Simulation Exercises

Compiled By TMI Group ® 2009. All rights reserved. For your business enquiries, write to [email protected]

As HR professionals, there are times in our lives when we have to address large crowds at short notice, there are times when you have to walk into a classroom full of strange and disinterested faces, and there are times when you have to sound funny and engaging though you do not feel funny and engaged inside. This little compilation of Simulation Exercises is to equip you during such times in your professional careers. If you find this useful, share it with people who would find it useful too.

All the best!

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INDEX

1. ICE BREAKERS

� Getting Acquainted

� The Mystery Person

� The Whole Room Handshake

� Working the Room � Bingo Game

� The Human Spider Web

� Merry Birthday? /Happy Christmas?

� I’ve Got A Secret

� Mutual Introductions

� Interviews

� Badgering

2. Team Building � What’s Our Name? Logo? Slogan?

� Do You Remember?

� What Do I (We) Want In Life?

� What Do I (We) Want In Life? What Are My Values? ---- 4

� Trust Me ----- 7

3. Sales � Thinking on Your Feet

� Handling Objections in Sales Training

� It’ll Never Fly, Wilbur!

� Bingo Review

� Customer Service Categories

� Top Three

� Empathy

� Why

� Upset

� 2-Minute Drill

� Five Ideas

� Sales Styles: A Role Experience


4. Assertiveness � Consensus

� Appreciative Disagreements

� Am/Seem

� The Chairs

� First Impressions

� Just a Minute

� Decisions, Decisions!

5. Communication � On Your Face

� Selves and Possibilities

� Transmitting Information

� A Read and Do Test

� A Nonverbal Introduction

� Arithmetic Test

� Listening Test: Riddles

� Listening And Following Directions

� One- And Two-Way Communication

� Yin-Yang

� Competency: Managing Conflict- Interpersonal Communication Practices

� Preconceived Notion

6. Brain teasers

� Brain Teasers 1

� Brain Teasers 2

� Brain Teasers 3

� Brain Teasers 4

7. Setting challenging goals

� Ring Toss Game

� Tower Building

� Boat Making


Getting Acquainted

Genre: ICE Breaker 1

Objective: To enable first-time attendees in a training session to become acquainted with other participants: to help

build a climate of friendliness and informality.

Procedure: Each person is given a blank nametag and asked to put his or her first name or nickname on it. Then they

are asked to list five words or brief phrases that tell something about themselves that can be used as

conversation starters. Examples could be home states, hobbies, children, etc. An illustration follows:

Mary (Freckles)

1. Arizona resident

2. Wisconsin native

3. Football nut

4. Jogger

5. Disco enthusiast

After giving the group enough time (about 5 minutes) to write down their 5 items, have them start mixing

around in groups of 2-3 (maximum). Every few minutes, tell the group to “change partners” in order to

encourage everyone to meet as many new people as possible.

Discussion Questions: 1. Was this exercise helpful to you in getting to know some other people?

2. What kinds of items made the greatest impact on you?

3. How do you now feel about your involvement in this group?

Materials Required: Blank stick-on nametags

Approximate Time Required: Flexible, depending on group size, Minimum time 15 minutes.


The Mystery Person

Genre: ICE Breaker2

Objective: To encourage newcomers and “old-timers” to make new acquaintances and get them to mix with other

participants

Procedure: At larger conferences or meetings, the new attendee is often left alone and may have difficulty in getting

acquainted. The established cliques are hard to crack and the first-time attendee may feel completely

apart from—rather than -a part -of- -the group.

To encourage all participants to be more friendly with everyone: designate (in advance and secretly)

someone as Mr. or Ms. Mystery Person. Prior to-and during-the first few sessions, promote the exercise by

publicizing, “Shake hands with the Mystery Person. He (she) will give you $1.”(Or every 10th person gets

$5, etc).

Properly publicized, this exercise can be both fun and rewarding. It is especially useful for breaking the ice

and creating a warm and friendly atmosphere.

Discussion Questions: 1. Why are we reluctant to meet new people? (Each new encounter is a challenge to “sell”

ourselves a

learn about others)

2. What was the impact of a possible cash incentive on your behavior? (Met more people; talked with

them

only superficially)

3. What are some useful conversation-openers that can help us overcome our reticence?

Materials Required: Cash prizes

Approximate Time Required:

As desired

Source: Louise Bowker, Meetings and Conventions, October, 1975


The Whole Room Handshake

Genre: ICE Breaker3

Objective: To have participants meet at least half of the entire group.

