Performance Management Remote Delivery - Icebreakers

Time:
The exercise in this icebreaker can be completed in about 20 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 20 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To encourage participants to reflect on challenges they’ve faced and identify what they’ve learnt from them.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of up to 12 participants. It’s also suitable for 1-1 training.

Useful For:
Everyone

You'll Need:
• Nothing other than the materials provided.

Notes:
This activity was written as a way to reflect on and move forward from the pandemic of 2020. However, it can be easily adapted and used not just to review a year, but, for example, a challenging experience or significant change that participants have been through. This can be a useful way to launch training around resilience, change or a planning session.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
Remote Delivery requires a system that as an absolute minimum provides the following functionality:
• Face-to-face discussion.
• Share screen.
• Chat.
• Share files.

In addition, we strongly recommend using a system that provides for:
• Polls/Quizzes (not required).
• Breakout Rooms (not required).

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 10 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 20 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To test participants accuracy under pressure when working in teams.
• To reflect on how they could have improved their performance.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of up to 12 participants. It’s not suitable for 1-1 training.

Useful For:
Anyone.

You'll Need:
• The Activity Link and PIN.
• The PowerPoint slides of examples.

Notes:
This game is best played in teams with 3-5 participants in each.

Please note, this exercise may not be suitable if you have participants who suffer from colour-blindness, or who are visually impaired.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
Remote Delivery requires a system that as an absolute minimum provides the following functionality:
• Face-to-face discussion.
• Share screen.
• Chat.
• Share files.

In addition, we strongly recommend using a system that provides for:
• Polls/Quizzes (not required).
• Breakout Rooms (required).

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 10 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 25 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To explore how accurate participants can be when working under pressure.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of up to 12 participants. It’s not suitable for 1-1 training.

Useful For:
Anyone.

You'll Need:
• The Activity Link and PIN.
• The PowerPoint slides of examples.

Notes:
This is a more demanding version of the Colour Confusion activities that can be used as a follow-on.

This game is best played in teams with 2-3 participants in each.

Please note, this exercise may not be suitable if you have participants who suffer from colour-blindness, or who are visually impaired.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
Remote Delivery requires a system that as an absolute minimum provides the following functionality:
• Face-to-face discussion.
• Share screen.
• Chat.
• Share files.

In addition, we strongly recommend using a system that provides for:
• Polls/Quizzes (not required).
• Breakout Rooms (required).

Time:
The exercise will take about 10 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 25 minutes for completion.

Aims:
• To explore your participants’ response to change and the factors that drive it.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of up to 12 participants. It’s not suitable for 1-1 training.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
• To prepare the two polls described in advance of the training session.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
Remote Delivery requires a system that as an absolute minimum provides the following functionality:
• Face-to-face discussion.
• Share screen.
• Chat.
• Share files.

In addition, we strongly recommend using a system that provides for:
• Polls/Quizzes (essential).

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 5 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 15 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To test participants’ attention to detail.
• To explore how patience and persistence can help when tasks are detail orientated.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of up to 12 participants. It’s also suitable for 1-1 training.

Useful For:
Anyone.

You'll Need:
• The Activity Link and your unique Pin, which you’ll find in ‘My Account’ section of the member homepage.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
Remote Delivery requires a system that as an absolute minimum provides the following functionality:
• Face-to-face discussion.
• Share screen.
• Chat.
• Share files.

In addition, we strongly recommend using a system that provides for:
• Polls/Quizzes (not required).
• Breakout Rooms (required).

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 15 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 25 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To test listening skills.
• To illustrate the dangers of making assumptions.
• To encourage participants to think about how they can check their understanding of information they receive.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of up to 12 participants. It’s not suitable for 1-1 training.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
• To pre-prepare a poll/quiz based on the Trainer’s Handout.
• The Activity Link of the audio recording of the story and your PIN from the My Account section of the member homepage.

Notes:
If you’d prefer to read the story to participants, we suggest that you rehearse reading it aloud a few times prior to delivery.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
Remote Delivery requires a system that as an absolute minimum provides the following functionality:
• Face-to-face discussion.
• Share screen.
• Chat.
• Share files.

In addition, we strongly recommend using a system that provides for:
• Polls/Quizzes (required).
• Breakout Rooms (not required).

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 10 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 20 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To energise a group.
• To test remote participants’ abilities to work together quickly to solve a simple problem.
• To introduce the concept of continuous improvement.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of up to 12 participants. It’s not suitable for 1-1 training.

Useful For:
All participants.

You'll Need:
• Nothing other than the materials provided.

