WorkSMART Blog

Tools and  Activities for Assessment Learning Events The ATD Community delivered when I asked about their favorite activities to complement personality assessments. I’ve since seen additional inquiries, asking for activities to follow a personality styles assessment. I find that exercises typically fall into two main categories: 1) using the assessment reports to draw understanding about the different styles; and 2) interactive exercises formulated around the personality types. For instance: Reviewing the Assessment Report Many facilitators structure activities around the assessment reports delivered following a test. Typically, the reports explain the test results and offer tips on how to work effectively with others. Activities based on these reports might include: Discuss what you learned about your own style Share whether you feel the results accurately reflect your preferences Create a 5 x 7 reference card for each style Identify qualities you wish were stronger (or less strong) Exercises & Activities for DISC and Other Assessments To make the experience more robust and memorable, facilitators draw on additional activities that either help participants identify different styles or practice different ways of communicating: Identifying and Understanding Different Types BOAT EXERCISE: Select eight participants to discuss how to decide who to throw out of the lifeboat that is about to sink. Have the others watch the interaction and consider the impact of the approaches of different personality types. Ask those “not on the boat” for their feedback and what they saw happening. ~ Michelle Qualls FIND YOUR TWIN: Find a “Personality Twin.” Discuss how you can work with or communicate more effectively with others. Or, Role-play – share usual response to a question, then edit your response to appeal to a different style. FAMOUS PEOPLE: Identify a pop-culture icon, movie or TV character, or individual with that trait VIDEO & YOU TUBES: Share video clips exemplifying various preferences STRENGTHS. CHALLENGES. UNDERSTANDING. Divide participants into style groups based on their primary style. Ask each group to come to a consensus on 3 strengths they have because of their style, 3 challenges associated with their style, and 3 things they’d like the other styles to understand about theirs. Then, have each group present its findings to the class and invite Q&A. Why it works: participants see that even people with the same style have different characteristics. The conversations are always excellent. Allow 90 minutes for this the whole activity. DISCOVERING STYLES THUMBALL: Using the Discovering Styles Thumball, choose one question for players to answer when they catch the ball and look at the quality under their thumb. For instance, you might have them answer: How could you use this quality in a positive way? How can you support or encourage this quality? How can you best work with someone with this quality? Why is this quality important to our organization? Which of our personality type(s)/styles encompasses this quality? In what situations might this quality/characteristic be most effective? What happens if this quality is exaggerated… How might someone with this quality manage conflict? Try-on Different Styles VACATION PLANNING: Have participants join the group associated with their lowest-performing style. Have them plan a vacation for that personality type and represent it on a poster. Finally, ask those who are strong in that personality-type to give feedback on the vacation and poster, focusing on how well it fits them. ~ Michelle Qualls TV PURCHASE: Working in groups, based on the primary style-type ask, “If you were going to buy a big television, how would you go about it?” Ask teams to collaborate and share their approaches. It’s lighthearted, fun, and demonstrates the striking differences in how each style processes decisions, while positively reinforcing mutual understanding. SCENARIO WORKSHOP: Select a scenario (like Work-Plays), or create your own. Then, 1) Have participants briefly share their scenario with a partner or small group; 2) Ask the group to identify the personality style of the individual they’re in conflict with; 3) Practice using conflict conversation tools tailored to that style-role-playing how they might approach the conversation differently. ~ Sheena Lance-Nold Create an Advertisement: Divide into 4 groups based on the four primary personality types. Have each group create an ad to sell a product to their own personality type. They almost always do the same product, which is always interesting as a facilitator to watch. ~ Michelle Qualls GROUP REFLECTION: Divide participants into style groups based on their primary style. Ask each group to agree on: 3 strengths they share because of their style; 3 challenges they might face; and 3 things they’d like the other styles to understand about them. Have each group present their findings to the class. Finally, invite groups to ask other group questions about their style that the group members answer together. They’ll quickly see that even people with the same style have different characteristics of that style. ~ 90 minutes. ~ Pamela Moore EMAIL DRAFT: For communication practice, ask participants to draft an email asking another person to join them in working on a project. Next, ask them for a different draft in a style voice other than their own. ~ Yolanda Caldwell READ MORE Discovering Styles through Personality Assessment Tools & Activities

