I recently learned this sequenced pair of activities from my good friend Rohan. We were training together out in California - it's so educational for me to get to see other amazing facilitators at work. I learn so much from them. Down a bit in this post I share how Rohan specifically facilitates Lift Off. First, let's explore the activity, Willow in the Wind. 

Willow in the Wind 
Early on in my team builder career, I took a number of Project Adventure workshops. Part of their trainings always included "Trust" sequencing. Willow in the Wind, a "trust-pass exercise" was used "as a warm-up activity for the more dramatic falling sequence of The Trust Fall" (Cowstails & Cobras II, Rohnke, 1989). Willow in the Wind is now more than just a precursor to Trust Falls. I use it a lot when practicing spotting for wired low-element events or providing a "trust building" or low-to-the-ground "risk taking" activity. I've seen some incredible break-throughs during Willow in the Wind. Okay. So how does it work? 

Going to my shelves, the earliest write up I could find is in the, More New Games book (1981) from the New Games Foundation. For historical purposes, I want to share their original description : 

We form a small circle of about eight players standing shoulder to shoulder and facing the center of the circle with hands held at chest height, plans forward [will a bend at the elbows for flexing and extending]. Each of us should have one foot slightly behind the other for good balance [and a little bend in the knees]. We've just transformed ourselves into a summer breeze, and now all we need is a volunteer to be the willow. [I love this last line - ever been transformed into a summer breeze?]

The willow stands in the center of the circle with her feet together, her arms crossed over her chest, and her eyes closed [closing eyes is, of course, optional]. Keeping her feet stationary and her body straight but relaxed, she lets herself go, swaying from side to side, forward and back. Those of us in the circle support her with gentle pushes of our palms and provide summer-breeze sound effects. [Oh, I love this too - I'm adding the sound effects into my Willow in the Wind!] We should make sure that there are at least two people supporting the willow at all times [I like to say, "four hands on the willow at all times"], and that our gentle breeze does not become a howling hurricane. 

In turn, each of us gets to be the willow in the wind, swaying to and fro, caressed by the breeze. This is a trust game. The player who is the willow gets the opportunity to trust the other players completely, and those of us who are the breeze get to feel the trust the willow has placed in us. 

Such an elegant description - it makes me want to get a group together and try it right now! Along with the handful of additions, the description above is pretty much how I set up Willow in the Wind. Then, my role, walking around the outside of the circle, is to keep eyes and ears on the group to make sure they are being a gentle, supportive breeze. That's Willow in the Wind. 

This is done not to insure the positive participation of that person, but to provide a firm base of the swaying 'willow.' The central person initiates movement from side to side [forward and back] and is consistently and compassionately [gentle breeze] redirected by the sitting catchers. It is important that the catchers keep their hands up in anticipation of the [willow's] body unexpectedly heading in their direction. 

DO NOT LEAD THIS ACTIVITY - this is my advise to you: Making an educated guess here, the reason I have never seen this done in the wild is that it's up there on the risk scale (standing spots do not lessen the experience, so why not stand) - facilitators discovered this early on. The sitting circle of players all need amazing core strength and their heads are now under a fall potential, which is not the best practice. I share this one to give you some historical perspective and a means to consider some particular safety issues we are aware of in the field - if an inherent risk can be mitigated, why not? And, there are some low elements still used today where craniums are under fall potential. These are among the program choices we make. 

Willow in the Wind & Lift Off
When facilitating this paired sequence, Rohan instructs each group in play to have a lead. This lead will be directing the steps of the process. The center participant will be facing the lead standing in the circle (you will see this in the video). When going through spotting commands, the lead checks each step and signals the spotters to respond. For example, when the willow (center participant) asks, "Spotters Ready?" the lead looks around the circle, checks readiness, then counts down, "3, 2, 1" and all respond, "READY!" [I really like how this lead brings unity  to the process.] Then, when the willow says, "Falling!" the lead looks around for readiness one more time, then instructs the willow to, "Fall on." The willow will then be gently guided around the circle for about a minute, then the lead instructs the group to center the willow in place. 

Now for the Lift Off. It's very important, during the introduction of this paired sequence, to let everyone know there will be a great deal of pressure placed on the upper body/shoulders of the one being lifted. So, if anyone is concerned about injury to this part of their body, they should not be lifted. And, when being lifted, they want to be lowered, they simply say, "Bring me down." On to the lift. 

The lead will first ask the willow if s/he wants to be lifted. If yes, the lead asked the spotters to put hands on the willow. Hands are placed on the arms and upper back, under the shoulder blades of the willow. The lead then instructs the spotters to press, "In, In, In, In" until the lead feels like there is equal pressure around the willow (you don't want the willow to be pushed off to one side). The lead then says, "Up, Up, Up, Up" instructing the spotters to push up on the willow to the hight of the shortest person's reach. Finally, at maximum height, the lead says, "Down, Down, Down, Down" until the willow's feet are safely back on the ground. This "In, Up, Down" sequence is done smoothly without pause. Before the spotters "let loose" of the willow, the lead checks in to make sure s/he is stable. Then, high fives all around. This process is slow and steady with loud and clear communication. 

Rotate other willows into the circle and change leads so there is an opportunity for participants to experience the different roles in the process. As facilitators, it is our role (job) to be mindful of the needs of our group - and the individuals within the group. Everyone is an important part of the process, even if they are not lifted. 

Let me know how the gentle breezes and flights go for you! Leave a Comment so we can learn together. 

Chris Cavert, Ed.D. 

​P.S. Thanks again Rohan! It was great learning from you my friend. 

Recently, I had the opportunity to hang out in the shadows (literally) and observe Nate Folan (he's in the light colored hat) facilitate a day-long training for a summer camp staff (I was facilitating the next day). Nate was featured a while back in a Top 10 Blog - lots of fun details and activity links. 

During the training he led one of my favorite tag games, Popper Tag. Over the years I have called this one Flashback Tag. I use soft tossables or crumpled up paper (snow)balls. The idea is to toss your tossable at the backs of other players. If you hit a back (between the shoulders and the waist - no arms), you get a point. First one to 10 wins. 

Add a Transformation Part of Nate's focus with his trainees was to emphasize different aspects of facilitation. Using Popper Tag (PT) as his experiential pathway, he introduced players to the idea of "being silly" and how this (or these) behaviors fit into building a fun caring community of learners. So, he invited each participant to "transform" into the chicken of their choice once they obtained 10 points playing PT. From a group of players to a flock of chickens. Brilliant! 

Players were given a challenge and a choice to "chicken" or simply move around amongst the flock of chicken as players, one-by-one transformed. For me, it was a fabulous way to step right into a fun, crazy space. Magical! (Now, I'm not sure all the players would agree with me, but I got the lesson.) Ready to smile? Check out the action. 

