Icebreaker Compilation

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Ice BreakersClassroom TrainingCompilation of external trainer resources and ACST feedbacks

Version 2.0 - Feb 27th 2012

Apple Sales Training. For training purposes only


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The 40 ice breakers listed below are from http://www.training-games.com . Visit the website to find outmore about other ice breakers and team building games. In addition, you may also want to considerpurchasing any of the TGI Games listed on the website.

Three Questions Game Everyone in the group writes down 3 provoking questions they would like to ask others in the

group. Not the normal whats you name type questions but something like, "Where is the mostinteresting place you have ever traveled" or "Name a topic you feel absolutely passionate about".

Give them time to mingle, and to ask three different people in the group one of their threequestions.

Get back together and have each person stand and give their name. As they say their name, ask thegroup to tell what they know about this person.

The Pocket/Purse GameEveryone selects one (optionally two) items from their pocket or purse that has some personal significanceto them. They introduce themselves and do a show and tell for the selected item and why it is importantto them.

The Talent ShowEveryone selects one talent or special gift that they possess and can demonstrate for the group. Theyintroduce themselves, explain what their special talent is, and then perform their special talent for the

group.

Toilet Paper Game Pass around a roll of toilet paper to the group and ask them to take what they need. No further

explanation.

When done, tell the group that as they go around the room, each person must tell a fact orsomething about themselves for each square of TP they took.

Birthday Game Have the group stand and line up in a straight line.

After they are in line, tell them to re-arrange the line so that they are in line by their birthday.January 1 on one end and December 31 at the other end. The catch is that they must do all thiswithout talking or writing anything down.

Map Game

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Hang a large map of the world. Give everyone a pushpin. As they enter, they pin the location oftheir birth on the map.

Paper Airplane Game Everyone makes a paper airplane and writes their name, something they like and dislike on it (Youmay also want to add additional questions). On cue, everyone throws their airplane around the

room. If you find an airplane, pick it and keep throwing it for 1-2 minutes. At the end of that time,everyone must have one paper airplane. This is the person they must find and introduce to thegroup.

The Shoe Game When entering, everyone must take off one shoe and leave it in a pile at the door. They

keep the other shoe on. After everyone is in. The host will distribute the shoes to peoplenot wearing the same shoe.

When instructed, everyone must find the mix and find the person who belongs to the shoeand get some info about them. They then introduce their new friend to the group.

The Artist Game Give everyone a piece of paper and a pencil. In 5 minutes they must draw a picture that

conveys who they are with out writing any words or numbers. At the end of 5 minutes thehost collects the pictures.

Show the pictures to the group one at a time and have them try to guess who drew it.After this allow each of the artists to introduce themselves and explain how their workclearly conveys who they are.

Three in Common Game Break the group into 3s. Their objective is for each group to find 3 things they have in common.But not normal things like age, sex or hair color. It must be three uncommon things. After lettingthe groups converse for 10 - 15 minutes, they (as a group) must tell the rest of the groups the 3things they have in common.

Dream Vacation Game Ask participants to introduce themselves and describe details of the ideal, perfect dreamvacation.

Polaroid Game As participants arrive, take their picture with a Polaroid type camera. Hand out the pictures to thegroup with each participant getting a picture of another member of the group. Give them 15minutes to find and talk to the people matching their picture. When the group reassembles,have each member introduce their new picture pal to the group and talk about what theylearned about them.

Favorite T-Shirt Game Ask attendees to bring (not wear) their favorite T-shirt to the meeting. Once all participants havearrived, ask each person to show the shirt to the group and explain how the T-shirt best resembles

their personality.

Famous People/Cities GameApple Sales Training. For training purposes only


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As each participant arrives, tape a 3 x 5 index card on their back with the name of a famousperson or city.

They must circulate in the room and ask questions that can ONLY be answered with a YESor NO to identify clues that will help them find out the name of the person or city on theirindex card.

EXAMPLES: Paris, Madonna, Santa Claus, John Wayne, Casablanca

Favorite Animal Game As the participants arrive, and before you write their names on a name card, ask them to

tell you their favorite animal and three adjectives to describe the animal. As they tell you,write the three adjectives on a name tag BEFORE their name (omit the name of theanimal). Ask them to mingle with the crowd, sharing why these adjectives best describetheir own personality.

EXAMPLES: Loyal, cuddly, playful

Creative Name Tags Give everyone 15 minutes to make their own name tag-they can list hobbies, draw a picture, givea self- profile, etc.

Circle of Friends Game This is a great greeting and departure for a large group who will be attending a seminar for

more than one day together and the chances of meeting everyone in the room is almostimpossible.

Form two large circles (or simply form two lines side by side), one inside the other andhave the people in the inside circle face the people in the outside circle. Ask the circles totake one step in the opposite directions, allowing them to meet each new person as thecircle continues to move very slowly. If lines are formed, they simply keep the line movingvery slowly, as they introduce themselves.

Marooned Game You are marooned on a island. What five (you can use a different number, such as seven,

depending upon the size of each team) items would you have brought with you if youknew there was a chance that you might be stranded.

Note that they are only allowed five items per team, not per person. You can have themwrite their items on a flip chart and discuss and defend their choices with the whole group.

This activity helps them to learn about other's values and problem solving styles andpromotes teamwork.

The Interview Game Break the group into two person teams (have them pick a partner that they know the least

about). Have them interview each other for about twenty minutes (You can also preparequestions ahead of time or provide general guidelines for the interview). They need tolearn about what each other likes about their job, past jobs, family life, hobbies, favoritesport, etc.

After the interviews, reassemble the group and have each team introduce their teammember to the group. This exercise helps them to learn about each other.



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Story Time GameThe facilitator starts a story by saying a sentence. It then goes in a circle, each person adding asentence onto the story-after repeating each sentence that's already been added.

Ball Toss Game This is a semi-review and wake-up exercise when covering material that requires heavy

concentration.

Have everyone stand up and form a resemblance of a circle. It does not have to be perfect,but they should all be facing in, looking at each other. Toss a nerf ball or bean bag to aperson and have tell what they thought was the most important learning concept was.They then toss the ball to someone and that person explains what they though was themost important concept.

Continue the exercise until everyone has caught the ball at least once and explained animportant concept of the material just covered.

Positive Reinforcement Cards Game Whenever a participant arrives to class on time from breaks, lunch, etc. give them one

playing card. You can also hand out cards to people who volunteer for activities, arehelpful, answers a difficult question, etc.

At the end of the day, play one hand of poker. Give a small prize to the best hand (you canalso pick the top two or three hands if you want to give away more prizes). Note that themore cards a person has, the better the chance of winning.

Human Bingo GameBefore the training, make a bingo matrix and at the top of each square put something that

someone in the group might have done-for example, voted for Ross Perot, served in the PeaceCorps, etc. Everyone gets a copy and is asked to circulate, getting other group members to signone square that is true of them. The first person to get "bingo" wins the prize (a candy bar orsome other small thing).

Out on the Town Game If you have a two-day training and need a quick warm-up for day two, ask everyone to

pantomime something they did the night before. Individuals or groups can act out a movie theywent to, describe a meal they ate, or recreate a scene witnessed at a bar.

Lucky Penny Game Each person takes a penny or other coin out of their pocket and looks at the date. When it's theirturn, they tell the year that's on their coin and recall something spectacular that happened thatyear.

Straw & Paperclip Game Give each group a box of straws not flexible straws) and a box of paperclips. Check that the

paperclips can fit snuggly into the end of the straws.



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Give each group a task (you can use the same one for each group if you want) and letthem go. Sample tasks: Build the structure as a group. tallest strongest longest mostcreative most functional etc.

Debriefing included describing teamwork and situational leadership skills used as well ashow different models are needed to accomplish different tasks.

Four Facts Game Each person writes down four facts about themselves, one of which is a lie. Each person takesturns reading their list aloud and the rest of the team writes down the one they think is the lie.When all are done reading the lists aloud, the first person reads their list again and identifies thelie. The team sees how well they did.