I realize that the phrase “soft-skills” is not a favorite term for many trainers who teach these “essential skills.” For now, however, rather than focusing on semantics, I want to pass along some icebreakers that folks in our community have shared with me. {Originally published in 2011; Last updated 10/26/2025} 1. One Good Empowering Question Put a good question on a slide ahead of time so people have time to consider it. Be sure it is neither a frivolous waste of time nor too personal! It could be session topical or, “This session will be worthwhile if…” 2. Sticky Note Aspirations Your pre-work: identify four questions and write them on 8 easels, where 2 easels have the same question and are side by side (given the group size). 5 min: Have people write answers down on post-its 5 min: break people into groups based on where they’ve sat or have them count if you want to shuffle (i.e. anyone that’s a “1” go to easel 1). 10 min: Have the people do a thematic analysis and identify top 5 trends on their board 25 min: Report out to broader group and discuss as valuable. 15 min: Have them go back to their tables, write down one or two practices they can use moving forward, and chat with a neighbor about it. Given the change, your questions could be both aspirational and a place to share “fears” – for example, what are you most excited about for the upcoming year? What are you most concerned about, moving forward (that might be too raw, depending on the situation). Perhaps, what do you love most about being a part of team/ company? Or, What one thing are you hoping to learn today? etc. ~ Julie Foster 3. Getting to Know You Picture Book A few days before the training event, participants and presenters fill out a short, creative document with fun questions (think: “What was your dream job as a kid?” or “What’s your favorite concert you’ve attended?”). They also upload a picture that represents their answers and add comments if they’d like. I turn these into a colorful booklet and hand it out on day one of the class. It sparks great conversations and helps people connect beyond just job titles. It’s also a great tool to refresh your memory about who people are when you meet or interact with them in the future. You can download a free copy of the template on my website at www.doingthechores.com (under Study Guides and Templates). ~ David Elser 4. Connections & Metaphors with Pictures or Quotes Climer Cards or other deck that participants can select as a reflection of… current challenge; how they’re thinking about the topic; personal strength; organization opportunity; etc. Alternatively, set a bunch of (topic-relevant — leadership, negotiation, teamwork, etc.) quotes around the room and have people identify one that resonates with them. 5. Strengths Cards I really love using activities where people can show themselves at their best. Perhaps after a values exercise (or strengths finder – something that helps them reflect on their personal and professional values), I distribute decks of cards that contain many different images (or a group of 10 or so images for each small group; I like “At My Best” or “OuiSi” cards) and allow participants to browse the pile, looking for anything that sparks a recollection of themselves at their best. The “At My Best” cards even have strengths or trait words on them that can be used if they are more language-oriented than image-inspired. Have participants look through the images and select one that reminds them of a story that represents them demonstrating their value, strength, or trait. Without stating the trait, each person shares their story in the small group while others listen. The story doesn’t necessarily have to be work related. After each story, the listeners reflect back on the story (what they heard, asking any clarifying questions), then share the strengths or values they heard in the teller’s story. It focuses on building positive connections and recognition. Sometimes the strengths and values seen by others are not the ones we see in ourselves, which can expand our awareness. ~ Robin Lilly 6. Strengths Bingo Bingo cards are always fun (with or without StrengthsFinder), using work clues to get to know someone. Who has been here 5 years or more? Who knows the most about XX? ~ Judy Coates 7. 7-Point Reflection & Share Since you’re bringing the group together with the intent of helping them overcome a change and work together, here’s the approach I’d use if I were in your shoes. Ask everyone to number a sheet of paper or 3×5 card 1-7 One at a time, show 7 questions/sentence completions What’s your name/What do you want to be called? What do you do? Description, not the role If you could be anywhere, where would you be? What’s the last thing you did at work you are proud of? How would your best friend describe you? What’s challenging for you right now? If you could ask the group one question, what would it be? Ask them to complete each sentence. Then, form small groups (3-4 each). Ask groups to discuss their answers in conversation style, not just read down their list. Rotate groups (a few times if time allows). Finally, bring the group together and debrief: What did you notice as you shared your responses? Where was easy about your discussions? Where was difficult about your discussions? What did you learn during your conversations? What can you take away from your conversations? Adjust the questions to make them work for your group and situation. I use this and variations of this in most of my work. People find the quiet time to respond helpful before they move into group discussion. I have a variation of it here with a link to more questions. ~ Katrina Kennedy 8. Profile Gallery Walk Either before the session or at the very start, each person would complete a simple profile, including things like: Name & Role What I Bring to the Team What Helps Me Do My Best Work How I Like to Collaborate/Communicate Something I am Looking Forward To (or am Curious About) in this New Team What Brings Me Joy Outside of Work Take the profiles and post them around the room. Ask participants to walk around, read, and respond in real time. I’ve had success with having participants add “comment” with sticky notes to show appreciation, agreement, questions, or connections. I’ve found it to be a great way to humanize coworkers, identify common ground, and celebrate diverse strengths all while encouraging organic conversation. In one instance, I found that this activity helped to shift the tone surrounding a new team from “us vs. them” to “look at these untapped resources.” While this may be considered fun, it also works well for more serious groups because it keeps things grounded in work and strengths, while still creating space for informal connection. ~ Cody Krumrie 9. Imagining Success To get people in the mindset to share ownership over making the learning event successful, I often do an ‘appreciative’ exercise. Divide participants into groups of three or four and ask them to think about a peak experience of whatever the topic is (e.g. the best meeting you ever attended – or if that’s too hard, how about a reasonably successful meeting in the last month? / the most interesting presentation you remember / the most successful piece of writing you’ve done etc.). Ask them to think about what made this so successful. Get them to share the experience with the other members of the group and the group to come up with some of the elements of success. Collect these “Elements of Success” on the flip chart. This exercise engages everyone and encourages positive attitudes. Posted by Melissa Biro 10. Speed Intros I do a meet and greet version of speed dating. Have people pair up with someone they don’t know, then find a non-work or non-workshop connection with the person. 30 seconds per individual, 1 minute per pair. 3-5 minutes overall (meet 3-4 people). If people in the room know each other well, then they should find out something about that person they didn’t know before. 11. Where would you rather be? Start by asking: “If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be and who would you be with?” To this day, no one has ever answered, “At work” or “In training with me.” (I can’t take it personally-LOL.) But that simple question sets the stage for why we’re there: If we spend over 2,000 hours a year in a place and with people we wouldn’t naturally choose, why not make it better? This small exercise also helps participants connect, sparking conversations and common interests that create a more open, engaging learning environment. ~ Shared by Christie Hennessey 12. Find your Match What has worked for me is to give each participant a slip of paper with information on it that is relevant to the topic or participants in general. They have to find the corresponding participant with the same information, introduce themselves, and talk briefly about what the information means to them. 13. Thiagi’s HELLO exercise “Hello” is an opener that directly relates to the workshop process and content. It uses a deck of playing cards and a few other items. The basic idea is that you prepare four questions related to individuals’ expectations, experience, questions and changes regarding the training. Teams of players are charged with the task of collecting responses from everyone in the room in just a few minutes time. The exercise is high energy and lets participants meet one another, while remaining focused on the day’s agenda. The exercise is described in full on Thiagi’s website: thiagi@thiagi.com. 14. A Picture and a Few Words Lay out a great collection of picture postcards (or a deck of images like Climer Cards) on a table at the back of the room and having opened the workshop, introduced the topic and myself, and given participants a road-map for how the session will run, I invite them to go back and choose a card that represents “Where you struggle most when presenting your ideas to others/getting ideas from your team/engaging with hotel guests”… whatever the overriding subject of the workshop is. Go around the room and ask each person share their name and a brief description of their role (for my benefit, if they all work together) and tell us, in a couple of sentences, why they chose the card they did. I will take the card and move it round the group (almost always seated in a large U shape for my workshops) so that everyone can look at it while the speaker is sharing. I might echo their reasons or get clarification if I need it as I stick it up on the wall. Once I have them all up there, I sometimes will facilitate a grouping of the cards, so that we can identify 4 or 5 common issues around the workshop subject. The process has many benefits: 1. Needs assessment 2. Sharing of common challenges 3. Ability to share ‘through’ the picture choice, which allows for less personal exposure — not saying ‘I’m not good at xxx’ but rather ‘I chose this card because it represents times when I xxx” 4. Good storytelling tool… curiosity level of group is high when they see what cards others have chosen. 5. Allows me to observe how comfortable they are with public speaking and what sort of audience members they are when others are sharing 6. Facilitating the grouping of challenges helps the group to identify commonalities and helps us all identify what we need to work on during the session. Posted by Teresa Norton 15. Name Tents We provide a name tent that is a full 8 1/2 x 11 paper. We ask attendees to introduce themselves in pictures. I might say “if you were going to tell us about yourself, draw what you would like us to know (family, hobbies, sports teams, favorite stores/brands, school, etc…).” When they finish their pictures they explain what everything means to the participant next to them. The pairs then introduce the rest of the class to their new “friend.” Really helps to open them up on a first day in training with strangers. Posted by Krishna Clay 16. Frosty beginnings pay off for a great debrief In a workshop about teaming, I decided at the start of the day not to introduce myself, and not let my delegates introduce each other either. About 2 hours in, I found the answers to my group questions were getting shorter and shorter. All going to plan! Why? I wanted a frosty group, non trusting and not willing to respond, because they knew nothing about me, or each other! I then allowed them to ask me a questions each about any aspect of my life. Believe me, it got personal, but the mood of the room instantly changed. Laughter, positivity, all round behaviors changed once we all had had a laugh and knew more about each others lives. It was a painful couple of hours, but the message about needing to know and understand each others background, beliefs, thoughts and motivations was certainly driven home. Posted online by Adrian Lowe 17. The 12-month project interview I recently organised an icebreaker for a group of about 60 or 70 HR people and the feedback was really positive. We split into tables of 8 and it went like this: “Imagine that we are commencing a 12-month, organisation-wide project. Success of the project depends on a diverse group of skills. You need to know how the skills of your colleagues will complement or support your own skill set.You have two minutes per person to do three tasks: Introduce yourself and your role to your table Share a couple of your best strengths with your colleagues Talk about the biggest focus of your role at the moment and how you are using your strengths in that work” We decided to leave the conversation there as there was a related exercise later in the meeting to build in the learning of their colleague’s skills. Alternatively, you could ask them to follow on with identifying one person from their table that they would like to work with, based on their strengths and experience being different to their own. Of course, you could also then have two or three volunteers share who and why they’d work with to the wider group. Posted online by Maria Harrison 18. Origami Cup In this icebreaking / team building activity everyone makes a very simple origami cup (all you need is a piece of paper for each person, card stock. You make 3 or 4 simple folds to create the cup). Everyone put their cups on a tray. You fill each cup up with water and talk about how we are all like these paper cups. If all the cups are strong then the group is strong. If a cup loses some of the water then in spills on to the other cups. Each person on the team is like these cups. The better they “hold” their part of the work the less work that spills onto the team. You can then let the tray sit for about 5 or 10 minutes and then go back and look at the tray to see if the water is holding in each of the cups or if water has spilled into the tray. No matter the outcome people can have a visual representation of what it means to hold their part of the work together. The other part to this activity, if you are trying to talk about the value of healthy, “well” employees would be to show how a stronger paper (card stock) can hold water better than a paper that is worn out or thin.Posted online by Lynette Reed 19. “Improv” Games Matt Warzel likes to incorporate improvisational activities into his career coaching sessions. Here are some favorites: Presentation Skills Game: IMPROV “EXPERT ANALYSIS” Have a person stand up front and talk about whatever topics you shoot at them as if the’re an expert. Give them easy topics like “the new KFC Double Stacker,” “health benefits of carrots,” or anything else you or other audience members come up with. Switch topics every 15 or 20 seconds, forcing the speaker to switch gears right away. To prevent shyness, explain that each participant will speak a total of only 2 minutes on roughly 10 topics. After the presentations, you can identify and discuss effective strategies, individuals’ natural instincts, identify their strengths and discuss opportunities for improvement. Identify behaviors like: Hands in pockets Grabbing one hand and then the other UMM UH OH UMMs Reserved or quiet voice that isn’t delivered with energy, Shuffling feet (explain u need to walk with a purpose) Over-blinking (can be distracting to the audience) Hands on the hips too much (which can exude confidence but can also be too Superman pose like and a little defensive) Etc. 20. Finding Common Ground: “10 FINGERS” Have everyone stand in a circle and hold up 10 fingers. Moving around the circle clockwise, ask each person to mention something about themselves (past or present experiences, personal characteristic, a badge of honor, religion, etc…). If others have this in common, they keep a finger up; if not, they put one finger down. Keep going until last one is holding a finger. Posted online by Matt Warzel, CPRW, CIR 21. Personal Shield of Honor Explain to the group that they will be creating a “shield” out of a large sheet of paper. On their shield will be 4 quadrants containing the following images or icons representing the following information: Quadrant 1: What skills and abilities do you bring to the workplace Quadrant 2: What skills and abilities do you need to improve upon in the workplace Quadrant 3: What frustrates you about our workplace Quadrant 4: What is a source of pride at your workplace Remind the group that NO WORDS may be used on any of the shields…only doodles, symbols, icons, etc. After the groaning subsides, provide crayons as writing implements . Put some music on while they take no longer than 10 min to create their shields. Conclude the activity by giving everyone a chance to “present” their shields (1 min). If your group is big, break up presentation groups into sub groups of 6-8 or less. Posted online by Jordan Chouljian 22. Non-Verbal Line-Up Ask everyone to line up in the correct order without verbal communication in order of shoe size. If this goes well and only takes minimal time, ask them to line up by birthdate, month and day only. You can control how much time this takes and if it becomes frustrating it’s a great lead in to the importance of communication and team work. Just by doing this exercise, you can see before you begin what type of team players they are and who stands out as a leader, followers, trouble shooters, etc.. This information is useful in engaging people about missions and goals. Posted online by Maureen Dolson Mukka 23. Discussing the Elephant in the Room Here’s a great way to get people talking about “undiscussable issues,” a.k.a. “The Elephant in the Room.” Distribute blank cards or sticky notes to each participant. Have them write down the top three things the group needs to talk about and isn’t. Have the group post the notes up on the wall and ask them to roughly group them into like clusters Ask the group to put the issues on a continuum from the most discussable to the least discussable. Pick the three “most undiscussable” issues and have the team discuss them one at a time. Let the group pick which they will tackle first. Posted online by Crispin Garden-Webster 24. Your Ideal Life in Three Acts Ask them to write the story of their ideal life as a 3-act play: past dreams achieved, present situation (the good and bad), and their ideal future. I often use that with executives over 40 who are in transition. It really gives them a positive perspective about the possibilities ahead. Posted online by Liz DiMarco Weinmann, MBA 25. Personal Brand Tagline Have them write a personal-brand tagline as a tweet, only 140 characters to promote themselves. I often use this with 20-somethings, esp. students, and the results are as hilarious as they are creative. Posted online by Liz DiMarco Weinmann, MBA 26. Company Poem Divide into groups of 3 to 4 participants. Give the group 15 minutes time for preparation. Have each group write a poem about their organization (six lines minimum). Their organization’s name must come at least once. Then have each group to come on stage to “perform” their poem. By this activities they feel that their stage fright has gone. Secondly, now they see their organization in new way. I found this activity very useful for all kind of participants. Posted online by Suresh Kumar 27. Stand-up Sit-down Here’s a quickie. In under a minute, he gets folks up and out of their seats, generates a few laughs, refocuses their minds. It doesn’t take much! One way to do this (courtesy of Tami Shaw), is to have people answer three questions on a “Unique Me” card that has these 3 questions: Likely ALSO true for Many others in the room Might be true for Some others Unique Me. I’m guessing I’m the only one in this room who this is true about. Do stand-up, sit down activity around these three questions for a handful of cards than have the “unique me” person briefly introduce themselves. Have all stand up… stay standing if #1 is true for you; stay standing if #2 is true; stay standing if #3 is true for you. Pull a few cards at the start. Over a longer session, you can pick different ones throughout the workshop. ~ Tami Shaw 28. Dot-Vote for the Topics of Most Interest Set up a bunch of flip charts around the room that people can “vote” on . Include session topics, as well as possible demographic information, interests, etc. Particpants can add dots to the descriptions that are true for you. 29. On the Continuum Form selves into a line and stand where you’re most comfortable. Topics could include any continuum, for example…. Love icebreakers / hate ’em; Love personality tests/Hate ’em… For more continuum ideas, see the Which are You Thumball. Don’t do it JUST for fun. Make it purposeful. Have options that are pertinent and connect to the content you’re covering. 30. Draw a Duck Katie Muldrew explains, “This is one of my favorite ways to open a workshop or meeting. I’ve used it soooo many times, with teams of 6 to 60. INSTRUCTIONS: Simply, ask every participant to “DRAW A DUCK.” Tell them, “You have one minute. No questions.” RESULTS: You’ll quickly see ducks of every kind. Some realistic. Some cartoonish. Some abstract. Some detailed. Same instructions. Completely different interpretations. DEBRIEF: Have everyone share their images. ASK & DISCUSS: Why does a simple, clear instruction yeild so many different results? feels like a clear task to the person giving the instruction… often lands very differently with the people receiving it. Unless you’re SUPER specific, everyone applies their own assumptions – adding different levels of complexity, detail, or simplicity. LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES: This exercise is not just a fun opener – it’s a mirror of how misalignment can show up at work. If the group wants to “get their ducks in a row,” and improve collaboration skills, they must achieve seek greater clarity. VARIATIONS: Try the same activity with a handful of six matching LEGO pieces for each participant. Ask participants simply to “build a duck.” 31. Design a Handshake - Kerri Price Set-Up Instructions: In the set-up of this activity, I don't give too much away. Instead, I simply frame it by saying something like: “Before we jump into the next part of the workshop, I’d love to do a quick activity to get your blood pumping and your brain working in a different way. In a minute, I’m going to invite you to stand up, find yourself a partner, and you'll have 1 minute to design yourselves a 2-part handshake.” Step 1:Give participants the set-up instructions and invite them to find a partner and design their handshake.Step 2:After 1 minute, check that all pairs were able to design a handshake, then invite each pair to join up with another pair, to form a group of four. Give participants 2 minutes to turn their 2-part handshakes into a 4-part handshake. Let participants know that they don’t all need to be shaking hands together, there simply needs to be 4-parts to the handshake.Step 3:After a couple of minutes, check what progress has been made, and then regardless of success, ask each group to join up with another group, to form a group of 8. Now participants must create an 8-part handshake. Step 4:After 2-3 minutes, invite everyone to form one group and create a handshake with as many parts as there are people.At this point, the task becomes quite difficult and you can easily observe things about leadership, communication and team dynamics. Some people will start to disengage or get frustrated, and that's part of the process. It’s important that you don’t intervene. Let the group facilitate themselves.Allow the activity to continue for 8-10 minutes or as long as it takes for the team to master the handshake with no mistakes. This can take anywhere from 5-20 minutes, depending on the group.Step 5:Debrief! Debrief! Debrief!This step is critical to the learning and without it, it’s a fun activity, but not that useful. Your debriefing questions will vary depending on the points you’re hoping to illustrate and what you observed in the room. The following questions are a great place to start: ❓What did you notice or what stood out for you about that activity?❓What feelings bubbled up for you at different parts of the process?❓What surprised you about how you worked together as a team?❓As a team, what did you do that worked well?❓If you were able to do this activity again, what might you do differently?❓Some of you stepped in and offered suggestions as to how the team could learn the handshake. Others of you stayed back and were happy to follow instructions. How did you decide what role you were going to play in the team? ❓How do these learnings relate to how you work together in the office? Of course, this one activity can be used to kickstart conversations about all sorts of different things, depending on the debrief questions you ask.

