No more boring meetings! I cannot claim to be the creator of any of this stuff but I have tried, tested and can recommend all of it. "Nobody has to play but everybody is welcome."
Open your meeting with a Check-in. This is a really effective method to bring everyone into the meeting to get them mentally present and ready to start. This space creates knowledge and insight about each other and perhaps what else might be here. For example: Tell us about your shoes? Take 30 seconds to a […]
Read More Check-insAnyone leading meetings, presentations, or teams should be aware of Liberating Structures. 1, 2, 4, All is one of the best facilitation techniques in my toolbox.
Read More 1, 2, 4, AllAn awesome icebreaker. No words. Lots of smiles.
Read More Copy ClapsPartner activity in which one person traces the identical path of their partner’s fingers as they draw numbers in the air.
Read More Space CountingCredit to @ChrisSims who I first saw running a session like this at an AONW conference. I have used this exercise to help teams understand how a they can reach consensus in estimating work regardless of the differences in experience and skill-set amongst them. Part 1 Divide your room into equal teams (6 – 10 people on a team works well). […]
Read More Estimation GameForm groups of 6 to 8 people. Challenge each group to create a machine out of their members by imitating the appearance and action of the machine with as many parts (gears, levers, etc.) as they can devise. The machine should have motion and sound, and include all team members. (If a group is having […]
Read More The Human MachineA quick and easy way to gather everyone’s attention. All you need is a pair of scissors. http://www.ultimatecampresource.com/site/camp-activity/scissors-or-crossed-uncrossed-game.html
Read More Crossed or Un-Crossed?Prepare 4 sets of 3 posters containing a large single word (see list below) and place them in 3 spots in the room with a cover sheet on top. Each flip chart will have one of the words from each set in the same order. Army, Navy, Air Force Beach, Mountain, City Chocolate, Vanilla, Strawberry Dog, Cat, Other Gather everyone […]
Read More What Relates to You?Not a game exactly but a great exercise in introducing and integrating new team members. Credit: George Dinwiddie – Onboarding New Team Members
Read More Onboarding New Team MembersOpen a meeting using a beach ball covered with 50 to 100 questions written in permanent ink. Have everyone stand in a circle and toss the ball to each other. When the ball is caught the question closest to the left thumb is the one to read aloud and answer. Note: White beach balls work best otherwise avoid […]
Read More Big Ball O’Questions
Games Simon Plays 