A to Z Freeze Game Ask participants to recite the alphabet in unison. Let them go on for a while until you yodel

Stop! At that point, identify the letter they stopped on and ask everyone to sharesomething they are looking forward to at school that begins with that letter. For example, ifthe letter is R, they might say ravioli in the dining hall or rooming with someone cool.

Once everyone has shared, have them recite the alphabet again. Stop them on a differentletter and ask participants to share a personality trait they possess that begins with beginswith that letter. If the letter is D they might say things like diligence or doofiness. Comeup with different questions to ask for each letter and repeat the process.

Reception Line GameDivide everyone into 2 groups. Have them stand facing each other. Each person talks to theperson across from them until signaled (flash lights). At signal, person at end of one line moves toother end. Consequently everyone has a new person to talk to.

Autograph Sheets Game Prepare a sheet listing traits or facts about people with a line for them to sign their name

next to the trait if it applies to them (i.e.: someone who wears contacts, someone who hasbeen to Europe, etc.). People then mingle around the room with their sheets seeking tofind people who are eligible to sign their sheets. A person can only sign once on any sheet.

The process may also be reversed by having people seek out the autograph of people towhich they think the category applies (i.e.: someone who looks like they enjoy theoutdoors, someone who is from the east, etc.)

Puzzles Game Give participants a blank piece of puzzle (cut up a sheet of index card stock). Each person writeson the piece one skill which they contribute to the group. The puzzle is then assembled to showthat everyone contributes to the whole.

Human Knot Game Divide into groups of 6-10 people. Each group forms a tight circle., standing and facing

each other.



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Everyone extends their hands into the circle and by intermingling their arms, grasps handswith other members of the group. Instruct people to be sure that the two hands you areholding does not belong to the same person. The groups goal: untie the knot whichresults. Member of the group physically climb over/ under/ through each others arms tountie the knot of bodies.

Note: Its RARE but it is possible for a knot to be unsolvable or end in two separate circles.

Find Someone Game Each person writes on a blank index card one to three statements, such as favorite color, interest,hobby, or vacations. Pass out cards so everyone gets someone else's card. Have that person findthe person with their card and introduce themselves.

Get in the News Game Divide your group into teams of four or five persons each, and make sure each team has

the necessary supplies--scissors, tape, pins, and plenty of old newspaper. You'll also need aseparate room or corner in which each team can work with privacy (and hilarity).

Each group selects one person to be the model. After deciding what kind of costume tomake, the team goes to work--cutting, crumpling, bunching, rolling, piecing, pinning,taping. After an appropriate amount of time, call everybody together for a costume show.

(And don't forget to recycle your newspaper when you're finished!)

Kangaroo Court Game Try this if there's an incident that irritates members of your group. Announce that akangaroo court will be held to properly try and prosecute all guilty parties. After you makethe announcement, everyone will begin to view the incident in question with a contagioussense of humor.

Name the defendants. Select a lawyer for the defense, as well as a prosecuting attorney.Write up formal charges and submit them to the judge.

Appoint a bailiff and court recorder. Screen and swear in your jurors.

Make a Date Game Give each participant a paper plate. Have them draw the face of a clock on their plate with

a line next to each number (no digitals!). Then have participants walk around a find a "date"for each hour, writing their name by the hour. The catch is, no one can make a "date" withmore than one person per hour.

After everyone has made their dates, speed up time and allow 1-3 minutes for each hour.The facilitator then asks a question for discussion on each date. The pairs will have a chance

to get to know one another.

People Knots GameApple Sales Training. For training purposes only


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Everyone sits on the floor in a circle with legs extended toward the middle. Each person grabstwo others' hands and holds them. The hands cannot be those of either person sitting on yoursides and also cannot be the two hands of the same person. Now, everyone stands up anduntangles each other into a single circle, without letting go of the hands you have.

Quick Change Artist Game Pair off into partners facing each other. Each player is to observe his or her partner's

appearance. Then the players turn around back-to-back and make two or more changes intheir dress, hair accessories, etc.

When they face each other again, each partner must identify the changes made by his orher partner. This game can be repeated several times by changing partners and increasingthe number of changes made.

The Quiet GameThe instructor explains that this exercise will take self control. Members pair back to back. On thecount of three, everyone must face their partner, look each other in the eyes, and then try to

remain solemn and serious. No speaking! The first to smile or laugh must sit down. All who remainstanding then take a new partner and the activity continues until only one person has not smiledor laughed. (Second round of playing can involve two teams competing to outlast each other.)

If you get a pair at the end who are both keeping a straight face, the rest of the group can actask hecklers to disrupt them.

Sunshine Cards Game Everyone writes their name in the center of a piece of paper and draws a sun around their name.Pass your paper around to the person on your right. That person will write something positiveabout you and they do not have to sign their name. Continue to pass your name around until

everyone has written something on all the papers.

Finish the Sentence Game Write the start of a question on the board (i.e. My Favorite job was..,My Hobby is..) and go aroundthe room with each person finishing the sentence. When the group is finished, post anotherquestion and start again.



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Story of My LifeYou have just been given a contract to write your autobiography for a major publishingcompany. Your agent Harry Hardnose is anxious to get to press. He has decided to help youget started with a few probing questions.

1. First, take a piece of flipchart paper and fold it in half and then in half again to form a

book.

Choose the title of a popular song for the name of your book. Write that title on the frontcover.

On the inside of the front cover (page two), list a table of contents.

o Name of the place where you were borno Description of your first jobo Number of years you have been working for your company

On page three, draw a picture of your family.

On the back cover of the book, draw a picture of what you plan to do when you retire.Where will you go? Who will you go with? Etc.

Materials Needed

Paper Markers

Time

Allow five to ten minutes for setup, and drawing. When all books are complete, havepeople tell their story, using the book as a visual aid. Depending on the size of the group,you may want to debrief in smaller groups. If possible, leave the books in a central locationduring your training to encourage further introductions and discussions.

Variations

o Change the focus of the pages of the book. For instance, most exciting moment, favoritefood, most exciting vacation, etc. Be careful not to make any of the questions too personal.

The idea is to open people up, not shut them down.

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Too Many CooksYour family (group) just inherited a successful restaurant from Chef Charlie, a long lostrelative. The only problem: Charlie was very disorganized. The only recipes you have foundare on torn strips of paper. You have to make sense of it all and quickly! The restaurant isopening tonight, and you have to have the food ready.

1. Each member of the group will be given part of recipe (an ingredient, instruction, etc.).

2. Your job is to put yourselves in order as quickly as possible. Your recipe must make sense.

3. When your group is done, loudly announce bon appetite to signal the end of the game.

Materials Needed

Several Small Prizes for the Winning Team

Cut Recipes (Separate the Title, Ingredients, Instructions, Etc.)

Time

Allow ten to 12 minutes for the game. Once a team calls bon appetite, have themintroduce themselves and read their recipe in order.

Variations

o For an added challenge, this game can be made considerably more difficult if groups are

not pre-designated before the recipe pieces are distributed. Participants must then notonly find the correct order but the correct recipe as well.





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ABCs of MeYou have been hired by the Creative Classroom Company to illustrate a poster to helpchildren learn their ABCs. By happy coincidence, you and your first name are the subject ofthe poster!

First, take a piece of flipchart paper and write your name vertically down the left side.

Next, choose a word that starts with each letter of your name. The word should describesomething about you. Write those words horizontally across the paper, using the letters ofyour name as the first letter of each descriptive word.

After you have listed your words, draw an accompanying picture to illustrate each.

When you are finished, tape your poster to the wall.

Materials Needed

Paper Markers Tape

Time

Allow five to ten minutes for setup and drawing. When all posters are complete, havepeople introduce themselves using their name drawing. Depending on the size of thegroup, you may want to debrief in smaller groups. If possible, leave the drawings postedthroughout your training session.

