Teamwork Course Modules

Time:
This game will take about 90 minutes to play. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 150 minutes to complete the game and ensure that all of the learning points are brought out.

Aims:
• To create an understanding of UK workplace Equality Law so that all employees and managers are aware of their responsibilities.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of between between 8 and 12 participants.

Useful For:
Everyone in the workplace – because everyone needs to be clear on what they can and can’t do. This is not a topic bound by status and participants will have the most fun from the game if there is a mix of roles, seniority and experience in each team. The game will be especially useful for managers and team leaders who are usually closest to managing diversity and equality issues and need to be clear on the law.

You'll Need:
• A Spinner.
• The Game Board.
• A Questions and Answers sheet.
• 4 differently coloured sets of 8 counters.
• Up to 12 participants (4 teams of 3).

Notes:
Most questions have multiple choice or yes/no answers. This means that the third team to have a go at a question is pretty much guaranteed to get a correct answer when the question comes round again. This keeps the overall time for the game within reasonable limits and adds to the fun, because of the danger of a team getting the answer wrong and allowing another team to get in with the right answer next time.

The game is very easy to play. We suggest that you have a practice run beforehand to ensure you are clear on how it works.

Time:
This game can be played in about 45 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion and evaluation, we recommend allowing 75 minutes.

Aims:
• To help participants develop their communication skills and in particular their listening skills, their ability to share information effectively and their ability to explore problems objectively.
• To illustrate the importance of teamwork and develop the skills needed to work effectively with other teams – particularly where teams are small and geographically diverse.
• To understand that effective teamwork involves identifying and capitalising on all of the unique skills and talents of individuals within the team.

Skills and Behaviours Tested:
Communication skills, teamwork, collaboration, information sharing, information gathering, listening, questioning, attention to detail and problem solving.

Group Size:
A minimum of 2 participants are required for this exercise.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
• At least two rooms or separate work areas, ideally one for each team.
• A mobile phone for each team (they can use one of their own, if willing).
• One OS Landranger map 125 and one OS Landranger map 124 for every two teams participating (available from the Ordnance Survey website).
• A brief for each team (Brief 1 for Team 1 and Brief 2 for Team 2).
• A length of string (at least 1 metre long) for each team.

Notes:
Each team will work with 1 other team (the partner team) in a separate location, who they should be able to contact by phone. (If there are only 2 participants involved, each team will consist of 1 person!)

If it’s a nice day, the exercise can be very successfully run outside. Position teams as far apart from each other as you can.

Time:
The exercise in this module can be complete within 45 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 75 minutes to complete the module.

Aims:
• To identify specific actions that will enable groups to achieve a shared vision.
• To help individuals see how they will contribute to the achievement of a shared vision.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with most workshop/courses but is not recommended for use where the group has more than 25 participants (e.g., conferences).

Useful For:
Staff at all levels working in a team. It is particularly well suited to new teams formed for a fixed period to manage/implement a project.

You'll Need:
• Plenty of sheets of thin A4 card.
• A selection of coloured pens (felt tip pens are ideal).

Notes:
This module allows the group to share their ideas on how they intend to work together to achieve a shared vision. The group need to be clear about what their vision is.

If this isn’t the case, then you might wish to use the module, Creating a Shared Vision beforehand to achieve this.

If you are using the organisation, or team’s vision statement, you will need to pre-prepare a visual aid (PowerPoint or Flipchart) to display at the start of the exercise.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
There is a Remote Delivery version of this module available in Trainers’ Library.

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 30 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 40 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To help participants recognise how their behaviour/communication is experienced by others.
• To encourage participants to increase the positive acts of recognition they give to others, and to create a working atmosphere in which people feel accepted and recognised.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to about 20 participants.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels. It can be particularly useful in management training and team building.

You'll Need:
• Post-it notes and flipchart paper.

Notes:
This module can be used alongside Land of the Nutritos in a diversity programme and as part of a programme on giving feedback or team working.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
There is a Remote Delivery version of this module available in Trainers’ Library.

Time:
The exercise in this module will take about 30 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 55 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To identify what gets in the way of internal customer service.
• To consider ways to reduce or eliminate the barriers to internal customer care.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 25 participants.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
• Post its, pens and flip chart paper.
• The Activity Link and your PIN.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
There is a Remote Delivery version of this module available in Trainers’ Library.

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 50-60 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 75-90 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To help participants understand what their leadership (and followership) style is through physicalising part of the leadership process.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of any size, however the exercise works much better with larger groups.

Useful For:
Managers, directors and others in leadership roles.

You'll Need:
• Blindfolds.
• A large, empty space (see notes).

Notes:
This exercise can provide participants with a very different insight into their leadership style (and their style as a follower). It is particularly useful for exploring trust and being hands on and hands off.

You need a large, empty space for this exercise. Any chairs should be placed against the walls of the room, leaving as much space as possible. It is possible to do this exercise outside, for example on a lawn.

There is the risk of people knocking into each other, a wall or furniture in this exercise. Make clear that participants guiding another colleague are responsible for that participant’s safety at all times.

* Although you can run this exercise with less than 8 participants it works much better with larger groups.

Time:
The exercise in this module will take about 20 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 45 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To consider the importance of momentum when innovating.
• To look at what builds momentum behind a project or idea, and what saps energy from a project or idea.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of any size.

Useful For:
Managers.

You'll Need:
For this exercise you'll need to be able to split your participants into 2 teams, each with a different room to work in.

You'll also need to gather a set of 'building materials' for each team.

Typically, we provide each team with the following:
• 20 'pick-up' sticks.
• 3 pairs of scissors.
• 4 rulers.
• 6 sheets of A3 card (or 12 sheets of A4 card).
• A ball of string.
• A roll of sticky tape.