Procedure: Have group form into two large circles—one inside the other. Participants in the inner circle turn and face

those in the outer ring, quickly introduce themselves and continually move to right. The outer circle

rotates left and the inner circle rotates right until all participants meet each other.

(NOTE: This activity works best with groups of 100 or less.)

Material Required: None.

Time Required: 10 minutes.

Source: Maggie Bedrosian, The Synergy Group, Silver spring, MD.


Working The Room

Genre: ICE Breaker4

A major purpose of an opening activity is to help participants get acquainted with each other. Here’s an

opener that identifies and rewards participants who would make good politicians.

Purpose

To energize participants and to encourage interaction among them.

Time

15 - 20 minutes

Participants

10 to 30

Preparation

Prepare copies of an instruction sheet presenting the following content with suitable modifications:

Working-the-Room Contest!

We want you to meet and interact with as many other participants as possible.

This is a do-it-yourself icebreaker. You have approximately 7 minutes between now and 8:37 AM to mingle

and chat with the other participants. Collect information from different people and share information

about yourself. Use this contest as an excuse to behave like an intrusive extrovert.

Until 8:37, you are on your own. No other instructions will be given.

Exactly at 8:37, we will conduct a contest that will reward your ability to work the room. You will have two

chances to win!


Flow

Briefing As participants come in, greet them at the door and give them a copy of the instruction sheet. If

anyone asks you questions about the contest, repeat the information from the instruction sheet.

Keeping time Blow a whistle and announce the beginning of the 7-minute period. Keep an eye on the

clock. One minute before the ending time of the contest, give an appropriate warning.

Start the contest. At the exact time, blow the whistle. Tell participants to stop talking with each

other. Ask participants to hide their nametags and any other personal identification.

Conduct the popularity contest. Explain that the first phase of the contest involves visibility. Ask

participants to stand up if they believe that their name will be remembered by the most people in the

room. Bring this group to the front of the room. Point to the first contestant and ask the other participants

to write her full name on a piece of paper. Announce the name of the participant and ask each participant

to check the name written by her neighbor. Ask those who wrote the correct name to stand up, and count

their number. Repeat the process with each of the other contestants. Identify the winner (or the winners)

whose name was correctly written by the most other participants.

Begin the memory contest. Explain that the second phase of the contest involves memory. Ask

participants to look around the room and estimate how many others they can name. Start an auction,

asking participants to bid the number of full names that they recall correctly. Identify the highest bidder

(or bidders).

Conduct the memory contest. Ask the highest bidder to go around the room, whispering (to

prevent the others from hearing) the full names of each participant. Ask all participants who have been

correctly named to stand up. If the highest bidder has succeeded in correctly naming the number of

participants she bid (or exceeded the number), she wins. Otherwise, repeat the activity with the second

highest bidder.


Bingo Game

Genre: ICE Breaker5 Objective: To subtly force newcomers to make new acquaintances in a no threatening climate.

Procedure: Using prepared bingo-type cards or sheets (see sample on following page), each person is asked to move

around the room until they find a person who fits the description shown. That person then signs his or her

name in the appropriate slot.

Materials Required: Bingo cards (1 for each person)

Approximate Time Required: 20 minutes

Source: Unknown


Bingo Game

DIRECTIONS: Each blank space identifies something about the people in this (seminar, meeting. session,

etc.). Seek out your fellow participants and if one of the listed items pertains to them, ask them to sign

their names in the appropriate place on your’ Bingo card. (Even though more than one item may be

Plays Tennis

_______________

Is Wearing Red

_______________

Soccer

_______________

Chapter Officer

_______________

Has Grandchildren

_______________

Drives a Sports Car

_______________

Hates Football

_______________

Loves Football

_______________

Flies a Plane

_______________

Speaks Foreign

Language

_______________

Plays Piano

_______________

Has Tropical Fish

_______________

Free

_______________

Skis

_______________

Committee

Chairperson

_______________

Has Red Hair

_______________

Hates Spinach

_______________

Has 2 Children

_______________

Likes Camping

_______________

Attended National

Conference

_______________

First Time

Attendee

_______________

Drives Pickup

_______________

Brown eyes

_______________

Reads Newsweek

_______________

Visited Foreign

Country

_______________


The Human Spider Web

Genre: ICE Breaker6

Objective:

To warm up a new group, and break down their inhibitions

To provide an opportunity for participants to work as a team and explore the dimensions of teamwork

Procedure: Select (randomly) 6-8 volunteers from the larger group to participate in an exercise (for demonstration

purposes), or divide the entire group into teams of 6-8 individuals. Have each group move to a location

that allows them to stand in a small circle.

