Page 274 - The Creative Training Idea Book Inspired Tips and Techniques for Engaging and Effective Learning

lucas chap 07 11/20/02 12:29 PM Page 263

FIGURE 7-1. Team grid Engaging and Energizing Learners 263

should have no more than 8–10 participants. If there are multiple teams, you may want
to create a second grid and find a co-facilitator so that large numbers of participants are
not standing around waiting as one team goes through the square.
You can conduct this activity in a number of ways. The plan that I use is to create a
small grid on a sheet of paper that corresponds with the tape layout on the floor. Next,
I map out any random pattern from one grid square to the next that I choose. This is the
directional pattern that participants must follow to cross the grid successfully and should
not be shown to participants. The directional pattern can consist of having participants
go forward, sideways, or back (see Figure 7-1 for sample grid and directional pattern).
The primary objective is for the entire team to move across the grid one at a time until
every member has gotten all the way across in the allotted time.
To tie into real-world situations, I stress that time and effort should be used wisely
and that we should learn from our mistakes so that we do not waste time and effort in
the future. To emphasize this, I give each person 10 one dollar bills in play money. They
can gain additional money through success; however, they can also lose money for mis-
takes. To emphasize this, they earn $1 for each new box to which they advance the team
through the square and lose $1 for every incorrect step that they make backing out of
the grid. For example, if the participant successfully got two squares into the grid before
stepping on a third incorrect square and then correctly exited the square the same way
she went in, she would earn $2 for the two correct squares. If, on the other hand, the