You can vary the materials you provide in any way you wish - the important thing is that each team must have exactly the same materials to work with (including the same number of pairs of scissors etc). You'll also need a toy car for each team (each should be the same size and weight). Choose a car that is 'Dinky' sized, rather than 'Matchbox' sized. (More mature UK readers will know what we mean!) For those of you who don't, we mean a car that is not too small - aim for something about six or seven inches long and weighing about 1lb (500 gram). We want this exercise to be challenging.

Notes:
For very large groups (20 or more participants) you’ll need more than 2 teams. Establish a number of small teams with 4 or 5 participants in them, and some very large teams with perhaps a dozen participants in them.

Time:
This game can be played in about 45 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion and evaluation, we recommend allowing 75 minutes.

Aims:
• Test analytical skills and encourage clear thinking.
• Test participants’ attention to detail, individually or collectively, and to test levels of accuracy under pressure.
• Allow participants to work together to solve a specific problem.

Skills and Behaviours Tested:
Analytical skills, attention to detail, problem solving, teamwork.

Group Size:
We recommend placing participants into teams of 2–4 for this exercise. However, strictly speaking there is no minimum number of participants – this exercise can even be used to test individual skills.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
• At least one Farm Map for each team; if teams have more than three people in them, you might prefer to provide teams with two copies of the map.
• One copy of the Team Brief for each team.

Notes:
In this exercise participants are presented with a lot of information and success will depend on their ability to approach the problem in a structured, methodical way and work effectively under pressure.

This exercise can also be used to examine the role of leaders within teams. If you wish to use the exercise in this way, you might want to pre-assign the role of leader to someone from each team.

Time:
The exercise in this module will take about 15 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 40 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To demonstrate the importance of taking a step back and understanding our role in the relationships we have with others at work.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 25 participants.

Useful For:
Staff at supervisory level.

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

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
There is a Remote Delivery version of this module available in Trainers’ Library.

Time:
This exercise will take about 55 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 75 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To encourage participants to consider planning and preparation as part of leadership.
• To facilitate discussion around playing to the team's strength.
• To consider factors that motivate staff to perform well.
• To encourage staff to self assess, review and reflect on performance.
• To encourage leaders to consider their communication skills.
• To encourage leaders to consider the question of keeping people motivated.
• To demonstrate leadership skills in a practical task.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 25 participants.

Useful For:
First line managers and supervisors.

You'll Need:
• Broadsheet newspapers (one per team).
• Sticky tape (one per team).
• A tennis ball.

Notes:
In this exercise, participants will be working in teams of 4 or 5. Each team will need one broadsheet newspaper (for example, the Financial Times) and a roll of sticky tape.
In addition, you will need a tennis ball (or similar) to test the strength of the teams’ structures.

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 20 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 35 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To recognise the impact of imposed change on people.
• To remind participants how easy it is for progress to be lost and for things to slip back to the way they were before.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of almost any size.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

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

Notes:
You may want to read the article ‘When Change Really Hurts’ by Sheila Williams, which is available in Trainers’ Library. This provides background information about the change curve, which you may want to reference in your discussion.

Time:
The exercise in this module can be complete within 90 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 120 minutes to complete the module.

Aims:
• To agree what success looks like for everyone.
• To establish effective working relationships within groups or teams.
• To create a vision statement for the team.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with most workshop/courses but is not recommended for use where the group has more than 25 participants (e.g., conferences).

Useful For:
Staff at all levels working in a team. It is particularly well suited to new teams formed for a fixed period to manage/implement a project.

You'll Need:
• Plenty of post-it notes and flipchart paper.
• A selection of craft materials such as paints, brushes, glue, magazines, pieces of material. (You may prefer to restrict the materials available to coloured pens and paper, depending on the make up of the group you are working with.)

Notes:
This module allows the group to share ideas about what is important to them and to agree some communal aim, values and aspirations. As a result of this exercise the whole team will participate in the creation of a shared vision.

This activity can be used as a stand-alone activity or combined with others to form a longer event. The module Achieving a Shared Vision naturally leads on from this module.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
There is a Remote Delivery version of this module available in Trainers’ Library.

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 15 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 30-45 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To understand why we delegate.
• To understand how to delegate effectively.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of up to 25 participants.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
• A supply of Lego, with at least 15 large pieces for each team of 3-5 participants.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
There is a Remote Delivery version of this module available in Trainers’ Library - Building an Understanding of Delegation.

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 30 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 60 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To enable participants to increase awareness of their emotional reaction to other people’s behaviour and how to deal with people they find ‘difficult’.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to about 25 participants.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

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

Notes:
The modules Managing Emotions and Changing Perceptions and Emotions are complementary to this module and can be combined with it to make a longer session.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
There is a Remote Delivery version of this module available in Trainers’ Library.

Time:
This exercise will take about 45 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 70 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To create a situation where participants have to manage change driven by one department, affecting the work of another.
• To identify some key learning points about managing change.
• To test information gathering and sharing skills.
• To demonstrate the importance of effective questioning, summary and clarification and active listening.
• To consider the pros and cons of different leadership styles.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 15 participants.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
• Each team will need a space to work where they cannot be overheard by the other team (s).
• Each HR team will need an egg timer that takes 3-4 minutes for the sand to pass from one side to the other.

Notes:
As well as useful in programs concerned with change, this exercise can also be used as a general communication exercise, or in training concerned with internal customer care.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
There is a Remote Delivery version of this module available in Trainers’ Library - Dinner Party Mayhem - Managing Other Teams.

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 30 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 50 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To consider where people have a true sense of belonging and what that feels like.
• To explore the positive benefits of ‘belonging’.
• To explore how to create a sense of belonging at work.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of almost any size.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

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

Notes:
A discussion that encourages people to explore how it feels to belong.