Notes:
This simple activity is one you can return to several times in your training to demonstrate the principles of continuous improvement. For smaller groups, we recommend using the anagram approach; for larger groups, you can use the alternative approach where you simply allocate each participant a number.

This activity uses functionality in Zoom. If using other tools, you may need to check the hands up functionality and the impact it has on how participants appear on screen.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
Remote Delivery requires a system that as an absolute minimum provides the following functionality:
• Face-to-face discussion.
• Share screen.
• Chat.
• Share files.

In addition, we strongly recommend using a system that provides for:
• Polls/Quizzes (not required).
• Breakout Rooms (required).

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 10 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 30 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To identify key areas of concern to participants.
• To help identify key priorities and learning objectives.
• To discuss what barriers to success the training might help participants overcome.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of up to 12 participants. It’s also suitable for 1-1 training.

Useful For:
Employees at all levels.

You'll Need:
• The Activity Link in Trainers’ Library.
• Your Activity Link PIN from the My Account section of the member homepage.

Notes:
This activity can be used a starting point for any behaviour-based training and is a powerful way to explore participants’ current perceptions and concerns that the training might help them address.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
Remote Delivery requires a system that as an absolute minimum provides the following functionality:
• Face-to-face discussion.
• Share screen.
• Chat.
• Share files.

In addition, we strongly recommend using a system that provides for:
• Polls/Quizzes (not required).
• Breakout Rooms (required).

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 5 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 15 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To explore how participants perceive their role in the team.
• To allow participants to share what they think they personally contribute to the team.
• To understand the importance of diversity within a successful team.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of up to 12 participants. It’s not suitable for 1-1 training.

Useful For:
Pre-existing teams.

Notes:
This exercise is designed for pre-existing teams, and especially those that may need to work more effectively together. If you have more than 10 participants, you may need to allow extra time.

We recommend using Miro for this activity, though you could, if you prefer, ask participants to create a PowerPoint slide that represents their contribution to the team.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
Remote Delivery requires a system that as an absolute minimum provides the following functionality:
• Face-to-face discussion.
• Share screen.
• Chat.
• Share files.

In addition, we strongly recommend using a system that provides for:
• Polls/Quizzes (not required).
• Breakout Rooms (not required).

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 10 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 25 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To test participant’s problem-solving skills.
• To explore the different behaviours employed when solving problems.
• To identify how these behaviours can impact team performance.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of up to 12 participants. It’s not suitable for 1-1 training.

Useful For:
Anyone.

You'll Need:
• The PowerPoint slides (Handouts and Solution) ready to send to, or share with, participants.

Notes:
This icebreaker works best when participants are split into teams of 2 or 3. It is fine for different teams to have the same puzzle.

There is another module which uses the same activity as this but in a different way. This icebreaker focuses on Problem Solving skills, whereas the other is a course module, ‘Letters Get Better’, which focuses on Continuous Improvement.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
Remote Delivery requires a system that as an absolute minimum provides the following functionality:
• Face-to-face discussion.
• Share screen.
• Chat.
• Share files.

In addition, we strongly recommend using a system that provides for:
• Polls/Quizzes (not required).
• Breakout Rooms (required).

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 5 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 15 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To define what bullying and harassment are and to explore their impact in the workplace.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of up to 12 participants. It’s not suitable for 1-1 training.

Useful For:
Anyone.

You'll Need:
• The PowerPoint slides provided.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
Remote Delivery requires a system that as an absolute minimum provides the following functionality:
• Face-to-face discussion.
• Share screen.
• Chat.
• Share files.

In addition, we strongly recommend using a system that provides for:
• Polls/Quizzes (not required).
• Breakout Rooms (required).

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 10 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 25 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To demonstrate what effective feedback looks like and the impact effective and ineffective feedback can have.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of up to 12 participants. It’s not suitable for 1-1 training.

Useful For:
Anyone who needs to give or receive feedback.

You'll Need:
• To ensure participants have access to plain paper and coloured pens/pencils. (Alternatively, you might like to send them a selection of Lego, or some modelling clay in advance of the training.)

Notes:
Although we’ve labelled this an icebreaker, we’d recommend only using it at the very beginning of a workshop if your participants already know each other, and both you and they will feel relaxed.

You’ll need a minimum of 3 participants for this activity, and ideally a minimum of 4.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
Remote Delivery requires a system that as an absolute minimum provides the following functionality:
• Face-to-face discussion.
• Share screen.
• Chat.
• Share files.

In addition, we strongly recommend using a system that provides for:
• Polls/Quizzes (not required).
• Breakout Rooms (not required).