Discover interactive training tips from Cindy Huggett & Katrina Kennedy—quick ideas to boost engagement, reflection, and online learning.

In the world of learning and development, words matter. Over the years, job titles have shifted to reflect evolving perspectives on how we think about learning: trainers have become talent development specialists or workforce development professionals. Educators have shifted from being instructors to teachers. Today, the growing emphasis is on seeing ourselves as facilitators. A training facilitator’s role is not to lecture, but to make learning easier, smoother, and more impactful by creating space for discovery and growth. Facilitate (verb): to make (something) easier; to help bring about; to help (something, such as a discussion) run more smoothly and effectively Why the shift? Because as brain science and educational research evolve, one truth has become clear: the onus of learning is on the learner. We cannot force knowledge into someone else’s brain. Learners must actively participate—seeking, testing, questioning, and connecting—in order to truly learn. What Does It Mean to Facilitate? To facilitate is to make learning easier for others. It’s not about supplying answers or doing the work for someone else; it’s about building them up, creating opportunities, and helping them succeed. Facilitators do this by: Asking thoughtful questions rather than delivering monologues. Promoting reflection so learners can connect ideas to their own experiences. Sharing processes and approaches, not just solutions. Providing scaffolds—frameworks that help learners organize and integrate new knowledge. Boosting confidence, offering encouragement, and affirming learners’ potential. In short, the facilitator’s job isn’t to teach as much as it is to guide. The Role of the Student Being a learner is far from passive. Think about how children naturally learn: they take risks, make mistakes, fall down, and try again. Learning as an adult isn’t much different. Learners must: Bring order to new information. Seek connections with what they already know. Test ideas, organize them, and create new meaning. Synthesize and ideate, making knowledge their own. Practice and reflect, not just passively absorb. Facilitators can open doors, but learners must walk through them. The Facilitator’s Mantra Sharon Bowman is quick to remind us, “The one doing the most talking does the most learning.” That means trainers who lecture endlessly are often the ones learning the most—while their participants may disengage. By contrast, excellent facilitators aim to be the guide on the side, not the sage on the stage. How? By creating space for learners to wrestle with ideas. By prompting discussions, encouraging exploration, and inviting learners to draw conclusions for themselves. Helping Others Grow Facilitators—like parents of young adults—often find themselves in the role of helping people “figure it out.” For instance, when my son called from across the country to say his car wouldn’t start, there was nothing I could do. What I could offer was guidance: consider calling AAA, finding a mechanic, or troubleshooting possible issues. The same applies in classrooms, workshops, or strategy sessions. We can’t always provide the fix, but we can: Draw out prior knowledge. Explore assumptions (whether right or wrong). Ask questions and listen deeply. Reflect back what we hear. Encourage resilience and resourcefulness. Help individuals and groups understand when they need to move away from “content” and focus on “process,” in order to get unstuck. The goal is growth, not dependency. Professional Development Facilitation in Practice: Exercises and Activities If you’re looking for practical ways to step out of the “sage on the stage” role and into the “guide on the side,” here are a handful of facilitation strategies you can try: 1. Think–Pair–Share Ask a question. Give learners a moment to jot down their own thoughts, then discuss with a partner before sharing with the larger group. This gives everyone time to reflect and encourages participation from quieter voices. 2. Gallery Walk Post prompts, case studies, or problems around the room. Have participants walk from station to station, adding their thoughts or solutions. They’ll see, build on, and challenge each other’s ideas. 3. Yes, And… Pull a page from the improvisational world. Build new perspectives by having the first person start a story or explanation with a few words. Then have other jump in and add to that idea with a, “yes, and…” comment. In this activity, no “ifs” or “buts” are allowed! 4. Case Method Present a real or fictional scenario and let learners analyze, debate, and propose solutions. Rather than telling them the “right answer,” encourage them to weigh trade-offs and defend their reasoning. By focusing on a situation that isn’t “real,” participants can safely try out new approaches. 5. Peer Teaching Assign learners to teach a portion of the material to their peers. Not only does it reinforce their understanding, but it also highlights the mantra: the one doing the most talking does the most learning. 6. Silent Reflection or Journaling Build in time for learners to pause, write, and connect new ideas to their own experiences. This helps with memory encoding and deepens ownership of learning. 7. Practice “Process” Know when it’s time to step away from the content and engage in a conversation about process. Facilitation questions might include: HOW (by what process) can we come to a decision? HOW can we better support each other as move in this new direction? WHAT might inhibit our memory of forward progression? The key to effective facilitation, as with coaching and debriefing, is asking good questions. Take time to think about what questions will elicit thoughtful reflection and conversation. Lessons from Conferences Think about the last professional conference you attended. The keynote speakers may have been excellent. You probably jotted down a few golden nuggets. But if you’re like many of us, the most valuable moments were the conversations in hallways, the time away from your desk to reflect, and the chance to reconsider your challenges in a fresh light. When I look back at my own notes from conferences, I realize they don’t always capture exactly what the presenter said. Instead, they reflect what I thought in response. That’s facilitation at work—creating space for learners to generate their own insights. Final Thought “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” This timeless proverb captures the essence of training facilitation. Trainers who give answers may satisfy learners in the short term. Facilitators who build capacity empower learners for a lifetime. Facilitation is about more than teaching; it’s about helping people unlock their own capacity to learn. It’s about shifting from being the expert with all the answers to the partner who guides discovery. When we step into this role fully, we not only make learning easier—we make it stick.