Time:
The exercises in this module can be completed within 60 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 120 minutes to complete the module.

Aims:
• To agree the important principles of effective delegation.
• To review and learn from the experience of being delegated to.
• To recognise potential barriers to delegation.
• To prepare a checklist for effective delegation.
• To identify tasks that can’t be delegated.
• To plan for delegation.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 25 participants.

Useful For:
Supervisors and junior managers.

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

Notes:
A useful discussion based exercise that encourages participants to really think about when to delegate, why to delegate and when not to delegate.

Time:
The exercises in this module can be completed in about 40 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 60 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To raise awareness of self-awareness, the first strand of emotional intelligence.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to about 25 participants.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
• A flipchart, pens and the handouts provided.

Notes:
This module forms part one of a two-part introduction to emotional intelligence. (Part 2 can also be used alone to explore awareness of others and empathy as a skill.)

This module (Part 1) looks at intra-personal intelligence - self-awareness - and the ability to notice and regulate or manage our own emotional state or mood.

Part 2 examines interpersonal intelligence – being able to distinguish other people’s emotions, moods and temperaments.

It is important to have an understanding of emotional intelligence and the effects of discussing it with a group of participants. You will find Mike Bagshaw’s Article in Trainers’ Library useful for this.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
There is a Remote Delivery version of this module available in Trainers’ Library.

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 70 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 105 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To introduce managers to the subject of employee engagement.
• To help managers begin to understand why employee engagement is central to being a successful manager.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of between 3 and 20 participants. Ideally, you'll have at least 6 participants though so that you can create 3 teams of 2 or more.

Useful For:
Participants with managerial responsibility (or those who will have imminently.)

You'll Need:
• Prepared flipcharts with simple 'cartoon' faces drawn on them - one face for each participant.
• Post-it notes.

Notes:
This exercise is designed for the start of an Employee Engagement workshop.

Before the participants arrive – create a flip chart or charts with colourful cartoon faces on. Please have enough faces so that there is one for each participant. Have these on display at the start of the exercise.

There are two parts to this exercise. It is essential that both are completed to ensure that learning is maximised.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
There is a Remote Delivery version of this module available in Trainers’ Library.

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 70 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 105 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To encourage managers to identify the factors that will make their teams feel that they value the organisation they work for and are valued in return.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of between 3 and 20 participants.

Useful For:
Participants with managerial responsibility (or those who will have imminently.)

You'll Need:
No additional materials are required but the final part of the exercise requires space for participants to move around the room.

Notes:
The exercises allow space for participants to reflect on the engagement of a team of up to 15 employees. If their team is bigger than this, encourage them to think about their best and worst performing team members.

Whilst this module can be run as a stand-alone exercise, it is most powerful when used with the other exercises in the Employee Engagement series. This complete course can be run in one day or in 4 bite-sized sessions.

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 50 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 80 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To explore the role that managers’ behaviours play in employee engagement.
• To identify the behaviours that lead to more engaged teams.
• To consider the impact this has on success.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of between 3 and 20 participants.

Useful For:
Participants with managerial responsibility (or those who will have imminently).

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

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
There is a Remote Delivery version of this module available in Trainers’ Library.

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 40 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 60 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To help participants understand what it feels like to be engaged in their job and the difference it makes to how they feel and the quality of their work.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of between 3 and 16 participants.

Useful For:
Participants with managerial responsibility (or those who will have imminently.)

You'll Need:
• A Bridge Constructor Kit for each team.
• A separate area for each team to work in, where they will be out of sight of the other team(s).

Notes:
It is advisable to start this exercise without too much introduction – just hand out the briefings and let them get on with it.

Whilst this works very well as a stand alone exercise, we thoroughly recommend it as a great way to end our full day workshop on Employee Engagement.

Time:
The exercises in this module will take about 90 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 135 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To enable participants to identify different approaches that can be used to manage conflict.
• To explain the advantages and disadvantages of five key approaches used in managing conflict.
• To identify when it is appropriate to use the various approaches.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 15 participants. The exercises work best with groups of 10 or fewer.

Useful For:
Staff who need to manage conflict and interpersonal relationships.

You'll Need:
• Break-out rooms.

Notes:
It is recommended that you keep the participant group size to 10 or fewer for this module.

This module can be used as a stand-alone module or as a follow on to The Anatomy of Conflict.

The module is comprised of two exercises. Depending on your needs these can be run as two separate 'mini-modules'.

Time:
This game can be played in about 30 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion and evaluation, we recommend allowing 90 minutes.

Aims:
• To test participants’ attention to detail, individually, or collectively.
• To test participants’ levels of accuracy under pressure.
• To show how tasks can be broken down into achievable goals, and how teams can use short term goals to improve performance.
• To test participants’ abilities to work together effectively.
• To examine the impact of change on comfort zones and confidence.

Skills and Behaviours Tested:
Accuracy and attention to detail, teamwork, goal setting, managing change and leadership.

Group Size:
There is no minimum number of participants – this exercise can even be used to test individual skills.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
• One set of Filing Frenzy and instruction cards for each individual or team (see notes).
• A stopwatch or watch.
• A whistle or bell (optional).

Notes:
This exercise is normally run as a series of short 10-minute activities (with discussion at various points). These activities can be run back to back, but are perhaps more effective when used as an intermittent energiser during a training day/course and used to illustrate or highlight learning points covered in detail elsewhere in the training programme.

You will need one set of Filing Frenzy cards for each individual or team. (We recommend a set of 180 cards for each individual or team, i.e., 10 copies of the ‘Filing Frenzy Cards’ document if running the exercises on the following pages.)

