain for two different activities, try this: Rotate your right foot clockwise and keep it going. At the same time, with your right hand, draw the number 6. Can’t do it? Try writing with the other hand. You might also share my experience of talking (hands-free) on the phone while driving. It all works well until you hear a siren or see something unusual. At that point, you’re likely to shift your focus or say, “hold on, I need to pay attention to the road.” What's Happening? Brain Science at Work Required Parts of the Brain: If you need the same part of your brain to complete both tasks, you may simply perform one at a time. Your brain will quickly alternate between both activities making it seem like they are concurrent. In the worst cases, you might forget one of the tasks altogether. Check out the work of neuroscientists Etienne Koechlin and Sylvain Charron of the French biomedical research agency INSERM in Paris. Fidget to Focus: In their book, Fidget to Focus, Sarah Wright and Roland Rotz explain that doing a mindless task, like fidgeting or doodling can actually make those who suffer from ADHD more productive. Some have suggested that in prehistoric times, focusing 100% on a single task could leave us vulnerable to predators. Maybe that’s why we’re so easily distracted when our phone or computer bings with a message, or we become aware of someone standing nearby as they away a moment to jump in with a question. Mindless tasks or those that use different parts of the brain can enhance productivity, utilizing that otherwise counterproductive floating attention. Costs of Switching Tasks: Scientists out of UC Irvine suggest that after a task is interrupted, workers can usually make up lost time by working faster, but the interrupted conditions correlate to greater stress and frustration. They say, “Surprisingly our results show that interrupted work is performed faster. We offer an interpretation. When people are constantly interrupted, they develop a mode of working faster (and writing less) to compensate for the time they know they will lose by being interrupted. Yet working faster with interruptions has its cost: people in interrupted conditions experienced a higher workload, more stress, higher frustration, more time pressure, and greater effort. So interrupted work may be done faster but at a price. Take a Walk! Those seeking ways to increase productivity will be more successful if they busy themselves with an additional mindless activity, like doodling or fidgeting, rather than with a distracting activity that interrupts their chain of thought or uses a similar area of the brain. Alternatively, committed multitaskers might consider taking a walk or chewing gum while they’re thinking, talking, or working.

Even before the COVID-19 outbreak, trainers looking to make their webinars as interactive as their live training sessions asked about virtual icebreakers. I initially put this blog post together several years ago, but am updating it now to reflect new ideas and new resources that have become available in response to our increased need to engage participants in online learning, remote meetings, zoom gatherings, webinars, and more. Warm up your Group with virtual icebreakers  Invite people to informally check in 10-15 minutes prior to the start of a working session. Or ask them to stay on for a few minutes afterward to talk, if they can. Some may relish the opportunity to chat, while others may be anxious to bypass that time and just get to work. If you plan way ahead, you could even email or mail meeting tools that will be referenced during the meeting. Facilitation Techniques — Have a plan! You can facilitate an icebreaker in several ways. One or more of these might make sense depending on the size of your group. Whatever you decide, have a plan and communicate it clearly to participants. Free-for-all – if you don’t have too many participants, just let the conversation flow naturally Facilitated Free-for-all – Let conversation flow, but the facilitator should step in if one person is monopolizing the conversation or if others “raise a hand” or otherwise indicate an interest in chiming in Take turns – have the facilitator “call on” participants to answer a question Pass the “mic” – have one person answer a question then pass it on to another Encourage CHAT or QUESTIONS so more can chime in – if using a tool where participants can type or text contributions, you can get away from one-person-talks-at-a-time frustrations Utilize BREAKOUT ROOMS – welcome small groups to break apart, have smaller group discussions then come back and report highlights to the larger group Quick Facilitation Tools UNZiP-it! Remote – For an easy virtual icebreaker, share your screen to reveal a playful PowerPoint presentation that lets you press a button and randomly choose a conversation prompt. UNZiP-it Remote, by