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Teambuilding Icebreaker:
"The Animal Within"
This is a great one from master trainer and author Mel Silberman (www.activetraining.com).
Purpose: To highlight the importance of giving and receiving feedback.
Set Up: On a white board or easel chart, write the names of a variety of animals,
such as: dog, cat, bear, kangaroo, giraffe, squirrel, monkey, elephant, dolphin, horse, lion, etc.
Process: Divide participants into pairs. Ask them to ponder (for 1 minute) which animal
their partner most reminds them of. Then pose to the entire assembly these two questions (and get
a hand count):
- Who is eager to tell their partner which animal they've chosen?
- Who is eager to hear from their partner which animal has been chosen for them?
Note the results (which tend to favor HEARING rather than TELLING), then give each pair five minutes
to share the animals they selected, and the reason they chose them.
Discussion Questions: Why are some people reluctant to hear feedback? Why are others more
reluctant to give feedback? What are the dangers of giving feedback? How might you soften feedback
and make it more "palatable"? Or is the straightforward method (brutal honesty) the most effective
way to go about it?
The Point: Most of us are reluctant to give feedback, assuming that people will be resistant to
hearing our comments and suggestions. We're either not sure what to say, or not sure if they'll want
to hear it, or not sure they'll take it the right way. This exercise opens a dialogue about the nature
of giving and receiving feedback. It also demonstrates that, in most cases, people are in fact very
interested in hearing feedback about themselves.
Feature Article:
Coaching - Appreciating and Motivating Others
By Mike Robbins
What exactly is coaching? This is a term and concept we hear thrown around quite frequently
on business teams today. Most of us have a unique definition of what coaching means to us.
It may be based upon our experience (in sports, business, management, etc.), on something we
have read (in books, magazines, newspapers, online, etc.), or on something we have learned (in
training, seminars, etc.). Whatever the case and/or whatever our personal definition of
coaching might be, it is clear that coaching is becoming an increasingly important component
of success in today's challenging business world. For any team to be successful, their leader
must be a good "coach." However, any member of a team, regardless of their title, position,
or official responsibility, can use coaching skills effectively.
Coaching is a particular approach and set of skills that allow people to motivate others to
produce results. Coaching involves communicating in an effective and empowering way. It is
not necessarily about telling others what to do, advising, or even directing. Coaching consists
of empowering, supporting, and motivating others to reach new levels of success. Managers who are
able to use coaching skills effectively, when it is appropriate to do so, are able to get the
most out of their teams.
As an executive coach and someone who delivers coaching skills training programs to leaders from
a variety of companies, I have seen a great deal of successful and unsuccessful coaching situations.
What makes coaching successful is basically one person's ability to effectively motivate another
person to a higher level of performance. The best way to accomplish this is through appreciation
and acknowledgement.
Honestly appreciating and acknowledging the people around you is the greatest way to motivate them.
This means telling people what they are doing "right," what you appreciate about them, and reminding
them of their positive qualities, actions, and accomplishments. Doing this is much more effective
than focusing on what they are doing "wrong," where they made mistakes, and what needs improvement.
Here are a few simple things to you can do to appreciate and motivate your employees:
- When you see them doing something great, let them know.
- Ask them what they appreciate about themselves and what they are proud of on a regular basis.
- Start meetings off with a few minutes of public acknowledgements - from you to the whole group,
from you to specific individuals, and from individuals to each other.
- Call them into your office to tell them what they are doing right.
- Look for the good things - you always find what you are looking for!
When you coach someone, your job is to be their champion, to believe in them, and to remind them of
their greatness. Simply doing this and being someone that they can count on for support, motivation,
and acknowledgement, is incredibly valuable. Think of the people who have had the most positive impact
on your career and your life. At some level, you knew that they appreciated you and believed in you.
Their appreciation and belief is what allowed you to flourish and be successful around them.
It is not that pointing out weaknesses, possible improvements, and/or giving constructive criticism is
not important and valuable, it is just that often we put a disproportionate amount of focus on this.
In doing so, our ability to truly motivate and empower people to new heights of achievement becomes limited.
You have an opportunity to appreciate and acknowledge the people around you on a daily basis. Doing this
will not only create a more positive working environment, it will also allow you to coach people to greater
levels of success and have them produce extraordinary results.
(Mike Robbins, a teambuilding facilitator for Dr. Clue, is also an author, speaker, trainer, and
business coach who works with corporations and individuals. Through his speaking, consulting, and coaching
business based in San Francisco, CA, Mike has built a reputation for helping his clients address the
fundamental issues that impact their ability to be successful and produce results. Mike specializes in
empowering individuals and organizations to communicate in a way that is clear, authentic, and motivating.
His programs and his coaching focus on teamwork, empowerment, and effective communication.
www.mike-robbins.com)
Puzzle
In October, we asked you to fill in the blanks with words containing HUNT, DOC, or CLU(E). The answers are:
- Holly Hunter
- Clue
- Get a Clue!
- Documentary
- Good Will Hunting
- Conclude
- Rupert Murdoch
- Sitting on the Dock of the Bay
- Doctor Zhivago
- Helen Hunt
- Shunt
- Inclusive
- The Hunt for Red October
- The Deer Hunter
- Post Doctoral
- What's Up Doc
- Recluse
- Hunts
- Clueless
The secret message was: "Teamwork Gets Results".
Last month's winner was: Joanne Wilson
This Month's Puzzle Challenge
In past newsletters, I've leaned towards word and trivia puzzles. This one's all about logic,
from guest contributor Adam Salkin.
Imagine that there are two rooms, each on different sides of the house. One has a light bulb,
the other has three switches. Although it's only a moments' walk from the one room to the other,
a person in the switch room cannot see the light-bulb room or know what's going on there until he
actually walks over to the room and enters.
One (and only one) of the three switches in the switch room operates the bulb in the light-bulb room.
The switch operator is allowed to flip as many of the switches as he likes, as many times as he likes,
but he's only allowed one visit to the light-bulb room before returning to his switch room.
Somehow, with only this one visit (and without special tools or help from other people), he manages
to figure out the correct switch for operating the light bulb. How does he do it?
Answer next month.
