Don't Break Your Egg

This is yet another fun-filled and effective game if administered well will establish you as an ace workshop/seminar leader. The game is highly participative. It can also prove to be a great energizer. And so, its a great candidate for your afternoon sessions.

The game is most apt for sessions on team building, teamwork, synergy, creativity, strategy management, intragroup communication, conflict management, consensus building, motivation, leadership/followership etc.

Divide the participants of your training workshop so that each group can have around 5 to 7 persons. Use the random grouping method earlier described in the management exercise titled “Pass the Message” at URL http://management-games-icebreakers.blogspot.com/search/label/Pass%20the%20Message

Ask each group to choose its coordinator. Group members should discuss and make their choice.

Handover to each of the group coordinators a set of following items:

• An egg
• A small piece of thermocole or foam/sponge 
• A newspaper sheet or any other paper of approximately that size
• Glue 
• Cellophane tape (small size)
• Around 3 feet of string
• A pair of scissors

Now instruct the participants to work in their respective groups. Tell them that by using the set of material allotted to them they are supposed to make a gadget. They will then use that gadget to drop the egg from a height of some 10 feet on the ground/floor making sure that the egg does not break.

Give them 15 minutes to make the gadget.

Now ask the coordinators of the groups to drop the egg to let it fall on the floor using their gadgets. After all the group are done, inspect the eggs. The group whose egg breaks or cracks will be declared as disqualified. The ones whose eggs remain intact will be declared as winners.

Within the winners you can rank order the groups based on the creativity and innovativeness of their gadgets. You may like to include economies of the materials used as an additional criterion.

Initiate a group discussion. Guide the participants to discuss the process of making the gadget:

• Did they formulate any strategy, what kind?
• Did they draw the design of the gadget on paper?
• What principles they used to ensure that egg would not break on hitting the floor?
• How innovative was their final product and why? Was creativity of each member of the group tapped or was something lacking in their group process?
• Were they satisfied with their teamwork. Could it be improved further?
• Did they get into conflicts and how they resolved? How was the consensus finally reached?
• Were they challenged and motivated to undertake the task? 

Summarize the group discussion. Supplement the group discussion with your observations. Provide any additional inputs you wish to impart to your participants.

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:

1. Classic Management Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers
2. Classic Management Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers (Volume 2)
3. Classic Team Building Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers
4. 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/

(Life Positions and OKness) http://life-positions.blogspot.com/
(Life Skills) http://life-skills-competencies.blogspot.com/
(Listening) http://listen-skills.blogspot.com/

M
(Management Anecdotes) http://management-anecdotes.blogspot.com/
(Managenent Books- Best Books) http://best-book-list.blogspot.com/
(Management Book- Best Books) http://best-management-books.blogspot.com/
(Management Games, Management Exercises, Icebreakers and Energizers)http://management-games-icebreakers.blogspot.com/
(Managing Life- Freedom from Shackles and Burdens) http://i-am-liberated.blogspot.in/
(Management in Life, Profession, Family and Society) http://life-effectiveness.blogspot.in/
(Management Information System- MIS) http://management-information-system-mis.blogspot.com/
(Managing/conducting Meetings) http://managing-meetings.blogspot.com/
(Management Notes- Free and Authentic) http://authentic-management-notes.blogspot.com/
(Marginal Utility) http://marginal-utility-concept.blogspot.com/
(Marketing Management Overview) http://marketing-management-overview.blogspot.com/
(Marketing Orientation) http://marketing-orientation.blogspot.com/
(Marketing Management Tasks) http://marketing-management-tasks.blogspot.com/
(Market research) http://market-research-function.blogspot.com/
(Market Segmentation) http://market-segment.blogspot.com/
(Mentoring) http://mentor-mentorship.blogspot.com/
(Money Management: How to Save Money) http://save-money-ideas.blogspot.com/
(Money Management: How to Save Money- Long Comprehensive Article) http://manage-moneysaving.blogspot.in/
(Motivation) http://motivation-people.blogspot.com/
(Management Encyclopedia- Everything on Management and Leadership) http://shyam.bhatawdekar.com

N
(Negotiation Skills) http://negotiating-skills.blogspot.com/
(Negotiation Tactics) http://negotiation-tactics.blogspot.com/
(Non-verbal Communication or Body Language) http://body-language-communication.blogspot.com/