Trainers Warehouse, is available for a variety of topics: Common Ground, Getting to Know You, Onward & Upward (dealing with Change), Favorites, Session Openers, and more to come Penny for your Thoughts – Michelle Cummings of Training Wheels shares this icebreaker (and a myriad of other virtual icebreakers), whereby you have each participant bring a penny to the online session. When introducing themselves, have them relate their intro to the date on the penny. If you’re working with kids, have them find a penny with a date no older than their birth year. Play a song – some of the meeting platforms play a song for those who arrive early to the meeting. Select a song from Laughable Lyrics for a meeting-themed song, or pick another favorite (that you’re licensed to share). Take a poll – if your meeting interface has polling capability, take a poll to engage participants and keep the session engaging. Other virtual icebreakers Symo Training: 21 free virtual icebreakers Guided Insights: This site is a terrific source for many virtual icebreaker ideas. Photos: Invite participants to post a photo of themselves, state a few comments about their background, expectations for the team/meeting/course, and other pertinent information. Depending on the culture and comfort level of participants, you may want to ask them to include some personal information as a means of building relationships, such as hobbies or favorite sports. Photo Matching: Another variation on the photo theme: Try asking people to send their photos to a central place that others (except the facilitator/leader) can’t see at first. During the first call, you can ask people to try to match the voice to the photo Social Greetings: Greet each person as s/he hops on the call. Ask people a “social” question of each person as s/he joins. (Examples: “It’s 10 below in Boston this morning. How’s Tokyo?” or “Steve, where are you headed for vacation next week?”) However, don’t delay the start time just to prolong this social check-in. Once everyone has joined, be ready to jump right in with your agenda During the meeting Facilitation Techniques – if you have lots of people on the call, consider how to maximize their experience Multiple Presenters – it’s easier to focus if one person isn’t talking the whole time Co-Facilitate – have one person monitor the question or chat box to direct questions to the appropriate panelist Change it up every 20 minutes – people can’t focus too long on one thing. Be sure to take breaks, ask questions, and vary your delivery Welcome “Chatter” and “Questions” – keep an eye on your group’s input and feedback as you go. Don’t wait until the end. Play a Jeopardy Game – Engage participants with an interactive game. Top 10 TV GameShows lets you play a PowerPoint-based game on your computer. Share your screen and invite people to “raise a hand” to answer a question, or call on participants, giving equal time to each team. Gameshow Pro also lets you play Jeopardy-style games live or online. Insert jokes or “groaners” – silly as they may be, they create a mental break and add playful energy to your meeting. Trainers Warehouse’s Punchlines and Groaners can be a good resource of ready-to-go material, and because it’s PowerPoint, you can easily change the backgrounds to match your presentation. Conference Call Bingo – A friendly game of BINGO can help your group stay focused. Don’t forget a prize for the winner! Poll the Group – Polls are a fun way to introduce material, test understanding, and gather opinions. They keep people energized, engaged, and participating, even if they aren’t speaking. More Meeting Tips Also from Guided Insights… Who’s There?: Right before you officially begin the meeting, you may want to announce who’s on the call, time permitting. If you’re using a web meeting tool that allows everyone to see who’s online, you can avoid the verbal roll call. Clock: At the start of each meeting, ask participants to draw a clock. As each one joins the call, assign a number as s/he joins, starting at 1:00. If you expect more than 12 participants, use half-hour increments. When you want to poll the group quickly, start anywhere on the clock and go in either direction. This is also helpful to remember who you have not yet heard from. 1-10 Check-in: Assess the “temperature” of the team intermittently. For example, ask: “On a scale of 1-10, let’s go around the virtual room and ask how close we are to achieving our objectives for this call.” Or if you’re using a web meeting tool, post a quick survey that can be anonymous to assess where people are. For example, using a scale of 1-10, ask about the relative energy level of each participant Paraphrase: If some have a limited command of the predominant language, let everyone know that you will paraphrase frequently to ensure shared understanding. Invite everyone to ask others to