However, for a simple ‘accuracy test’ you could use fewer cards. For example:
• Individuals – 36 cards (2 copies of the ‘Filing Frenzy Cards’ document).
• Teams of 2-3 – 90 cards (5 copies of the ‘Filing Frenzy Cards’ document).
• Teams of 4-6 – 126 cards (7 copies of the ‘Filing Frenzy Cards’ document).

Note of Caution:
This exercise may not be suitable for participants who are colour blind or visually impaired. However, in most cases anyone who falls into this category can still be involved. Ask them to observe/listen to the teams during the exercise, identifying effective and less effective behaviours in order to provide constructive feedback afterwards.

Time:
The exercise in this module can be complete within 20 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 90 minutes to complete the module.

Aims:
• To explore the differences between a team and work group.
• To help participants identify when a team or group is required.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with most workshop/courses but is not recommended for use where the group has more than 25 participants (e.g., conferences).

Useful For:
Teams, work groups and/or their leaders who wish to explore the current organisation and management of the group.

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

Notes:
This module can be usefully followed by the following modules:
• Creating a Shared Vision.
• Achieving a Shared Vision.

It can also be a useful inclusion in any training intervention around remote teams.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
There is a Remote Delivery version of this module available in Trainers’ Library.

Time:
This exercise will take about 15 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 30 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To test participants' planning and communication skills.
• To demonstrate the importance of listening and using summary and clarification to check understanding.
• To consider what makes communication effective and the dangers of getting it wrong.
• To energise a group of participants.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 25 participants.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
• Whistles (one for each team).
• A stopwatch.
• Skittles and hoops (or similar-see note).
• Prizes.

This exercise does require some preparation as you'll need to devise a 'course' for your participants to follow. Preparation will take about 5 minutes once you have the items you'll need. The course maps show three different routes through the same course, which means you won't have to change the course itself if playing more than one round.

We suggest using hula-hoops for your 'pens'. If not, you can mark the 'pens' out using other things like rope or giant pick-up sticks. Skittles, cones or balls can be used to mark out the rest of the course.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
There is a Remote Delivery version of this module available in Trainers’ Library.

Time:
The exercise in this module will take about 30 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 45 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To encourage participants to communicate effectively in order to gather all the information available.
• To encourage participants to think about how they communicate.
• To encourage participants to work co-operatively to solve a shared problem.

Group Size:
The optimum number of participants for this exercise is 8, however it can be used with fewer. If you have more than 15 in your group, split them into teams.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

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

Notes:
This communication exercise is based on a logic puzzle.

You will need a minimum of 8 participants, which is the optimum number for the exercise. However, we have included additional Gossip Cards that enable the exercise to be used in groups of up to 15. (If you have more than 15 in your group, split the group into teams of 8 or more and get each team to complete the exercise separately.)

Please note that where there are more than 8 participants in a team some of the ‘gossip’ will be duplicated.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
There is a Remote Delivery version of this module available in Trainers’ Library.

Time:
The exercise in this module will take about 20 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 30 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To encourage participants to consider their attitude.
• To encourage discussion around optimistic versus pessimistic outlooks.
• To recognise the impact that attitude has on performance.
• To enable participants to identify personal traits that might be holding them back.
• To encourage leaders to consider how they might deal with negative attitudes in their team.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 25 participants.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

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

Notes:
This module provides an excellent opportunity, when working with a wide range of participants, to consider how attitude can impact on performance. Topics where the inclusion of a module looking at optimism/pessimism might be beneficial include:
• Managing change.
• Problem solving and decision making.
• Customer service.
• Selling skills.
• Leading a team.
• Strategic leadership.
• Communication skills.
• Planning and scheduling.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
There is a Remote Delivery version of this module available in Trainers’ Library.

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 75 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 120 minutes for this module if working with 10-12 participants.

It is strongly recommended that, for maximum impact and best overall use of time, this module is run in conjunction with the other modules from the Hotel Doldrums series.

Aims:
• To build an understanding of the key steps in strategic planning.
• To encourage participants to analyse financial and other data using a SWOT analysis.
• To encourage participants to think about where they are now, before moving on in the next module to consider where they want to be.

Group Size:
An ideal group size for this module is 12, with participants working in 3 teams of 4. If you have more than 15 participants in your group, you may want to consider ‘doubling up’ on some of the briefs with more than one team using the same scenario. This doesn’t detract from the learning; in fact it can be interesting to see how different teams approach the same problem and task.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels including individuals, groups and teams that need to use strategic planning and analysis skills in the workplace.

You'll Need:
Each team will need a hotel data pack (provided) and a syndicate room or area.

Notes:
Hotel Doldrums is a series of modules that are designed to be run in sequence.

Together they form a complete 1.5 day workshop, which can be run as a single workshop, or as three independent sessions, each lasting between 2 and 4 hours. We’ve also suggested other modules you could add to the programme, if you have more time available.

Hotel Doldrums can also be run as a teambuilding game, where teams are left to compete with less facilitator involvement during the exercise, but a thorough review at the end. This takes about 3.5 hours to run.

If you prefer to use the teambuilding version of Hotel Doldrums, please download the trainer’s notes from the teambuilding games section of Trainers’ Library.

This series of modules is set in the context of the hotel industry but requires no specialist knowledge of it.

The modules, when used together, also draw out skills relating to business planning, problem solving, influencing, team working and making presentations.

This module follows on from Hotel Doldrums, part 1, and is not designed to be used as a stand-alone module.

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 135 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 180 minutes for this module if working with 10-12 participants.

Aims:
• To give participants the opportunity to identify and explore options and appraise these.
• For participants to create a 3-5 year outline strategic plan based on the fictional case study they’ve been given.