Drive Productivity, Communication & Leadership Team building in the office isn’t just about feel-good moments or shared laughter—it’s a powerful strategy for improving communication, refining processes, and developing leadership and management skills. While some managers may hesitate to set aside time for “just playing games,” it’s important to recognize that, much like in childhood, play is a vital tool for adult learning. It helps people practice time management, collaborative problem-solving, clear communication, and navigating emotionally charged situations. We’ve assembled this list of Top Team-Building Games for the Office so that adults can experience the benefits of play at work. In a game setting, participants often feel more open to experimentation and risk-taking because the experience feels distinct from everyday work. The most effective team-building games don’t try to replicate workplace scenarios exactly—they create engaging challenges that reveal parallel behaviors, allowing players to reflect, learn, and apply insights back on the job. The activities below—sourced from TrainersWarehouse.com and blog.trainerswarehouse.com — are designed to deliver more than fun. They’re experiential learning experiences that lead to lasting improvements in individual and team performance. Whether you’re running a retreat or facilitating internal training, these games offer safe, meaningful practice for real-world challenges. 1. The EQ Game – Building Emotional Intelligence as a Team What it is:Players take turns picking one of the EQ Game’s 50 Situation Cards and reading it aloud. The fun and learning begin when players choose a “Self-Awareness Card” that describes how they’re feeling, then add on a few “EQ Skills Cards” (Self-Management, Social Awareness, or Relationship Skills) that might help them deal with the sticky situation. Why it works:Before teams can collaborate effectively, they need to understand how emotions affect behavior. This game helps people develop the vocabulary and comfort to talk about feelings—something most workplaces overlook. It slows down the instinct to fix and solve, and builds a shared foundation of emotional awareness that strengthens relationships and decision-making under pressure. It won’t transform your workplace into a touchy-feely “kumbaya” office, but can help your team create the sort of trusting, emotionally safe work environment that correlates with increased employee engagement and productivity. Skills developed:Self-awareness, emotional regulation, empathy, psychological safety, constructive feedback. 2. Time Management Thumball – Align on Priorities & Pitfalls What it is:This soft, tossable ball is printed with 32 time-management questions like “What’s your biggest distraction at work?” or “How do you decide what’s urgent vs. important?” In a group circle, participants catch the ball and answer the prompt under their thumb, creating a dynamic and reflective dialogue. Topics include reflection on typical time thieves, activities in which you lose track of time, structuring breaks, time savers, and favorite time wasters. Why it works:While time management is often a very personal challenge, it can also be a source of team conflict. By discussing personal preferences and challenges, team members surface mismatched expectations, discover new strategies, and build collective accountability. The format encourages openness and laughter while fostering real-time reflection and learning. Skills developed:Time ownership, priority setting, productivity awareness, team alignment. 3. Da Bridge – Process Improvement with Role Awareness & Leadership What it is:Inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s bridge design, this challenge tasks teams with building a self-supporting structure using notched wooden sticks—without fasteners or adhesives. The catch? Team members tasked as Builders rotate in and out of meetings with the Architect who has diagrams showing how the pieces fit together. The Architect can explain the diagram but is prohibited by union rules from handing over or showing the plans to the Builders. Meetings are intentionally brief, causing communications and instructions to be fragmented, as is sometimes typical in workplaces. Success depends on effective transfer of information, despite these hurdles. For struggling teams, facilitators can alter the rules and permit the Architect to show the plans to the Builders or begin building with them. Why it works:Da Bridge is a masterclass in leadership handoff, process documentation, and delegation. Teams quickly realize that they must work together, listening well to each other and to team leaders. The exercise mirrors the complexity of cross-team initiatives and exposes the cost of siloed thinking, ambiguous leadership, and incomplete conversations. Skills developed:Process continuity, role clarity, emergent leadership, team strategy, creativity. 4. Shape Up – Communication in Action What it is:In Shape Up, each player receives a blindfold and a wooden shape. The facilitator instructs the group: “Among the shapes you received, two are exactly the same and all the others are different. Without looking at your shapes, determine which players are holding the matched set.” Players must rely on the power of touch and their facility in describing their shape to others. Beyond created a shared vocabulary of descriptive words for the shapes’ bumps, points, and holes, they’ll need sort out a process to hear from every player until they figure out their own shape and identify the match. Why it works:This activity creates a powerful metaphor for workplace ambiguity and incomplete information. It emphasizes how people form assumptions, how language choices matter, and how critical it is to communicate clearly and listen actively—especially when you lack visual cues. The game also introduces the importance of verifying information, rather than guessing based on vague clues or misread signals. Skills developed:Clear communication, active listening, assumption-checking, collaborative problem-solving, patience under uncertainty. 5. Koosh Toss Simulation – The Pressure of Process Under Stress (Common in lean/agile facilitation toolkits; DIY setup) What it is:In this exercise, participants stand in a circle and toss a ball in a fixed pattern. Once the sequence is memorized, additional balls are added—one at a time—creating increasing pressure. Eventually, the system becomes chaotic, and the group must pause to redesign the process for efficiency and sustainability. Why it works:This simple activity surfaces complex truths about workflow design, bottlenecks, and communication lag. As stress rises, teams often try to speed up the wrong parts of the process. But with reflection and redesign, they learn to shift focus from individuals to process optimization—a foundational skill in lean, Six Sigma, and agile environments. Skills developed:Workflow design, bottleneck recognition, rapid iteration, process optimization, shared ownership. Final Thoughts When teambuilding goes beyond bonding and focuses on real skills like time management, leadership, feedback, and process clarity, it becomes a strategic lever for performance. But the learning doesn’t happen through gameplay alone—it’s the reflection afterward that makes it stick. That’s why debriefing is essential. It helps participants extract meaning from the experience, identify parallels to workplace behavior, and commit to better habits moving forward. A well-facilitated debrief turns fun moments into powerful insights and actionable takeaways. Here are a few debriefing formats that make it easy to guide reflection: 2-Question Debrief:What worked well? What would you do differently? 3-Question Debrief:What did you experience? What did you feel? What do you hope to remember?—or—What? So What? Now What? 4-Question Debrief:What would you like to Start? Stop? Continue? Change? Whether you’re closing a 15-minute activity or a full workshop, taking just a few minutes to pause, process, and discuss helps teams carry lessons beyond the learning experience and into their daily work. These tools offer safe, hands-on experiences where your team can try, fail, reflect, and improve—together. They’re especially effective in onboarding, manager development, or cross-functional collaboration sessions. Whether you’re looking to develop a full workshop agenda or lunch-and-learn, these easy-to-facilitate tools from Trainers Warehouse will help you create a meaningful, high-impact experience.  

Bring Teams Together—Within and Across DepartmentsLooking to build stronger, more collaborative teams? These easy-to-facilitate group games help teams improve communication, trust, and mutual understanding. Even better, some of them go a step further—promoting collaboration between multiple teams.Each of these five best collaborative games is drawn from TrainersWarehouse.com and blog.trainerswarehouse.com, with low-prep setups and high-impact outcomes. 1. Quote Builders How it works: In the Quote Builders game, small groups use a deck of hexagonal cards each containing just a few words to reconstruct a famous quotation—without showing each other their cards. They must share information aloud and work together to piece assemble the full quote. Why it builds collaboration: Each person holds key information, making active listening essential. Ideal for fostering intra-team communication—and can easily be adapted for inter-team collaboration by having teams trade missing pieces across groups. The deck has 18 quotes of varying difficulty, making the challenge fun and not terribly difficult. Through relatively quick success, teams will feel good and build camaraderie. Then they can discuss what the quote means to them individually and as a group. 2. What's Your Take? A Team Dynamics Game How it works: Each person takes a turn catching the Team Dynamics conversation starter Thumball. Loaded with “WE” discussion prompts, each recipient answers the question, such as: How can we foster greater trust within our team? How do we ensure we don’t duplicate efforts? How do we gain commitment? How should we manage disagreements? Give an example of a goal we are all working towards Do we have clearly defined team goals? As teams share and discuss their answers, they’ll discover shared themes, surprising differences, and ways they can better collaborate. This is one of our favorite collaborative games in the mix! Why it builds collaboration: This open-ended discussion cultivates mutual respect and understanding, as well as tactical ways to improve methods of teaming. 3. Minefield Maze How it works: In the Blindfold Maze Game, one team member guides blindfolded teammate(s) through an obstacle course using only verbal instructions. Then roles rotate. In larger groups, different teams can navigate the same course simultaneously, creating a need to coordinate movement and timing across teams. To increase the difficulty, challenge teams to get as many teammates across the maze as possible. Why it builds collaboration: This experience encourages trust and highlights the need for precise communication, and when multiple teams share the same course, they must collaborate to avoid collision and chaos. Alternatively, if the game is played with multiple “guides,” they must collaborate in order not to confuse the blindfolded players. 4. Pass the Clap How it works: In a large circle, participants “pass” a synchronized clap to their neighbor. Add multiple claps circulating at once, reverse directions, or create patterns that require timing coordination between subgroups. As a variation, have a designated team player leave the room to share the clap pattern with another team/department. See how lapses in time, memory, or clarity can change the “message” forwarded to others. Why it builds collaboration: This one is simple yet fun, energizing, and useful. It can quickly reveal how miscommunication can ripple through a system. It’s also great to highlight how miscommunications can inadvertently happen when communicating across teams. 5. TeamWriter™ How it works: A “TeamWriter” is a gizmo that allows up to 10 players to hold a single Sharpie marker. The challenge is for team players to figure out where to attached the strings, what to write, how to guide the marker, and how to orient the page. Why it builds collaboration: Players must work together to sort out how to write a meaningful message. As participants “play,” typical roles will likely emerge, where some are natural leaders, others are followers; some watch and some to; some talk and some listen; etc. Use the experience just for fun or to reflect on communication styles in a non-threatening, non-work-related application. Facilitation Tips Group size: Most of these games work well for 4–12 players per team. Depending on organizational needs and goals, consider mixing folks from different departments or bringing together different departments that will need each other’s skills or resources to complete the task.Time needed: Plan on 10–20 minutes per activity, including debrief. Remember that debriefing is the primary reason to take time from work to play a game!Debriefing makes the magic: Even if the goal is just to have fun, consider debriefing collaborative games with these three questions:1. “What worked well?”2. “What could we do differently next time?”3. “How can we apply our learning here to our real work?” Final Thoughts If your teams are stuck in silos or struggling to work together, these simple, engaging games are the perfect antidote. This list of five best collaborative games will build connections, expose communication gaps, and reinforce the value of collaborative problem-solving—all while having fun.Whether within a single team or across departments, collaborative play plants the seeds for stronger, smarter teamwork. READ MORE on DEBRIEFING BEST COLLABORATIVE GAMES More on Debriefing! The Perfect Debrief Infographic on Picking the Perfect Team Game