Have FUN out there my friends. Let me know how the transformation goes!

​Chris Cavert, Ed.D. 

The Video Initially I was going to cut my footage down enough to simply understand the game. As I was editing it occurred to me that keeping all the footage would allow for more analysis of the way I worked with these middle schoolers. So, if you want to watch enough to get the idea, you only need to stay in through my introduction. Otherwise, catch as much of the 17 minutes as you can - lots of interesting interactions (you might need to turn up the volume to pick up some go the voices).

NOTE: The only part I cut out was dealing the cards. To save time, I dealt out three cards to each person, then single cards around (to the right of me) to finish up the deck. 

LIGHTNING 156 As this activity unfolded for me, my first mental model was for groups to play all the cards in 156 seconds (this is what I tried with my conference captive audience). I found this task to be pretty challenging - out of six groups trying it, one got within four cards after 156 seconds. Possible? I believe so. Now I'm thinking, Connections will be a good way to lead into Lightning 156. Once a group has time to practice the game and work out some of the cooperative behaviors they will need, they should be able to beat the Lightning clock. (I'll be working towards getting some video of this level in the future.) 

Keep me posted my friend. 

Chris Cavert, Ed.D. 

Have You Ever...eaten strawberries and whipped cream on a buttery toasted (nooks & crannies) english muffins? (Oh yes, it's yummy.)

I'm guessing most of you know this classic, "Have You Ever...?" ice breaker activity - I'm sure it's been played by millions! Let's review.^ (If you know, Have You Ever..., you can skip past this review.)

Your group, of 12 to 50 players, forms a circle. Each player is standing on a game spot. You are in the middle of the circle explaining the game. You are going to say something true for you - something you have done/experienced. You preface this information with, "Have you ever..." For example, you might say, "Have you ever been to Canada?" (Again, the statement must be true for you.) If anyone in the group (players forming the circle) has been to Canada, he/she is invited to leave his/her spot and move to another spot that is not directly to his/her right or left.

While this movement is happening, you, or any other player in the middle, want to go stand on one of the spots left vacant by one of the players from the circle (the idea is, you don't want to stay in the middle). There will then be a player left without a spot to stand on (because, in this game, there is no sharing spots). The player, without a spot to stand on, is the next person to share a, Have you ever... question from the center of the circle of players. The moving, getting a spot process ensues after every, Have you ever... question from a player standing in the middle of the circle. . 

If the player in the middle shares a, Have you ever... question, and no one moves, he/she takes a bow and asks another question. Remembering, the idea is to get players to move - so you want to ask questions that are likely to produce movement. 

What? & Why? 

​Back in January of this year, I posted the first What? & Why? Discussion about how I use Name Card Return - an engaging ice breaker for learning names and experiencing a simple problem solving activity to introduce the group to the kinds of activities they will be experiencing. (Thought - Can an icebreaker be a problem solving activity?)

The purpose for this type of discussion for me is to tell you "What" I do with a particular process (e.g., an activity) and then, in "Part 2" (and 3, if I needed), tell you "Why" I do what I did.

I'm using this format, on the one hand, to document my thoughts about some of the things I do during team building programs. On the other hand, I'm thinking, maybe those of you who train team building facilitators could use this format of thinking as a training exercise.

First, you can share the What?, like how you lead a particular activity. Don't reveal the Why? right away. Have a discussion on the What? with the trainees about "Why?" they think the activity is set up the way it is, and "What?" purposeful reasons they might have for leading this activity (or process) in this way. Then, share your Why? behind your What? - what reasons/purpose do you have for leading an activity the way you do. (You can design your own What? & Why? discussions or use one of these FUNdoing blog posts to explore.)

NOTE: Believe it or not, the step-by-step process detailed below takes me about 15 minutes to lead. It's a lot of writing for 15 minutes, and an interesting process (for me) to go through. 

​Okay, let's get this one started: 

What? 

1. I start by handing out a game spot to everyone in the group while we're all standing together in a clump - I keep one for myself as well. 
2. Then I ask everyone to form a nice circle and then put his/her game spot on the ground and step on it - I am part of the circle, standing on my game spot. 
3. I tell the group, "We're going to play a game of choice. I will start out the game. I'm going to ask a question that starts with, Have you ever... and ends with something I've done. For example, Have you ever eaten a slice of pepperoni pizza?"  
4. I go on to say, "Here's where the choice comes in. If you have eaten a slice of pepperoni pizza in the past, you are invited to move off your spot and go stand on another spot left open by someone else who has eaten a slice of pepperoni pizza. It is your choice whether or not you want to move to a new spot - you can stay right where you are if you want. Again, it's your choice to move or not."
5. At this point we want to give it a test run. "Okay, let's try one. Have you ever eaten a slice of pepperoni pizza?"
6. After the movement has subsided, I ask the group, "How did it go? What choices did we make during that round?" Here I let the group share the choices that were possible and what choices were made. 
7. After that sharing, I'll present another Have you ever... question. "Have you ever been a participant in a team building program before this one?" Movement ensues. 
8. After everyone is back on a spot, I will ask, "Please raise your hand if you moved to a new spot. Now, look around to see who has been team building before, and who has not? Awesome. You can put your hands down." 
9. At this point I say, "I'll ask you one more Have you ever... question, then I'm going to invite you to ask some questions. Ready? Have you ever climbed a high challenge course element?" Now, at this point, if I am the only one that moves, I simply take a step forward from my spot, take a bow, and step back onto my spot. If others move, we exchange spots. 
10. If multiple players move, I ask again, "Please raise your hand if you moved to a new spot. Now, look around to see who has something in common with you." 
11. Now I pass the baton. "Okay, before you all start asking questions, let me give you some important information. If you choose to ask a 'Have you ever...' question, it must be something you've done - something you can answer with, "yes, I've done that." Also, if you ask a question and no one in the group moves from his or her spot, you are invited to step into the circle, take a bow and then step back onto your spot. If you don't want to bow, simply have a hand. If you bow or wave we will all give you resounding applause to celebrate your uniqueness. After the applause, someone else will be invited to ask a question."
12. "Alright, who can ask us a Have you ever... question? Remember, it has to be something you've done before." When hands go up I point at a player to share. Sometimes, someone in the group just shouts out a question - you can decide if this okay. Movement ensues.
13. When movement stops after each question, I ask the "raise your hand and look around" question so players have time to see who they have something in common with.
14. At this point I invite four or five other players to share a Have you ever... question. Movement happens, hands go up, we look around after each question. 
15. Before the next part of the activity, I come back to asking the group what choices they made during the last several rounds. We will also explore the choices that were NOT made during the last several rounds. 
16. I then tell the group, "During this first part of the activity, I'm sure you noticed that you all had a spot to go to - even if you moved back to your own spot. Now, we're going to change it up a bit." I then pick up my game spot, move it to the center of the circle, place it down on the ground and step on it.
17. At this point some people react to what they believe is going to happen. Here I say, "Okay, now I'm in the center. By being in the center, I am obligated to ask a, Have you ever... question. After I ask a question, I want to get out of the center by moving to, and standing on, an empty spot left behind by someone who moved - don't forget to move to a spot or you will be in the center again. The person left without a spot, after all the circle spots are taken, will stand on the center spot and be the next player to ask a Have you ever... question."
18. Before we start this second part, I ask the group, "What do we think will change during this part of the activity? How do we want to play during this part? Remember, you have choices - what are some of these choices?" I provide some time here to talk about the choices ahead - choices to make, and choices not to make. 
19. After a fruitful conversation about choices we begin. About six to eight questions is usually enough to anchor the experience. Again, when movement stops after each question I ask players to raise their hand if they moved and look around to see who they have something in common with. 
20. If any "close calls" or safety concerns occur (hopefully no injuries - yes, I've seen it happen), I stop and check in with the group to see how we can proceed in a safer manner. Then, we keep going.
21. I then stop the activity, thank the group for playing, and then bring up another conversation about the choices that were made during play, and the choices that were NOT made during the activity.  
22. After the fruitful conversation, I then tell the group that the program they are taking part in will be filled with choices. Some choices will be easy to make, others will be harder to make. I could ask the players who have participated in team building programs before, "What sorts of choices do you remember making during programs in the past?" I could also provide some examples of choices that might come up during their program, like, "Some of you might have to choose to be a leader in order to help the group move forward during a task." Or, "Some of you might choose to stay quiet and let others share ideas during a planning session." This conversation is about frontloading the idea that each person, and the group, will be faced with choices as they move forward, and the group is there to support these choices. 
23. I do add one caveat to the choice conversation - this is part of my personal philosophy about choice when it comes to group work. "The one choice I will ask you to make is to stay with the group. It is important for me to know where you are during the program, so by staying together it really helps me out. If you do feel a strong desire to step away from the group, please do so. But, stay close by so I can see where you are. Thank you for helping me out with this choice."
24. At the conclusion of this process of choice (again, which usually takes me about 15 minutes), I ask my group, "Are you ready for the next adventure?" We then move into the program at hand. 