Variations

o Narrow the focus of the words. For instance, all words must be adjectives, nouns, or verbsrelated to work, related to foods you like, etc.





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I RememberYou and the others in your group are about to revisit the past and take a trip downMemory Lane.

1. First, get a coin.

2. Next, look at the year on the coin. Take a minute to think about what you were doingwhen that coin was minted. Were you in school? Were you a child? Where did you work?Were you married? Where did you live? What was going on in your life at that time? Whatwas the music of the day? Etc. (If you were not yet born or prefer not to discuss your lifeduring the year selected, choose another coin.)

After you have had some time to remember where you were, you are ready to play thegame. Your goal is to find someone with a coin that was minted at least two years beforeor after yours. Ultimately, your goal is to have the oldest coin in the room.

Once you have found a partner, take three minutes to tell each other about your moments

in time. When you are finished, each of you flip your coin. Reveal the results of your toss toyour partner. If they are alike (both heads or tails) exchange coins. If they differ, keep youroriginal coin.

Repeat the process up to three times as designated by the facilitator.

Materials Needed

Coins Prize

Time

Allow five minutes for setup. Allow five minutes for each round. At the end of all rounds,call each year in order and ask each participant to stand and give his or her name. Award aprize to the holder of the oldest coin.

Variations

o Use your own coins to ensure an even distribution of years.

o If using your own coins, incorporate a piece of corporate history with each. Research afact or figure about each year of your business and include it with the corresponding

coins. When the participants exchange their own information, they can also share a pieceof the corporate history. When debriefing, call each year in order and ask the participantwith the year called to read his or her fact.



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6 Degrees of SeparationIt happens all of the time: we meet someone who knows someone we know. Its a smallworld, thats for sure. The object of this game is to see how small the world really is.

1. First, find a partner. Introduce yourselves and make a list of five to ten things that youhave in common with each other: where you went to school, year you were born, number

of years with the company, food

likes, sports likes, etc.

Once you have completed your first list, you must find someone else in the room that alsohas one of those five to ten things in common with you. When you have found thatperson, repeat step one and develop a new list.

Repeat step two.

Continue until you have met five other people or time is called by the facilitator.

A prize will be given to the first person able to complete the game. When you are done, letthe facilitator know that you have finished.

Materials Needed

Prize

Time

Allow approximately 15 - 20 minutes for game. Once most people have finished, call time.

Ask your winner to reveal his/her chain of separation by introducing those interviewed.





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Scavenger HuntYou are about to begin a scavenger hunt with several members of this training group. Theobject of the game is to collect all of the items listed below as quickly as possible. You maytalk with anyone in the group. You may not leave the room. You must associate each itemwith the person who gave it to you. You may not get more than two items from any oneperson. Once the facilitator has assigned groups, you may begin play. When your team isfinished, your team should loudly announce the phrase hunt over to the rest

of the group. Be prepared to say where you got each item. A prize will be awarded to theteam that finishes first.

A Drivers License

A Family Photo

A Store Receipt

A 1979 or Earlier Penny

A Piece of Candy

A Ballpoint Pen

A Lipstick

A Planner, Palm Pilot, Calendar, or Other Organizer

A Drink

A Coffee Cup

A Marker

A Piece of Candy

A Store Credit Card

A Pair of Glasses

A Magazine or Book

The list of hunt items should be reviewed by the facilitator before the game begins inorder to make sure that all items are available.

Materials Needed

Several Small Prizes for the Winning Team

Time

Allow 10 - 12 minutes for the game. Once a team calls hunt over, have them review eachof the items, where they got them, and from whom.

Variations

Instead of using actual items, list activities and facts as the items to find. For instance, playspiano. The object of the game is to find someone who plays the piano and associate thepersons name with that item.





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TattooYou have just arrived at Tonys Tattoo Parlor for a tattoo. Tony is competing for Tattoo Kingof the Year, a contest sponsored by Needle Knows magazine. Every design is a potentialentry, and Tony wants each of his tattoos to say something about the person wearingthem. From you, he needs a little inspiration and a design before he can start his work.

Tony is excellent at lettering, animals, characters, band logos, maps, etc.

On your piece of paper, you are to design a rough tattoo that reveals something aboutyourself, your work, your hobbies, or your family, in order to help get Tonys creative juicesflowing.

You must also make a note about how big the tattoo should be and where you will have itapplied.

Materials Needed

Paper Tape Markers

Time

Allow five to ten minutes for setup, drawing, and posting designs on the wall. Dependingon the size of the group, you may want to debrief in smaller groups. If possible, leave thedesigns posted throughout your training to encourage further introductions anddiscussions.

Variations

Narrow the scope of the tattoo design: what you do at work, an animal most like you,

favorite song, favorite band, adjective that best describes you, etc.

Divide your group in two. For round one, assign one group the role of Tony and the othergroup the role of the customer. Each customer must find a Tony and tell him about thedesign they would like and why. Tony is to draw a design, asking questions as he or shegoes. After the first set of designs is complete, the groups reverse roles. To encourageadditional interaction, ask the customers to shop around and find another partner towork with. To debrief, let each Tony describe what he or she drew and for whom.





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StorytellerYou are about to stretch your storytelling skills with the help of others in the groupdesignated by the facilitator. You will incorporate facts about yourself into a story thatcould just go anywhere.

1. First, write down the name of ...

something you would see in a store.something you would buy as a gift for your mother. o your favorite sportyour favorite celebrity.a crime.your favorite restaurant.a tourist attraction.a profession.the name of someone in the room.

2. The facilitator will begin the story with, Once upon a time, I found the most unusualthing. The next person is to fill in the next piece of the story. The object of the game is toincorporate as many of the items as you can from those listed above. No one can say morethe two sentences at a time. Turns must be taken in order. To win, you must incorporate allof your words and then conclude the story. Everyone must get an opportunity to writefrom their imagination at least twice before the story can end.

Materials Needed

Prize

Time

Allow ten to 20 minutes for the game. If the group is large, consider breaking into smallersubgroups or reducing the number of incorporated words required to win. For instance,you must work in five words from those listed in part one.

Variations

You can easily tailor this game by changing the questions in part one to better match your

industry, company, etc.





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Trait TraderYou have just taken a job as a trait trader in the fictitious exchange, the Personality Market.You are a new executive, and it is very important to you that you do well in your new job.

To do so, you must trade wisely and end the game with a trait that applies to you.

In a moment, you will be given a piece of paper (trade slip) with a personality or character

trait written on it (e.g. tall, creative, adventurous, quiet, etc.) Write your name on the slip.

You must trade your slip with someone else. If your new trait also applies to you, write yourname on that slip. If not, move to step three.

Trade again. Your goal is to end up with a trait that applies to you and to have written yourname on more slips than anyone else.

When the facilitator calls out exchange closed, the game is over.

You may stop trading before the exchange closes. Remember, your goal is to end up with a

trait that applies to you and to have written your name on more slips than anyone else.

Materials Needed

Prize

Trait Slips (Consider: Over 58, Born in the 70s, Red Hair, Curly Hair, Athlete, Creative,Talkative, Adventurous, Quiet, Bossy, Demanding, Funny, Dare Devil, etc.) You design theslips based on your group. Remember to be sensitive to age, gender, etc.

Time

Allow 12 - 15 minutes for the game and then call exchange closed. Next, ask everyone toturn their trait slip to the side that holds the names of the traders. Ask your first trader tosay his or her name and to read his or her trait, stating whether or not it is true aboutthem. Then, ask the others in the group to raise their hands if the traders name appears ontheir trade slips. Count the hands. Move to the next trader and repeat. When done, awardthe prize to the trader with the most slips signed who has a trait that describes him or heron the final slip.





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Race for the TruthYou and the other runners in the room are about to embark on a race for the truth. Yourgoal is to cross the finish line as quickly as possible by truthfully answering questionsabout yourself as you follow the facilitators directions.