Group Size:
An ideal group size for this module is 12, with participants working in 3 teams of 4. If you have more than 15 participants in your group, you may want to consider ‘doubling up’ on some of the briefs with more than one team using the same scenario. This doesn’t detract from the learning; in fact it can be interesting to see how different teams approach the same problem and task.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels including individuals, groups and teams that need to use strategic planning and analysis skills in the workplace.

You'll Need:
Each team will a hotel data pack (provided) and a syndicate room or area.

Notes:
Hotel Doldrums is a series of modules that are designed to be run in sequence.

Together they form a complete 1.5 day workshop, which can be run as a single workshop, or as three independent sessions, each lasting between 2 and 4 hours. We’ve also suggested other modules you could add to the programme, if you have more time available.

This module follows on from Hotel Doldrums, parts 1 and 2, and is not designed to be used as a stand-alone module.

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 140 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 240 minutes for this module if working with 10-12 participants.

Aims:
• To encourage participants to develop a strategy from the options generated in previous sessions.
• To encourage participants to prepare and give a persuasive presentation outlining their strategy and the work they have done.
• To reflect on the learning from the Hotel Doldrums series of modules.

Group Size:
An ideal group size for this module is 12, with participants working in 3 teams of 4. If you have more than 15 participants in your group, you may want to consider ‘doubling up’ on some of the briefs with more than one team using the same scenario. This doesn’t detract from the learning; in fact it can be interesting to see how different teams approach the same problem and task.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels including individuals, groups and teams that need to use strategic planning and analysis skills in the workplace.

You'll Need:
Each team will a hotel data pack (provided) and a syndicate room or area.

Notes:
Hotel Doldrums is a series of modules that are designed to be run in sequence.

Together they form a complete 1.5 day workshop, which can be run as a single workshop, or as three independent sessions, each lasting between 2 and 4 hours. We’ve also suggested other modules you could add to the programme, if you have more time available.

The modules, when used together, also draw out skills relating to business planning, problem solving, influencing, team working and making presentations.

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 20 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 30 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To demonstrate a link between self-belief and results.
• To encourage participants to consider the impact positivity has on their own performance and the performance of others.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of up to 15 participants.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
• A syndicate room, or separate area in which Team 1 can work.
• A pack of 54 ‘Filing Frenzy’ cards for each team.
• A stopwatch/timer.
• You might like to use a bell or whistle to announce the start/end of the exercise.

Notes:
This exercise may not be suitable for participants who are colour blind or visually impaired. However, in most cases anyone who falls into this category can still be involved. Ask them to observe/listen to the teams during the exercise, identifying effective and less effective behaviours in order to provide constructive feedback afterwards.

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 25 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 35 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To enable participants to consider the value and difficulty caused by organisational politics and political games.
• To create an understanding that managers cannot avoid politics, so need to know the games in which they may – deliberately or inadvertently – be playing.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with larger groups of up to almost any size. It tends not to work well with very small groups.

Useful For:
All managers, but particularly those who are new to management and may not understand the political nature of organisations, including their own.

You'll Need:
• Post-it notes, flipchart paper, scribble paper, pens and marker pens for each team.

Notes:
This module works best if you set up the room ‘cabaret style’ – that is with table teams of between 4 and 8 people per table.

This is the first in a series of three modules examining power and politics. It can be used on its own as a short session or with the other two to form a complete half day programme.

Politics is often seen as a ‘dirty word’ by many people, or as one in which they have no interest. The purpose of this module is for the participants to recognise that divorcing themselves from politics is a decision that could affect them adversely – and is, in itself, a political act. To influence the direction an organisation is taking means people taking part in politics.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
There is a Remote Delivery version of this module available in Trainers’ Library.

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 50 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 80 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To allow participants the opportunity to identify their own sources of power, to know which they need to develop and to have an action plan for doing this.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to about 20 participants.

Useful For:
All managers but especially those who are new to the management role and may feel that they have little power of their own to allow them to accomplish results.

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

Notes:
This module is the third in a series looking at influence, power and politics. Whilst this module can be run on its on, it will have more effect if used as a follow on to the work done in Influence 2 - Sources of Power.

If you are running this module on its own and not as a follow-on, you will find it helpful to have looked at the five power sources identified in the Influence 2 - Sources of Power module before you begin.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
There is a Remote Delivery version of this module available in Trainers’ Library.

Time:
The exercises in this module will take about 45 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 65 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To provide participants with a way of understanding behaviour and improving communication.
• To provide a very basic introduction to transactional analysis.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 25 participants.

Useful For:
Staff up to junior managers.

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

Notes:
This module is intended to provide a very simple introduction to transactional analysis, a theory developed by Eric Berne in the 1950s. If you are not familiar with transactional analysis you will need to read through all the notes carefully plus the additional material in the handout.

Go through the exercises on your own first so that you can see the rationale. If you have time, try to observe the different types "in play" in your own interactions with people.

Endorsed by The National Association of School-Based Teacher Trainers, NASBTT.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
There is a Remote Delivery version of this module available in Trainers’ Library.

Time:
This game can be played in about 90 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion and evaluation, we recommend allowing 120 minutes.

Aims:
• To help participants develop their negotiation skills and in particular their ability to establish their needs and wants, and those of the other party, prior to commencing negotiating.

Skills and Behaviours Tested:
Communication skills, leadership, negotiation, teamwork and collaboration, and problem solving.

Group Size:
This exercise involves participants working in four teams. You’ll need a minimum of 2 participants in each team and a maximum of 6.

Useful For:
Managers, and particularly those at a more senior level.

You'll Need:
• Access to the Internet, to use our online scoring tool, necessary to assess teams’ performances and a printer to provide participants a copy of the results. (Only you will need this, not your participants.)
• Plenty of space. Ideally each of your four teams will have a separate breakout room to work in.
• A calculator for each team.
• Highlighters, pens and pencils for each team.
• A small prize for the winning team.
• A bell (optional).