Instruct members of each group to extend their left hands across the circle and grasp the left hands of the

other members who are approximately opposite them. Then have them extend their right hands across

the circle and grasp the right hands of other individuals.

Inform them that their task is to unravel the spider web of interlocking arms without letting go of,

anyone’s hands. They either will be timed (as a way to place pressure on them), or will be competing with

other groups to see who finishes the task first.

Discussion Question: 1. What was your first thought when you heard the nature of the task? (Probably: “This will be

impossible! “)

2. What member behaviors detracted (or could detract) from the group’s success in achieving its

goal?

3. What lessons does this exercise have for future team-building?

Materials Required: none

Approximate Time Required: 15 minutes, plus discussion time

Source: Susan Hennig, green bay, WI.


The Human Spider Web

Genre: ICE Breaker7

Objective: To be used for small-group (15-25 attendees) workshops as a get acquainted activity.

Procedure: At the very start of the seminar, explain the importance of becoming acquainted with the other

participants. Hand out a form to each attendee and ask that everyone find at least one similarity (e.g.”

grew up in Chicago”) and one dissimilar trait (e.g., “football fanatic” vs.” dislike sports”) for at least 8-10

other participants. Award a small prize for the first person completing the form.

Material Required: Handout forms and nominal prize.

Approximate Time Required: 15-20 minutes.

Source: Gordon Hills, St. Petersburg, EL.


TREASURE HUNT


Instruction: Write your name on the first line. Circulate around the room finding one trait you have in common (i.e.,

“newcomer to city”) and one item quite dissimilar (i.e., “has worked for same organization over 10 years”

vs. “third job this year!”)

Name: __________________

NAME ALIKE DIFFERENT

1. ________________ ________________ __________________

2. ________________ ________________ __________________

3. ________________ ________________ __________________

4. ________________ ________________ __________________

5. ________________ ________________ __________________

6. ________________ ________________ __________________

7. ________________ ________________ __________________

8. ________________ ________________ __________________

9. ________________ ________________ __________________

10 ________________ ________________ __________________


Merry Birthday?/Happy Christmas?


Objective: To provide a sure-fire way to match up workshop participants for mutual introductions or any other two-

person activity.

Procedure: Collect a set of used greeting cards you have received. Examples include birthday, Christmas, Easter,

Thanksgiving, anniversary, first communion/confirmation card etc.

Cut off all but the first page.

Cut the first page in half. You may wish to strategically cut the page in two, dividing the major greeting into

two parts (such as “Happy” and “Anniversary”). This will provide a slightly greater challenge for

Participants, who then cannot just call out for a “Birthday” partner, but must match the entire message.

Distribute one-half of a card to each participant, making sure that both halves of each card are distributed

within the group. This may necessitate waiting until all participants have appeared (if you historically have

no shows in your groups). You may also need to warn them that they must not only get the major greeting

correct (e.g., “Happy Birthday”) but also the verse on the card.

Instruct them to mix with each other until they find the person holding the other half of the card. Then

they should uncover enough interesting information about that person to enable them to effectively

introduce that person to the rest of the group when you give the signal.

Note: You may also wish to point out to the participants that this is effectively a group task, since if any

two people get the wrong match (“Happy Christmas”), then two others will also be stuck with the wrong

Material Required: Several dozen used greeting cards.

Approximate Time Required: 15-20 minutes for distribution, plus adequate time for mutual introduction,

depending on the size of the group.


I’ve Got A Secret


Objective: To afford individual introductions in a fun way.

Procedure: At the beginning of a seminar, or at a luncheon or dinner session, comment on the importance of

informality and getting acquainted with other participants. But rather than have individuals introduce

themselves, tell the group they will introduce the person to their right. They will have a minute to learn

that person’s name and organization. Then humorously suggest they divulge some deep, dark secret about

themselves that “nobody in the whole wide world knows about them!”

Start the process with the first person that introduces the individual on his/her right. To start things off,

the facilitator could begin. Keep things moving quickly and lightly?

If participants are seated at round tables, randomly select any participant. If theater style or U-shape

seating is used, start introductions in the front of room. (NOTE: This method is usable with groups of up to

50 people. It may be overly time consuming for larger groups)

Material Required: None.

Approximate Time Required: 10-15 minutes depending on the size of the group.

Source: Unknown


Mutual Introductions


Summary: Group introduction exercise.

Objectives: Introductions.

Materials: Pen and paper.

Timing: 20 minutes for 12 people.

Procedure 1. Ask participants to work in pairs, where possible not known to each other, and label themselves A and

B.

