in this issue
	Trainer Kits Ready to Go Quote Me The Kickoff Superheroes Create a Board Game

Quote Me

Here's a quick opener that allows people to meet and learn about each other. Prepare by creating a deck of cards (enough for 3 cards per person) with a quote on each card. Use funny quotes like: "The trouble with the rat race is that even if you win you're still a rat." (Lily Tomlin) "No matter how bad things get, you got to go on living, even if it kills you." (Sholom Aleichem) "All the world's a stage and most of us are desperately unrehearsed." (Sean O'Casey) "Life is so unlike theory." (Anthony Trollope) You get the idea! Deal 3 cards to each person. Instruct them to read the cards and determine which they agree with. They should trade cards until they have three that fit their world view. Allow about 5 minutes for the swap. Then have each person read one of their cards as a way of introduction to the group, sharing why that card fits them. You will find lots of online sites with quotes. Do a search for funny quotes and see what comes up. The quotes can be themed to the class you teach. If you're doing manager training, use quotes related to managing people. If the subject is time management, find those kinds of quotes. This is a quick icebreaker that can get you right into the course subject.

The Kickoff

Have you ever planned to have a key manager start one of your training sessions? Here's a strategy for ensuring a kickoff that works for you, the manager, and the participants. Write the kickoff presentation slides yourself! The manager will deliver, and the key points will be just what you want. I'm working with a client on a Six Sigma training program. The CEO will be kicking off each session so that people realize how important Six Sigma is to the company. We created 7 slides for the kickoff. They include: Our Operating Environment (what's happening here that led us to Six Sigma); Vision for Six Sigma; Results (what we've already accomplished through the program, with actual dollars); Strategy (how we will expand Six Sigma throughout the organization); Expectations (what is expected of the participants after training); and Today's Plan (what's going to happen during the workshop). The benefits of this approach are many. The manager doesn't have to worry about planning a presentation. The manager will talk about the key points you want covered. The manager may learn more about the results you are seeing through the program. Participants learn what is expected and are more likely to meet expectations. The program gains credibility because a busy manager took time to introduce it.

Superheroes

Here's a way to energize a program. Have participants create a theme song or poem for a superhero related to the topic you're teaching. For example, for manager training, the character would be SuperManager. For Time Management the character could be The Time Master. Break the group into teams and instruct them to create the beginning of a show for the character. Remind them of some well-known characters/themes. For example, Superman begins, "Faster than a speeding bullet. More powerful than a locomotive. Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound." If this were SuperManager instead of Superman, they might say, "Faster than a 12-page fax from overseas. More powerful than a new CEO. Able to leap over inept staff in a single bound." Give the teams no more than 10 minutes to prepare. Then have each team perform their theme. It's a fun way to learn how they see a "master" in the topic you're covering. Try this as an icebreaker, closer, or an energizer before a break.

Create a Board Game

Many people like to play board games, and sometimes those games can reflect life (consider The Game of Life). Some training is actually built around a board game, with participants learning by playing the game throughout the workshop. The goal of this activity is to have participants use what they have learned to create a board game of their own. You will need to build the board before training. Choose a design you like (a simple square with 10 spaces per side will work.) Here's how this might work with new manager training. Let's say the workshop includes common manager mistakes, how to develop self and others, how to manage people, strategic planning, and legal issues. Given those topics, you would have managers create the cards used in the board game. Divide the class into teams and assign each team one type of card to create. Types of cards can include: Penalty Cards (mistakes managers make), Development Cards (actions that develop a manager or team member), Results Cards (impact of good manager practices), Strategy Cards (decisions about big issues), Recovery Cards (things managers can do to overcome a mistake). Instruct teams to create 10 cards for their assigned category. Each card should describe a specific action a manager would take and the point value associated with the action. Points can range from -10 to +10 points. The team must identify their rationale for assigning point values to their cards. Allow about 20 minutes to create the cards. Then have them play the game with all team's cards.