30 tips in 30 minutes! During a recent Trainers Warehouse Show & Share, a handful of trainers gathered to swap tips and ideas to improve their training! Preparation & Flexibility Always have a plan B to deal with the unexpected – incorrect seating formations; more/fewer attendees; loss of power or internet connection. Have a co-facilitator who can deal with unexpected events Get creative – if seating or participant attendance isn’t as you expected, create workarounds on the fly When things don’t go as planned, consider being transparent and letting attendees know you’re shifting things around. During a game, if a conflict occurs between participants, consider ditching the game or jumping into the debrief right away to address a learning moment. General Facilitation Tips Let the students do the work! Remember, there are always multiple ways to see something. Always different perspectives. Consider these as you design and deliver training and/or learning games. If you put a question in a “Parking Lot,” have the participants take responsibility for coming back to unanswered questions, so it’s not all on the facilitator. Breakouts on how to have difficult conversations – tried to prep breakouts in advance; draft emails with scenarios ready to go in case you need to send something at the last minute. If you have a large number of participants, consider dividing them into small groups and/or holding breakout sessions for introductions. Then, have a group spokesperson introduce the rest of the small group. Be cautious of Miro Boards – zooming in and out can make some people nauseous. Use “Climer Cards” for creative and metaphoric reflection and conversation. I lieu of online whiteboards, you can have folks contribute to a Word document, SharePoint, or Google doc, so that all input can be captured and viewed. Hybrid Facilitation Tips Use a remote “producer” to help with remote hybrid participants and signal to the facilitator if they need to be more inclusive of the online crowd. The online participants might be top of mind at the start, but get forgotten as the session progresses. Try a Chatterfall, whereby everyone holds their chat responses until the facilitator tells them to press enter How to Make Online Events More Physically Active As an intro, during a break, or during a reflection exercise, have participants step outside and take a picture of their surroundings. Have them come back and share the image along with their reflection or introduction. Ask participants to find something in their house/office that represents… a hobby, observation, learning point, etc. Ways to Get People Up and Moving during Online Sessions Conduct an in-home/office scavenger hunt. Ask participants to find an item that reflects…a hobby, a personal characteristic, a learning point, etc. Ask participants to join you in a “stand and stretch” or breathing exercise. Trainer Warehouse’s Get Movin’ Thumball or online Trainers EXCHANGE prompts can be good for this. Request that participants get up, go outside, or walk a few steps down the street, then take a picture with their phone and share it when they get back. They can either post the image or simply hold their phone up to the camera. Use real objects, not just 2D screen shares Closers and “Finish Lines” Ask them to identify a task that they’ll commit to when they get back home. Say, write down the “ONE THING YOU’RE GONNA DO TOMORROW.” Moreover, have them pair up with a colleague and share their “do tomorrow” assignment. Even more… ask them to exchange contact info with their “accountability partner” so they can follow up with each other, confirming that the action they committed to doing, was completed. Ask What Worked Well? What could we Do Differently? Write a reminder note on a squeeze toy that can be brought back to their office. Have them create an action plan at the end of the session. Be specific with both questions Try “I Got This!” Notepads. Capture 3 things learned; 2 actions to apply the learning; 1 way you’ll share the learning. Use “Start-Stop-Continue-Change” sticky notes. Have participants write ideas on the pads, post the notes at the front of the room, sort the notes, and then retrieve and take home key learning points.  

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

Leading a successful group activity goes beyond just having a great idea—it requires careful planning, execution, and reflection to create an engaging and meaningful experience. Whether you’re facilitating a workshop, training session, or team-building exercise, the 8Rs framework provides a structured approach to ensure every activity is purposeful, impactful, and well-managed. Mark Suroviec expanded on Joseph Cooks’s 4Rs to develop what he now refers to as 8Rs. 1. REASONS: Why This Activity? Every activity should start with a clear purpose. Ask yourself: What do I want participants to learn, feel, or experience? How does this activity connect to broader learning goals or team objectives? Why is this the right activity right now? For example, if your team struggles with communication, a problem-solving challenge might be more relevant than a pure icebreaker-style activity. 2. RESULT: What’s the Goal? Define what success looks like. Keep it simple: What is the desired outcome of this activity? If I had to summarize success in 10 words or less, what would it be? Example: “Encourage collaboration through a shared problem-solving experience.” By setting a clear result, you can measure effectiveness and adjust as needed. 3. RESOURCES: What Do You Need? Before launching an activity, take inventory of your materials: Essential equipment: What do you need to run the activity? Alternatives: What can you substitute if the ideal equipment isn’t available? Restrictions: Are there any off-limits materials for safety or accessibility reasons? Flexibility is key! If you planned for a ball toss but only have paper, consider a crumpled paper toss instead. 4. RECOMMENDATIONS: Who, Where, and How Long? Logistics can make or break an activity. Consider: How many participants? Small group or large-scale? Time required: A quick icebreaker vs. a deep-dive session Best location: Indoors? Outdoors? Need tables, chairs, or open space? Audience: Is this for students, professionals, executives, or kids? These details ensure your activity fits the setting and audience. 5. READINESS: How to Prepare? Some activities need set-up in advance—don’t wait until the last minute! Ask yourself what you need to do in advance: What needs to be done before participants arrive? Are all materials ready and accessible? Do I need volunteers or co-facilitators? If your activity involves complex rules or props, having a demo prepared can prevent confusion. Also consider what you want participants to see or experience before the session begins. How can you build energy and anticipation to promote greater participation? 6. RULES: Setting Boundaries for Success Clear rules create a safe and structured experience. When telling the rules, keep the instructions and clear and simple as possible. You may want to practice a few times to make sure you can deliver them concisely. Consider having rules posted or printed so that players can refer back to them. Remember that when players are first learning a new game, they’re holding a lot in their heads as they work out what the activity is and how they will be expected to participate. But be mindful: What core boundaries need to be communicated upfront? What should I not tell participants? (Some surprises enhance engagement!) How do these rules make the activity more exciting? For example, in a team challenge, keeping certain rules mysterious or undisclosed can increase problem-solving engagement. 7. RISKS: Safety First While rules can also create some guardrails for a safe experience, no activity is risk-free. Physical safety may be most top of mind, but with many team activities, psychological safety can play an even bigger role. Consider physical, emotional, and psychological risks: Physical risks: Could someone trip, fall, or get hurt? Emotional risks: Could the activity make someone feel excluded or uncomfortable? **How can I minimize these risks? Always have a contingency plan for potential challenges and check participant comfort levels before starting. 8. REFLECTIONS: Wrapping Up with Meaning Debriefing transforms an activity into a learning experience. Ask yourself: How do I tie this activity back to the learning objectives? What debriefing questions will spark insightful discussion? How can I engage both the heart and mind? Sample reflection questions: What was challenging about this activity? How does this relate to our daily work interactions? Discuss strategies that helped you succeed and how you can apply them. A well-led debrief bridges the gap between activity and real-world application. Final Thoughts Great activities don’t just happen—they are designed with purpose. Using the 8Rs framework, you can ensure your activities are engaging, well-planned, and meaningful. Whether you’re leading a corporate training, classroom lesson, or team-building session, this structured approach will help create impactful experiences that resonate long after the activity ends. For more, listen to Mark Suroviec’s podcast with Rhonda Campbell.  