2. Inform them that A has four minutes in which to interview B about his or her life and interests. A may

take notes. Then they should swap roles.

3. In the main group ask participants to introduce their partners and introduce each other to the main

group.

Variations: 1. Give participants some specific questions to which you would like answers. Leave some open ended,

(for example, “three things you can’t tell by looking at them”, “three roles that are important to them

in their life”). You can include course expectations and training experience.

2. Encourage participants to discuss the results of an earlier exercise, use in pairs.


Interviews

Genre: ICE Breaker 12 Summary: Introductions exercise swapping questions and getting them answered.

Objectives: Introductions.

Energizer.

Self-disclosure.

Materials: Pens,Paper

Timing: 40 minutes (depends on group size).

Procedure: 1. Ask participants to form pairs with someone in the group whom they know least well.

2. Ask participants to choose five questions that they would like to be asked by their partner in

introducing them to the rest of the group this being done by them disclosing the answers. They are

to decide on their questions and then tell them to their partner.

3. When the group has had time to do this, ask participants to choose another partner who they do

not know well. Tell them to identify their original partner and then tell the partner what the

questions are. The new partner must then ask the first person those questions and find out what

the answers are.

4. When this has been done, have participants introduce the person to the rest of the group.

Commentary: This exercise is not practical for groups larger than 12.

Variation: If the group is much over 12 then at Stage 3 ask participants to approach the first person they see not

talking to someone and to introduce them to the person whose answers they have ascertained.


Badgering

Genre: ICE Breaker13

Summary: Participants pass information on about each other with their badges.

Objectives: Introductions, Listening skills

Materials: Name badges

Timing: 20 minutes at least.

Procedure: 1. Ask participants to work in pairs. They are to spend five minutes at the end of which each will have

introduced him or herself. Then ask them to exchange name badges.

2. Ask participants to find a new partner and (from a distance) to show the badge, point to who it

belongs to, and say as much as they can remember about that person.

3. Reverse roles and then exchange badges.

4. Ask participants to find another new partner and (from a distance) to show the badge, point to who

it belongs to, and say as much as they can remember about that person. Reverse roles and

exchange badges again.

5. Repeat until the only person to whom the badge has not been introduced is the original partner.

This should happen at the same time for everybody, but it probably won’t. Then ask participants to

introduce that person to the others. Explain that some of the information will have become

distorted and that they should not worry about getting anything wrong. Participants can correct

any information about themselves that has become distorted.

6. Hold a discussion on why information became changed.

Commentary:

If there is an odd number of a participant, the trainer will have to take part to even the numbers.

Variations: A simpler session has participants keeping the first badge they come across.


What’s Our Name? Logo? Slogan?

Genre: Team Building 1

Objective: To allow task groups the opportunity to develop working relationships before confronting their “real”

tasks.

Procedure: Form participants into small groups that they will stay with for the duration of the workshop. Allow them a

few minutes to meet and introduce themselves.

Ask each group to select a simple team name in the next five minutes.

Ask them to develop a graphic logo (trademark) that will usefully portray who / what they are to the rest

of the world. Allow 10 minutes for this activity, and then ask each group to show their product to the

others, with a brief explanation of what the logo represents (if it is not clear). The logos should be drawn

on the flip chart paper.

Then ask each group to develop a slogan (e.g., 12 words or less) that they could use in public advertising.

This slogan should identify whatever assets or attributes the group realistically thinks are most important,

and present within themselves. Allow 10 minutes for this activity, and then ask each group to verbally

share their slogan with the others.

Discussion questions: Whose name is best? Which logo is best? Whose advertising slogan is best? What criteria are you using to

judge the quality of each of those three tasks?

How do you now feel about your group? Will it be successful in its future tasks? Will it be personally

satisfying to work in it?

What is the value of spending some time creating group identity at the start of a task group? What is the

cost?

Materials required: Flip chart paper and markers for each group.

Approximate time required: 30 minutes. Source: D. D. Warrick, Colorado Springs, CO.


DO YOU REMEMBER?


Purpose

To explore how note taking and teamwork increases our ability to remember more.

Time

30 minutes

Supplies • 50 miscellaneous items such as a ball, fingernail file, hat, lipstick, mirror, key, toy, picture, candle,

pen, orange, etc.

• Tray

• Cloth to cover the tray

• Countdown timer

Flow of the Activity

Prepare a tray of 25 items. Cover the tray with a cloth.

Tell participants that you are going to show them a tray of miscellaneous items and they should remember

as many items as they can without writing down anything.

Display the tray with 25 items for 60 seconds. Then talk to the group about some other topic for a minute.