slow down or provide an explanation, or to admit confusion Team-building Games Murder Mystery – Online: Use this popular 30-minute Murder Mystery game to improve communication skills, team building, problem solving, leadership, and more. Send one or more of the 27 clues to each participant and challenge them to find the murderer, victim, time & place of the murder, and motive in 15 minutes — without writing anything down and using only verbal communication. If you have a large group, do make use online breakout rooms. After each team plays, they can select a spokesperson to share their team’s experience with the rest of the group. Zin Obelisk – Online: A challenging mathematical puzzle is made even more complex, by using made-up words in the fictitious, ancient city of Atlantis. There, a solid, rectangular obelisk -called a zin and was built in honor of the goddess Tina. The structure took less than two weeks to complete and the group’s task is to determine the day of the week on which the obelisk was completed. For virtual play, email a few clues to each player and try to sort it out over the phone–maybe with a shared online whiteboard! After all clear phone communication is more important now than ever! Normally, teams consist of 5-8 players. If you have a larger group of people you can use online breakout rooms. After each team plays, they can select a spokesperson to share their team’s experience with the rest of the group. Colourblind – Online: Virtual Teams of ideally 6 – 14 members gather and share knowledge to identify 2 colored abstract shapes that are missing from a complete set. If you have a larger group of people you can use online breakout rooms. After each team plays, they can select a spokesperson to share their team’s experience with the rest of the group. The communication processes involved are much more complex and take participants through increasingly sophisticated patterns of active listening until the task is achieved. Individuals draw on their experience and descriptive skills to explain to each other abstract shapes that they can see on their screens, but cannot share with the others. They use feedback and clarification skills to ensure that their understanding is accurate. MORE TO COME… After the Meeting Maximize the memorability of their session by thinking about the whole experience–from virtual icebreakers before the session begins, to playful facilitation techniques during the live event, to follow-up “touches” after the meeting. For full effectiveness, don’t forget to: Send an email highlighting key points Circulate a list of attendees, including names, phone numbers, and/or emails (as appropriate, as long as folks have given their permission), so individual participants can be in touch with one another Send a post-card, a tactile reminder of time spent together With all of these tools at our disposal, we can get through COVID and other challenges thrown at us, if we get creative and do it together. Beyond Virtual Icebreakers – More tools for online meetings Zoom – Zoom offers a few best practices ideas, such as: launch a poll and share results; share a blank page, maze, or word search. Also, give attendees Drawing Tools; create a “meet and greet” using chat; launch a test and use Chat to collect initial reactions. Guided Insights – One of my favorite sources was Guided Insights. They are a facilitation, training and strategic communications consulting firm founded by Nancy Settle-Murphy. New Social Learning Blog – find 10 online icebreakers. Includes familiar exercises: Two Truths and a Lie, Three Words, What’s on your Reading List?, and Same and Different  

Three statements; one is not true: 1) I believe in icebreakers. 2) Good icebreakers are easy to find. 3) “Two truths and a Lie” can be a good icebreaker. If you asked me last year, I’d say there were two lies in the three statements above and only one truth. I have to admit, I turned up my nose to the idea of the “Two Truths” icebreaker. I took it to be an overused, unimaginative, and frivolous use of time. I also hear one colleaugue in my mind who says, "I hate to start a session asking people to lie." However, Bill Casey’s online posting of an interesting twist on the exercise has changed my mind. Two features of his explanation are responsible for challenging my thinking. First, he explains the purpose of the exercise; and second, he uses the content throughout the day to lighten the mood and foster communication and networking. Casey writes: When using the “3 Fact & 1 Lie” exercise, I ask participants to write down three facts about themselves and one lie. When introducing the exercise I explain, “You are here to learn X, but as adults often do, you will learn a great deal from each other. Hopefully you will even stay connected beyond our seminar. If you can learn a few interesting facts about each other, it