Management Games and Icebreakers: February 2011

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Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Follow Instructions

For everything you wanted to know on building leadership and management, refer Shyam Bhatawdekar’s website: http://shyam.bhatawdekar.com/

(Refer our High Quality Management Encyclopedia “Management Universe” at: http://management-universe.blogspot.com/)

This is a real fun exercise that can be used by you as the seminar or workshop leader in your programs on communication, communication skills, pitfalls of communication etc. This exercise is an excellent icebreaker and energizer.

Distribute to the participants of your program a handout containing the 20 instructions given below. Each participant will have to read the instruction one by one, follow the instruction, do the activities as specified by these instructions and thus complete all the instructions.

Instruct them to carry out the instructions as fast as possible since you wish to see the person(s) who can do them in the fastest way. Tell them that you will declare the winner(s) at the end of the exercise.

Exercise Instructions:

1. Read every thing before doing anything, but work as rapidly as you can.

2. Put your name in the upper right hand corner of this paper, last name first.

3. Circle the word “name” in sentence 2.

4. Underline the words “upper right hand” in sentence 2.

5. Now draw a circle around the title of this page.

6. Sign your name under the title.

7. In sentence 5, draw a circle around the title of this paper.

8. Write the name of India’s capital.___________________________________

9. Underline all of sentence 7.

10. Draw an “X” in the lower left hand corner of this paper.

11. Draw a circle around the “X” just you drew.

12. Write the name of your city/town/village.

13. Draw a circle around the phrase “capital city” in sentence 8.

14. Speak out loud your name when you get to this point.

15. If you think you have followed instructions to this point, call out loudly “I have”.

16. Close your eyes and raise your left hand over your head.

17. Write your designation. ___________________________________

18. Count out loud in your normal speaking voice backward from 10 to 1.

19. Now that you have read the instructions carefully, do only what sentence 1 and 3 ask you to do. Ignore all other instructions.

20. Please do not give this test paper to any colleague, make no comments or explanations. If you have read this so far, pretend that you are still writing. Let us see how many persons really follow instructions carefully.

End of exercise instructions

After about 10 to 15 minutes, you will be in a position to start a discussion among the participants about what all happened in undertaking this exercise. Let the participants share their experiences.

Also, share your observations with them. Draw out the relevant conclusions related to communication skills and pitfalls of communication. Wrap up the exercise.

Get Hold of the Related Books

You can order the following books on "management games and icebreakers" as printed books and eBooks from Amazon online:

Classic Management Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers
Classic Management Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers (Volume 2)
Classic Team Building Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers
101 Classic Management Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers

Related Reading: (Repository of a large number of articles in management and leadership): http://shyam.bhatawdekar.com and http://management-universe.blogspot.com

Additional Reading Opportunities

Alphabetic List of of Management Topics and Their Site URLs
(The term "management" here does not limit itself to just about business management but it encompasses management of all kinds of things like life management, home management, family management, health management, travel management, food management and so on).

Home Pages for All the Topics

1. (Home Pages for Brief Introduction to All the Business Management Topics) http://management-universe.blogspot.com/, http://management-universe-enotes.blogspot.com/ and http://shyam.bhatawdekar.com

2. (Home Page for All General and Psychological Counseling) http://counselingfamily.blogspot.com/

3. (Home Page for All Home Tips: Home and Family Management) http://home-tips-tricks.blogspot.com/

4. (Home Page for All Products: Products Knowledge Management) http://products-all.blogspot.com/

Topics Starting with Numbers

(5S Housekeeping) http://5s-housekeeping.blogspot.com/
(5S Housekeeping at Home: Home Management) http://5s-housekeeping-home.blogspot.com/

Topics Starting with Alphabets

A
(ABC Analysis or Pareto Analysis or 80/20 Rule) http://abc-pareto-analysis.blogspot.com/ or http://shyam.bhatawdekar.net/index.php/2011/07/20/abc-analysis-or-pareto-analysis/
(Activity Based Costing- ABC) http://activitybased-costing.blogspot.com/
(Advertising) http://advertising-mass-communication.blogspot.com/
(Anecdotes in Management) http://management-anecdotes.blogspot.com/
(Anger Management) http://controlling-anger.blogspot.com/
(Articles, blogs and knols of Shyam Bhatawdekar: Home Page) http://writings-of-shyam.blogspot.com/
(Assertiveness) http://assertiveness-skill.blogspot.com/
(Assessment Centers) http://assessment-centers.blogspot.com/
(Authentic and Free Management Notes) http://authentic-management-notes.blogspot.com/
(A to Z of Management Systems) http://a-z-management-systems.blogspot.com/
(A to Z of Quality Techniques) http://a-z-quality-techniques.blogspot.com/

