Here is the activity that everyone has been asking me to send. I hope
everyone enjoys it and can find a metaphor to use that satisfies your
needs. I used customer service in this example:
Pass the Client
Equipment Needed:
Many different shapes and sizes of very soft balls and objects that may
safely be tossed between group members.
Guidelines:
Ask for one team member to volunteer to be the first person that a client
will come into contact with in this team. Hand that person one ball and
announce that this is a client. If it is a funny ball, then you may also
comment that they may recognize this client.
Now explain, "All clients must begin and end with ____________ (volunteer's
name). The clients want to meet every member of the team once before
deciding whether to work with this team or not. That means that the client
must pass from one team member to another until everyone has had direct
contact with the client before it comes back to ____________ (the
volunteer). If you have not yet recieved the client, please hold both
hands out in front of you to show that you are ready. Oh, and initially,
please do not pass the client to the person directly to your right or
left... just for this first time, and also please remember who you are
passing the client to because you must keep all subsequent clients in the
same order as your first one. You may begin."
They may ask you questions and some clarification may be made, but do not
repeat the instructions more than twice. The answer then should be known
to one or more of the group members.
"Okay, was this customer satisfied? Are they going to give your team their
business? Did you treat them the way you treat potential clients?" If the
ball was dropped, then the customer was definitely not satisfied.
"It is time to bring up 'consensus'. You must decide on a goal, as a team,
of how many cutomers that you may successfully introduce to the team using
this order. Consensus does not necessarily mean that any individual is
more right than another (we all know that our idea is the best idea after
all), but rather that everyone give 100% effort to the best idea or goal
for the team whether it is the best idea for them personally or not. So
you have one minute to set a goal for the number of clients that you may
successfully meet using the order you made in the first pass." They will
also be timed, but do not bring that up yet.
"So who believes that this team can handle x number of clients?" Empower
any dissenters to share their concerns and work toward consensus.
Hand the volunteer the number of balls that the team chose. The volunteer
must begin and end with all of the clients so they may seek a resource to
hold them with.
"Are you ready? On your mark, get set, GROW!" At this point begin timing
the team witha stopwatch. Differences in the end may come down to tenths
or hundredths of a second.
"Okay, are all of the clients satisfied? That took this team x minute(s)
and x seconds. Of course that means that you have established a benchmark.
Oh, and I have also received this memo from the corporate office/board of
directors/company president. (Rattle a piece of paper.) It reads,
'Congratulations on an excellent effort in attracting clients to our
services and products. Because of your commitment and dedication we have
met our goals for the month. However, please be advised that in order to
meet our next month's goal, your team must successfully pass the same
number of customers in x seconds. Thank you very much for your attention
to this matter, etc., etc.' You have two minutes to problem-solve, plan
and practice before trying the next month's pass." Field any questions.
Remind the group that they are empowered to see the opportunities instead
of the restrictions if they ask questions about what can be done or you may
say, "Does that meet the guidelines given?"
"It is time to begin, are you ready? On your mark, get set, GROW!" Time
them again.
If customers drop or the time is not met allow another planning time. If
they make it, get a feel for the group and if it is appropriate cahllenge
them further. "You have met their expectations, but is that the best itme
for this team? What sorts of rewards or incentives could be had for
exceeding expectations?" Allow them to repeat until they reach the most
excitement for being successful as possible. If they are not celebrating
their success, point that out. Many companies have gotten away form
celebrating and instead only notice when expecatations are not met, is this
one of those? How does this team want to react to success? Collect your
balls and have them get in a circle where everyone is shoulder-to-shoulder
or so that there is only one level. It is important that everyone can
easily see everyone else, that facilitates communication in large groups.
Begin processing.
Copyright 1994 by Darin Ulmer
Ulmer & Associates
http://www.flash.net/~darin1
look at the site for some activities you can use!
phone (281) 6UL-MER8