A group of us gathered to discuss how we’re handling the new administration’s restrictions on DEI research and training. Susan Landay and Elizabeth Power co-facilitated the conversation. We sought to equip former and current diversity trainers with tools, support, and resources to move towards a next phase of training in Civility, Compassion and Cultural Sensitivity. Following are our notes, reflections, and take-aways. Access additional charts and PPT deck here. “It’s not something we do. It’s something we that we are” Roots of Diversity as a Polarizing Influence Using the Deming’s 5 Whys Methodology, we began by discussing the influences that have caused DEI and diversity to be “bad words.” We appreciated that much of the anti-diversity movement may be rooted in fear. Participants shared these possible explanations for that fear: Change: “Change is uncomfortable and holding on to what is familiar is in some way a survival practice. Having to unlearn and relearn takes a lot of deconstructing.” Fear and Threat: Difference and unknowns can be unsettling. Misunderstanding: Diversity is often misunderstood. Misinformation: Spread of misinformation contributes to fear. Exclusion and Power Shift: Some feel excluded or threatened as the established balance of power may shift. Social Media: Amplifies concerns about diversity. Win/Lose Perception: It feels like a win/lose situation. Whether or not the fear is justified, we strove to understand the cause of the polarization to guide us towards appropriate next steps. The group shared the perspective that building sensitivity, mutual respect, decency, and emotional intelligence are critical to both organizational success and personal happiness. Judgment and Stigma The group appreciates that judging and stigmatizing others is problematic, impeding team effectiveness and personal fulfillment. As Ms. Power reminds us, we only need sensitivity training as long we judge others’ differences as deficiencies. In fact, people tend to stigmatize those who are different from themselves, often due to a lack of understanding. Knowing that babies don’t come into this world judging or stigmatizing others, we must also appreciate judgment (at least in part) as a learned behavior. That said, historically, our good judgment has helped keep us safe from dangers and predators. Nonetheless , we must ask such questions as: Is my judgment sound? Why am I judging? Should I be judging others in the way I do? As professionals, we must appreciate the traumatizing impact of in/out jokes and imbalances of power. We must continue to advocate for marginalized or perceived-to-be marginalized groups. At the same time, we are well-served to put our energies toward looking for commonalities, rather than focusing exclusively on these differences. Tapping into the group’s feelings Those who have facilitated DEI-related training and leadership development efforts weighed in on how they’re feeling about the sudden shift away from sensitivity training. They expressed feeling: Out of control, like a bull-rider. Small – how can we fight these greater powers Focused – concentrating on strategy and figuring out how to move forward. Lost in a forest – hard to know where to begin Proud – Proud of the transformative work we do Strong – in dealing with difficult situations Fragile – if our work is not nourished and reinforced, might it be lost? Challenged – like I’m climbing a mountain Hasty – concerned that we’re racing so fast we may omit important details Frustrated – at the lack of information/strategy and scrubbing of language as everyone pauses and pivots. Bolstering our Power The group felt it might help to have tools and resources at their disposal. Having data that supports the need for broad perspectives might help substantiate the importance of their work. LinkedIn, McKinsey, BCG, and others have assembled a range of data points supporting the importance of diverse workforces: 60% of respondents in a LinkedIn study said that diversity within their sales team has contributed to their teams’ success. Employers that posted about diversity saw 26% more applications from women than employers who posted less. Our 2019 analysis finds that companies in the top quartile for gender diversity on executive teams were 25 percent more likely to have above-average profitability than companies in the fourth quartile—up from 21% in 2017 and 15% in 2014 (Exhibit 1). <McKinsey> Companies that reported above-average diversity on their management teams also reported innovation revenue that was 19 percentage points higher than that of companies with below-average leadership diversity—45% of total revenue versus just 26%. (See Exhibit 1.) <BCG> Access additional charts and PPT deck here. Beyond the Numbers Despite the importance of diversity for organizational success, the group shared these anecdotal perspectives: “We all lose if everyone is not at the table. We miss opportunities and can’t realize the benefits of synergy. “Engaged employees ensure the organization achieves its best results. Elizabeth Power is correct in saying that an imbalance of power reduces engagement. Enabling people to feel invited to contribute their best improves engagement and results. “Devaluing diversity stunts participation in the process, in the future.” Trigger Words vs. New Words We looked at a chart of Banned and Trigger Words in Federal Grant Writing in the Trump Administration 2.0. Among the words you might expect, we also found these: woman, advocacy, community, sense of belonging, historically, enhancing. Then, we brainstormed words that have not been targeted as trigger words: Authenticity, Civility, Commonality, Comfort, Compassion, Cultural Sensitivity, Dignity, Emotional Intelligence, Empathy, Ethics, Honesty, Individuality, Integrity, Knowledge, Resilience, Power, Respect, Safety, Stigma, Threat, Transparency, Trust, Unity. Strategies for “Not Diversity” Training Participants shared a range of resources and ideas for transforming current efforts for moving beyond DEI training, in settings where it has been targeted for elimination: Renaming: Use the brainstormed words to rename what we’re doing, focusing on Cultural Sensitivity, Understanding, Dignity, and Emotional Intelligence. Encourage Communication & Sharing! Trainers Warehouse Thumballs are a valued resource for initiating conversations that bring people together and build mutual respect and understanding. Consider conversation prompts that… Draw out Commonalities Hear about others’ past experiences, which shaped who they are today Develop Emotional Intelligence Foster Resilience Build Trust Strengthen workplace ethics Focus on Commonalities and Positive Interconnections: “Rather than focusing on ‘training,’ perhaps we focus on interests shared by people worldwide. Provide experiences that bring people together, instead of trying to teach people ‘how to think differently’.” Schedule a pot-luck: everyone brings a favorite dish and shares a story about their favorite food Take a turn with playlists: take turns allowing an attendee to kick off a weekly/monthly meetings by playing a favorite song. Cherished item: Ask participants to share a story of an important item in their home (clothing, jewelry, bowl, etc.) Draw on Resources Check out: https://icq.global/ Explore SHRM’s Civility Toolkit – It includes Political Conversations Playbook 5 Steps for Encouraging Civil Conversation Cards Against Incivility Civility Index Infographic and Abstract Look into the Say Yes program (targeted for high schoolers) Develop Emotional Intelligence: Actively listen to others, show empathy, acknowledge your own emotions, manage reactions to stress, offer constructive feedback, apologize when necessary, adapt your communication style to different situations, and reflect on your own emotions and how they impact others. Host a monthly Collective Learning Series, where a panel of employees and community partners share about their lived experience with a certain topic, e.g. foster care, veteran’s transitioning to civilian service, mental health, etc. It is very humanizing and helps employees understand different points of view and how we can better support one another Taking Action through Cultural Sensitivity Training Perhaps most important in the whole conversation was the overall framing and attitude captured by trauma expert, Elizbeth Power. She reminded us that it’s most important not to sit idly by but to take action! “It’s not about what you say, it’s about what you do.” ~ Elizabeth Power This mantra is crucial both in our training and in the development of new Sensitivity Training curricula. Remember, our overall goal is to increase communication and shared understanding of our commonalities – of what makes us alike, not different! Read More DEI & DEIA are NOT Unlawful– the law of the land is that discrimination is illegal Cultural Sensitivity Games & Activities – some of these activities may focus too much on bias for your current training climate, but you’ll still find applicable activities to build shared understanding. Shared Understanding Games & Exercises – same goes for this post. Icebreaker Questions for Work – here are oodles of conversation starter prompts, perfect for the workplace

Personality and style assessments help individuals and teams recognize their strengths, understand how they interact with others, and appreciate differences. Taking an assessment test is only the first step in the process, however. Trainers, managers, and leadership coaches often use the assessments to build self-understanding, as well as to create more effective teams, develop leaders, improve communication, strengthen emotional intelligence, coach and mentor colleagues, build strong relationships, and much more. Here, we look at how facilitators utilize the personality assessment tools and activities, such as the Discovering Styles Thumball from Trainers Warehouse, to achieve meaningful results. Why Bother with Personality Style Tools? Below are the four major goals of assessment and personality type activities. Understand different styles – Recognizing the diverse ways people think, communicate, and work. Appreciate differences – Encouraging respect for different strengths and approaches. NOT pigeon-hole or label! – Avoiding rigid classifications and instead embracing flexibility. Build relationships – Helping individuals collaborate more effectively. Every style is equally valuable – Recognizing that all styles contribute uniquely to a team. Different styles need different approaches – Understanding that successful collaboration requires adaptability. Remember which is which – Learning to identify and work with different styles effectively. Practice. Practice. – Applying these insights in real-world situations to improve teamwork. Popular Personality Style Tools Despite the vast number of personality profile tools available, they all share a common goal: categorizing individuals based on their strengths and preferences. Here are a handful used by the trainers in our community: Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) – A widely used tool that categorizes individuals into 16 personality types based on four key traits. DISC Personality Assessment – Focuses on four behavior styles: Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness. Hogan Personality Inventory – Used in workplaces to assess leadership potential and workplace compatibility. 16 Personalities – A free, modern adaptation of MBTI with practical applications. HRDQ’s What’s My Style? – A self-assessment tool designed to help individuals understand their preferred communication and behavior styles. Enneagram – A personality system that categorizes individuals into nine core types based on motivations, fears, and behaviors. True Colors – A simple four-color system that identifies personality traits and communication styles for better teamwork and relationships. Clifton Strengths – A strengths-based assessment that identifies an individual’s top talents to maximize personal and professional potential. While each tool uses different names and colors to represent personality styles, they all categorize key traits to make it easier to identify and remember different approaches. Every one of these qualities plays a vital role in a well-rounded, high-functioning team, yet no individual possesses all strengths equally. The key is fostering collaboration and effective communication, as our differences influence both how we perceive interactions and how we respond to them. For example, an assessment tool might align characteristics such as these: Creative, visionary, inventive – Ideal for brainstorming and innovation. Reliable, steady, cooperative – Great at maintaining consistency and fostering teamwork. Charismatic, persuasive, outgoing – Thrive in leadership and social roles. Analytical, data-driven, organized – Excel in structured and logical environments. Decisive, assertive, competitive – Natural problem solvers and leaders. Each framework offers a unique lens for understanding how people think, interact, and make decisions. By recognizing colleagues’ unique preferences, we can approach conversations with greater empathy, tailor our messaging to resonate with others, and create more productive, harmonious environments in both personal and professional settings. Tools and Activities for Assessment Learning Events The ATD Community delivered when I asked about their favorite activities to complement personality assessments. The exercises fell into two main categories: 1) using the assessment reports to draw understanding about the different styles; and 2) interactive exercises formulated around the personality types. For instance: REVIEWING THE ASSESSMENT REPORT Many facilitators structure activities around the assessment reports delivered following a test. Typically, the reports explain the test results and offer tips on how to work effectively with others. Activities based on these reports might include: Discuss what you learned about your own style Share whether you feel the results accurately reflect your preferences Identify qualities you wish were stronger (or less strong) EXERCISES & ACTIVITIES To make the experience more robust and memorable, facilitators draw on additional activities like these: Create a 5 x 7 reference card for each style Identify a pop-culture icon or individual with that trait Share video clips exemplifying various preferences Find a “Personality Twin” Discuss how you can work with or communicate more effectively with others Role-play – share usual response to a question, then edit your response to appeal to a different style The Discovering Styles Thumball to explore Personality Styles While the above activities are all effective, facilitators are excited for the opportunity to use a 3-dimensional tool to make their assessment debrief more physical, full-body activities. Enter the Discovering Styles Thumball from Trainers Warehouse. This activity encourages discussion and self-reflection in a playful and engaging way. Moreover, it can be used to achieve each of the four goals that lead facilitators to conduct assessments in the first place: 1) understand different styles; 2) appreciate the importance of differences; 3) remember which style is which; and 4) practice communicating differently depending on your partner’s preferences. How the Discovering Styles Thumball Works This ball is slightly different from our other Silver Series Thumballs, in that the complete prompt is not written on the panel. Rather, the facilitator comes up with a QUESTION. Below are a few examples that might work well, depending on your goal: Self-understanding: How well do you identify (or not) with this quality? Self-understanding: How, in your role, could you exemplify this quality? Valuing Differences: How does this trait contribute to success in the workplace? Valuing Differences: In what situations is this quality most valuable? Understanding the quality: How can this quality be used to resolve conflicts? Understanding the quality: Who is a famous person that embodies this quality? Putting it to practice: Of those you work with, who do you identify with this quality? Putting it to practice: Given your own style, how would you work with someone who has this quality? Then, the participant who catches the ball reads the personality quality under their thumb and answers the question specifically regarding that quality. In other words, the player might answer, “How does contribute to success in the workplace?” Game Options for the Discovering Styles Thumball Focus on One Question – Players respond to a single question related to their quality. Round Robin – Participants take turns answering different questions in multiple rounds. Team Play – Teams catch the ball and respond to personality-related questions collaboratively. Style Pairs – Players compare two qualities under their thumbs and discuss how they interact. A  Few More Tips For Facilitating Personality Assessments  Consider the Language you use: Not “Type,” but rather… Communication Style Inventory of Preferences Set the stage and set expectations Every style is equally valuable There is no one best style We possess all styles and have a preference for one more than the others Learning about ourselves helps us understand how we interact with others Create a safe space Establish group agreements about how to create a safe space Identify a “parking lot” to store difficult topics for deeper dives at a later time Final Thoughts Personality assessments and interactive tools like the Discovering Styles Thumball make self-discovery an engaging process. By learning about different styles and practicing adaptability, individuals and teams can communicate more effectively, resolve conflicts constructively, and build stronger relationships. READ MORE Personality Style Activities  