Have participants write down as many items as they can remember.

Reveal the items on the tray and determine how many correct items participants listed.

Do the activity again, displaying a new set of 25 items for 30 seconds. Allow participants to take notes.

Ask each participant to count the number of items listed.

Organize participants into teams of four and ask them to combine their lists.

Reveal the new items on the tray and determine how many correct items individual participants and teams

listed after the 30-second viewing.


Debrief participants and emphasize the following points: • Participants were able to write more items in half the time (30 seconds) than when they had 60

seconds.

• Teams were able to list more items than individuals.

Conclude the activity by asking participants how they would apply the principles of note-taking and

working in teams to other situations that requires memorizing and recalling such as:

1. Interviewing a candidate for a job

2. Listening to a lecture presentation

3. Analyzing the behavior of an expert performer

4. Proof-reading a report

5. Observing the behaviors of shoppers in a retail store


What Do I (We) Want In Life?


Objective: To provide opportunity for individual goal clarification and goal setting

To provide a team-building opportunity through the sharing of key personal values

To provide teams with a task to work on as a vehicle for assessing and improving their process skills.

Procedure: Provide all participants with a copy of the “What Are My Values?” form and ask them to complete it

individually. This may then serve as the first step in personal goal clarification / goal setting.

Form participants into small groups (e.g., five persons). Ask them to share their individual rankings and

arrive at a group consensus of the rankings that the typical American would provide.

When they are completed, share the “key” with them (for Column 3), and let them compute a measure of

their similarity / dissimilarity to other Americans by calculating the sum of the absolute arithmetic

differences (e.g., without regard to +I- sign) between their individual rankings and the key (Column I), and

between their group rankings and the key (Column 5).

Discussion Questions: What are the possible reasons for the differences in rankings observed?

What are the implications of your own rankings?

Materials Required: Enough individual sheets for each participant, visual key.

Approximate Time Require: 15-60 minutes, depending on use for Objective #1, vs. 2 & 3.

Source: Adapted from Sandra J. Ball-Rokeach, Milton Rokeach, and Joel W. Grube, “The Great American

Values Test,” Psvcholo~v Today, November 1984.


WHAT DO I (WE) WANT IN LIFE?

What Are My Values?


DIRECTIONS:

Examine each of the following items. Rank-order them, in column 2, from 1-9 (1 =highest priority;

9=lowest) according to the priority you would place on achieving them. Later, if small groups are formed,

discuss the items with other participants and arrive at a consensus ranking in column 4 for the priority

order in which you feel the typical American would rank them.

VALUE 1

Ind. Diff

2

Indiv.

3

Key

4

Group

5

Diff.

An Exciting Life

A sense of

accomplishment

A world of

beauty

Family security

Freedom

Happiness

Inner harmony

National

security

True friendship

Totals


Key to Values Exercise VALUE American’s Rank

An Exciting Life 9

A sense of accomplishment 4

A world of beauty 8

Family security 1

Freedom 2

Happiness 3

Inner harmony 6

National security 7

True friendship 5


TRUST ME

Genre: Team Building 7 Objective: To demonstrate teamwork for support, leadership, and cooperation.

Procedure: Divide group into teams of four. Participation should be voluntary. One person in each group is

blindfolded; another is the leader who will instruct the blindfolded person to go from Point A to Point B in

the room or adjacent area. The other two persons assist the leader and make certain the blindfolded

person doesn’t bump into anything. When the walk (two three minutes) is completed, switch roles and

repeat the exercise using a different route. Repeat as time allows.

Discussion Questions: 1. How did you feel when blindfolded? (Uncertain, frightened, dumb, etc.)

2. Did you trust your leader? Why or why not?

3. Did you trust your co-workers? Why or why not?

4. What did you need when you were blindfolded? (Support, assurance, advice, etc.)

5. How did this activity apply to our organization? (Need help, counsel, affirmation, etc.)

6. How about our new employees?

Materials Required: Bandanas.

Approximate Time Required: 20-30 minutes.

Source: Susan Mitchell, Barclays Bank, Poughkeepsie, NY.


Thinking on Your Feet

Genre: Sales 1 Objective: To encourage quick thinking in a pressure situation

Procedure: Similar to the “Handling Objections” exercise, this activity also has a multiplicity of uses. A few volunteers

are asked to assist in illustrating the difficulty, but importance, of being able to think quickly on one’s feet.

As an objection (as in sales training) is voiced, the trainer lights a match and hands it to the trainee. The

trainee then must respond to the question or objection before the lighted match burns down or the flame

is too close to the fingers. As soon as the response is voiced, the match is extinguished.