will be much easier to have hallway conversations AND stay in touch. I have a way to help us do that. . .” This explanation enables the exercise to proceed without skepticism and with full participation. Then, throughout the day, I’ll read a few submissions. Together, we vote on what we think are the truths versus the lie, and give away prizes to best liar(s) at the end. In addition to conducting the exercise so that participants can learn a bit about each other, Casey’s method of facilitating the icebreaker induces lots of laughter (which stimulates the brain), offers a ready source of super quick brain breaks when needed, and entices people back at the end of a break or breakout. As for the other two statements above: I do believe in icebreakers–that is true. However, I feel that finding one that’s worth the time can be tricky, making statement 2 a lie. Be Transparent about your Purpose One of the challenges with icebreaker activities, openers, and session-starters is that participants roll their eyes as soon as they hear the term. Sure, some like them, but others immediately don their protective shields, wondering what uncomfortable situation they’ll soon face. Help your group by prefacing the experience with your goals and rationale. Something like one of these, “In order to help you locate others with shared interests, we’re going to…” “We’re going to be working on team dynamics. In order to have positive conversations, let’s… “We’ll only be together for a few hours, but after that, I hope you’ll be able to reach out to others, so… “I know you all have a lot on your minds, about what you hope to achieve here. So that you can achieve those goals, we want to take some time to share…” “We’re going to have a very participatory experience here. To get the conversation going early, I hope to…” As in Bill Casey’s example above, you might also explain how to use what you learn throughout the learning event. If you’re not going to be calling people by name, then don’t spend time on a name game. Icebreakers You Can Rely On THUMBALL: One of our favorite icebreakers is the Session Openers Thumball. Throwing a ball around the room instantly creates a playful environment. Beyond that, the ball’s 32 discussion prompts focus on goals, motivations, and aspirations. They’re easy to answer and can easily be related to course content. Those with smaller budgets can create their own by purchasing a colorful beachball and writing prompts on it with a Sharpie marker. CHOOSE ONE: If you like props and card decks, another good one is the Choose One Game. Each one of the cards in the huge 300-card decks has two opposite words. Players pick a card, then explain either which of the two words describes them, or where they might lie on the continuum. Facilitators can tie this to their training or event in two ways: 1) select only the cards that link in some way to the content, and 2) ask players to make a connection between their answer and their session goal. PHOTO PLAY: Facilitators can set our a random group of photos from a card deck, magazine, or set of postcards. They would ask players to select a card that reflects a/an… Aspect of themselves Quality they feel will help them be successful during the event Goal they hope to achieve Worry or concern that might hold them back Place they lived or hope to visit etc…. How you facilitate the Two Truths and One Lie Icebreaker can depend on whether it’s a playful way to build energy and relationships, or a useful way to open a training session. If you make a practice of thinking first about your goals and then adapting your activity to those needs, you’ll find success in any icebreakers you choose. Read More about Icebreakers Icebreakers that Make the Most of Every Minute Networking Icebreakers for Large Groups Virtual Icebreakers for Online Meetings Icebreakers to Start a Soft-Skills Session Probing Questions for Icebreakers and Goal Setting

As I culled through this week’s Marshall Memo I was pleased to find a bunch of suggestions to increase student participation. I was even more pleased that “Dry-erase boards” made the list. Shown is our very first Answer Board consisted of a whiteboard hot-glued to a paddle ball handle (circa 2001). I believe it was about 10 years ago that we were sitting in a Trainers Warehouse product meeting, thinking about creative ways we could use whiteboards to enhance a training and learning environment. My dad, then in his mid-60s, expressed his personal frustration regarding the difficulty in reading small-print name badges. That started our brainstorm. In the end, we decided to launch a new product called “whiteboard on a stick,” which could be used for multiple purposes — name badges, walk-around icebreakers, and answer boards. By far, the most popular use of “Whiteboards-on-a-Stick” has been answer boards. Since then, we’ve been