B
(Balanced Scorecard) http://balanced-scorecard-system.blogspot.com/
(Basic Statistics) http://statistics-basic.blogspot.com/
(Behavioral Safety) http://behavioral-safety.blogspot.com/
(Benchmarking) http://benchmarking-system.blogspot.com/
(Body Language or Non-verbal Communication) http://body-language-communication.blogspot.com/
(Books- Best Books) http://best-book-list.blogspot.com/
(Books- Best Management Books) http://best-management-books.blogspot.com/
(Boundaryless) http://shyambhatawdekar.blogspot.com/
(Brainstorming) http://brainstorming-technique.blogspot.com/
(Branding- Personal/Professional Branding http://professional-branding.blogspot.com/ or http://shyam.bhatawdekar.com/
(Business Ethics and Ethics in Management) http://business-management-ethics.blogspot.com/
(Business Plan) http://business-plan-preparation.blogspot.com/
(Business Process Reengineering- BPR) http://business-process-reengineering-bpr.blogspot.com/

C
(Career Planning within Organizations) http://organizational-career-planning.blogspot.com/
(Case Method) http://case-method.blogspot.com/
(Case Studies in Management) http://corporate-case-studies.blogspot.com/
(CEO Roles, Qualities and Competencies) http://ceo-qualities.blogspot.com/
(Change Management) http://manage-change.blogspot.com/
(Child Development: Stories for Children) http://stories-children.blogspot.com/
(Children’s Behavior Problems: Family Management) http://child-behavior-problems.blogspot.com/
(Coaching) http://coaching-skill.blogspot.com/
(Communication) http://communication-for-business.blogspot.com/
(Competencies- Life Management) http://shyam-bhatawdekar.blogspot.com/
(Competency Matrix/Competency Mapping: Success by Building Competencies/Skills) http://competency-matrix-mapping.blogspot.in/
(Competency Mapping) http://competency-map.blogspot.com/
(Competency Matrix) http://competency-matrix.blogspot.com/
(Conflict Management) http://manage-conflict.blogspot.com/
(Corporate Governance) http://corporate-governance-policy.blogspot.com/
(Cost Management) http://cost-management-control.blogspot.com/
(Cost of Quality- COQ) http://cost-of-quality.blogspot.com/
(Counseling at Workplace)http://counseling-skill.blogspot.com/
(Counseling: Psychological) http://counselingfamily.blogspot.com/
(Creativity- Out of Box Articles) http://wow-idea.blogspot.com/
(Creativity and Innovation) http://creativity-management.blogspot.com/
(Critical Thinking skills) http://critical-thinking-skills.blogspot.com/
(Cross Cultural Etiquette and Manners) http://cross-cultural-etiquette.blogspot.com/
(Customer Orientation) http://customer-orientation.blogspot.com/
(Customer Relationship management- CRM) http://customer-relationship-crm.blogspot.com/

D
(Daily Management) http://daily-management.blogspot.com/
(Decision Making) http://decision-making-role.blogspot.com/
(Delegation) http://delegation-skill.blogspot.com/

(Democracy) http://democracy-liberation.blogspot.com/
(Design for Manufacture) http://design-for-manufacture.blogspot.com/
(Dining Etiquette and Table Manners) http://dining-manners.blogspot.com/
(Discipline at Work) http://discipline-at-work.blogspot.com/

E
(Effectiveness and Efficiency) http://effectiveness-efficiency.blogspot.com/
(Effectiveness Management: HSoftware) http://humansoftware.blogspot.com/
(Efficiency Techniques: Work study: Motion and Time Study) http://work-study-measurement.blogspot.com/
(Efficient Work Methods or Practices) http://efficient-work-methods.blogspot.com/
(Email Etiquette) http://email-etiquette-manners.blogspot.com/
(Emotions) http://emotion-feeling.blogspot.com/
(Emotional Intelligence) http://emotional-quotient-intelligence.blogspot.com/
(Empowerment) http://employee-empowerment.blogspot.com/
(Enterprise Resource Planning- ERP) http://erp-management.blogspot.com/
(Entrepreneurship and Entrepreneur) http://entrepreneurship-entrepreneur.blogspot.com/
(Entertainment Management- English Movies) http://popular-movies.blogspot.com/
(Entertainment Management- Hindi Movies) http://hindi-movies-choice.blogspot.com/
(Executive Etiquette and Manners) http://executive-manners.blogspot.com/
(Exit Interview) http://exit-interview.blogspot.com/