O
(Objection Handling) http://objection-handling.blogspot.com/
(OKness or Life Positions) http://life-positions.blogspot.com/
(Opportunities in Recession) http://recession-opportunity.blogspot.in/
(Organization Development- OD) http://organization-development-od.blogspot.com/
(Organizational Culture) http://organizational-culture-values.blogspot.com/
(Out of Box Ideas) http://wow-idea.blogspot.com/
(Outsourcing) http://outsourcing-contracting.blogspot.com/
(Ownership on Job) http://job-ownership.blogspot.com/

P
(Paradigm and Paradigm Shift) http://paradigm-mindset.blogspot.com/
(Parental Responsibilities- family management) http://parental-responsibilities.blogspot.com/
(Pareto Analysis or ABC 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/
(Participative Processes, Participative Management- Democracy) http://democracy-liberation.blogspot.com/
(Performance Management: Wholesome HR System) http://performance-management-appraisal.blogspot.com/
(Performance Management and Appraisal) http://performance-appraisal-management.blogspot.com/
(Personality) http://human-personality.blogspot.com/
(Personal Branding) http://professional-branding.blogspot.com/ or http://shyam.bhatawdekar.com/
(Positive Strokes) http://positive-strokes.blogspot.com/
(Presentation Skills) http://presentation-effectiveness.blogspot.com/
(Problem Solving) http://problem-solving-skill.blogspot.com/
(Product Knowledge: Home Page for All Products) http://products-all.blogspot.com/
(Product Knowledge- Cars) http://cars-products.blogspot.com/
(Product Knowledge- Chocolates) http://chocolates-products.blogspot.com/
(Product Knowledge- Flowers) http://flowers-products.blogspot.com/
(Product Knowledge- Greeting Cards) http://greeting-cards-products.blogspot.com/
(Product Knowledge- Cell Phones) http://mobilephones-products.blogspot.com/
(Professional- Genuine Professional) http://professional-genuine.blogspot.in/
(Professional Branding) http://professional-branding.blogspot.com/ or http://shyam.bhatawdekar.com/
(Profit Improvement) http://profit-improvement.blogspot.com/
(Project Management) http://management-of-project.blogspot.com/
(Psychological Strokes) http://positive-strokes.blogspot.com/
(Public Speaking) http://public-speak-skill.blogspot.com/

Q
(Qualities of CEO) http://ceo-qualities.blogspot.com/
(Quality Circles History) http://quality-circles-history.blogspot.com/
(Quality Circles) http://quality-circles.blogspot.com/
(Quality Function Deployment- QFD and House of Quality) http://quality-function-deployment.blogspot.com/
(Quality Gurus) http://quality-gurus.blogspot.com/

R
(Recession: How to Avert Recession, How to Combat Recession and Then, How to Move Ahead?) http://recession-global.blogspot.in/
(Recession Management) http://recession-management.blogspot.com/
(Recession: Opportunities in Recession) http://recession-opportunity.blogspot.in/
(Recruitment and Selection) http://recruitment-selection.blogspot.com/
(Research Methodology) http://research-work-methodology.blogspot.com/

S
(Safety and Health Management) http://safety-health-management.blogspot.com/
(Sales/Selling Process) http://selling-process.blogspot.com/
(Sales Promotion) http://sales-promotion.blogspot.com/
(Save Money) http://save-money-ideas.blogspot.com/
(Self-awareness: Getting Introduced to Self) http://self-concept-awareness.blogspot.in/
(Self-concept) http://self-concept-image.blogspot.com/
(Self-concept) http://self-image-concept.blogspot.com/
(Self-confidence) http://self-confidence-improvement.blogspot.com/
(Self Development) http://managing-self.blogspot.com/
(Self Motivation or Internal Motivation) http://internal-motivation.blogspot.com/
(Shyam Bhatawdekar's articles, blogs and knols: Home Page) http://writings-of-shyam.blogspot.com/
(Shyam Bhatawdekar's Effectiveness Model- HSoftware) http://humansoftware.blogspot.com/, http://human-software-hsoftware.blogspot.com/
(Six Sigma) http://six-sigma-system.blogspot.com/
(Six Thinking Hats) http://six-thinking-hats.blogspot.com/
(Soft Skills) http://soft-skills-competencies.blogspot.com/
(Soft Skills/Competencies: Details of Each Competency) http://soft-competencies-skills.blogspot.com/
(Spiritual Quotient/Intelligence) http://spiritual-quotient.blogspot.com/
(Stories for Children for Child Development) http://stories-children.blogspot.com/
(Statistics- Basics) http://statistics-basic.blogspot.com/
(Strategic Management) http://strategic-managing.blogspot.com/
(Stress Management) http://managing-stress-strain.blogspot.com/
(Stress Management: Stress Freedom: Long Comprehensive Article) http://stress-freedom.blogspot.in/
(Sub-contracting) http://outsourcing-contracting.blogspot.com/
(Success) http://success-achievement.blogspot.com/
(Success in Life: Life Management) http://success-complete.blogspot.in/
(Supply Chain Management) http://manage-supply-chain.blogspot.com/
(Supply and Demand) http://supply-demand-laws.blogspot.com/
(Swine Flu and Its Prevention) http://swine-flu-precaution.blogspot.com/