1. Line up on the starting line as directed by the facilitator.

2. In a moment you will hear a statement. If it is true about you, move forward one step. If itis false, remain at the finish line.

Once all first moves have been made, the facilitator will make another statement. Again, ifit is true, move forward one step. If it is false, remain on the starting line if you have not yetadvanced. If you have advanced past the starting line, take one step back.

Repeat step three until the first runner completes the race.

Materials Needed

2 Long Pieces of String for the Start and Finish Lines

List of Statements Related to The Group (e.g. I have worked here more that one year. Ithink we have too many meetings around here. or I understand xyz aspect of my job.

Time

Allow five to ten minutes for this activity.

Variations

Narrow the scope of the statements to relate to issues at work, materials being covered,etc.





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Candy ConfessionsYou have just taken a job as a candy tester in the Candy Confessions factory. What makesthis candy different from other candy is that each flavor is associated with a fact aboutyou. Your job is to select and test four different candies from a bowl/box that will circulateamong all testers.

1. Choose four candies from the bowl without looking. In a moment, a key code will berevealed, indicating which truths you should tell.

2. Once the code has been revealed you may begin your confession.

Materials Needed

Basket of Candy

Key Code (e.g. Kit Kats = Favorite Movie, Favorite Magazine, Favorite Song, or Favorite Book,Krackle = Favorite Vacation Spot, Place You Would Like To Visit, Place You Would Least Like

To Visit, or Worst Vacation, Lollipop =Number of Years in Current Position, Where You Work,What You Do, or Brief Description of First Job, Gum Drops = Something About Where YouLive, Something About Where You Grew Up, Something About Your Family, SomethingAbout Your Town/City, Kisses = Wildcard [tell us anything])

Time

Allow ten to 20 minutes for the entire process.

Variations

Allow people to take as many candies as they like from the basket and reveal somethingrandom about themselves for each candy they take.

Use a ball of string. Allow each person to take as much as they like. For each inch, theymust reveal something about themselves. (Additional material: string, scissors, and ruler)





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True or FalseYou have just entered a new society of truth-tellers and liars. You and the otherssometimes tell the truth and sometimes lie. The key to this society is knowing when youare being lied to and when you are being told the truth.

Partners must guess if a statement is the truth or a lie. If both players are correct, move on.

If both are incorrect, move on. If one is correct and one is wrong, the wrong person is out.

First, flip a coin. If it reveals heads, you tell truth; if tails, you lie.

Find a partner, swap stories. Your partner must then guess if you told the truth or a lie. Ifboth are correct, move on. If both are incorrect, move on. If one is correct and onewrong, the person who guessed incorrectly is out.

Move on and repeat steps one and two until one person remains and is declared thewinner.

Materials Needed

PrizeExtra Coins

Time

Allow ten to 20 minutes to play the game, depending on the size of the group. Award aprize to the person who remains standing.





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The Magic LampYou and your team have just found a lamp. You rub it, and surprise! A genie appears. Thegenie grants you three wishes. You are allowed to make three changes at work. You maychange yourself, your boss, your job, the people around you, etc.

1. The facilitator will soon divide you into groups of three to five people and give your teama piece of flipchart paper and a marker.

2. Once you have your materials, design your wish list for your genie. When you arefinished, post it on the wall.

Materials Needed

Flipchart Paper Markers

Time

Allow five to ten minutes for setup, writing, and posting lists on the wall. Allow fiveminutes for debriefing. If possible, leave the lists posted throughout your training toencourage further introductions and discussions.



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Totem TruthsIn the past, a totem pole was carved for several reasons; for example, to honor a deceasedelder who was important to the carver, to show the number of rights and names a personhad acquired over his or her lifetime, or to document an encounter with the supernatural.

Today, totems are carved not

only for those reasons but also to tell the story about the person commissioning the pole.You and your team are about to design a totem pole to discover your groups strengthsand weaknesses.

In a moment, the facilitator will divide you into teams. Each of you will be handed a pieceof cardboard and a list of totems. You are to design a totem figure that best representsyour strengths in the group. You may use one of the totem symbols given or make up yourown.

Once you have completed your drawing, you and your team will tape them one on top ofthe other on a portion of the wall. Be prepared to explain your strength to the group.

Materials Needed

8.5 x 11 Cardboard Piece for Each Participant MarkersList of Animal Totems (pages following)

Time

Allow 20 minutes for the entire process.

This exercise is excellent for teambuilding.

Variations

Ask each group to design a group crest, similar to a family crest. The only disadvantage tothis versus the totem is that the groups are static. With the totems, you can reorganize thegroups and have them rebuild the poles throughout the days activities.





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Totem Poles

SYMBOLS

Alligator - Maternal and vengeful

Ant - Group minded, patient, active, and industriousAntelope - Active, agile, and willing to sacrificeArmadillo - Safety oriented and cautiousBadger - Courageous, aggressive, healing and energizingBat - Regenerative and long livingBear - Industrious, instinctive, healing, powerful, sovereign, protective of the world, and strongBeaver - Determined, strong-willed, constructive, and protectiveBee - Organized, industrious, productive, wise, social, celebratory, and enthusiastic about lifeBuffalo - Sacred and strongButterfly - Metamorphic and transformativeCat - Protective, detached, sensual, mysterious, magical, and independent

Cheetah - Swift, insightful, and focusedCow - Nurturing and maternalCoyote - Intelligent, stealthy, tricky, and mischievousCrane - Solitary, just, enduring, independent, intelligent, and vigilantCrow - Law enforcing, shape shifting, changeable, creative, spiritual, energetic, and justDeer - Intellectual, gentle, caring, kind, subtle, graceful, feminine, gentle, and innocentDog - Noble, faithful, loyal, trainable, protective, and guidingDolphin - Kind, prudent, capable of deep emotion, wise, and happyDragon - Enduring, infinite, wise, powerful, and fieryDragonfly - Flighty, carefree, and strongly imaginativeEagle - Divine, sacrificing, intelligent, courageous, spiritually illuminated, healing, and daringElephant - Strong, powerful, and wise

Elk - Strong and agile, proud, independent, pure, and nobleFalcon - Adventurous, passionate, and leadingFish - GracefulFox - Cunning, agile, quick-witted, diplomatic, wild; feminine in its magic of camouflage, shape-shifting and invisibilityFrog - Cleansing, transformative, sensitive, medicinal, undiscernibly beautiful and powerful Gazelle- AggressiveGoose - Self-demanding, reliable, prudent, rigid, vigilant, parental, and productiveHawk - Informative, intuitive, victorious, healing, noble, cleansing, visionary, and protective Horse Independent, enduring, mobile, terrestrial, powerful, and freeHummingbird - Portentous, timeless, healing, and combative

Jaguar - Chaotic and shape shiftingLion - Family-oriented, strong, energetic, courageous, and protectiveLizard Conservational and visionaryLlama - Comforting to othersLynx - Discrete, protective, and guidingMoose - Headstrong, enduring, steadfast, and wiseMouse - Observant, orderly, organized, and detail orientedOpossum - Diversionary, strategic, and deceptiveOtter - Playful, friendly, dynamic, joyful, helpful, and generousOwl - Deceptive, clairvoyant, insightful, informative, detached, wise, changeable, and silentOx - Sacrificing and self-denyingPeacock - Immortal, dignified, and self-confident

Porcupine - Innocent, companionable, and trustworthyRabbit - Fearful, timid, nervous, humble, fertile, intuitive, balanced, and fertile.