This was the description of one way I introduce choice to my groups. In Part 2, I'll tell you Why? I do each What? 

All the best, 

Chris Cavert, Ed.D. 

​^ Have You Ever...? questions first appeared in Karl Rohnke's Bag of Tricks periodical - he started writing Bag of Tricks in 1978. In 1988 he compiled "...the best writing and most useable copy" from his first 38 issues, into the book, "The Bottomless Bag." Have You Ever...? Questions in this book are introduced as a 'raise your hand if you have' activity - as an ice breaker, the questions were a way to start conversations and share stories. In, The Bottomless Bag, Again (1991), Karl expands, Have You Ever...? by adding a circle of chairs - now, if you 'have' you move from your chair to an open chair. And, the game continues....

From Floyd: 
With the goal to "help you understand the drama that may be playing out in your own work or home life and how to transform it into conscious, compassionate, collaboration," the authors, Nate Reiger and Jeff King introduce us to the "Drama Triangle." These two Next-Element co-founders point out that because of drama, relationships are strained, trust is absent, creativity is stifled, and costly turn over rates [in business settings] are present and rising. ​

"The Drama Triangle," they say, "is a model for how people relate to one another in distress, dysfunction, and conflict." It is comprised of the roles of the persecutor, the victim, and the rescuer, all of whom carry out roles and myths that derail progress and community wherever they operate. 

In the persecutor role, an individual falls into blaming, manipulating, controlling, and judgmental behaviors. Their myths are "I'm okay, you're not okay," and "I can make you feel bad emotionally." 

The behaviors in the Victim role are withdrawing, being needy, and complaining without doing anything. They believe, "you can make me feel good emotionally," and "you can make me feel bad emotionally." 

On the Rescuer side of the triangle we find unsolicited advice, meddling, and people who do the jobs of others. Their myth is, "I can make you feel good emotionally."

It is very easy to get caught up in this triangle, especially when circumstances or other people invite you in. The trouble is, "when you act outside the realm of your best character, you lose power over yourself." The good news is there is an alternative triangle called the "Compassion Triangle" where your concerns, and the concerns of others can be vocalized and heard in an open and meaningful way. "compassion means 'to struggle with,'" the authors state, and it is in this struggle with your community that moves you into open dialogue, problem solving, and conflict resolution. [Concepts we work on with some of our team building programs.]

In the compassion Triangle, the three roles of the Drama Triangle are invited to take on new roles that drive the community towards growth. Here the alternative of the victim is "Openness," and is characterized by "transparency, honesty, assertiveness, and the willingness to risk trusting another person." The Open person knows "my OK-ness is not dependent on another's response." 

Persistence becomes the alternative for the persecutor. They work to "preserve the dignity and respect of all parties," and are characterized by "the willingness to stick with someone or something rather than attack, abandon, or blame." 

Resourcefulness takes the place of the rescuer and is characterized by the use of problem solving and empowering others. 

In the drama triangle communities and individuals often find themselves in tunnel vision rather than seeing other perspectives, looking for justification rather than finding ways of being effective, and being delusional rather than being in touch with reality. 

In the chapter titled "Expectations: The Double Edged Sword," the authors point out that the expectations can be used in the content and the process, and that knowing the difference can keep you from derailing the motivation of yourself and others. It is by understanding the motivational needs of self and others that allows someone to create expectations that motivate people.

As a basic example, Nate tells the story of his son who decides he wants to play basketball. Nate, being motivated by conviction felt that the way to motivate his son was to practice every day and shoot certain amounts of shots from different places on the floor, and to run drills. His son, on the other hand was driven by contact. He wanted to play a sport to have fun and to interact with his peers in a sporting environment. When Nate began trying to motivate his son, the son started losing interest because it was no longer meeting his needs, but rather Nate's expectations. When Nate begins just playing basketball with his son, his sons motivation returns. In the Drama Triangle, the relationship between the two became strained, but when Nate was able to step into the compassion triangle, he was able to see the situation from a different perspective and work with his son to develop interactions that worked for them both. ​

Note From Chris: 
I hope Floyd's brief synopsis of Beyond Drama inspires some of you to pick up the book and dive in. For me it's information I can use and share with groups whose members might be showing the behaviors involved in the Drama Triangle. Of course, it will depend on the type of program you are leading, so use your new-found information with care. 

Please let us know if you dive in and how you use what you've learned. Leave us a comment below. Also, if you have knowledge of a good book that we should know about, send in a review - I love sharing!! 