T
(Talent Management) http://managing-talent.blogspot.com/
(Team Building) http://team-building-working.blogspot.com/
(Telephone Etiquette) http://telephone-etiquette.blogspot.com/
(Three Sixty Degrees Appraisal System) http://three-sixty-degrees-feedback.blogspot.com/
(Time Management) http://time-life-management.blogspot.com/
(Total Productive Maintenance- TPM) http://total-productive-maintenance.blogspot.com/
(Total Quality Management- TQM) http://total-quality-concept.blogspot.com/
(Training and Development) http://training-function.blogspot.com/
(Training Games) http://training-games.blogspot.com/
(Trainers’ Qualities) http://trainers-qualities.blogspot.com/
(Train the Trainers) http://train-trainers.blogspot.com/
(Train the Trainers) http://train-trainer.blogspot.com/
(Training of Trainers- Comprehensive at One Place) http://training-of-trainers.blogspot.com/
(Transaction Analysis- TA) http://transaction-analysis.blogspot.com/
(Tourism, Travel and Sightseeing Management- India) http://india-tours-sightseeing.blogspot.com/
(Tourism, Travel and Sightseeing Management- World) http://sightseeing-guide.blogspot.com/
(Tourism, Trave and Sightseeing Management- World Heritage Sites) http://world-heritage-spots.blogspot.com/
(TRIZ: Inventive Problem Solving) http://triz-problem-solving.blogspot.com/

V
(Value Engineering/Analysis) http://value-engineering-analysis.blogspot.com/

W
(Winners and Losers) http://winners-losers.blogspot.com/
(Work Study: Method Study and Work Measurement) http://workstudy-measurement.blogspot.com/
(Work Methods or Practices: Efficient) http://efficient-work-methods.blogspot.com/
(World Class Manufacturing) http://world-class-manufacturing.blogspot.com/
(Writings of Shyam Bhatawdekar on Management) http://writings-of-shyam.blogspot.com/
(Written Communication) http://written-communication.blogspot.com/

Z
(Zero Based Budgeting) http://zero-based-budgeting.blogspot.com/

Create Many Words from One Word

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/

Refer high quality Management eNotes http://management-enotes.blogspot.com/

For free tutorials on “Train the Trainers” program, refer: http://train-trainers.blogspot.com/

Create Many Words from One Word

Basically this exercise is an exercise in creativity. As the program coordinator or workshop leader you can use this exercise in your sessions or modules on "creativity", "creativity and innovation" and similar other programs on the topics related to creativity and innovation. This exercise helps in stimulating the brains of the program participants and inculcating creative thinking in them. It is a kind of brainstorming exercise or brain teaser.

The exercise is a good energizer and a warm up intervention. It can be used even as a good icebreaker. The exercise is carried out individually but the discussions post completion of exercise is quite participative.

Since the exercise serves as an energizer, warm-up intervention and icebreaker, it can be used in any program other than the programs related to the topics of creativity and innovation.

Make a short list of a few words that have some relevance to your workshop or seminar. If your program pertains to management, business and leadership, you can shortlist the words like "management", "business", "leadership", "customer" and "employee" etc. This is only an indicative list of words. You may choose any other five words that are somewhat related to your program. 

Write down these words one below the other on the white board in big bold letters so that all the participants can see them clearly.

Ask the participants to make many words out of each of these five words by using the various alphabets that make that word. You may like to give them an illustration. For example, from the word "customer" you can make "us", "or", "cost" "sum" etc by using the alphabets contained in the word "customer". 

Now they should start constructing as many words as are possible to be made out of one single word. They should write them down against the parent word in their diaries/note pads. The participants will carry out this exercise individually, without discussing or consulting with each other.

Allow them 25 minutes to complete the exercise. If they request for more time, give them additional 5 to 10 minutes.