Notes:
The exercise can also be used at the end of a training event focused on negotiation, allowing participants to apply new knowledge and skills.

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 40 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing at least 50 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To help participants to consider how it feels to be different from the majority.
• To encourage understanding of the sources of prejudicial feelings and ways of behaving that can make others feel uncomfortable.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to about 15 participants with enough to encourage discussion.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
• To practise reading the scenario through several times to familiarise yourself before the session. (If your level of membership allows, there is an audio recording of the scenario in Trainers’ Library that you can use if you prefer not to read it aloud yourself.)

Notes:
This exercise uses an imaginative method for raising awareness of prejudice and really gets participants thinking.

It is important to use this activity within a diversity course in which ground rules of showing respect for individual opinions and experiences have been established. The content is potentially sensitive and it is important that the trainer monitors conversations during the group work to pick up on any intrusive questioning of minorities within the group, which could mirror the unhelpful behaviour described in the imaginary scenario.

The module consists of four activities:

Part 1:
1) Reading/Playing the scenario.
2) Discussion of the experience of imagining yourself into the scenario.
3) Input on where the attitudes and feelings may come from and the unhelpful behaviours that may follow.

Part 2:
4) Discussion in groups of what the two sets of people in the scenario could do to encourage acceptance and integration.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
There is a Remote Delivery version of this module available in Trainers’ Library.

Time:
The exercises in this module will take about 75 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 90 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To explore the way underlying beliefs can drive behaviour.
• To help participants to identify beliefs that they share even where the observable behaviours seem unusual.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 15 participants. The exercises work best with groups of 8 to 15. It can be used with smaller groups, but participants may be more reflective as they will have to explore their own beliefs and assumptions more.

Useful For:
Teams, work groups and/or their leaders who wish to explore cultural differences between nationalities, age groups, or departments and organisations.

You'll Need:
In addition to the Belief Cards and Team Brief, provided, you’ll need:
• A pre-prepared sheet of flipchart paper with a rough diagram of an iceberg.
• Sheets of coloured sticky dots for all participants.
• A small pile of Post-it notes for each participant.
• Five blank flipchart sheets, which should be fixed to the walls at various points around the room.

Notes:
This module can be used as an introduction to diversity training as well as a team-building exercise. The activities explore different behaviours and beliefs without judgement so is ideal for organisations with cross-functional teams or cross-cultural business units.

Time:
This exercise will take about 20 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 40 minutes for completion.

Aims:
• To provide participants an opportunity to review and ‘continuously’ improve their performance.
• To illustrate the importance of a continuous improvement process.
• To recognise behaviours that can get in the way of continuous improvement.

Group Size:
This activity can be used with groups of up to 25 participants.

Useful For:
Anyone.

You'll Need:
• One of each of the three Puzzle Stars and set of letters for every team in play.
• To cut out the missing letters for each of the Puzzle Stars and place each set in an envelope (or similar).
• A stopwatch or timer for each team in play.
• A small prize for the winning team (optional).

Notes:
This activity works best when participants are split into teams of 2 or 3.

There are two versions of this module – this one focuses on Continuous Improvement and the other version called ‘The Problem with Letters’ focuses on Problem Solving skills.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
There is a Remote Delivery version of this module available in Trainers’ Library.

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 25 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 40 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To explore the challenge when solving a problem where a number of people are involved, particularly when those people may have other obligations that mean they can’t give your problem their complete attention.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of almost any size. Where you have more than 12 participants, you should consider splitting your group and running two versions of the exercise separately in tandem.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
• A stopwatch.

Notes:
This exercise requires a minimum of 6 participants. Where you have more than 12 participants, you should consider splitting your group and running two versions of the exercise separately in tandem.

It is important that all of the cards are distributed and that every participant has a card but some participants can receive more cards than others – in fact it’s better if they do.

Time:
The exercises in this module will take about 30 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 50 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To provide a basic understanding of continuous improvement as a process and management tool.
• To place continuous improvement in context through a participatory exercise.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 25 participants.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
• Old newspapers and sticky tape - see notes.

Notes:
You will need a large pile of old newspapers and some reels of sticky tape for this exercise.

You will also need to have made one "standard design" camel from folding or scrunching newspaper and using sticky tape.

This camel should have discernible legs, a head and a hump; but does not have to be a work of art! The participants need to be able to roughly copy it (note - the exercise is about improving upon the original). Finally you need to make a baton from newspaper, which will be used to bat the camel along in the camel races.

You will also require space to set up a track - this can usually be achieved by safely moving tables and chairs to the sides of the room.

You may wish to have a supply of small prizes available for the camel race winners.

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 100 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 155 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To provide participants with a simple but effective five stage method for planning a project or complex task.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of up to 24 participants. Ideally, you'll have an even number of participants so they can work in pairs.

Useful For:
Anyone who needs to set up and/or commission and/or manage projects.

You'll Need:
• Post-it notes.

Notes:
There is nothing particularly complex or difficult about project planning; it simply requires a logical approach. If you are new to the topic, we suggest you take time to read and digest the pre-module reading. You might find it helpful to work through each of the stages yourself, using a project of your own - perhaps planning a course.

Although you will have asked participants to bring the pre-module reading with them, in practice some will forget. It’s a good idea to have spare copies ready in case this happens.

It’s a good idea to print more copies of the handouts than there are participants because these may be needed if someone has a particularly complex project to plan.

We have suggested that you ask participants to work in pairs. However, this module could easily be adapted and used by a complete project team to plan one project.

It is helpful if each pair has a table of their own where they can carry out the practical exercises. If you have a large group you will probably need a breakout room.

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 70 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 80 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To minimise the likelihood of crises and project failure through a simple risk analysis and contingency planning process.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of up to 24 participants. Ideally, you'll have an even number of participants so they can work in pairs.