Discussion Questions: 1. Like the threat of that match, what other pressures may cause difficulty in these situations?

2. Was the group’s peer pressure through observation a substantial one?

3. Are there some dangers also in replying or responding too quickly to objections? If so, what are

they?

Materials Required: Box of matches

Approximate Time Required: Dependent on the size of the group, 15 minute minimum

Source: Unknown


Suggestions for Overcoming Fear of Speaking before a Group: 1. Know the material well (be an expert).

2. Practice your presentation (pilot-test, and possibly videotape yourself).

3. Use involvement techniques (participation).

4. Learn participants’ names and use them.

5. Establish your credibility early.

6. Use eye contact to establish rapport.

7. Take a course in public speaking.

8. Exhibit your advance preparation (via handouts, etc.).

9. Anticipate potential problems (and prepare probable responses).

10. Check in advance the facilities and AV equipment.

11. Obtain information about the group in advance (through observation or questionnaire).

12. Convince yourself to relax (breathe deeply; meditate; talk to yourself).

13. Prepare an outline and follow it.

14. Manage your appearance (dress comfortably and appropriately).

15. Rest up so that you are physically and psychologically alert.

16. Use your own style (don’t imitate someone else).

17. Use your own words (don’t read).

18. Put yourself in your trainees’ shoes (they’re asking, “What’s in it for me?”).

19. Assume they are on your side (they aren’t necessarily antagonistic or hostile).

20. Provide an overview of the presentation (state the end objectives).

21. Accept some fears as being good (energizing stress vs. destructive).

22. Introduce yourself to the group in advance (via a social context).

23. Identify your fears, categorize them as controllable or uncontrollable, and confront them.

24. Give special emphasis to the first five minutes (super-preparation).

25. Image yourself as a good speaker (self-fulfilling prophecy).

26. Practice responses to tough questions or situations.

27. Create an informal setting (sit on a table).


Handling Objections in Sales Training

Genre: Sales 2

Objective: To encourage participants to anticipate objections and be able to respond to them quickly and

satisfactorily

Procedure: Prepare 3 x 5 index cards on which are noted possible objections encountered in a sales situation. (Leave

one side blank.) The participant draws a card from the deck and reads aloud the objection (for example, “I

believe your price seems higher than our existing supplier’s”). The trainee must then respond

spontaneously. A critique follows from the trainer and group in which other possible answers or responses

are discussed. Then the deck is rotated to another participant, and the process is repeated.

Alternative:

An alternative way is to give the respondent a moment of preparation before vocally responding. This

method may be desirable for novice trainees to help build their confidence before demanding job like

spontaneity.

Discussion Questions: 1. What are your feelings when put on the spot like this? (Stimulated, fearful) What additional

responses can you think of now?

2. The “Yes, but” or “Yes, and” techniques are valid ones in handling objections. What other methods

are pertinent?

3. Preparation and anticipating objections are key points. How can we better remember some of our

standard responses? (Key words, a success/failure experience, etc.)

Materials Required: 3 x 5 cards

Approximate Time Required: Dependent on the size of the group; minimum 15 minutes

Source: Ray Higgins, Armour Dial Company


It’ll Never Fly, Wilbur!

Genre: Sales 3

Objective: To allow participants to identify possible roadblocks or barriers that might impede new policies or

procedures.

Procedure: In introducing a new concept, a plan of action, or a problem-solving session, the facilitator sets the stage

by identifying the objectives of the session. For example, “Our task this morning is to identify ways to

increase customer service in each of our departments.”

Then participants are immediately asked to write out 4-5 problems they see that would possibly block the

organization from achieving the goal. For example, “we don’t have time to train our people,” or “we can’t

take people off the line,” or “we can’t afford to bring in a Customer Service consultant.”

Subdivide the audience into groups of 3-4 and ask them to discuss their concerns. Then, each subgroup

writes out its 3 major roadblocks on a 3 x 5 card and reports them to the entire group. Facilitator

acknowledges comments and redistributes the 3 x 5 cards so each subgroup receives a different card.

Subgroups’ next task is to attack the problem roadblocks and creatively think of several ways to solve

them. They then report back to the entire group.

Materials Required: Flip chart, 3 x 5 cards.

Approximate time required: 20-30 minutes.

Source: Unknown.


BINGO GAME BOARD

B I N G O

1

2

3 FREE

4

5


Bingo Review

Genre: Sales 4

Objective: To assess the degree of retention of key concepts among a group of trainees.

To reinforce major terms at the end of a training session.