All the best, 

Chris Cavert, Ed.D. 

Over the last two weeks we've been working through the first What? & Why? activity thinking process. Part 1 detailed the specific steps I take when using the activity Name Card Return as a way to introduce a basic team building program. In Part 2 I shared the reasoning behind each of the first 14 steps of the activity. This week I'll finish up the Why? for the final 14 steps. 

Be sure to let me know about this activity thinking process. This first one has been an interesting journey for me - it's been a long one. As I've noted in the other posts, my hope is that this process could be used as a training tool - a way to possibly learn/understand how to be more purposeful in what we do as team building facilitators. Any and all comments are welcome! (Be sure to check out the "Comments" at the end of Part 1 for some thoughts and learnings from other FUN Followers.)

(We just finished up the first official attempt at Name Card Return - everyone has stopped moving so I've stopped the time.)
​
15. I purposefully hold back sharing the time with the group until after I find out how they believe they did, and if they thought they were successful. This sense is more related to a "process" evaluation of how a task is done rather than the "product" evaluation of time. When I hear different answers about how they thought they did I like to point out that, "We will have differences of opinion during the program - this is part of being a diverse group of people." More often that not we talk about this for a while and why diversity can be a good thing and even why diversity could be a bad thing. Before sharing the time I also like to share other responsibilities that I have, '...provide activities that will challenge you and ask questions..." Again, letting my group know what they can expect of me is another way to build my relationship with them. Throughout the program I will often refer back to what I've told them about my responsibilities in order to curb any false expectations that might be showing up. Note: This step only takes a few minutes - I want to keep them in "action" mode but engage the mind a bit. 

16. At this point, after our quick discussions, I share the time achieved and ask if this is the best they can do? Be mindful here of your voice intonation. I keep my voice neutral, I don't use my voice to imply that they can do better. The way we ask questions can be just as powerful as the question itself. In research interviewing terms, we don't want to "lead" the interviewee (group) into an answer we want to hear - we want to be as neutral as possible. Since it was only the first attempt at the activity most of the groups I've worked with believe they can do better. They want to try again. Now, be ready for one or more participants ready to voice their desire to move on. They, for any number of reasons, what to do something else. If this happens you have a wonderful opportunity to talk about, "How do we move forward when we don't have a consensus within the group?" Now, again, I don't spend too much time here at the beginning of a program to teach about consensus building or compromising. I like to put this on the group - what ideas do they have for moving forward? At this point I've done one of two things so far. I've asked those who do not want to try again if it would be okay with them if we could try again to see how it goes. This usually is okay with them. I've also proposed that it is perfectly okay to choose not to try again - those who do not want to try can step out to the side and observe the process and offer feedback during the discussion. This is an example of offering choice. However, I have yet to have any takers on this option. Think about it, what kind of choice is it? Most people will not choose to step away from the "safety" of the group even if they don't want to do what everyone else is doing. They will choose to stay with the group. (Now, if anyone decides to step out before the next round, ask everyone to look at their name card. The player(s) stepping out switch cards with the player(s) who have their card. Then, cards are turned back face down before the shuffle. Also, the perfect circle will include empty spaces left open by those who have stepped out - it works just fine.)

17. Before we begin the process of Name Card Return (and any activity in the future), I ask the group if they are "ready" to start the process again? The Ready Check is meant to "suggest" they can take time to talk about the activity - do some problem solving and planning. I don't tell them at this point what I'm suggesting. I want to see if anyone steps up and says, "No, we're not ready yet." Sometimes players will ask, "Can we talk a little before we start?" The answer is always, "Of course!" (Note: Be prepared for ready check responses from participants that might sound a bit rude - some "reactions" from the group/individuals  come across in different ways. All good things to talk about.) In most cases, my group will tell me they are ready to try again without any discussion. 

​18. Here we start the process again with the Blind Shuffle. I simply repeat the directions again - "Exchange cards with five different people, then stop moving." Sometimes, I also need to remind the group that this shuffle part is not timed - some players tend to jump to this assumption, creating an environment that's not necessary. Another nice discussion topic if the behaviors show up.

19. After movement stops and before time starts I invite them to change cards with someone near them if they happened to peek at the card they are holding. I assure them that, "there is no penalty - it's just part of the challenge not to know what card you are holding." I what my group to know, again, that mistakes will be made from time-to-time. It's our responsibility to learn from them and do something about them if needed. (This is working on the "safe" environment aspect of the program.) 

​20. Here I start the second attempt of Name Card Return. (Don't forget to start the time once you say, "GO!") I personally follow the same steps from the first attempt - I want to stay consistent with my process. I hold up my card, showing the name on it to the crowd as I call out the name of the person on the card I'm holding. Once I get this card back to the person it belongs to I find a new place to stand on the outskirts of the crowd. Once I'm at my new spot I look for the player with my card - the player looking for me. Once I take back my card I quietly watch the group finish up their card returning and movement into the perfect circle. When movement stops, I stop the timer. Here I (still) quietly wait just a bit to see if anyone recognizes anyone out of order. If movement resumes I start the time again. When everyone believes we are all in the correct place, time is stopped. 

21. Again, I ask the, "How did you do?" questions, keeping the process consistent for the group - they begin to know what to expect from me at this point, in this process. Hopefully, we begin to feel a bit more comfortable with each other and more participants share in the discussion. At this point my group realizes I will not "call" on people or expect any particular answers to the questions proposed - there is a degree of safety and freedom to participate. This tends to make people more comfortable and willing to share. After some brief sharing I tell them the second time they achieved. 

22. When the group finds out their second time we will discuss their reaction to a better time or their reaction to a slower time. During either of these discussions, I let my group know that we will be experiencing these possible outcomes during the program. Then we might talk a bit more about how we might use these experiences throughout the program - "What can they teach us?" Then again, I ask the group if this is the best they can do? If they agree it's their best, we can recap the process and how it relates to the program ahead. Then move forward into the program. 

23. If they choose to go for another attempt, I let them know we have time for one more try. Since we are still just getting started, I don't provide endless attempts - I want them to get into the program. This "last attempt" information tends to motive more problem-solving behaviors. At this stage of the process I change the way I suggest the Ready Check. I say, "Let me know when you are ready to start your final attempt." Putting it this way often leads them into the idea that they have space to talk about the activity. If someone in the group speaks up right away and says, "We ready!" I will actually ask everyone, "So, is everyone ready to begin?" This provides another opening for someone to step up and ask for time to talk. 