Useful For:
Anyone who needs to set up and/or commission and/or manage projects.

You'll Need:
• Post-it notes.

Notes:
This is the second module in the Project Planning series, covering Risk Analysis and Contingency Planning. The first module, Project Planning – Part 1, must be run before this one.

If you are running this module on a different date from the first module it would be sensible to remind participants to bring their completed project plan from the previous session to this one.

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 35 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 70 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To consider issues around communicating your project plan effectively and to create a communication plan.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of up to 25 participants.

Useful For:
Anyone who needs to set up and/or commission and/or manage projects.

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

Notes:
This is the third module in the Project Planning series. The first two modules must be run before this one.

If you are running this on a different date from the first two modules it would be sensible to remind participants to bring their completed project plan, risk analysis and contingency planning documents to this session.

As with the previous sessions, you will probably need several copies of the handout per participant so make sure you have enough printed.

Time:
The exercises in this module take about 30 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 50 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To explore the background issues that affect remote teams.
• To help participants recognise the challenge of working collaboratively when geographically separated.
• To show the importance of establishing clear guidelines at the start of any project to ensure success.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 25 participants. We do not recommend it for very large groups.

Useful For:
Those responsible for managing Remote Teams and those who currently work in Remote Teams. It is also particularly well suited to those that are about to start working remotely.

You'll Need:
• At least one set of the Rules for Remote Teams cards (larger groups will need multiple sets of these cards). You might like to laminate these so that they can be used again.

Notes:
This module is an excellent follow on to Working in Remote Teams.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
There is a Remote Delivery version of this module available in Trainers’ Library.

Time:
The exercises in this module will take about 40 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 50-60 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To welcome participants to the course.
• To introduce the facilitator and participants to each other.
• To discover the participants needs.
• To encourage interaction and discussion.
• To practise writing SMART objectives.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 25 participants.

Useful For:
Supervisors and above.

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

Notes:
This module provides a long introduction to courses, but is particularly useful where the concept of SMART objectives is important to the training being delivered. It provides an ideal introduction to performance management training for example.

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 15 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 30 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To encourage participants to find things they have in common.
• To consider the impact on relationships of finding common ground.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of up to 25 participants.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

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

Notes:
This exercise can be used as an icebreaker, and can provide a particularly powerful introduction to sales or negotiation skills courses.

It can also be used on equal opportunities and diversity programmes, where it can be used to highlight a potential barrier to equal opportunities.

It can even be used to highlight one barrier to creativity and innovation within organisations.

This is a great exercise for building rapport between participants and is particularly useful with a group that do not know each other very well.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
There is a Remote Delivery version of this module available in Trainers’ Library.

Time:
This exercise will take about 60 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 90 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To encourage participants to think about the extent to which staff feel engaged with the organisation they work for.
• To consider who staff feel is responsible for business performance.
• To think about how vision and values are used within the organisation.
• To demonstrate how values can be ingrained in the organisation.
• To consider the benefits of an organisation where staff feel engaged and responsible for the business outcomes.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 25 participants.

Useful For:
Managers.

You'll Need:
For this exercise you will need a good quantity of greeting card making materials. For example: Glue, Double sided tape or pads, Scissors, Card of various colours and textures, ribbon of various colours and gold/silver markers.

You'll need enough materials for each team of 4-6 participants to make one 'template' card and one 'team' card of their own design.

Notes:
This exercise was first used at the 2008 Trainers' Library Conference and has been designed around the five 'passions' that underpin our business. It's an unusually personal module that we've used to share some of the key principles and approaches that we believe have been key to the success of Glasstap. It's been added to Trainers' Library in response to requests from participants who attended the conference.

You can use the five values we’ve suggested for the exercise to great effect, but the exercise can be easily adapted to your own organisation’s vision and values. However, we strongly recommend limiting the number of values used in this exercise to 6 or fewer. If your organisation doesn’t have a clear set of values or principles, you could use an exercise like ‘Feelings Cards’ to generate discussion around people’s values and to identify some possible organisational values for the future.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
There is a Remote Delivery version of this module available in Trainers’ Library called The E-Card Factory - Balancing Business with Values.

Time:
The exercise in this module will take about 20 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 40 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To identify the benefits and dangers of internal customer care programmes.
• To reach agreement on how to define internal customer care as a desirable goal.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 25 participants.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

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

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 40 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 95 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To encourage participants to critically review a meeting and identify areas for improvement.
• To consider the key responsibilities of the Chair and other attendees at a meeting.
• To help participants understand why conventions like an agenda and minutes are important.
• To provide an opportunity for participants to practice facilitating and participating in a meeting.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to about 24 participants, as long as suitable projection facilities are available to give everyone a clear view of the training video.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
• A computer and a means of connecting to a screen.

Notes:
This module is designed to accompany the Glasstap film, ‘The Ineffective Meeting.’

This exercise involves a detailed look at a fictional meeting in order to identify what went wrong.

If your level of membership doesn’t include the option to stream this video, you can purchase either a DVD. Alternatively, you may wish to consider using ‘The Monthly Meeting’ in Trainers’ Library, which uses a similar approach to this module, and covers similar learning points, but with a meeting transcript that participants can read.

Time:
The exercise in this module will take about 55 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 75 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To explore the concept of an internal service chain.
• To give participants the opportunity to map an internal service chain and identify critical internal relationships.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 25 participants.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

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

Time:
The exercise in this module will take about 60 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 90 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To encourage participants to critically review a meeting and identify areas for improvement.
• To consider the key responsibilities of the Chair and other attendees at a meeting.
• To help participants understand why conventions like an agenda and minutes are important.
• To provide an opportunity for participants to practice facilitating and participating in a meeting.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 25 participants.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
• Post-it notes.