flattered to see the idea replicated many “do-it-yourselfers.” For the other 8 eight ideas, you can read Kim Marshall‘s synopsis below: In this Kappa Delta Pi Record article, Greg Conderman and Laura Hedin of Northern Illinois University and Chicago-area teacher Val Bresnahan describe some ways that effective teachers increase students’ active involvement and thereby boost learning: • Unison responses – The teacher asks a question, allows a few moments of think time, uses a verbal or non-verbal cue for students to give a choral response, and then confirms or reinforces the right answer. For example, When I touch each underlined digit in each number on the overhead, say its place value, or I will say the state name, and when I signal, say the capital city. “Unison responses encourage all students to actively practice many skills throughout an instructional period, provide teachers with frequent information about each student’s progress, maintain students’ attention, and thus significantly accelerate student progress,” say the authors. • Response cards – Students write the answers to all-class questions on index cards, and the teacher scans them and validates right answers. Different answers might be signaled by different color cards. For example, in a music class, students might hold up the card for the musical genre they just heard. Incorrect answers cue the teacher to reteach or clarify student misconceptions. • Dry-erase boards – Students write answers to an all-class question on their individual boards (for example, Write as many words as you can that rhyme with fall) and then, on a signal, hold them up, allowing the teacher to see how students did and follow up if necessary. • Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down – Students can indicate their response to a question with these hand signals – for example, Can a country with a monarchy government impeach its ruler? or Does a mammal’s body temperature change? • Numbered heads together – The teacher poses a question and small cooperative groups discuss what the right answer is. Students within each group have a number, and the teacher then calls on a particular number at random for a response. All students with that number stand to share their group’s answer (or display them on dry-erase boards). For example, groups might evaluate a piece of writing using a rubric. • Jigsaw – A unit of study is cut into component parts, each member of 5-or-6-student cooperative groups is given a piece, has time to study it, gathers in “expert” groups to think it through, and then returns to his or her cooperative group where students teach their pieces and the group works on understanding the unit as a whole. For example, students might use jigsaw to study several aspects of a country or region – history, natural resources, tourist attractions, famous citizens, and industries. • Reciprocal teaching – The teacher reads a passage and thinks aloud to model four comprehension strategies: questioning, summarizing, clarifying, and predicting. Working in groups, students gradually take over responsibility for these four skills, with the teacher circulating to monitor their work. For example, a science teacher might have students read a section of a textbook on renewable resources to identify main ideas and predict impact. • Think-pair-share – The teacher gives students an open-ended question to consider, gives think time (during which students might jot ideas), then has students pair up and discuss their ideas with a partner and respond to a challenge or task. Pairs then share their ideas with the whole class. For example, an English teacher might ask pairs to identify one character in a novel or play and think of distinguishing characteristics and traits. • Peer teaching – Students sit in pairs and each partner takes a turn teaching an instructional task that the teacher introduced earlier. This requires careful pairing of students and prior training in tutoring skills, but is a valuable activity for students at all levels. “Promoting Active Involvement in Today’s Classrooms” by Greg Conderman, Val Bresnahan, and Laura Hedin in Kappa Delta Pi Record, Summer 2011 (Vol. 47, #4, p. 174-180), https://kdpconnect.kdp.org/jit/download.aspx?ProductNumber=RSM11_Conderman. Kim Marshall offers a terrific reading service! The subscription is affordable, well-written, and keeps you up-to-date on the education industry.

It’s a tall order to find an engaging experience for a large number of people that sets the tone for your learning event, is related to your topic area, and offers a “debrief-able” experience. Tom Wujec’s Marshmallow Challenge is one such exercise that was recently featured in a TED Talk. It is a remarkably fun and instructive design exercise that encourages teams to experience simple but profound lessons in collaboration, innovation and creativity.