24. I call out the Blind Shuffle here - reminding the group of the procedure. Again, being consistent, telling them the same information about the shuffle as before. I don't want to introduce the "concept" of change at this point in the program. Change behaviors might be part of the program later on, but this beginning is about an introduction to the program not behavior awareness or working on any of their other objectives. Once the group knows more about the structure of the process it will be easier for them to focus on the specific reasons for their participation in the program. (This is related to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs - basic needs met before any complex learning can take place.)

25. After everyone has stopped moving and any final exchanges are made, I do add one more ready check. This opens up one more chance for the group to do any last moment problem solving. Be sure to let them know, they cannot move until "GO!" is called (part of the rules) - some players might consider solving a problem by moving before "GO!" is called. On another note, there have been times, for me, when groups have determined my movement is a "problem" to solve. Some have asked me to tell them where I'm going. Others have asked me to stay right where I'm standing so they know where I am. In either case I honor their request. This brings up a little discussion about another role I can take within the group. There are times when I can be a resource. As noted earlier - there are certain questions I might not answer, but in many cases I can be a resource. Interestingly enough, educators are often overlooked as resources in the learning process (don't get me started). So, when the group is determined and ready, I say, "GO!" and follow my same card return, move and look for my card procedure - unless I was asked to do something different. Once all the movement stops I stop the timer. 

26. As before I ask how they did before I share their time. Since it was the final attempt I might spend a little more focused time here on the discussion points. I might also bring up some of the specific goals the group is here to work through and how they will fit into the activities ahead. 

27. Before closing I'll do a little review of the program points - reiterating what the group can expect in the time ahead. Before answering any questions they have (the final point), I bring up the concept of challenge by choice, so, moving forward they have this at the forefront of their mind. 

28. Finally, I remind the group that, "Questions are free." I make sure to spend some time answering any questions they have - if I can. I have been know to ask participants to, "Hold that thought - I'll be asking you to bring this up again soon." In this situation, I know we'll be covering the answers to certain questions in the near future - I'm waiting for a more "experiential" moment to provide new information. 

For me, Name Card Return, as a program introduction, will take a total of 20 minutes! I know, we just went through a lot of reading for 20 minutes of programming. Consider how much activity thinking would be written out for an entire program! 

​Quick Links:  Here's Part 1  Here's Part 2 

Purposeful programming. This type of thinking is what purposeful programming is all about. Let me know your reactions to this process! Leave comments below.

All the best, 

Chris Cavert, Ed.D.  

Last week I posted Part 1 (click or scroll down) of my first What? & Why? format of, what I've decided to call, for now, "activity thinking". In Part 1 I shared What? I do when presenting Name Card Return as a way to introduce a typical team building program to a group. This week in Part 2 I'm sharing the first half of the Why? behind the What? - next week I'll finish the process with the second half of the Why? [Note: I initially intended for this to be a two-part process, but the Why? part turned out to be so long I decided to share it in two pieces - for me it just seems too long for one sitting!]

To (quickly) recap. I'm trying out this format of sharing as a possible training application - providing more on the "purpose" behind my actions. Maybe this structure will catch on? Maybe this structure will help trainers and trainees? Maybe this structure is more work than needed? Maybe...? Help me out. Let me know how it works for you!

In Part 1 I numbered the steps of What? I do with Name Card Return. (Please know, this is one way I present the activity - there are other ways.) As I noted above, I use the steps  shared in Part 1 for a particular purpose (in bold text above). Each numbered step below is the Why? (or purpose) of the same number in Part 1 - my reasoning/thinking behind the What? (Please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions.)

Suggestion: You might want to open the Part 1 post in a separate tab so you can tab back-and-forth between Part 1 and 2 - a faster way to go from number to number. 

1. As participants are starting to gather I can introduce myself quickly and ask them to do something for me - creating an opportunity for them to help me out. This is one way to start building a relationship with my group. Most people are use to making name tags so the task is not new to them - they have prior knowledge. It's a bit different since we are making name "cards" but it's not to much of a stretch. I also provide and example and a simple expectation - "your first name nice and BIG, like the example on the table." As the leader (or educator) of the program I can take a role of "expectation setter" for the group - often associated with leadership (as a group may see me initially). Participants still have a choice, and some exercise the choice, of not making their name nice and BIG. This might come up later when in the problem-solving mode of the activity. If the name was written with smaller letters it's a bit more challenging to see the name on the card when others are looking at/for it. If this happens I can point out that I did share an expectation early on that, as an educator, I thought might help them in the future. Part of my role, I tell them, (as a "teacher" educator) could be to offer up some information that might help during the program. (If you are reacting to me "helping" my group, keep in mind, as I always say, "there's more than one way to peel an orange!")

2. I like circles. As we know, this formation allows for everyone in the group to see everyone else. It's also the best configuration to share your voice - sound waves move around within a circle much better than any other shape. I also remind everyone to have their name card in hand. There will be people in the group who will want to know what to do with the name card when they get done making it. 

3. My participants (no matter what age) will want to know what's going on. I use this time to share a VERY brief introduction and logistical information (e.g., where are the restrooms - ease some anxiety of the environment when possible) - no more than 90 seconds. If you dive into educational theory, "short boughts of instruction" are preferred over long boughts. It's all about keeping attention. Before I move on (to Step 4) I note that we will be doing our first activity in a moment, something that will help them understand, even more, what will be happening. 

4. When I change the topic to "challenge by choice" (or whatever you use to inform your group about choice), I get another 90 seconds of my group's attention. I use the example of making the name cards as a reference to some choices - I ask my participants to hold up their cards and look around (this engages some physical activity). Even with the expectation of making their first name nice and BIG, they made choices - I look around at the cards they are holding and point out the different choices made (e.g., color of marker, style of lettering, the position of the name on the card, etc.). In my "choice" presentation, I do ask everyone in the group to "stay" with his/her group in some way. "One of my responsibilities," I tell them, "is for me to know where everyone is. If you stay with your group it's easier for me me to focus on the other parts of my job so you can have the best experience as possible. So, thanks for helping me with this." (Again, I asked for their "help" - continuing to build my relationship with most of the group - some might not be engaged by my invitation to help me out. Before moving on I do ask if anyone has any questions up to this point - and, of course, provide the answers I can. 

5. Again, I change the topic, letting them know we are going to do our first challenge together. Back to educational theory, I'm providing a brief "anticipatory set" (information) about what's to come. In adventure education we often call this "front loading". I want my group to know that what we're doing next is like what we'll be doing together for the program. Now, I don't say much here, I want to get my group moving by this time. [Note: We're only about five minutes into the program.]

6. In this step I emphasize that there will be times when we have to do some "skill development" before moving into an activity - "we'll need some particular skills to increase our chances of success." "For some of you, the skills might be easy to pick up, for others the skills might not be easy - they might be a challenge to work through. That's part of why we're here - to work through the challenges we'll be facing together." I want my group to know that there will be some unknown ahead and we're here to support each other. Before I move into Step 7, I remind my group of the perfect circle expectation, that they cannot move until I say "perfect circle". This is often forgotten when additional information is provided after directions are given - it's just how the brain works. 

