in this issue
	Icebreaker: What Motivates You? Let's Get Physical Extra! Extra! Design Strategy: Blended Learning

Icebreaker: What Motivates You?

Here's an activity that gets people talking about motivation and how each of us can be motivated by different things. Create a series of cards, each with something many people would not be willing to do. For example, go skydiving, get a tattoo of your company's logo (unless you're Harley-Davidson), eat a live bug, take a 3-day vacation with your ex-spouse, wear pajamas to work, etc. Create several more cards than you have people (some cards can be duplicated). Give each table of participants several cards (at least 2 extra per table) face down. Tell them that these cards describe things that many people are unwilling to do. They must find a card that they COULD do, but that they wouldn't do willingly. For instance, a hemophiliac couldn't get a tattoo, so they wouldn't choose that card. Have them choose a card, read it, and if it fits, keep it. If it doesn't, put the card back into the middle of the table and choose another until they have a card that works. When everyone has selected a card, instruct them to find a partner and swap cards. They will now have to find out what it would take to motivate their partner to do what they said they were unwililng to do. Instruct them to try to find the LEAST it would take to get the person to try the action on the card. (You might do it for a million dollars, but would you do it for less?) The partner must suggest things, not ask "what would it take?" Give them about 5 minutes to see what would motivate their partner. Then debrief by asking what they learned about the values of their partner, and what they learned about themselves. It's a fun activity and can lead to some great conversations about values, motivation, and influencing.

Let's Get Physical

Are you looking for ways to keep your group energized in the afternoon? Try getting them moving. You can quickly get the energy level up and keep on track. Here are three ways: Koosh Ball: We love the Koosh. These balls are easy to catch and come in lots of bright colors. You can quickly brainstorm ideas or test retention using the Koosh. You ask a question, then toss the Koosh. The person who answers tosses it to the next person, and so on. The act of catching and tossing gets people energized. Round Robin Flip Charts: Divide the group into small teams. Give each team a topic to brainstorm or a concept to explore. Allow them 5 minutes to record ideas on their flip chart. Then have them rotate (like in volleyball) to the next chart and build on the ideas on their new chart. Continue rotating until they return to their original chart. Then review what new ideas came from the other teams. Balloons: Have people write a question they want answered on a piece of paper and put it in a balloon, then inflate the balloon. Have them toss the balloons to music, keeping all of the balloons in the air while music plays. When the music stops, have them grab a balloon. They can each pop the balloon, read the question, and try to answer it. The key to all of these activities is to use movement to help them recharge so that they can continue to learn and retain the training.

Extra! Extra!

Here's a fun way to close a session on writing. Have participants write an article about themselves one year in the future. The article should be a news story that describes their phenomenal success in using what they learned. Give them some guidelines for their article. It should include a headline, a description of their accomplishments, what they did to achieve the results, and anything else that would make it a more interesting story. Give them about 5 minutes to write. With a small group, you can have each person read their story. But if the group is large, you might just have them share their headlines. Or have them read their stories in small groups, and then ask them to share some of their favorite lines. Summarize by encouraging them to realize their goals by taking action today, tomorrow and every week to use what they have learned. With this activity, you'll get people laughing, and help them see the possibilities of using the training you delivered.

Design Strategy: Blended Learning

Blended Learning is a way of developing people by combining a variety of methods, going beyond simply training people to expand their development experience so that they actually make changes on the job. Here are two examples of blended learning solutions we have developed. Leadership Development: We combine training workshops with personal coaching, a leadership book club, 360-degree feedback surveys, self-directed activities (a short reading followed by an assignment), and mentoring. All activities are optional, and when someone participates, they are usually very motivated to use what they are learning. Supervisory Development: We were asked to help a group of supervisors improve performance of some of their lowest ranked people. The supervisors had already participated in performance management training, but it was not being used. We gave them a refresher on those concepts, and combined that training with coaching, development of standards, new performance management tools, and more visible support from their manager. We immediately noticed a difference in the enthusiasm of the supervisors. They realized that this wasn't going to be the same old training, and that we really wanted to help them succeed. By going beyond what they were used to, we gained their committment to results. Think about how you can go beyond a training event to create a complete development experience. Try it with one topic area, and then keep expanding your solutions. You will become a true performance consultant, helping your clients create the results they need. It's a beautiful thing!