Posted by guest blogger, Betty Lochner, Cornerstone Coaching & Training As I started writing this article, I looked at other related blog posts and found that I’ve written about listening skills more than any other topic this year. I guess I just won’t let go of the fact that, in my humble but correct opinion, listening is the most important communication skill of all. Sure, we all know listening is important. But do we really pay attention to how important is really is? Let me put it this way – being a good listener can transform relationships and improve the quality of your life! I promise! Why is that, you say? Well, first, listening makes sure that you understand what is being said without making assumptions or filling in the gaps during a listening lapse. And, second, when you really listen to someone to hear what they are saying, you make them feel appreciated, interesting, and respected. Isn’t that really what it’s all about anyway? Here are 10 ways to become a better listener 1. Face the speaker. Sit up straight or lean forward slightly to show your attentiveness through body language. Your body language will say much more than your words — always. 2. Maintain eye contact. Of course, do that to the degree that you all remain comfortable (don’t be a creeper!). Don’t be distracted by anything. Don’t answer the phone, move away from the computer, and put down whatever you are doing. 3. Minimize internal distractions. If your own thoughts are pushing through, consciously let them go and re-focus your attention on the speaker. Note: this will take some practice! You will get better at focusing if you genuinely concentrate and train yourself to re-focus. 4. Focus only on what the speaker is saying. Try not to think about what you are going to say next, or how you will defend yourself. It’s okay to pause to think a minute before you respond. Research shows that, on average, we can hear four times faster than we can talk, so we have the ability to sort ideas as they come in…and be ready for more. 5. Respond appropriately. Show you understand by saying riveting things like “yeah”, “uh huh”, and “hmmm”. Murmur and nod. Raise your eyebrows. Say words such as “Really,” “Interesting,” as well as more direct prompts: “What did you do then?” and “What did she say?” For this to be helpful, you must be genuine in your reactions. 6. Keep an open mind. Wait until the speaker is finished before deciding that you disagree or believe what is being said. Try not to make assumptions about what the speaker is thinking, and for heaven’s sake, don’t interrupt! 7. Keep your great advice to yourself. Resist the urge to give advice or share your experiences. Assume they just need to talk it out. Unless you are specifically asked for advice, don’t give it. 8. Engage yourself. Ask questions for clarification, but, once again, wait until the speaker has finished. That way, you won’t interrupt their train of thought. After you ask questions, paraphrase their point to make sure you didn’t misunderstand. Start with: “So you’re saying…”, or “It sounds like….” 9. Be okay with silence. Silence is very engaging! Don’t worry if there is a natural pause in the conversation. Learn to settle into the silence and use it to better understand what is being said. 10. Say thank you first. Always thank the person you are listening to for sharing with you before you respond. Ironically, as your listening skills improve, so will your aptitude for conversation. A friend of mine once complimented me on my conversational skills. I hadn’t said more than four words, but I had listened to her for over 20 minutes. Improve your listening skills and improve you conversations, relations, and okay, I’ll say it: improve your quality of life! __________________ Betty Lochner is the Owner of Cornerstone Coaching & Training. She specializes in personal and organizational transformation and is the author of Dancing with Strangers: Communication skills for transforming your life at work and at home. To find out more about Cornerstone’s services and offerings visit our website:

Many trainers love to play music during training events — to create a welcoming environment, relieve stress, energize participants and more. The big question always seems to be “What’s the best music to use?” However, the more important question, which is not being asked, is this: Can I LEGALLY play my favorite songs in the classroom? I made a few calls to get to the bottom of it and find out the answer. For all music, copyright laws require that you must obtain permission; in other words, you must purchase a license from ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC (these are THE three companies that manage most all of the music licenses), or you must pay a royalty directly to the performers. Some select music CDs are created and sold along with explicit public performance rights. While this is not the norm, Trainers Warehouse and a few other educational product merchants have created CDs with this permission explicitly granted. For these, you do not need to contact ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC. You can also look at RoyaltyFreeMusic.com. So, what does it take to do it right? ASK FIRST! Corporate Training Events: If you’re conducting training at a large company, most likely they will have gotten blanket permission to play music in their lunch rooms, break rooms, fitness center, telephone hold lines, at events, etc.. Ask if they have a music license, and if so, you’re all set to play the music you want for that company. Training at a hotel, restaurant, or conference center: Venues such as these are generally