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Raccoon - Curious and cleanRaven - Introspective, courageous, self-knowing, healing, protective, tricky, and magical Salmon -Proud, intense, confident, wise, inspiring, and rejuvenatingSeahorse - Confident and gracefulSeal - Loving, desirous, imaginative, creative, and dreamyShark - Predatory, enduring, and adaptableSkunk - Noticeably present, and strongSnake - Impulsive, shrewd, transformative, healing, energetic, and wiseSquirrel - Organized and gatheringStag - Sovereign, regenerative, giving of bounty, beauty, and mystical signs.Swan - Graceful, balanced, innocent, soulful, loving, beautiful, self-possessedTiger - Strong, valorous, powerful, and energeticTurkey - Generous, life-giving, and self-sacrificingTurtle - Nurturing, shy, and protectiveWeasel - Strong, energetic, ingenious, and stealthyWhale Wise and givingWolf - Loyal, persevering, successful, intuitive, trainable, ritualistic, and spirited Woodpecker -Sensitive, protective, and loyal

Most Unusual Job

Distribute one small post-it note per participant. Ask participants to think of the Most Unusual Jobthey have ever had and to write it on the post-it with out their name. Collect all of the post-its.One by one, read them aloud and ask people to guess who they think had that job. Afterdiscovering who had that job, its fun to ask specific questions about the job such as where wasthis?, how long ago? Include yourself in the mix to further stump them.Or do this with one interesting fact, get them to guess who it belongs to.

Tenure Line-up

This works best when you dont know the group well at all, or they do not know each other well.At the beginning of the session, ask people to stand up and form a horseshoe by tenure. Ask theperson with the longest tenure to stand at the far right of the room (if you are facing them- yourright) and ask the newest hire to be at the opposite end (the left hand side of the room from yourvantage point.)However, they must do this silently.

After horse-shoe is formed, ask people to introduce themselves with name, role, and how long

they have been with the organization. Record the number of years the participants report, andadd them up.

To debrief, mention we have XX number of years of experience collectively.What observations can you make about our tenure? Notice any patterns? Are their gaps in hiring?What percentage of folks are over five years? Ten years? Twenty?

3 Questions

Purpose: To show how people have various interpretations of the same exact data. This is usuallya very amusing way to get to know a little bit about others in a group.

Materials: 3 Post-its and a pen for each person (you can improvise by having them write itanywhere and share it verbally)



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Set-Up: Let people know that you will be demonstrating how easy it is for people to think they arein alignment, when they may in fact not be and how easy it is to misinterpret or misunderstandeach other.Conduct:Write 3 questions on a flip chartHow late is late?How much is an expensive dinner for two?Whats a crowd? (How many people constitute a crowd?)Ask everyone to write their answers to each of the questions on a separate post itReview the groups answers by asking for their answersone question at a time.Go around the room OR have people share at their tables

De-brief: Quick conversation about how we all interpret the world according to our experiences,preferences and values and often assume that these are correct. Stress the importance ofclarifying what people mean and the value they place on things when working together.

My Shield / Who Am I?

Purpose: To get to know each other / Team building

Materials: Paper & Pen.Optional: this can be done as a collage, in which case youll need: old magazines, chart paper,markers, scissors, glue and tape.

Set-Up: Explain that this is an opportunity to get to learn a bit more about each other. To this end,

they will be answering some questions and sharing their answers with the team.Optional: If making collages, explain to them that the visual representations allow for morecreativity and the real insights will come when each person explains why they chose a particularimage.

Conduct:Select no more than 5-6 items from the list below (or create your own), based on where the teamis at, what will surface key issues and create a team building experience:Skills/experience I bring to the teamA work related accomplishment I am most proud ofWhat I believe is my strongest attribute

Things I appreciate from my colleaguesSkills I would like to develop while on this teamMy future expectations of this teamMy one request from my team membersMy pet peeve when working with othersWhat I value in othersMy vision for the teamMy passion is My super hero or movie alter egoChart the questions and have them write their answers to each one.Optional: You may use a shield image, by drawing a shield and dividing it into as many questionsas you have selected. Instruct them to find or draw an image that represents their answer and

place it in the corresponding quadrant of the shield.

De-brief: Have each person share their answers (and/or their shield images) with the group.



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My 3 Lives

Purpose: To get people using their imaginations and learning something completely new aboutothers while getting them out of their seats.

Materials: None

Set-Up: None, just be sure you have enough time for this one. People usually groan when you firstexplain it to them, but then get really into when theyre doing it.

Conduct:Ask people to write down three imaginary lives they would like to lead or things they would beinterested in pursuing if they werent doing their current job. NOTE: This will usually provokeseveral groans of discomfort/displeasure at the idea of playing this game. No worries, it definitelyis a winner.

Model this by telling them your 3 other lives (i.e. acrobat, travel writer, marine biologist, etc..)Give them some time to come up with their 3 lives. NOTE: Keep a close eye on the group whiletheyre doing this. Some people may feel very stressed by this activity. DO NOT force people toparticipate. Also, if someone can only come up with 1 or 2, thats o.k. (but 3 is best!).When theyre ready, tell them to go mingle as they would at a party. They must introducethemselves to 3 new people, each time introducing themselves in each one of their different lives.Again, keep on eye on the group and give verbal clues as to when they should be moving on tomeet their next person so they dont get stuck at one.

De-brief: If you have time, go around the room and ask each person to tell the group which 1 oftheir 3 lives was most exciting/energizing for them to step into.

Quick Draw - (Energizer)

Purpose: Have fun using the right side of the brain (this one always gets em laughing)

Materials: Chart paper, multi-colored markers and tape

Set-up: Cut chart paper into 2 pieces (across the middle) and have one marker per person

Conduct:Ask people to pair up with someone with whom they have not yet workedHave each person select a marker that is a different color than their partners

Give each pair 1 sheet of paperExplain the steps:Together you will have 1 minute to create a being, creature or thing.When I call time, you will begin by each person taking turns drawing - 1 line at a time. (A line isfrom the time one puts their marker on the paper to when they pick it up off the paper.)After 1 minute, I will call time and you must stop drawing.You will then have 30 seconds to NAME your being by taking turns writing one letter at a time.

De-brief: Have people introduce their beings and then hang their artwork around the room.When all artwork has been shared, do a gallery walk to admire.

Birthday Line-Up (Energizer)Purpose: Dividing people into groups and getting them out of their seats



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Materials: None

Set-up: Determine how many groups you need

Conduct:Ask people to line up according to their birth DAY and MONTH (not year) WITHOUT SPEAKINGIndicate which end of room one should stand if their birthday is January 1st and where theyshould stand if their birthday is December 31st.Be sure to remind people that theyre not supposed to talk (sign language or writing is fine)Once theyre lined up, go down the line starting at Jan 1st asking them to tell us their birthdaysee if they get it right.

Afterwards, separate them into the number of people you want per team.

De-brief: None.

Exotic Fruits (Energizer)

Purpose: Dividing people into groups

Materials: None

Set-up: Determine how many groups you need

Conduct:Ask people to call out the names of exotic or unusual fruits (as many as the number of groupsneeded)

After you have your fruits (i.e. lychee, dragonfruit, durian, etc.), go around the room assigning fruitsto individuals in the determined order.Tell people to go find their fellow fruits. You can assist this part of the process by indicating wherefruits can be found (i.e. lychees in the front of the room, dragonfruits by the door, etc.)

De-brief: None.

Are You My Match? (Energizer)

Purpose: Divide people into pairs or trios

Materials: Tape and pieces of paper with the names of matching things, 1 name per person in theroom. Some examples are:Graceland / ElvisItaly / PizzaChina / Great WallGermany / PolkaFrance / Eiffel TowerEngland / Big BenAustralia / KangarooRussia / Vodka

Egypt / Pyramid / SphinxIreland / 4 leaf clover / GuinnessJapan / sushi / kimono



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India / Ganges River / curry

Set-up: Explain that you will be walking around the room and will be attaching one item withtape to each persons back

Conduct:Explain that each one of them will need to find their partner or partnersThis is done by first discovering what you are. To discover what you are, you may only ask othersquestions that can be answered with Yes or No. (i.e. Am I a food? Am I a country?)Mill around and ask different people different questionsOnce you know what you are, go and find your partner/s

De-brief: None.