7. I've moved to a location in the activity space that allows for the same size circle to be formed (I don't need to add a challenge here of adapting to a smaller space - not the purpose for the activity), THEN I say "perfect circle". Again, I don't say anything else. I stay quiet (maybe look at them a bit with "questioning" body language), so the group has the opportunity to figure out what's next. I want to start transferring the "power" of decision making over to the group. At first, most (if not all) groups will look to the main facilitator (the person who often talks first) to lead the way. In our team building programs, we want the group to lead the way - right? So, again, I want them to start problem solving together. Every time I do this, no matter what age, at least one person will take an initiative to try something. 

8. Once the circle is formed (so far, for me, it always gets there), I ask if anyone has questions about forming the Perfect Circle. I ask at this point, and not during Step 6, because I want the questions to come from experience and not speculation, and I want them to get moving. Then I add the new rule to the Perfect Circle. As often as I can, I like to provide directions in increments. When I can first anchor, with some action, one (or two) direction(s) it's easier for the brain to take in new information. Note: I added the, "I can only call perfect circle" after one of my groups decided to "overuse" the term - you know what I'm talking about. 

9. Then, another call to action. This second attempt is always better (time and process) than the first. At this point I ask them how they're doing. I let my group know I will be asking this question throughout the program. I want to know how things are going for them. I tell them, "this helps me to know where to take you next - I want to give you good challenges, not overdo it." (You noticed, I asked for their help again - building my relationship with them.) With a little "group" experience under their belt, questions are easier to "see". This is the time where I often tell my group, "Questions are free today. So, ask away. Now, it's not my role to solve 'problems' that come up, that's your job. But, don't be afraid to ask, clarification might lead to solving a problem." With this information I let my group know a little bit more about my role and "officially" let them know it's their job to problem solve - a point I then get to reiterate during the program.

10. One more call to action - usually pretty fast this time. This physical action anchors some of the information we just talked about and opens the brain back up for the new information in Step 11. Some of you might not agree with my choice to congratulate my group. However, I believe "validation" is a good thing - validation is another way to build relationship. I am specific. I say something like, "excellent perfect circle - everyone is where they need to be." Or, I might say, "WOW, that was fast! Good job. As we move forward, this might be important." Again, EdTheory will say specific feedback can be internalized better. Then, I let my group know we have one more thing to learn before we play the game. This adds to the anticipation about what's to come.   

11. Here I teach the Blind Shuffle - the first part of Name Card Return. I call it "skill development" because I'm pretty sure everyone is about to do something they've never done before (unless they have been in a team building program with me before). So, "when learning something new we want to be nice to each other and ourselves - this might be very important to remember as we work together today." When I teach the Blind Shuffle I let my group know that "part of the challenge" is not to look at their cards before I say "GO!" I set the expectation and tell them how it fits into the activity. I also let them know that if they "accidentally" look at their card after they stop moving, simply exchange it with someone. This lets my group know (or starts to anyway), that sometimes we'll do something we're asked NOT to do. "It's important to do our best, if we can, but know that mistakes are part of learning. Most mistakes are not done on purpose. The idea here is to recognize our mistakes and do something about it" - in this case, I've given my group the opportunity to fix the mistake - exchange cards with someone near them. Then we can move on - enough said. I also provide some time to clarify the expectation of "stopping" after exchanging with five different people. This is confusing for some people - somethings I give an example. I walk around the group, exchange with five different people (while everyone is watching me) and then stop. (I know this might sound silly, but it happens every time. Some get it. Some don't.) And, I make sure they understand they can continue to exchange cards with others even if they have stopped moving. I tell them they are "helping" others finish up their exchanges. (This information is also difficult for some people to understand - they believe they have to stop everything they are doing). 

12. When I see everyone has stopped moving I give them one more opportunity to exchange name cards with someone if they accidentally peeked at the name on their card. Again, my purpose is to start/continue building a safe learning environment. Now, of course some people will not "admit" they peeked because of prior "shamed" experiences. If anyone does make an exchange I'm sure to thank them for doing so. I don't make a big deal out of it (like, "thanks for having integrity" - this qualification takes you down another relationship path), I simply say, "Thank you." 

13. In this Step I've shared the directions to Name Card Exchange. This activity is what I consider to be an introductory challenge. It has only two parts (or, you might say, rules) - return the card to the person it belongs to and form a perfect circle in relation to where I'm standing. I also tell my group that the process will be evaluated by time. I then share that during the program there may be this or other types of evaluation processes. Here I open the floor to questions about the expectations. At this time I don't bring up anything more about "evaluation" unless they do. And if they do, I'll ask them, "at this time, please hold that thought. I would love to bring this up again in a little bit." In most cases we can forego this conversation. If needed, open up talks. So, once the group understands they will be timed, as you can imagine, the energy begins to change. There's something on the line. For some it's exciting, for others, not so much. (All good things that can come up during the program.) Here again I'll say, "Questions are free. does anyone need help understanding what's about to happen?" It's also good to note here that I don't ask the group if they want some time to talk amongst themselves before this first attempt. I want to give them an experience, get them moving, give them something to talk about. When it seems like the time...

14. Once I say "GO!", I first start the time - DON"T FORGET THIS PART! (You know why!) I usually don't know many of the names of my group members yet so I use, what I consider to be, a helpful behavior. I start calling out the name of the person on my card. By doing this, maybe I'm role modeling a positive behavior and maybe I'm continuing to build my relationship with the group - now, that is if anyone notices. (Here's the counter point. What do they notice if I'm standing off to the side? I like to "play" at first and then slowly step back.) As soon as I can hand off the name card I have I move to a place outside the clump of players who have, more often than not, mobbed together in the center area of the original circle. At some point between handing off the card I had and stopping the time, someone has found me and returned my name card. Since I am part of the solution I choose to move to my Perfect Circle spot instead of looking for my name card. I don't say anything during the "return" and "circle up" action. I just wait for movement to stop - then I stop the time. (Sometimes movement might start up again when players realize something is not right. I simply restart my stopwatch and stop it again when movement stops.  
​

Let's stop here. What did you take notice of? What jumped out at you? What did you agree with and what didn't you agree with? Do you have the Why? for your agreement and disagreement? What would you keep and what would you change about the process? Why? 

Next week we'll finish up. See you then. 

Quick Links  Here's Part 1  Here's Part 3

Keep me posted. 

Chris Cavert, Ed.D. 