F
(Financial Ratios and Financial Ratio Analysis) http://financial-ratios.blogspot.com/
(Financial Services) http://finance-related-services.blogspot.com/
(Free and Authentic Notes on Management) http://authentic-management-notes.blogspot.com/
(Functions of Management) http://functions-of-management.blogspot.com/
(Food Management: Recipes, Easy to Cook) http://easytocook-recipes.blogspot.com/
(Food Management: Recipes, Exotic) http://tastetherecipes.blogspot.com/

G
(Games and Icebreakers for Trainers) http://training-games.blogspot.com/
(Gemba Kaizen) http://gemba-kaizen-improvement.blogspot.com/
(General Knowledge Management- GK) http://general-knowledge-gk.blogspot.com/
(General Knowledge Management- Top 5/Top 10 of Everything) http://top-five-everything.blogspot.com/
(Genuine Professional- Long Article) http://professional-genuine.blogspot.in/
(Global Mindset) http://global-mindset.blogspot.com/
(Goal/Target Setting) http://goal-target-setting.blogspot.com/
(Good Boss) http://good-boss.blogspot.com/
(Great Professional) http://professional-genuine.blogspot.in/
(Group Discussion) http://group-discussion-gd.blogspot.com/
(Group Discussion for Job Seekers and Students) http://group-discussion-gd.blogspot.com/
(Group Dynamics) http://group-dynamics-process.blogspot.com/

H
(Health and Safety Management) http://safety-health-management.blogspot.com/
(Health Management- Cholesterol Control) http://controlling-cholesterol.blogspot.com/
(Health Management- Homeopathy) http://homeopathy-medicines.blogspot.com/
(Health Management- Exercises) http://exercises-plan.blogspot.com/
(Health Management- Quit Smoking) http://quit-smoking-plan.blogspot.com/
(Health management- Swine Flu and Its Prevention) http://swine-flu-precaution.blogspot.com/
(Health Management- Walking) http://walking-plan.blogspot.com/
(How to Be a Good Boss?) http://good-boss.blogspot.com/
(How to Get Promoted?) http://get-promoted.blogspot.com/
(How to Save Money?) http://save-money-ideas.blogspot.com/
(How to Save Money?- Long Comprehensive Article) http://manage-moneysaving.blogspot.in/
(Home Management- Home Page for All Home Tips) http://home-tips-tricks.blogspot.com/
(HR Dynamics) http://hrm-dynamics.blogspot.com/
(HR Strategies and Functions) http://strategic-functions-hrm.blogspot.com/
(Human Capital Architecture) http://human-capital-architecture.blogspot.com/
(Human Relations) http://human-relations-aspect.blogspot.com/
(Human Resource Management- Comprehensive Coverage of HRM) http://human-resource-management-hrm.blogspot.com/
(Human Resource Planning) http://human-resource-planning.blogspot.com/
(Human Software- HSoftware) http://human-software-hsoftware.blogspot.com/

I
(I Am Liberated- Life Management) http://i-am-liberated.blogspot.in/
(I Am OK, You Are OK) http://life-positions.blogspot.com/
(Icebreakers and Energizers) http://management-games-icebreakers.blogspot.com/
(Internal Motivation or Self Motivation) http://internal-motivation.blogspot.com/
(Interpersonal Relations) http://interpersonal-relations.blogspot.com/
(Interview Skills) http://interviewing-skill.blogspot.com/
(Interview Preparation for Job Seekers) http://interview-preparation-jobs.blogspot.com/
(Interview Questions) http://interview-question-bank.blogspot.com/

J
(Johari Window) http://johari-window-model.blogspot.com/
(Just in Time Management- JIT) http://just-in-time-management.blogspot.com/