Two Truths and a Lie OR Fact or Fiction (Ice-breaker andEnergizer)

Purpose: Get to know others and to shake up the energy in the room

Materials: 5 x 7 cards

Set-up: Ask people to write 1 statement about themselves that is True and 1 or 2 (you decide) thatare False.

Conduct: Have each person read their statements aloud and people vote with a show of hands asto which one is true. This can be done throughout the meeting as a little comic relief; i.e. afterreturning from breaks. Optional: you can keep track of who guessed correctly and give them somesort of prize.

De-brief: None

Strange Facts (Ice-breaker and Energizer) (see variationabove)

Purpose: Get to know others and to shake up the energy in the room

Materials: Post-its or 3x5 cards

Set-up: Have each person write one unusual and/or little-known fact about themselves andcollect the cards.

Conduct: Throughout the day, you can read a strange fact out and ask for the group to nominatewho they think it is (only 3 nominations maximum). Ask the real person to remain standing.

De-brief: None.



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Move It! (aka: Move Your Butt!) - (Energizer)

Purpose: Have some fun while getting some blood circulating

Materials: One roll of masking tape and space large enough to accommodate the group standingin a circle

Set-up:Explain to people that this is a fast-moving game and allow people to opt outHave the group stand in a circle facing the middleYou stand in the middle while you explain the instructionsAsk everyone to tear off a piece of tape about 12 long and place it on the floor in front of them tomark their spot

Conduct:Explain the game:The person standing in the middle will make a statement or ask a question. If that statement/

question is true for you, you must move it and find another spot to stand in.The person left without a spot remains in the middle and asks the next question/statement.NOTE: There are 2 rules of the game:You cannot move to your immediate left or right.The statement /question must be true for the person (in the middle) saying itThe more universal the truth is, the more people will have to move and the more fun it is.Sample statements/questions could be: If you work at Xilinx, if you have traveled out of thecountry, if you have children, etc..Let people know when it is the last question Do this for as many rounds as you wish or have timefor and

De-brief : None. Just have everyone remove their piece of tape from the floor.

Team Challenge: Ball Toss - (Energizer)

Purpose: To engage people in an activity that encourages them to think as a team

Materials: A soft (easy to catch) ball or roll of masking tape

Set-up: Have the group stand in a circle and give the instructions

Conduct:All people should hold one hand in the airRemember who tossed you the ball and to whom you tossed the ballPeople are to toss the ball or tape to another person and once youve caught the ball, you can putyour hand down. Continue this until all people have been caught and thrown the ball/tape andthe teams pattern has been established.Have them throw the ball/tape in the same pattern, letting them know that you will be timingthem.Do it one more time, this time more quicklyGive them a team challenge by telling them that they must pass the ball/tape around in thesame pattern in under 15 seconds. The criterion is that each person must touch ball/tape in the

same order.NOTE: The team will usually figure out that they have to move around and get in order to facilitatethis challenge.



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De-brief : Discuss team process and importance of innovating to get desired results

Potential Ice Breaker Questions

Questions

1. Interesting or little know fact about yourself __________________________ .

2. Which words or phrases do you most overuse?

3. What do you consider your greatest achievement?

4. If you could have dinner with three people, living or dead, who would it be?

5. What was your first job?

6. If you could have a super power what would it be?

7. Do you have a favorite quote or motto?

8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

9. What profession would you not like to do?

10. What are your hobbies?

11. What are your top 3 favorite movies of all time?

12. What is your favorite album of all time?

13. If you were stranded on a tropical island and could have only one book, what would it be?

14. What is your favorite city to visit?

15. What movie you have watched the most number of times? How many?

16. If your life was a movie What is the title of the film? What genre (e.g. comedy, horror,

documentary, etc.)? What is the movie about? What actor/actress would play you?

17. Who is your hero and why?

18. If you could reverse or rearrange the order of anything at all (e.g. the four seasons), what

would you choose?

19. If you could investigate any famous archives, which would you choose?



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20. If you could create a drive-through that would offer one product or service while you waited

in your vehicle, what would it be?

21. If you could be any famous persons therapist, whose would you be?

22. Aside from family, friends, or pets, what would be the most difficult thing for you to give up

in life?

23. What technological breakthrough or invention absolutely blows your mind when you stop

and think about what it is capable of doing?

24. What is the one item that you think will never become obsolete?

25. Youve no doubt heard the expression Its a dogs life. In your opinion, what particular

aspect of a dogs life seems the most enviable?

26. As a part of an assignment on the study of human behavior, you have been asked to do a

couple of hours of people watching. Where do you think would be the best place to go

conduct this entertaining research?

27. What is your biggest pet peeve?

28. If, for one month, you had to live day and night in any one retail store which one would it

be?

29. In hindsight, what particular class in school above all others do you wish you had paid moreattention to or taken more seriously?

30. What is the best one hundred dollars you have ever spent?

31. Barnum & Baileys circus was once known as The Greatest Show on Earth. If you were in

charge of giving that same title to something incredibly entertaining in this day and age,

what would it be?

32. If you had a chance to declare a new regional or national holiday in honor of somebody

famous, whom would you choose?

33. Id love to have my own personal _____________. How would you fill in the blank?

34. If you could un-invent any past invention, which one would it be? (Consider all the

ramifications of eliminating this invention.)

35. What is the best piece of advice youve ever received? Who gave it to you?

36. If you were a contestant on a trivia-style game show, what category would you most want to

see displayed when it came down to the million-dollar question?



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37. What is the most outrageous thing that has ever happened to you or in which you have ever

been involved?

38. If you could give your current job a new title, one that would make your job seem far more

exciting or important that it actually is, what would you choose as your new title?

39. If you were given the opportunity to be an apprentice to any person, living or deceased,

from whom would you want to learn?

40. Who is the most famous person youve ever met face-to-face?

41. Suppose income taxes still had to be paid, but instead of going to the government, your tax

dollars would go to any one cause or charity of choice. Where would you want your money

to go?

42. If, through the benefit of hindsight, you could go back in time to warn any famous person inhistory about something, who would you visit and what would you tell that individual to

help him or her avoid a tragic mistake or fate?

43. On a scale of one to ten (with one being you cant stand it and ten being you love it), how

well do you like your given first name? If you were to change it, what name would you

choose for yourself?

44. Whats your favorite Guilty Pleasure?

Cultural PursuitThe attached document shows a grid similar to a "bingo" sheet. Each square has astatement about a different culture. Participants are asked to circulate among theother participants and find people who know the answers to each question.(Specific instructions are listed on the sheet.) The first person to complete his/hersheet wins. The answers are then revealed and the group can discuss what they'velearned, what they disagree with, what they want to hear more about, what they'veexperienced personally, etc. -- whatever they want to share. It's a great activity for

getting to know more about other cultures and the background of their colleagues.



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Adapted from original versions by Project DARE (UC Berkeley) and The Brannen Group.

Cultural Pursuit

Answers

Instructions:

1. Read your pursuit squares and note mentally which ones you can answer or illustrate.2. Be prepared to share what you know with others and sign your name on the related squares.3. Each person may sign only two (2) squares per grid. Therefore, you will need to circulate to

get all the squares signed.

4. There may be more than one correct answer for a square.

FIND SOMEONE WHO

Knows why you

should not stickchopsticks straight

up in your rice bowl.

It symbolizes death.

Knows which hand

gesture is offensivein Arab countries.

Thumbs-up

Knows the etiquette

for returning atoast at a Chinese

banquet.

Before the next

dish is served

Knows the Islamic

word for God.

Allah

Knows why not to

confuse someonefrom Barcelona with

someone from

Madrid.

Catalan vs. Castilian

cultures/languages

Knows why you

shouldn't use your

left hand in Muslim

& Hindu cultures.

It is considered

unclean.

Knows why a

reference to

Americans is

offensive.

It often excludes

Canadians, Mexicans,

& other Americans.

Knows when foreign

executives should

arrive at social

events in the

Philippines.