Procedure: Develop a set of 24-25 questions about the subject material that can each be answered with a standard

term from the training program. Sort them into five major categories. Create some identity of each

category name with the letters, B, I, N, G, and 0. Create BINGO cards for each participant. Two options

exist.

a. Generic cards. These would be exactly like traditional BINGO cards, with numbers in each of the 24

cells in the 5 x 5 matrix (the middle cell is “Free.” In this scenario, the trainer would read a question

with an associated number, and if the trainee had the number and could correctly write in the answer,

(s)he could fill in the cell.

b. Specific cards. These would have the cells previously filled in with 24 of the key terms (plus a “free”

one in the middle). Whenever a question is read, if the participant believes that one of the answers on

the card fits the question, (s) he would simply write in the question number next to it.

Whenever a participant achieves five correct answers in a row (vertically, horizontally, or diagonally), (s) he

may call out “BINGO and receive a prize. Play may continue until all 25 cells are filled, too.

Discussion Questions: 1. Which terms gave the group the greatest difficulty?

2. Which terms would you now like to have clarified?

Materials Required: A set of questions, plus a card for each participant. Inexpensive prizes.


Customer Service Categories Genre: Sales 5

Basic Structure

Players take turns to supply items that belong to a specific category related to customer service. Any player who

hesitates too long, repeats a previous item, or supplies an inappropriate item is eliminated. The last player left

standing wins the game.

Purpose

To increase fluency with various concepts, procedures, and issues related to customer service.

Minimum: Two

Time: 5 minutes to an hour, depending on the number of categories

Supplies

Slips of paper (or index cards), each with a category related to customer service. (See a list of suitable categories

after the description of this game.)

Flow:

Organize participants into play groups. If you have more than seven players, divide the total group

into smaller groups of four to seven players each. Explain that each of these groups will play the game among its

own members. Ask members of the groups to stand up.

Select a category. Ask a player to pick a piece of paper (or card) and read the category aloud.

Supply items that belong to the category. Ask each player to take a turn to say an item that

belongs to the category.

Eliminate players. Ask all players to listen to the items supplied by the other players. Ask them to eliminate

any player who commits one of these errors:

1. Hesitates too long before saying an item

2. Repeats an item that was already said

3. Says an item that does not belong to the category


Examples:

The category is “What customers expect”.

John hesitates too long because he could not come up with an example of a typical customer expectation.

He is eliminated.

Chris says, “Remember their preferences”. During a later turn, Pat says, “Don’t forget what each customer

prefers”. The other players point out that this statement is very similar to what Chris said earlier. So Pat is

eliminated.

Roger says, “A regular paycheck”. The other players claim that this statement is irrelevant because it does

not belong to the category of customer expectations. So Roger is eliminated.

Continue the game. Eliminated players sit down and do not participate in subsequent rounds. The

activity continues with the remaining players.

Conclude the game. When all players except one are eliminated, the surviving player wins the game.

Adjustments

What should I do with the eliminated players? Just to keep them actively involved in the

game, make them the judges who spot other players who make mistakes. Alternatively, ask them to

become coaches, stand near any of the remaining players, and whisper suitable items in their ears.


Customer Service Categories 1. Advice you would give to a new customer service representative

2. Benefits of customer service

3. Benefits of the team approach to customer service

4. Characteristics of a customer service champion

5. Characteristics of an ideal customer

6. Dangers of trying too hard to please a customer

7. Discovering customer’s real needs

8. Empathy statements to an upset customer

9. First-rate customer service telephone skills

10. How to apologize to a customer

11. How to be assertive with an abusive customer

12. How to close your interaction with the customer

13. How to follow up a customer interaction

14. How to get feedback from customers

15. How to handle customer complaints

16. How to interact with a customer who has a language barrier

17. How to keep a positive attitude while serving customers

18. How to make a positive first impression on the customer

19. How to make a positive lasting impression on the customer

20. How to reflect and learn after a customer service transaction

21. How to refuse an unreasonable demand from the customer

22. How to say “Good-bye” to a customer

23. How to say “Thank you” to a customer

24. How to win customer’s trust

25. Negative self talk that you should avoid while serving a customer

26. Nonverbal behaviors that customers dislike

27. Nonverbal behaviors that customers like

28. Obstacles to providing exceptional customer service

29. Points of contact with the customer

30. Positive self-talk about customer service

31. Roles we play as customer service representatives

32. Steps for getting ready to serve the customer

33. Things you can do when you’ve messed up while interacting with a customer

34. Tips for establishing rapport with a customer

35. Tips for working collaboratively with the customer

36. Tools and supplies needed to satisfy the customer

37. Ways to be a good listener

38. What customers expect

39. What e-customers expect

40. What motivates a customer-service team?

41. What motivates us to provide exceptional customer service

42. What telephone customers expect

43. What to do when the customer lies


44. What to do when you are a customer

45. What to do when you don’t have an answer


Top Three

Genre: Sales 6

Here’s a rapid learning activity that explores the relationship between competition and cooperation.