More and more trainers are invited into C-suites as facilitators, strategic advisors, and leadership development experts. Having consultant-grade tools and capabilities can make those interactions invaluable to senior execs. We spoke to L&D expert David Dye, co-founder of Let’s Grow Leaders, about his card deck, Synergy Stack. The Synergy Stack deck is an excellent resource to help focus executives and fuel change at the highest levels of the organization, as well as at each level down the line. 3 Requirements for Affecting Change 1) People must WANT IT! Help people figure out why a change is important to them. Help them tap into their own desire. You can’t give this to anyone else. They need to own it for themselves. Change, the kind you want, doesn’t “just happen.” People make it happen. 2) People must OWN IT! Those who feel no ownership over a change are unlikely to help make it happen. So, if you want to change to happen, in addition to “wanting it,” you need to “own it” and take responsibility for it. Coaches, spouses, partners, and friends know this too. We can’t change others, or “make” them change. Change agents must do it themselves. 3) People must know HOW TO DO IT Once people identify WHAT they want and are ready to take responsibility for making change happen, the question is HOW. How can we help our leaders and colleagues make change happen? The key is what David Dye refers to as the Performance Loop. Using the Synergy Stack Performance Loop to Fuel Change Synergy Stackis’s Performance Loop is built around 48 HABITS, divided into 4 categories. CONNECTION: the first 12 habits relate to having a team you can trust. CLARITY: these 12 habits refer to developing a shared understanding of what success looks like. CURIOSITY: the third step in the loop consists of 12 habits that encourage change-makers to consider alternative approaches and perspectives. COMMITMENT: the final 12 habits focus on agreement, celebration, and accountability. When using the deck, Dye recommends laying all of the cards out of a table. Then have teams look through the cards to: Identify habits in which they feel they are quite strong See if multiple teammates have the same strengths or different ones Identify the habits which seem to be lacking among the group Discuss the impact of lacking habits Explore ways to encourage or develop new habits that could serve the group well. Facilitators and coaches might focus on a single performance category, or on all four elements. Developing new habits requires trial and error, practice, and commitment. Appropriately, the Synergy Stack deck offers language on each habit card, exemplifying what it might sound like, so practitioners can develop new skills and habits. Making change happen – from wish to habit Achieving a goal certainly depends upon individuals wanting change and owning it. Even then, however, implementing change and attaining success requires habits of communication, clarity, curiosity, and commitment.

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

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

During our recent Trainers Warehouse Show & Share meeting with simulation expert Steve Semler, we explored practical strategies for conducting effective workplace conflict scenarios and role-play exercises. After a brief demo of our new Work-Plays–Scenarios to Practice Difficult Conversations, the group exchanged best practices and actionable approaches to optimize role-play activities in their training programs. Many shared their appreciation of learners’ anxiety about role-plays and ways to get around their resistance. Role-Plays are key to long-term learning Role-play activities can help bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application. In fact, according to Semler, 80% of effective learning comes from practice, while only 20% is derived from insights or new knowledge. Role-play allows participants to practice real-life scenarios in a safe environment, experiment with different approaches and learn from mistakes, and build confidence and adaptability for handling workplace challenges. Ready-to-Use Workplace Conflict Scenarios: Work-Plays by Trainers Warehouse Work-Plays, developed by Trainers Warehouse, is a comprehensive deck of 18 scenario cards covering common workplace challenges such as conflict resolution, managing performance issues, and building sensitivity to diverse perspectives. On each card, players find: Detailed scenario descriptions Guidance for brainstorming solutions Instructions for role-playing individual or group interactions The goal of each scenario is to create a vehicle to improve communication, build trust, and practice problem-solving techniques, not prescribe fixed, right answers. The real-life dynamics presented in well-written scenarios can help prepare participants for similar challenges in their roles. Even with great scenarios in hand, however, it’s up to trainers and managers to facilitate role-play exercises in ways that will minimize stress and offer the greatest amount of learning. Top Tips for Effective Role-Play Activities Managing the fear of failure and embarrassment must be every trainer’s top priority. If you’ve ever tried to facilitate role-play exercises in the past, you’ve likely seen participants physically shrink away as soon as you say the word. The body language of almost everyone in your group will likely say, “Oh my God, please don’t call on me!” These tips can help you draw out participation and minimize reluctance so that learners can reap the benefits of practice. 1. Start with “role-play lite” activities To mitigate stress and make the workplace conflict scenarios more approachable, begin with “role-play light” exercises. This involves participants working as consultants or brainstorming approaches rather than fully immersing themselves in a character. Other role-play lite strategies include: Practice in pairs or triads instead of large groups. The whole experience can be less intimidating if you try something new on one person, rather than in front of a whole group. Allow learners to test out different parts of a difficult conversation, rather than launching into a full discussion. For instance, you might prompt a player by saying, “How would you start this conversation? Try it out. Go ahead and say the words. Practice starting that conversation with a learning partner.” Then the facilitator or learning partner can give some feedback, “What if the person says this? What if the person does this? How would you handle that objection?” Play “consultant” asking What if? and What about? questions. Instead of trying to offer a correct approach, encourage participants to tease out options and offer approaches by asking, “Might this work?” In this way, early practice attempts can become a conversation about ways to approach the difficult topic, rather than jumping in and having to do it immediately. Players can essentially brainstorm approaches before practicing the conversation. Provide opportunities for participants to observe before participating. If you have a co-facilitator, the two of you can demonstrate an example before sending the participants off to try it on their own. Alternatively, at a break prior to the practice-exercise, you might solicit the help of a single participant who might be open to doing a demonstration with you. Don’t call it a role-play. Trainers might try framing practice sessions as a “collaborative exercise,” “rehearsal,” or practice, not a performance. These low-pressure approaches can ensure that participants stay engaged and focused on skill development rather than worrying about performance. 2. “Be bad first”: Prioritize Practice Over Perfection Erika Andersen of Proteus International wrote a book called Be Bad First. It’s about giving yourself permission to try something and be bad at it, because no one is good at a new thing right out of the gate. Encourage your participants to try something new, even something really wacky. Ask them to try something opposite to what they think will work effectively. Reward the risk-takers, celebrate the flubs, and encourage laughter. Once the stage has been set for imperfections and the bar for success appropriately lowered, it will be easier to explore new approaches. 3. Match Scenarios to Learner Needs when selecting Workplace Conflict Scenarios To maximize the effectiveness of role-play activities, it’s essential to assess the skill level and readiness of participants before choosing scenarios. Tailoring the complexity of scenarios based on the learners’ experience levels, ensures that the activities remain challenging yet achievable. Also, starting with simpler scenarios and gradually introducing complexity can build confidence and competence. While trainers might be tempted to use relevant examples that align with current workplace challenges or anticipated difficulties, early practice cases should be somewhat removed for actual workplace situations. Separating practice cases from real cases creates safe space for experimentation. Instead of finding the optimal situations to play out, work with managers to identify the most pressing skill gaps that require practice. 4. Demonstrate “What Good Looks Like” Presumably, you’re doing the training because you have specific content you need to share, an approach you hope to convey, or an idea of what good looks like. Don’t make participants guess about what this is. Share rubrics with participants beforehand to clarify goals and expectations. In addition, consider sharing an example of this well-executed skill and provide a rubric or criteria for success. Ensure they understand what you want them to practice and how they will know if they’ve been successful. You might: Role-model interactions using prepared scripts or rubrics. Your rubrics may focus on specific skills such as active listening, empathy, or problem-solving. Use simple scoring systems (e.g., “met expectations,” “needs improvement”) to provide actionable feedback. Encourage participants to critique and analyze good examples collaboratively. Use debriefing sessions to clarify key takeaways and identify areas for growth. Visual aids, step-by-step walkthroughs, or demonstrations by facilitators can help participants internalize the skills they are expected to practice. participants can try, evaluate, and refine their techniques in a supportive setting. Hone your Role-Play Facilitation Skills Rehearse and Plan Instructions Because well-executed workplace conflict scenarios and role-play activities rely on clear instructions and preparation, trainers should rehearse the flow of the activity beforehand. Provide instructions in small, digestible steps to avoid confusion. Try your instructions on a friend or family member, to make sure they’re clear. Remember to KEEP IT SIMPLE. If you plan to use breakout rooms for virtual training environments, test those out beforehand, as well. This preparation boosts the trainer’s confidence and minimizes logistical hiccups during the session. Coach the “difficult actor” on how bad to behave Many role-play scenarios focusing on a sticky situation require one player to be a “bad actor.” Give the roleplay partner, the one playing opposite the practice-player, specific instructions about how bad to be. Say, for instance, “if you when you’re the partner, your job is to be realistic. Your focus is to help your partner learn how to turn around a difficult situation. If they say something that could be taken wrong, go ahead and react appropriately. You can raise real-life sorts of objections, but don’t be too harsh or abrasive unless your partner is ready for a challenge like that. Feel free to ask your partner if they want you to kick it up a notch in terms of difficulty. By the same token, if your partner says something convincing, feel free to respond positively. Remember, your goal is to help yourself and your partner learn and practice a new skill.” See also the “blind roles” noted below. It might be easier for some participants to be difficult if they’re told specifically HOW to do so. Big Group formats As we mentioned earlier, beginning with a big-group role-play can be intimidating unless you’ve roped in a willing player in advance. However, after participants have had some practice in pairs or triads, you might want to bring the larger group together. Depending on your group, you might want to explore one or more of these techniques: Trouble Maker: Ask one participant to get stoke the flames and heighten the difficulty of the situation. This can add levity in a way that brings the whole group together in trying to diffuse and ameliorate the damage. Chest Tap: Let the group know that they all have to take a stab at turning around the difficult situation. When the one in the “hot-seat” is ready to be relieved, have them tap their chest twice to signal their need for a replacement player. Blind roles: When practicing communication skills, give the “listener” a challenging behavior to exemplify. For instance, “Ignore me,” “Praise me,” or “Repeat what I say.” These roles could also be written on a baseball cap worn by the speaker (the speaker should not know what the listeners instructions are). The Role of Debriefing Debriefing is a critical component of any role-play activity. Effective debriefing allows participants to: Reflect on their performance and identify key learnings. Discuss what strategies worked well and what could be improved. Reinforce the connection between the activity and workplace challenges. Asking open-ended questions and encouraging group discussions can deepen insights and solidify learning outcomes. Conclusion Workplace conflict scenarios and role-play activities are a dynamic and impactful way to enhance corporate training programs. Tools like Work-Plays simplify the process, offering ready-made scenarios that can be adapted to any team’s needs. By following best practices—such as prioritizing practice, tailoring scenarios, and incorporating feedback—trainers can foster meaningful learning experiences that translate directly to workplace success. Embrace the power of role-play to empower your team and transform your training sessions. Read More Role Play Tips & Activities Active Listening Exercises

