Page 276 - The Creative Training Idea Book Inspired Tips and Techniques for Engaging and Effective Learning

lucas chap 07 11/20/02 12:29 PM Page 265
Engaging and Energizing Learners 265
8. Progression through the grid squares must be in the exact order as planned by
the facilitator.
9. If a participant steps on an incorrect square that a previous team member also
stepped on, $2 will be forfeited. This happens because they just repeated a mis-
take and did not learn from others. In the workplace, this can cost their organi-
zation money and other resources as well as lost customers and embarrassment.
10. Putting two feet in a square indicates that the square has been selected.
11. Once the activity starts, only one team member can be on the grid at a time.
12. Other than the person on the grid, no other team member can move beyond the
bottom taped line.
13. If two members end up in the game grid at once they each forfeit $5. I relate this
to not effectively communicating and to violating company policies, regulations,
or laws that could subject them and the organization to severe penalties.
14. There can be no talking, although nonverbal signals can be used between the
participant on the grid and other team members. This ties to the concept that
communication often breaks down in organizations because e-mail and other
communication vehicles are used instead of face-to-face or telephone commu-
nication. Also, many people work at remote locations and getting clarification
of messages is sometimes delayed or difficult.
15. Participants in the grid should progress as far across it as possible without step-
ping on incorrect squares. In doing so, it is important to remember the wrong
squares encountered by previous team members and to remember the route
taken into the grid so that they can retrace their steps back out of the grid if they
make an error. Otherwise they can lose money.
16. As each person successfully gets across the grid, he or she will receive a bonus of
ten dollars. When all members of a team successfully reach the other side and
exit the grid, they are rewarded with $20 each.
17. Once all participants of a team cross the grid, have them give a round of applause,
reward appropriately, then discuss what happened and lessons learned. Relate all
of this to workplace issues and answer any questions that participants might have.

As part of the debrief, I often talk about the importance of such issues as commu-
nication, quality improvement, time and resource management, teamwork, effective
planning, follow-through, and creativity. An example of the latter is that even though I
tell groups that they can plan and must not talk to one another after the activity starts,
I do not tell them that they cannot write down patterns taken by each participant to
ensure that they do not inadvertently step on an incorrect step a second time. Even so,
few groups ever think to create a map. Related to this, I make this point about the work-
place and how each person should be questioning why things are done and making
recommendations for improvement.
A final note about the direction of travel that you set. Making it more complicated
with many twists and turns will add time to completion and frustrate participants. Re-
member that the purpose is to learn and not just win.