15-30 minutes late

Knows why the Irish

immigrated to the

U.S. in the 1840's.

Potato Famine

Knows the etiquette

for handshakes in

formal Indian

business settings.

Namaste greeting

Knows why exposing

the sole of your foot

might be offensive.

It is considered

unclean.

Knows the Indian

gesture of

affirmation.

Moving the head in a

side-ways figure 8

Knows when the

Chinese New Year is.

2002: Feb. 12-14th

2003: Feb. 1-3rd

2004: Jan. 22-24th

Knows in which

country cheese is

eaten as a dessert

course.

France

Knows why not to

write someone's

name in red ink.


Knows why you

should not give a

Chinese man a green

hat.

It tells him his wife

is sleeping around.

Knows the names of

2 African languages.

Afrikaans, Arabic,

Bambara, Djula,

Hausa, Lingala,

Swahili, etc.

Knows why not to

put your hands on

your lap while dining

in France.

It is considered

improper/impolite.

Knows why the

number 4 is taboo in

Japan.


Knows in which

country people send

New Year's cards

instead of Christmas

cards.

China



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ColorsPass around a bowl of different colored candies, such as M&Ms or Jolly Ranchers, andask each person to randomly select 3-5 and place them in front of them (i.e. don'teat them yet). Then, you show the attached slide and people have to answer the

questions that correlate with the colored candies they have selected. Afterwards,they can eat the candy. You can ask whatever questions you want. The main pointis that people don't get to choose which questions they answer -- that's dictated bywhat colors they chose prior to seeing the questions. :) It's a fun and easy way toget people talking, sharing, and learning about each other.

5 CsPrint the attached document on card stock, cut it in half, distribute the blank cardsto participants at the beginning of the offsite, and then read/guess who's who

during the course of the meeting. The topics are:(1) favorite car, (2) favorite countryfor vacation or living, (3) favorite cuisine, (4) celebrity they'd most like to meet (livingor dead), and (5) what career they'd have if they didn't work for Apple. Like"Colors", this one is easy and a fun way to disclose some safe personal informationabout the participants. There are usually some surprises and laughter when thegroup discovers who maps to each card.



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CAR:

COUNTRY:

CUISINE:

CELEBRITY:

CAREER:

CAR:

COUNTRY:

CUISINE:

CELEBRITY:

CAREER:



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16 BoxesWhat do your team members have in common. Try to get three different team memberssignatures in each individual box. Each team member can only sign up to three different boxes.

Plays one musicalinstrument

Plays more than onemusical instrument

Enjoys hiking Knows organizationsvalues

Can operate a vehicleother than a car or bike

Has been on television Knows organizationsmission statement

Creates art as hobby(any form)

Would rather eat ahamburger than a filet

mignon

Knows Apples topselling product

Knows how to dancethree or more different

types of dances

Can speak more thantwo languages

Knows Applescustomers

Has more than one petin household

Has a pet that is not adog, cat, hamster,

rabbit, or fish

Visited over 7 countriesin their lifetime



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Shield Activity

Each team member is given a model of a shield and will fill each area of the shield with thefollowing:

Something you excelat doing

Picture representing a one-time peak performance

Your credo or key

value

Your definition of whatcharacteristics define ahigh performing team

- The areas can be filled with any topic that is pertinent to the leader and team.- The idea is to get everyone to draw these areas, not write it.

Debrief:

1. What drawings captured your attention the most? Why?2. What surprised you about your team members?3. What did you learn about your team members that you did not know before?4. How does this help you work more effectively together?

Two Strengths

- Have each person think about what two strengths they contribute to the team

- Have them get up from their chairs and share their two strengths with each other for 5-7

minutes

List

- What strengths do they have in common

- What strengths are unique to the team

- How can they leverage the strengths



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- What might the team be missing for the them to be able to accomplish their goals - how can

they develop those strengths .

SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCESWrite down your team members names in the left- column. Speak to as many teammembers within the allotted amount of time and write down at least one thing that youhave in common and one way you are different. Things can range from interests, talents,hobbies, adventures, travels, languages, food, music, sports, etc.



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Team members

NAMESIMILARITIES DIFFERENCES

UNIQUELY IN COMMON



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5. Write the name of the team members that you speak with in the first column.6. Write down things that you haveuniquely in common with your team members. For starters, think about your

interests, talents, hobbies, adventures, misadventures, travels, languages, food, music, sports, and then, get creativeas you mingle with your team members - have you ever climbed Mt. Everest, swam with dolphins, competed inmarathons, lived in more than one country, etc.

Team members

NAMEUNIQUELY IN COMMON



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How heavy am I?Think of an Apple product and find it on apple.com. Find out the weight of the product and thenget the group to stand up and sort themselves out in order of the heaviest to the lightest. Askthen for a feature and benefit of that product. This is good also if you need to m ix them up intheir seating arrangements.Michael Hobeck - Germany

The Name Game.Stand learners in a circle and ask them to think of an animal that begins with the first letter of theirname. They then introduce themselves around the circle by acting out that animal. You can playwith this to get them to remember other peoples animals/names by repeating everyone in thecircle also.When I pointed out that on trying this one day I struggled to think of an animal that begins with'N' - very difficult in English!! During the call we could only come up with Nightingale - Chris hasnow sent through a wonderful little tool to assist with this game to fix the problem of not beingable to think of an animal!

I enclose his web app instructions in italics below - thanks Chris - Super!!

When you said that you couldn't think of an animal beginning with N, it reminded me that this is acommon problem with the animal name game. To solve this, I created a little iPhone webapplication to help trainers run this game. Follow the URL on your iPhone,save it to your homescreen as a web clip, and then open it just before running the warmer. If anyone has problemsthinking of an animal, just tap on the appropriate letter and show them the screen. It saves havingto whisper in anyone's ear and being overheard.

tinyurl.com/animalpicker

Alternative - draw the animals on iPad insteadChris Mellor - UK

Keep it SafeBeware of games that trigger personal feelings - like tell us about your best friend - what happensif you don't have a best friend!MyriamWhat if?Found that the Truth and Lie game did not work well in UAE, participants simply all repeated eachothers truths and lie exactly and felt uncomfortable being asked to 'lie'. He found that a morephysical game broke barriers better and used the ball game to ask the question 'What if..?'

Ahmed - UAE

Paper AeroplanesGet the group to write down something that impressed them )good or bad) about the coursethen fold them into the plane and fly them.Also - animals that begin with 'N' -http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_are_some_animals_that_begin_with_the_letter_N

Thierry - France

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_are_some_animals_that_begin_with_the_letter_Nhttp://tinyurl.com/animalpickerhttp://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_are_some_animals_that_begin_with_the_letter_Nhttp://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_are_some_animals_that_begin_with_the_letter_Nhttp://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_are_some_animals_that_begin_with_the_letter_Nhttp://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_are_some_animals_that_begin_with_the_letter_Nhttp://tinyurl.com/animalpickerhttp://tinyurl.com/animalpickerhttp://apple.com/http://apple.com/


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Paper Planes Test DriveI like to do the paper aeroplane as a test drive activity. Ask them in pairs to test drive each otherin making and folding the paper plane. They have to give exact instructions without touching thepaper and the builder has to follow the instructions, you then fly the planes to see who flies thefurthest. This supports the emphasis on test drive/guided demo in many of our courses andcreates a nice paired demo focus.

NeveTaylor

Top tips - Rob Geraghty - UK

To wow people I believe that the first 30 minutes are crucial to this. I think that too manyicebreakers are just "games" and hence I prefer to do things which encourage people to genuinelyconnect with each other and the content of the workshop. How to do this depends a lot onwhether the people already know each other or not.I'm a big fan of getting people to talk 1:1 with the other group members and then moving thisround every 3 minutes or so. In this way, people learn who the others are but without the creepingdeath (when people aren't listening because they are worried about what they will saythemselves!). You can also add in a more course-relevant question such as "what's your best salesexperience" or "talk about your experiences of selling Apple solutions" and this starts to getpeople on message for the upcoming workshop.

