in this issue
	Icebreaker: "TP Reveals All" Skill Tip: "Processing Activities" Activity: "Create a Case" Design Spotlight: "Creating Networks"

Icebreaker: "TP Reveals All"

The goal of this icebreaker is to get people to reveal information about themselves in a fun and quick way. All you need is a roll of toilet paper. Here's how it works. Hand the roll of toilet paper to someone in the class. Instruct them to take some paper and pass on the roll. Each person should take some paper from the roll. After all have taken some paper, you should take some yourself. Then explain that they will use the paper to determine how much information to share about themselves in their introduction. Instruct them to share one piece of information for each square of paper they took. You may want to ask them to share only NEW information, if you are working with a group that knows each other. Begin by sharing some interesting facts about you. This activity is a nice way to begin team building, especially as it encourages sharing information. It's also a lot of fun to see how much paper people take.

Skill Tip: "Processing Activities"

Most of us who design training really love using our creativity in developing interesting learning activities. We get to research games, puzzles, stories, and many other fun resources. We spend lots of time working through the details of the activity to be sure it meets the learning objectives. One of the most important parts of the process is the debrief. This isn't usually as much fun to write as the rest of it. So here are some helpful hints for processing those great activities you write. 1. Begin by asking questions about what they DID in the activity. For example, How long did it take? What process did you follow? Who did what? 2. Next ask about what they THOUGHT during the activity. For example, How did you feel while doing that? What did you like best/least and why? What was most challenging or frustrating? 3. Wrap it up by asking about APPLICATION of the activity. For example, How does this relate to your job? What did you learn that you can use tomorrow? What is this important to your job? For more ideas and questions, visit our web site for a free download, "Questions for Debriefing." Click Here for "Questions for Debriefing" »

Activity: "Create a Case"

Do your training participants groan when you tell them you're about to do a role play? You can eliminate those groans by incorporating the Create a Case approach into your role play. Create a Case means that the group actually creates the role play scenario instead of using a pre-written one. Begin by defining the information needed in the case. For instance, in our workshop on Leading Successful Project Teams, we have teams develop a negotiation opportunity they have experienced or anticipate with a project. We provide them with a worksheet to complete, asking for information that includes a brief description of the project, the original scope, the scope change requested, and the challenges to meeting the request. It's best to give participants a form to complete so that they include all relevant information. Divide the class into teams. Have each team create a realistic case that is challenging but not impossible, using the workshop you provide. This should take about 10 minutes. Then have teams swap cases and instruct them to develop a strategy for managing the case they have received. Their strategy should follow the steps you have been teaching in the workshop. Again, give them a worksheet for planning their approach. Then have teams role play their strategy with the team that developed the original case. One person on the team represents their team as the "front man/woman" while the rest of the team observes and coaches so that their strategy is implemented as written. The front person may change at any time during the role play, and team members should be very active participants. Try this approach to role plays and see how the energy builds!

Design Spotlight: "Creating Networks"

I recently heard that 70% of learning on the job is accomplished through informal means - talking to others, researching things, reading, making mistakes, etc. Formal development like training is important but isn't the only way to help people in your organization grow. Consider supplementing your training events with networking groups. A networking group is a small number of people focused on the same development goal, generally speaking. They agree to meet by phone or in person on a regular basis and complete specific developmental activities between meetings to discuss when they get together. For example, a leadership network might include 4-5 people who all want to develop their leadership potential. They agree to meet the third Friday of each month for lunch. Meeting leadership rotates each month, and it is the responsibility of the meeting leader to determine what they will discuss and what activities should be completed in preparation for the meeting. Activities can include reading a book, practicing a new skill, making a presentation, joining a professional organization, attending a meeting, interviewing a manager, visiting a plant, or any number of things that might drive development. You can be a resource for the networking groups by providing them with ideas for activities and even facilitating the first meeting. Consider suggesting a Networking Group during your next training session. Provide the class with a list of guidelines for establishing a group and circulate a sign- up sheet to gauge interest. After training, contact those interested and get them started. Consider becoming part of a Networking Group with RTT by joining our Training Design Teleclasses beginning this month. Visit our web site for more information. Click here for information on RTT's Training Design Teleclasses »