Recently I posted about the activity Name Card Scramble. I mentioned that this Card Scramble is a variation of Name Cards - a simple introductory activity written up in my latest book Portable Teambuilding Activities. Recently, I've been using Name Cards in a more (different) purposeful way and I wanted to share the new details with you. 

I also want to try something new. (Let me know what you think - maybe this What? & Why? format will be another category at my blog if it's useful to you.) In this "Part 1" post I want to tell you "What" I do with Name Card Return (or, in the future, a particular activity) and then, in "Parts 2 & 3" tell you "Why" I do what I did.

On one hand it's another way for me to document my thoughts. On the other hand, I'm thinking, maybe those of you who train team building facilitators could use this format as a training exercise. First share the What? (Not revealing the Why? right away.) Have a discussion on the What? with the trainees about "Why?" they think the activity is set up the way it is, and "What?" purposeful reasons they might have for leading this activity in this way. Then reveal the Why? from my (one professionals) particular perspective (as we know there's more than one way to peel an orange - I'm a vegetarian). Let's give it a try. (Buckle up, this one's a bit long - but, I hope, worth the ride.)

1. Everyone is asked to make a name cards - "Only first names, nice big letters.". Supplies are on a table (I use 4 inch by 6 inch "unruled index cards and poster markers) off to the side. My name card, "CHRIS", is on the table with the supplies as an example of the expectations. 
2. As participants are finishing up their cards, I ask them to circle up in the nice open area we have for the program with their name card in hand. 
3. I welcome the group to the circle, and the program, and share my overview of what will be takling place - working together to tackle challenges in order to find out what we do well togther and what we might want to change about how we work together. 
4. I give the group my rendition of "challenge by choice" asking them to be a part of each task in some way - the bottom line being, to stay with the/your group and provide support and help during each task if they are willing. 
5. I tell my group, "as an example of what we'll be doing today, let's use the name cards you made. I'm calling this first activity the Name Card Return."
6. I continue with, "Part of the activity will involve The Perfect Circle. We are already standing in the perfect circle - this is awesome. So look to your left and right - make sure you know the names of these two people. Whenever I call out 'Pefect Circle' please get into this circle standing next to the same two people to your left and right. Let's do some skill development - let's practice. Remember, the main rule is 'when I call out perfect circle' THEN you move into the circle."
7. At this point I move to another location in the activity area and then call out, "Perfect Circle!" I don't say anything else. It often takes a few seconds for some of the participants to catch on and start moving and helping others get into the perfect circle. 
8. After this first practice I ask if there are any questions about forming the perfect cirlce. I also tell them at this point there is another rule to the perfect circle. "I will be the only person that can call a perfect circle - it could happen any time during the program." 
9. I then move to another place in the activity area and call out, "Perfect Circle!" After we've circled up again, I ask how everyone is doing. Do they have any questions about getting into our perfect circle? 
10. I move to a new location one more time and call, "Perfect Circle!" After this third time I congratulate their good work and tell them we are ready to learn one more thing before we play Name Card Return. 
11. "During this next skill development part" I tell the group, "is to learn the Blind Shuffle". I continue. "Hold your name card in front of you with the written name on the card facing down towards the floor/ground. This is the 'blind' part of the shuffle - please keep your eyes open. Part of the challenge during Name Card Return is not to know the name on any card you have until we start the Return. When I say "shuffle" you can move around the area and exchange name cards with five different people - then stop moving around. You are allowed to exchange cards more than five times if someone is still working on his or her five exchanges, but you are required to stop moving around after you have exchanged cards with five people. Once everyone has stopped moving I will give you the direcitons to the Name Card Return. If you 'accidentally' look at the name on your card after you have stopped moving please exchange this card with someone near you so you don't know the name on the card you are holding. Are there any questions?" 
12. When everyone in the group has stopped moving I quickly check in with them. "Okay, before I tell you how to play Name Card Return, if you 'accidentally' saw the name on the card you are holding please exchange your card with someone near you. It's okay if you peeked, it happens. Go ahead and exchange cards now with someone if you need to."
13. At this point I share the directions for Name Card Return. "This activity will be evaluated by time. During our program we might have some other activities evaluated by time, others might be evaluated by 'completion' - will you be able to complete the task in a certain amount of time. Other activities might be evaluated by a score - how many 'things' can you get in a certain amount of time. And, there are some activities that we might not need to evaluate at all - we'll just have some fun with them. So, here's how Name Card Return is played. When I say 'GO' I will start the time and you can then look at the name on the card you are holding. As some of you might have already suspected, the challenge is to get each card back to the person it belongs to. In addition to that, you then have to get into a perfect circle in relation to where I am standing - I'm not going to say the words, 'perfect circle' during the activity, simply take it in stride that it's part of the activity. When we all have our name cards back in our hands and we're in a perfect circle I will stop the time." After sharing the directions, I spend a little time answering questions before starting the first round. 
14. When the group is ready I say "GO". I do my best to get the card I have to the person it belongs to as quickly as I can and then I move to a place outside the clump of players exchanging cards. At some point my card is returned to me and then I wait until everyone is standing in our perfect circle. I then stop the time. 
15. Then I ask, "How did you do? Were you fast? Slow? Were you successful?" After some light discussion I let the group know that during the program I will be taking some time to open up space for us to talk about the experiences we're having. "These spaces might be before an activity, during an activity, or after. It will depend on what you need and what I think might be helpful to you at any time." I continue, "So, my responsibility to you is to provide you with activities that will challenge you and ask you questions about your experience to see what we're learning about each other and even about ourselves." 
16. Once the short discussions are over I share the time the group achieved for the first round. Then I ask, "What do you think? Is this the best time this group can record?" Usually they are ready to try again to improve their time. 
17. If they are up for another try, I'll say, "Are you ready for the blind shuffle to start round two?" If anyone says "NO" - I provide the time they need to talk. In most cases, in the beginning two rounds, most groups say they are "ready" to try again. 
18. I tell the group to "Blind Shuffle - exchange cards with five different people and then stop moving." I add, "Remember, it's okay to exchange cards with more than five people, just be sure to stop moving after you've exchanged with five different people. 
19. After all movement stops I ask if anyone "peeked" at the name they have - if so, "please exchange cards with someone near you." 
20. Then I say, "GO" and start the time. I quickly find the person named on my card and then move to a new place in the area. While watching everyone I look around for the person who is looking for me - I get my card back. When everyone has stopped moving I stop the time. 
21. I ask the same questions as before, "How did you do? Were you faster? Slower? Were you successful? I let these questions be answered for a while - not too long though. Then I share their second round time. 
22. After any comments from reacting to their time, I ask them if they have done their best with this activity. Some groups do decide they have done their best and they want to move on. Most groups believe they can do better (especially if their second time is slower then their first time).  
23. If they want to try again I tell them we have time for one more attempt. I then ask them to tell me when they are ready to begin their final round. 
24. When they are ready I ask them to "blind shuffle - stop moving after five exchanges." After movement stops I ask again, "If you accidentally peeked, please exchange cards with someone near you."
25. When ready I say, "GO" - I return the card I have, move to another spot (unless otherwise instructed to do something different), accept my card from someone else and then stop the time when everyone is standing in the perfect circle. 
26. "So, how did you do? Was it faster? Slower? Were you successful?" I will spend a little more time with the discussion after this last round, maybe even asking some other questions specifically related to the group's program objectives. 
27. To close, I say to my group, "So, this was an example of the process we'll be going through. I'll present you with a challenge. It might be evaluated in some way, it might not be. You might have multiple tries at a challenge, you might only get one try. We also might have some brief discussions about what's going on. We might talk a little before a challenge begins, we might talk a little during the challenge, and we might talk a little after the challenge. The discussions are times for you to consider what we are learning about each other and ourselves as we work together. You will never be required to share during the discussion, you are always free to choose how you want to engage at these times."
28. Finally, I tell and then ask the group, "Just so you know, during our time together, questions are free. So, before we move on do you have any questions for me at this time?