Use Emotional Intelligence UNZIP-IT! TASK CARDS by Trainers Warehouse to identify and explore Emotional Intelligence competencies. Emotional Intelligence (a.k.a. EQ) is associated with five skills. Develop your teams’ EQ by facilitating conversations that help participants grow more aware of their motivations, measure reactions to difficult situations, and hone techniques to manage those emotions in empathy and social acumen. The five skills are Self-Awareness , Motivation , Self-Regulation , Empathy , and Social Skills . On each card, below the conversation starter question, you’ll see the EQ skill that the question addresses or develops. NOTE: These tips were developed along with training expert, Nora Gerber, to aid in emotional intelligence training and facilitation. Materials UNZIPit! Emotional Intelligence deck Huddle Signs for the 5 categories of EQ Skills: SELF-AWARENESS, MOTIVATION, SELF-REGULATION, EMPATHY, SOCIAL SKILLS (see below). Time & Timing Plan on approximately 10-30 minutes. Use reinforcement activities after introducing the Emotional Intelligence framework & competency system Activities can also be used as a warm-up, energizer, or filler. Activities 1 = INDIVIDUAL TASK TO ENGAGE EVERY PARTICIPANT(5 minutes) READ the prompt on the card. RECALL A MEMORY – Think of a time you practiced this competency. WRITE A NOTE-TO-SELF – Use a sticky note to record ”WHAT?” and “SO WHAT?” That is: what happened and why it matters (the impact or outcome). PREPARE FOR SHARING – Determine whether and what you will share about this experience. 2 = PAIR SHARE With ONE thought partner (after individual reflection)(~ 8 minutes) SWAP notes & TELL A STORY of a time when you practiced/exhibited emotional intelligence competency identified in the prompt. Share how you felt about yourself and your job satisfaction. Discuss what you believe were the positive impacts/outcomes. LISTEN to your partner’s feedback/ reaction/ comments 4 = TASK TEAM -Small Group collegial conversations(~ 12 minutes) HUDDLE/ gather/ shift/ move to three common ground corners. Divide participants into 5 groupings (SELF-AWARENESS, MOTIVATION, SELF-REGULATION, EMPATHY, SOCIAL SKILLS). Post these on wall or distribute them on a handout. Invite them to choose which they believe is the best fit for the growth behavior in their story. Of course, it doesn’t matter which huddle they join. Within the huddles, ask participants to do the following: SHARE interesting story examples of their answers to the prompts DISCUSS the positive impact/ outcomes of their actions PREPARE a spokesperson to summarize the discussion highlights ALL = WHOLE GROUP FOCUS(~ 10 minutes) Have all RETURN to their seats Invite reports by each spokesperson “Wannabe” Behaviors: Revisit the list of 5 emotional skills. Have everyone create an action plan of skills they hope to further develop. HUDDLE SIGNS Ask participants to write on a new sheet and hand-deliver a “Kudo-gram” to another in the room. Of course, they may choose to check multiple boxes. Encourage writing personalized “P.S.” notes. SELF-AWARENESS Clear understanding of your strengths, limitations, emotions, beliefs, and motivations. MOTIVATION How you manage your emotions, behaviors, and impulses. SELF-REGULATION Capability of understanding another person’s experiences and emotions EMPATHY Ability to inspire both yourself and others to action SOCIAL SKILLS Ability to build a strong rapport NOTES developed with expert trainer, Nora Gerber. READ MORE Emotional Intelligence Games and Activities Leadership Activities and Games  

Giving Kudos at Work should be a daily practice. However, it’s also a great learning activity — a way to identify and magnify positive behaviors and growth opportunities in lived experiences. Use Kudo-grams for mindset courses, strength-based activities, warm-ups, and energizers, as kudos notes help introduce growth mindsets and other positive behaviors. Materials Green KUDOS for Growth note pads — 1 sheet (“task card”) per participant Huddle Signs for the three categories of positive behavior: MAXIMIZING MISTAKES / EXHIBITING EFFORT / MAKING CONTRIBUTIONS (see below) Time Plan on approximately 30 minutes Activities 1 = INDIVIDUAL TASK TO ENGAGE EVERY PARTICIPANT(5 minutes) Read the list of behaviors that indicate a growth mind-state is at work. Call for a SHOUT OUT as to what P.S. stands for (Postscript) in Millennial-lingo, they might say xxx “My Good” Activity – ask which of these behaviors are you already doing well? Give yourself KUDO credit. Express gratitude to yourself. Have participants select one behavior they consider a personal strength. Check One Box Activity—explain, even though you could be checking multiple boxes, recall a specific time you practiced this growth behavior. WRITE a P.S. note-to-self – Recall what happened when you did good. Jot down the impact or outcome regarding you and this behavior in that specific situation. PREPARE to share if and what you choose to share about this story. 2 = PAIR SHARE With ONE thought partner (after individual reflection)(~ 8 minutes) SWAP notes & TELL A STORY of a time when you practiced/exhibited that positive behavior. How did you feel regarding yourself & your job satisfaction? What do you believe was the positive impact/ outcome? LISTEN to your partner’s feedback/ reaction/ comments 4 = TASK TEAM -Small Group collegial conversations(~ 12 minutes) HUDDLE/ gather/ shift/ move to three common ground corners Consider dividing participants into three groupings (MAXIMIZING MISTAKES / EXHIBITING EFFORT/ MAKING CONTRIBUTIONS). Post these on the wall or distribute them on a handout. Invite them to choose which they believe is the best fit for the growth behavior in their story. Of course, it doesn’t matter which huddle they join. SHARE interesting story examples of these behaviors DISCUSS the positive impact/ outcomes of these behaviors PREPARE a spokesperson to summarize the + impact/outcomes (not stories) ALL = WHOLE GROUP FOCUS(~ 10 minutes) Have all RETURN to their seats Invite reports by each spokesperson “Wannabe” Behaviors: Revisit the KUDO behaviors on the sheet and have everyone check one behavior they aspire to have or practice. CLOSER, IF TIME PERMITS… (~ 10 minutes) Ask participants write on a new sheet and hand deliver a “Kudo-gram” to another in the room. Of course, they may choose to check multiple boxes. Encourage writing personalized “P.S.” notes. MAKING CONTRIBUTIONS Came prepared Made great contributions Made connections between Ideas Helped someone out Were a great listener MAXIMIZING MISTAKES Made a good mistake Corrected your own mistake Have shown great improvement Stayed focused despite distractions Sought help when needed EXHIBITING EFFORTS Stick with a problem Show improvement Take a risk Take the time to do things right Made a valiant effort READ MORE A Dozen Ways to Say “Good Job” Training Superheroes for Powerful Training Criticism, Feedback, and the Power of Praise  

Start-Stop-Continue-Change is a versatile training tool used throughout a learning event. Expert Trainer Nora Gerber was kind enough to share her facilitation notes with Trainers Warehouse. The prompts are packaged as pads of sticky notes from Trainers Warehouse, but you can create your own as well. Overview of Start-Stop-Continue-Change Tool Use the colorful notes as an “action-plan catcher.” They’re more powerful than handouts because learners can take them home and post them at their workstations as reminders about how to apply the course content. Start of Day Activities Distribute 1 sheet of each prompt (green, red, yellow, blue) to every participant. Welcome them to pick up additional sheets over the course of the session. 1 – Throughout the Session – Take Notes on all 4 Prompts Use START, STOP, CONTINUE, & CHANGE Notes Throughout the Day Throughout the day (anytime or at designated intervals), encourage participants to jot a note-to-self on any or all of the 4 PROMPT sheets. The activity heightens awareness in the moment and draws out key takeaways. By the end of the session, each participant will have their own set of ah-ha moments and action plans. 2- Focus on "Continue" Build Positivity, Discuss Strengths & Reinforce What Works Well Early in the session, encourage individuals to take note of the efforts and processes currently working well for them. Have them write these on the “CONTINUE” note, to reinforce the importance of continuing these practices. Not only does it help people recall and focus on good practices, but they will be able to share these notes during pair-share or table talk activities later in the session or during a conversation about strengths if that is part of your curriculum. 3- Pair & Share to Energize the Group Have participants pair up (seated or standing) to share their notes on any or all 4 PROMPTS . Use this activity at any time to encourage individuals to reinforce learning, highlight takeaways, and create action plans. 4- CHANGE-UP - a growth activity Focus on Opportunities for Growth and Change In this activity, players will find a partner with whom to pair-and-share for 2 minutes, talking about their “change” notes. After that time, they’ll change partners and repeat the activity. Have participants swap partners 4 or 5 times before returning to their seats. It’s fun to focus on the “CHANGE” prompt for this activity, but it will work for the other prompts too. 5- Intentions & Commitments Have groups, seated or standing, declare their transfer-of-training intentions in any or all of the 4 PROMPT categories. In this inspiring activity, the practice of articulating and committing to actions, in front of a peer group, leads to greater follow-through. Try this after lunch to regroup and re-focus their attention or as a closing activity. 6- Exit Passes - Powerful Closer Request that participants hand you their “CHANGE” notes as their exit pass. Stand at the door to collect these as you thank each person for participating. This provides facilitators with instant feedback on their plans to apply the learning and can assist you in improving your course delivery. Consider asking participants to sign their names at the bottom so you can send an email reminder of their commitments to take action. © Trainers Warehouse. Notes created in collaboration with Nora Gerber READ MORE Close the Learning Day 1-2-4-All Training Technique