Before undertaking the exercise, each participant will be asked to make a guess or estimate of the words they can construct from the letters of each of the five words.

After the exercise is complete, let each individual share with the rest of the group his performance against the estimated  performance for each of the five words.

Identify the highest scorer for each of the five words. Declare the names of the highest scorers and request the entire participants to applaud for them. Join in the clapping.

Congratulate the participants for the excellent participation in the exercise and move on to your next session in the program.

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:

1. Classic Management Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers
2. Classic Management Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers (Volume 2)
3. Classic Team Building Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers
4. 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

Assemble a Story

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/)

It is a seemingly very simple yet pretty loaded individual and group management exercise. It can be used by you as a program facilitator or workshop leader as an icebreaker and particularly for your sessions on creativity, creative thinking, leadership, team work and team building.

Get the participants of your program to sit on the chairs kept in a circular shape in your seminar room or even outdoors. Create a relaxed environment and then brief the participants.

Tell them that one person in group will start out by telling to rest of the participants a story but he can speak only one complete sentence of his story at a time. As he finishes his first sentence, the person sitting next to him will extend first person’s story’s first sentence by adding to it one more sentence from his side. Then the third person takes over and adds one more sentence to construct the further part of the story. Thus every participant will keep adding his one sentence to the story that gets formed till his turn comes. This goes on and on till you feel that it’s time to conclude the exercise. You can check up with participants if they will still like to continue.

To begin the exercise you can coax the participants to volunteer to give a kick start to the story. Let some initiators emerge this way and then you can choose one of them to start telling the first sentence of the story.

After the participants declare that they are finished with story formulation or you assess that it's time to conclude, request the participants to share their experiences in tackling this exercise. Where did they miss out and where they did brilliantly? Was it a simple exercise or a difficult one? Did it tax their brains- in what ways?

Give your observations, analysis and inputs.

You can repeat this exercise by giving to entire group of participants around 10 minutes to discuss among themselves before they start making and telling another story in the manner described earlier. During these given 10 minutes they can work out an outline of a different story they wish to tell as a group but the participants are not allowed to write down anything. Then allow each participant to speak out his one sentence turn by turn to narrate the complete story the way they had thought of.

After this second round of story telling, get the participants once again to share their experiences and to tell you the differences between the first round and the second round of story formation and story telling.

Facilitate their discussions with your inputs and wrap up the session.

(As a variant, you may ask the participants to assemble a poem also; that will also be as much fun).

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:

1. Classic Management Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers
2. Classic Management Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers (Volume 2)
3. Classic Team Building Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers
4. 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

Compare Green and Table

"Compare green and table" is a group management exercise. It is very participative. It can be used in the sessions on creativity, creative thinking, lateral thinking, out of box thinking etc. It is also a very good energizer and a fun thing.

You, as the program facilitator or workshop/seminar leader, should divide the entire participants in groups of around 7 members each. Each group preferably should consist of randomly selected participants. In order to know the method of random selection of participants to form the groups refer the management exercise titled "Pass the Message".

Before administering this exercise, it would be beneficial to train the participants on the concept and process of "brainstorming" technique. You may like to refer the web site "Brainstorming" at http://brainstorming-technique.blogspot.com/ in order to refresh your ideas on brainstorming.

Instruct the participants in all the groups to follow brainstorming technique in tackling this exercise. Tell each group to select a coordinator who will keep the documentation and make sure that his group members follow the process of brainstorming.

Allow them around 20 minutes to brainstorm. If they need extra time, allow them another 10 more minutes and then wind up.

During this allowed time, ask the participants in each group to compare "Green" and "Table". Each member will give one suggestion at a time as per his turn in brainstorming. The suggestion will indicate either similarity between "Green" and "Table" or the contrast between the two. Coordinators of each group will record these similarities and contrasts in two different columns in the note pad. Prompt the members of each group to keep thinking and keep documenting more and more similarities and contrasts- the more the better.

After lapse of 30 minutes, request two persons from each group to declare their count (number) of similarities and contrasts between "Green" and "Table" they have been able to find. They should also make a presentation of these comparisons to the rest of the participants and to you. Each group will repeat this. As they rattle out these comparisons, there is bound to be lots of enthusiasm, laughter and surprises.

Request their feedback on the exercise about what they experienced, how difficult it looked and felt to start with and what happened later and what were their learning points. Conclude the exercise by giving your observations, analysis and learning.

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:

1. Classic Management Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers
2. Classic Management Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers (Volume 2)
3. Classic Team Building Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers
4. 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