Top tips - Jarkko Ahonen - Finland

I haven't done Apple Sales training for that long yet so I mainly stayed as a listener on this call to

"gauge the field" if you will. I've been trying out various ones from the lists with varying successand all the points (expecially with the facetime one) were brought up nicely by the others. Alsogot some nice ideas so it was a good call.

I didn't bring this up in the call as this only works if most of the people already have an iPhone/iPad, but it is one that I use on some iPad and iPhone trainings. And also it's quite a mild icebreaker to use. Doesn't help much if the ice is thick and solid.

Basically if/when you ask people to introduce themselves, ask them also to claim their favouriteApp. This can tell a lot about the person and it also allows for non-apple believers to go "wow, thatthing can do a lot".

As for the "graveyard shift problem", my simple solution is to make sure we have an excercise forthe attendees to perform after lunch. This way the schedule problem doesn't become as badeither.

During the exercises (Mac and iPad), I also play music and run a music quiz at the same time: 1point for correct song, 1 point for correct artist. Winner is determined at end of event. Winner getsan undisclosed prize (usually a handful of sweets or a chocolate bar) not to mention immenseadmiration of the other attendees.



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Janice Phillips - UKThe ice breakers I mostly use are :

Getting to know youThis is where I get the delegates to dig deep and find out 3 things they have in common rulingout the obvious and getting them to look further than just - we all like going to the pub.I then get them to draw the three things cryptically for the other groups to guess.

Speed meetingI line the delegates up facing each other in two lines. I then give then 30-40 seconds to find out asmuch as possible about who they are with and then they introduce them to the rest of the group.This demonstrates a good balance of asking open questions and listening skills as no pens andpads can be used.

Paper Tower Buildingtwo teams have 6 or so mins to build a tower out of paper. the moral of the story is foundationsand patience and not trying to get too high too soon as it usually falls over before the end.

With iPad training if I have a small group I get them to open photo booth take a funny picture ofthemselves and then line them up with the iPads in front of their faces and take a picture. This isreally funny and if the delegates want I can send them the photo or take one with their phones.

I think it would be a great idea to get a top 5 or 10 ice breakers from everyone and maybe directthem to certain courses. That way any delegates who go on 3 courses in a week won't have thesame ice breaker etc.

I sometimes draw two arched arrows on a flip chart and tell the delegates I am a responsibletrainer providing a healthy workshop environment and tell them of my duties and the other half isthem and their responsibilities which we discuss together. This results in a circle to represent agood learning eco system. Making the day work well.

Top tips - Florian Grundel - GermanyI just wanted to quickly outline for you the icebreaker I mentioned.Its not a classical icebreaker as there is no specific action involved, but it works because theparticipants get comfortable, recognize the safe space and time of the workshop and have funwith each others ideas.

When doing the introduction round I ask the participants in addition to the typical questions("who are you", "where are you from", "your experience with Apple", etc.) also what their favoritecharacter from a book, a play or a movie is.

There are several aspects that make this question interesting and helpful:The question hits the participants (especially those who never attended an Apple training before)unprepared. They think of lots of things (why they were sent, how will the training be, etc.), but notabout something personal. This question gets them back to themselves, involves thememotionally. Its especially helpful for the more shy ones. The effect is that the participants feel a

bit more safe. And it makes them curious what comes next. So i have their attention.



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It also helps (me) with remembering the participants. Not all wear name tags, and Im not verygood in remembering names and faces but I remember facts. So I might easier remember thename of the character which works quite well as a substitute if I dont have the participants nameat hand immediately.

It creates an atmosphere of Interest among the participants. If someone says "James Bond" thisneeds no explanation, but if someone says some lesser known hero it needs explanation. This alsogives me the chance to get a feeling for the group (how do they interact?, is there someone how isreally good in explaining things?, etc.) in an early stage of the workshop.

The characters also do work well as a hook. In later stages of the workshops there are alwaysoccasions where relating to a given character helps. Either in explaining something or when aspecific problem is on topic ("what would your favorite character do?"). They can be used as hooksin lots of situations.

So just a quick overview. For me, this icebreaker was always helpful and I never had any problemswith it.

One other idea, regarding seating. Ive never tried it and wanted to hear your feedback first.Currently the partcicpants come in and look for a place they like.Very often I have at least two (sometimes more) people from the same company that come ingroups, sit in groups, and therefore very likely in most cases talk (too much and too loud). I canhandle that, but Im always thinking about a better solution.I thought about a different seating system. To avoid the described grouping and to mix theparticipants, so they can also benefit from getting to know each other.The idea was some kind of lottery. Every table gets a name (iMac, Mac mini, etc.) and I have boxfull of papers. Every paper contains the name of a table. When the participants come in, they drawone of the papers and that defines the table where they are seated. My idea was that thishopefully works to mix the group without me being involved, so the participants have no problem

with me splitting them up. Additionally it gives them the chance to connect with each other.Id really like to hear from you if you suggest trying this idea.

Other contributions:

Truth and lieWrite the statement on a post it and stick it on your back. Walk around the room others decidewhether the statement is a truth or lie. Physical and personal barriers broken.

Name your favourite heroFrom a movie or fiction - helps people relate to each other from Florian as above.

Eye contactStand in a circle, look at the floor then look up at connect with someone and swap places.

Tell somethingthat no-one know about yourself -be careful to set up a safe atmosphere here, we don't want tocross the line into therapy!

Zip Zap ZoomThe old favourite always always works. See Neve/Peter if you are unfamiliar with the game.



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Being John Malkovich - Andr Fredriksson- SwedenI have tested a new icebreaker-activity recently, which I would like to share with you as I thought itworked really well!It's called "Being John Malkovich", like the film starring John Cusack andJohn Malkovitch. If you

haven't seen it I encourage you all to doso, if only for being able to deliver the icebreaker in abetter way. At least watch the trailer (link below).Preparations: The participants will need to have something to write on - iPads for instance! Prepare to show the trailer for Being John Malkovich (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7ahIGLNNwo) Prepare questions (see below).

The activity: Ask the participants if they have ever seen the film Bein John Malkovich.

Regardless if they've all seen it or not, tell them a little bit about the film:- "John Cusack's character works in an office at the 7 1/2 floor, where he discoveres a doorwaybehind a filing cabinet that leads into the head of actor John Malkovitch. Thislets him experienceeverything that John Malkovitch does for a little while, before being briskly thrown out next to aroad just outsidethe city." Show them the trailer at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7ahIGLNNwo - it's bound to bringout a few laughs :)

Now, tell the participants that you are going to play the game Being John Malkovich, taking turnsto have the others visit yourbrain! They can work in teams or on their own - that's up to you todecide.

For this you will need to have prepared one question for each participant (or have 2 or moreparticipants per question, rotating it).These should be questions about topics that you and/or theparticipants are interested in knowing more about, or something thatyou can use later on duringtraining. It should also be possible to answer these questions in a simple way. For example, duringtheSelling more iPads training, one of the topics could be "Which three words does participant Xthink describes a typical iPadcustomer?", or "Which three words does participant X think describethe main challenges when delivering an iPad demo?"

Ask the first participant X to come up / stand up, and ask the group the question about

participant X, telling them that they have one minute to write down as many answers/words asthey can which they think participant X might use to answer the question! Also ask participant Xto write down the first three (or whichever number you'vedecided) words that spring to mind, i.e.the three correct words.

After one minute, tell the participants to stop writing, and ask participant X to tell you and therest of the group the answers. Tellthe participants that they get 1 point for each word they'vebeen able to match with participant X (three word = 3 points).

Repeat with all of the participants, sum up the points and award a winner/winning team!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7ahIGLNNwohttp://www.youtube.com

Icebreaker Compilation

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Transcript of Icebreaker Compilation