Okay, we made it through our first "What?" process. Over the next two weeks I'm going to share the "Why?" behind what I did/do with Name Card Return. 

Quick Links: Here's Part 2  Here's Part 3

Please share any thoughts you have in the comments below - I'd love to hear from you. 

All the best, 

Chris Cavert, Ed.D. 

Pedagogy, in it's simplest form, is an educators collection of activities used for educating or instructing that impart knowledge or skill - it is what educators DO to transmit information to students. And, as far as I know, no one has found the "best" pedagogy for educating. One could argue that there are as many pedagogies as there are educators. 

As I have written about in the past (Educators on the Challenge Course - look for the Essays), adventure practitioners are educators, and they too have pedagogies - ways of working with their groups that impart knowledge or skill.  

Now, with the summer season looming in the near future it might be a good idea to call your pedagogy to order. What "activities" will you use to impart knowledge and skills to your staff so that they are able to find success as an educator? With the limited amount of time you have to train staff, what will be the most effective and efficient way to use your pedagogy? 

A few months ago I ran across a useful blog post from FacultyFocus.com entitled "Using Guerrilla Tactics to Improve Teaching." The ideas from the authors of the post are relevant to any educator who is tasked with training other educators (please read the article for the finer details of the process). I've taken some editorial liberties to make the "ground rules for guerrilla teaching" fit into an adventure education model I will call "Guerrilla Training:" 

1. A trainee agrees ahead of time to welcome a "guerrilla trainer" into any part of a program being lead by the trainee. 
   
2. The guerrilla trainer inserts him/herself into the trainee's group (being mindful of the timing), and observes silently for a minimum of 5 minutes to become acquainted with the topic/flow of the group's process. 
   
3. The guerrilla trainer is then "able to become part of the [group] and interact with the students." The trainer, "may pose questions, give comments, conduct an activity, etc." (In essence, modeling a part or parts of the facilitation process for the trainee.)
   
4. The trainer takes no more than 10 minutes for the "training attack" session, leaving on the same wind that brought him/her into the group. (To be clear, 5 minutes for silent observation and than no more that 10 minutes of interaction.)
   

As the Guerrilla Tactics blog authors note, "In the spirit of guerrilla marketing [a creative low-cost strategy to meet conventional goals] there are several educational "buzz" benefits created with minimal direct cost" - role modeling, collaboration, flexible training times, sharing expertise, "bits" of information instead of overload, and showing support for the trainee. This "drop-in" training allows for some relevant observation time for the trainee. Something that is difficult to building into training sessions but very important to include. 

Making Guerrilla Training part of your training pedagogy might prove to be useful, effective, and efficient. Let me know how it goes. And, if you have other pedagogical training ideas for us please share in the comments below. 

All the best, 

Chris Cavert

 

When I frist began my training as a challenge program practitioner I attended a workshop where the trainer talked about being aware of, and watching out for, Task Actions and Maintenance Actions of a group. She called it the Task vs. Maintenance balance. 

This concept, I learned later, has come from the work of Kurt Lewin, Johnson & Johnson, specifically noted in their Joining Together publication, and others. Here is a Wikipedia Snap-Shot of the idea. Also, take a look at this brief summary of Task and Maintenance Roles that can develop within a group. As I understand it, balancing these Task/Maintenance roles makes for a better group experiences in relation to working together towards common goals. 

Recently I stumbled into a way to help my groups experience the idea of Task and Maintenance actions. I use the activity Get It Back - first appearing in the POSSIBLESbag Activity Manual I created for a light-weight team building kit. The activity can also be found in Playing with a Full Deck by Michelle Cummings. I learned it as an Ice Breaker activity from my friend Diane Phillips.

GET IT BACK
Deal out a playing card to everyone in the group (I've not tried this with more than 30 people yet - basically you need a different card for each player. It might work with more people, but it will take more time). Participants are free to look at their card. Ask each person to remember/memorize his or her card, because at the end of the activity each person will want to get this card back in his or her possession. Here are the directions I give while we are all standing together in a circle formation:  

"When we are ready to start - after I give the directions - I would like you to mingle around within the group and exchange the card that you have with others. All cards are held face up for all to see. Just keep walking around, introduce yourself if needed, use each others names when you greet them, but keep exchanging the card in your possession. When you hear me say, 'Get it Back' I want you to continue exchanging cards - keep playing the game - until you end up with your original card. Once you have your original card, step to the outside of the group and start forming a circle - like we are standing in now - around the players who are still exchanging cards, looking to get theirs back. Once everyone is standing in the circle we'll look back on what took place. Any questions?"

I answer any questions and then we start. 

Once everyone is back into the circle I ask the group to describe what took place during the activity. I might say something like, "What significant things do you remember taking place while you were exchanging cards?" I keep asking this same question until I get an answer like this: 

"When you said get it back, I didn't pay attention to the people around me anymore, I was just looking for my card." I ask if anyone else had this same experience. So far, most of the participants I've worked this activity with agreed that they did the same thing. Then I ask if we can go into another round, but this time: 

"When you hear me say 'Get it Back' please stay focusing on the people around you. In the end everyone will get his or her card back - right?" [All agree - as they think about it, getting your card back is inevitable.] So, we give this activity another go. Once we are all back in a circle I have always heard someone say this, and others do agree, "That time it just felt better." 

From this jumping-off point I ask about why it felt better and then eventually I introduce the idea of Task and Maintenance actions within a group. This initial beginning is something I can refer back to as I work with groups to understand about the roles that are important to develop as they work together. 

Thoughts? Please share with a comment. 

All the best, 

Chris