K
(Kaizen) http://kaizen-improvement.blogspot.com/
(Knowledge Management) http://knowledge-management-initiative.blogspot.com/

L
(Lead Time Management) http://lead-time-management.blogspot.com/
(Leadership) http://lead-max.blogspot.com/ and http://shyam.bhatawdekar.com
(Lean Enterprise) http://lean-organization.blogspot.com/
(Learning Organization) http://learning-organization-profile.blogspot.com/
(Life Management- Latest HSoftware Model) http://life-effectiveness.blogspot.in/
(Life Management- I Am Liberated; Freedom from Shackles and Burdens) http://i-am-liberated.blogspot.in/
(Life Management: Success in Life) http://success-complete.blogspot.in/
(Life Management: My Exotic Dream: World Peace and Other Good Things of Life)

http://exotic-dreaming.blogspot.in/

Monday, February 7, 2011

Treasure Hunt

For everything you wanted to know on building leadership and management, refer Shyam Bhatawdekar’s website: http://shyam.bhatawdekar.com/

(Refer our High Quality Management Encyclopedia “Management Universe” at: http://management-universe.blogspot.com/)

If as a faculty or as a workshop or seminar leader, you are conducting the sessions on team work, team building, consensus building, creativity, time management etc you can use “Treasure Hunt” with advantage. It is also a good management exercise to check the knowledge assimilation level of the participants on the topics that you have imparted the through your program. You can also administer this game for the new recruits in an organization to check up their understanding level about the organization they joined.

As a management game, “Treasure Hunt” consists of a set of clues that lead to a treasure. The treasure will be in the form of a prize. The prize can range from a minor gift to a major gift to the winner depending on the scale of the game and availability of the budget. It is a group game and invokes lots of participation. It works as an energizer too.

Form groups of 4 to 5 persons per group picked up randomly. The method for grouping the participants in a group randomly is given in the management exercise titled “Pass the Message” at http://management-games-icebreakers.blogspot.com/2010/08/pass-message.html.

The clues need to be in form of small tasks or assignments around the topics that you as a faculty have included in your seminar or workshop or if it is an induction program you are conducting for the organization for its new recruits, the clues can touch the different aspects of the organization like its physical facilities, functions of various departments, organizational policies/systems/processes, its products etc.

The groups formed by you are now are pitted against each other for the game. Set out the time limit for completing the game. Also, a set of rules can be laid down such as:

·Groups are not supposed to take help from any person outside the group.

·Groups are to follow the prescribed route.

·Each place will either have a person who will have the clue or the clue will be hidden

somewhere and the groups will have to find it out to proceed to next clue.

·There will be marshals everywhere to judge the actions of the groups.

Start by giving each team the first clue or first set of clues. At the end of the clue give a hint of where and from whom the groups can get the second clue or second set of clues. Only when one clue or one set of clues is solved the first task is reckoned to be completed after which the group can move further to the next clue.

The assignments or tasks of solving the clue(s) should be such that the individual skills and the group skills are tested equally.

The first round of clues would be at a simpler level. If a set of many clues is given at one time, the group can choose which clue to crack first depending upon the capability of the group members and considering the time management aspect.

Once the different clues in the first level are solved the groups will get a second set of clue as their next level task or assignment from a place and person whose hint would have been given at the end of the first set of clues. The second level assignments can be tougher than those in the first level. Collating these clues the teams would have to solve the second level of the game and look out for the place and person from where they can get the next level of clues.

Solving the second level would again provide them a set of clues that would lead them to third and final level. The team solving this level in the best possible manner and within the given time limit will be the winner. Levels can be added or deleted depending upon necessity.

All the participants will join you in congratulating the winner group who finally hunted the treasure and thus the prize or gift.

Now, start discussions among the various groups to share as to where they missed out and where they did well and why. They should also come out with suggestions on how they will like to play the same game again.

Share your observations about each group and various participants with a positive critique. Fill them in with additional inputs you wish to provide and wrap up the session.

Get Hold of the Related Books

You can order the following books on "management games and icebreakers" as printed books and eBooks from Amazon online:

Classic Management Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers
Classic Management Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers (Volume 2)
Classic Team Building Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers
101 Classic Management Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers

Related Reading: (Repository of a large number of articles in management and leadership): http://shyam.bhatawdekar.com and http://management-universe.blogspot.com

http://exotic-dreaming.blogspot.in/