responsible for getting permission to play music, too. Ask if they have a music license, and if so, you’re set to play music at that location. Public schools: All public schools are exempt from licensing requirements (according to my contact at BMI). Universities and Colleges: Like companies and venues, most universities have obtained blanket licenses based on their student and faculty populations. Smaller businesses without a music license: If the company you’re training does not have a music license, you are responsible for obtaining permission to play music publicly. See “Permission and Pricing” below. Permission and Pricing To obtain permission to play music for smaller companies that don’t already have a blanket license, the 3 performing rights organizations mentioned above, ASCAP, BMI and SESAC, can help. They represent songwriters and publishers and their right to be compensated for having their music performed in public. The licensing options you can discuss with them include: Permission to play just a handful of songs: If you have a short list of songs, they can tell you the publisher/copyright owner of each. You would simply email your list of songs, along with the name of the recording artist and/or studio. Blanket music in business license: This allows you to play any song you want in any location. Pricing is based on number of employees. To give you an idea of the how much money we’re talking about, ASCAP’s minimum is $234/year for up to 498 employees. To be covered, however, you would need to get this license from each of the three organizations. Training and development license: If you’re conducting training for larger organizations, but your classes tend to be smaller, you might want to purchase this license, whereby you pay approximately $.50/attendee, or an annual minimum of $398/year (according to ASCAP). Trade show, meeting, and conference license: This could run $180/yr or $.06 /attendee (according to BMI). Contact information ASCAP – The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers I spoke to Jane Wingo, who was very nice, had lots of answers, and gave me permission to share her contact information online. You can contact Jane by phone:888 -720-1137 or by email: jwingo@ASCAP.com BMI – Broadcast Music, Inc. Anyone in the licensing department should be able to help you. You can contact them by email or phone . . . email: research@bmi.com phone: 888-689-5264 SESAC – Society of European Stage Authors and Composers. Don’t be deceived by the name. SESAC represents many US musicians, as well as European artists whose music is played in the United States. Click here to Get a License. Phone: 800-826-9996

Some timeago, I learned about the term “teach back.” It’s when students teach what they’ve learned back to other students. This is a great way to ensure that folks really learned their stuff–learned it so well, in fact, that they can share it with others. When I read about Garry Duncan’s reinforcement game for the end of a learning event, it reminded me of the effectiveness of this method. He says it takes a little longer to close the day, but this method is very effective because everyone gets involved, they review their notes, have fun, and are more successful at remembering key points. Here’s how it goes: Form your group into teams of 6 to 8. Have them appoint a captain and pick a team name. Each team chooses 7 questions (5 will be used, 2 are for back up) on anything that was covered in the session. Workbooks or handouts can be used to create the questions, as their goal is to stump the other team. Teams rotate asking questions and score when the opposing team cannot answer the question. Trainer is judge on all answers and questions. Once the game starts, books and notebooks must be closed. The team giving the answer gets 60 seconds to agree on their FINAL answer. NOTE: For larger groups you will need an assistant to run 4, 6, 8 teams etc. Posted on LinkedIN by Garry Duncan Pick-and-Pass Helping Hands If you don’t have too much time, but like the teach-back idea, this quick exercise also sets up a dynamic where students are learning from each other. This one involves the use of stress toy "Reminder Hands" or some other iconic objects placed in a small box. If using the Reminder Hands, the trainer might write one keyword prompt on each of the stress-reliever hands. Ask each student to pick one item out of the box and share one recollection about the concept or one idea they hope to remember going forward. Pass the object from person to person until everyone in the group has made a contribution. Alternatively, set it up as a group activity. Have a delegate from each table pick a hand. Request that each table come up with a synopsis (or even create a poem!) of the key points, which they will later present to the rest of the group. Double Jeopardy We’ve also heard from trainers and teachers who love the idea of playing a Jeopardy-like game, but simply don’t have the time to create all the questions. So, instead of taking the time to make up questions themselves, they challenge their learners to do the “heavy lifting.” Game Set-Up Break your groups into 5 teams (because Jeopardy games often have 5 categories of questions). Assign one category to each team. Have each team come up with 5 questions of varying difficulty (point values of 100, 200, 300, 400, and 500). Voila, you have 25 questions. Playing the Game Play as you would any Jeopardy-like game. However, teams cannot select their own category when choosing questions, or they will be disqualified. Click here for a Jeopardy-like game board that does not require a computer interface.