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 50 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing at least 70 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To help first time managers to recognise and discuss some of the things that they need to do to build awareness of the team and monitor its performance.
• To help first time managers understand the importance of spotting potential problems quickly and taking appropriate action to help the team overcome these.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to about 18.

Useful For:
Teams, work groups and/or their leaders (especially first time managers) who wish to understand the elements of monitoring a team.

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

Notes:
This module can be usefully followed by any of the First Time Manager modules.

It can also be a useful inclusion in any training intervention around coaching teams.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
There is a Remote Delivery version of this module available in Trainers’ Library.

Time:
This game can be played in about 10 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion and evaluation, we recommend allowing 30 minutes.

Aims:
• To demonstrate the importance of teamwork.
• To show how, by working together, we have the potential to achieve more.
• To encourage participants to consider the dangers of an overly competitive workplace culture.

Skills and Behaviours Tested:
Teamwork, collaboration, leadership, avoiding assumptions and problem solving.

Group Size:
A minimum of 2 participants are required for this exercise.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
• A ‘The Wheel’ game board for each team.
• One die and counter for every game board in play.
• Prizes. (For example, a pile of wrapped sweets, or mini chocolate bars.)

If playing the alternative version of the game you’ll need up to a maximum of 8 counters for every game board in play.

Notes:
This module provides a superb introduction to any training around teamwork and co-operation/collaboration, and has been used successfully with participants at all levels within an organisation, from junior clerical staff to directors. It also provides an ideal introduction to training around the service chain, and internal customer care.

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 45 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 60 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To see how creatively participants are able to address a simple challenge.
• Understand the importance of ‘thinking outside the box’ to achieve even better results.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of up to 25 participants.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
• An empty box for each team.
• Building materials such as pipe cleaners, newspaper, paper clips, lollypop sticks, string, glue dots, paper straws and dried spaghetti.
• 1 golf ball or hard-boiled egg per team, with an additional 6 to use for testing the bridges.
• A separate room for each team. (If that is not possible, we encourage you to look for ways for the teams to shield their activities from the other participants.)
• Post-it notes.
• Flipchart paper and pens.
• Several small prizes for the winning teams (optional).

Notes:
You will need to prepare a box for each team containing an identical selection of the building materials of your choice. Each team will also need at least one golf ball or egg.

Time:
This exercise will take about 80 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 180 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To encourage participants to consider different approaches to improving poor performance, and the relative merits of those different approaches.
• To encourage participants to think about appropriate timescales over which they might expect to improve performance and standards.
• To consider the implications of not taking action to improve poor performance.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 15 participants.

Useful For:
Managers, or those who soon will be.

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

Notes:
There are two different versions of the team brief for this exercise.

For junior managers we recommend using version 1, which contains a list of actions that the managers could consider when dealing with the issues of poor performance.

For more experienced managers, we recommend using version 2, which does not provide any clues about the type of action they could take and encourages them to come up with their own solutions.

This module is ideally suited for inclusion in training around managing change.

You can reduce the amount of time needed for this module by approximately 30 minutes by not requesting a formal presentation and simply asking each team instead to talk through its proposed actions.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
There is a Remote Delivery version of this module available in Trainers’ Library.

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 30 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 40 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To encourage participants to share information about themselves.
• To discover more about participants and build rapport.
• To consider the extent to which we communicate through body language.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of up to 25 participants.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
Each participant will need to be provided with two cards. One with a large 'T' or 'True' written on it; the other with an 'F' or 'False' – available to download from Trainers’ Library.

Notes:
This exercise is ideally suited for use as an icebreaker for team training and teambuilding events. It can also provide an interesting introduction to any session on body language. It can even be used effectively to introduce equal opportunities/diversity training sessions.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
There is a Remote Delivery version of this module available in Trainers’ Library.

Time:
The exercise in this module will take about 30 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 40 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To introduce participants to each other in a fun manner.
• To demonstrate how creative ideas can be generated – even in a short space of time.
• To get teams and participants to share resources and work appropriately within a given time limit.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of any size.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
To run this exercise you will need to provide a box of resources. These can easily be collected and used again and again. Try to add things to the box that are unusual. The basic resources we suggest are: - Varied topic magazines/colour supplements, sticky tape, scissors, newspapers, ribbon, coloured card, feathers, balloons, scraps of material, coloured markers or felt tip pens. You might also choose to award a few small prizes such as sweets, fruit etc.

Notes:
This fun activity is suitable for very large audiences as well as smaller groups.

The activity is designed to get people working in teams, sharing resources and ideas and working against the clock. It is meant to be a fast and FUN exercise.

The exercise also works well if the participants are staying overnight on a residential course when, as an alternative to a conventional icebreaker, you can use this exercise last thing in the day. Ask all the participants to turn up for dinner wearing their hats – prizes can be awarded over dinner.

We've included some suggested competition categories in the handout but you may wish to add others (particularly if working with a very large group).

The handout refers to a 50 pence spending limit. Customers from outside the UK may wish to change this by downloading and amending the Word version of the handout.

Time:
This exercise will take about 30 minutes to complete (longer for large groups). In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 40 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To encourage participants to consider whether they naturally tend towards aggressive, submissive or assertive behaviour.
• To encourage participants to consider their reasons for choosing particular responses in common situations.
• To encourage participants to reflect on the reasons for others choosing aggressive, submissive or assertive behaviour.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 25 participants.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

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

Notes:
Prior to running the exercise, print off one set of question cards for each team that you'll have, and enough answer cards to be able to give each participant one set of each: Yes, No, But, If, Unless, Because.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
There is a Remote Delivery version of this module available in Trainers’ Library - Yes But, No But! - Struggles with Assertiveness.