Key Idea

Participants pair up and play an apparently competitive game. Later, the facilitator reveals a cooperative

strategy that would have enabled a pair to win the championship among all participants.

Purpose

To come up with a winning strategy by analyzing the total system.

Participants

Any number divided into groups of three.

Time

5 to 10 minutes

Supplies

Several pennies and nickels (or any two different coins in your local currency).

Flow 1. Divide participants into three-person groups. Ask one participant to be the non-

playing scorekeeper. Give a penny and a nickel to each of the other two participants.

2. Explain how each round is played. Each player hides one of the two coins in her fist and

extends her hand. (The other coin is hidden in the other hand.) When both players are ready, they

open their hands to show the selected coins.

3. Explain how each round is scored:

o If both players show pennies, they each score 1 point.

o If one player shows a nickel and the other shows a penny, then the player with the nickel

scores 5 points and the player with the penny scores 1 point.


o If both players show nickels, then both players score zero.

4. Explain the championship rule. Announce that after 2 minutes of repeated play, the three

highest scoring players (among all the players in the room) will become champions. (If you can

afford it, announce a prize for each champion.)

5. Begin the play. Explain that players rapidly play as many rounds as possible during the next 2

minutes. Ask participants to begin playing and the scorekeeper to keep adding up each

participant’s score at the end of each round.

6. Conclude the play. Stop the activity after 2 minutes.

7. Identify the champions. Ask the scorekeepers to announce the scores of the two players.

Identify the top three players in the room. Declare them to be champions.

8. Debrief by asking the best strategy for the game. After listening to different ideas, point out that

the two players are not only competing against each other but also competing against all other

players to become champions. Suggest that the best strategy will be for the two players to

cooperate by taking turns to play the nickel (while the other player plays the penny) and running up

high scores. This will ensure that the two players will be the top two scorers.

9. Discuss the importance of broadening one’s thinking to identify an effective strategy.

10. Discuss questions like these:

o How can we ensure that the two players end up with the same score? Is it important to

achieve this state of equality?

o Now that everyone knows the strategy, what could be the winning strategy if we play the

game again?


EMPATHY

Genre: Sales 7

For the past few months, I have been working with a friend on training employees to more effectively and

enthusiastically display empathy during customer calls. The February issue contains two games (CONCERN

and CONCERN FOR CUSTOMERS) related to this training objective. Here’s another game in this series.

Key Idea

Different teams produce audiotape recordings of simulated telephone conversations between a customer

and a Customer Representative. These recordings incorporate key behaviors associated with the display of

empathy by the employee. One of the teams does not produce a recording but evaluates other teams’

recordings.

Index Tags

Customer service. Telephone conversations. Empathy. Roleplay. Drama. Audio game.

Purpose

To display concern and empathy during customer service conversations on the telephone.

Participants: 6

(Participants are divided into 3 to 6 teams, each with 2-7 members.)

Time Requirement

45 to 90 minutes.

Handouts

One copy of Empathy Checklist for each participant.

Equipment

One audiotape recorder (or other kind of audio recorder) for each team.


Room Setup

Tables and chairs for each team.

Flow

Brief the participants. Explain that you are going to explore techniques for displaying empathy

toward customers during telephone conversations. Distribute copies of the Empathy Checklist. Walk

participants through the items on the checklist, briefly discussing appropriate behaviors associated with

each item. Encourage participants to ask questions. Give brief responses.

Form Teams. Divide participants into 3 to 5 teams, each with 3 to 7 members. Seat each team around a

convenient table with an audiotape recorder.

Explain the production task. Explain that each team is to produce a 3-minute long audio recording

of a simulated conversation between a customer and an employee. The challenge for each team is to

incorporate at least five important items from the Empathy Checklist in this recorded conversation.

Announce a 15-minute preparation time.

Explain the evaluation task. The simulated conversation recorded by each team will be evaluated

along three dimensions:

• Authenticity: Is the conversation realistic and believable?

• Focus: Does the conversation clearly incorporate key behaviors from the Empathy Checklist?

• Dramatic: Does the conversation attract and maintain audience attention?

Randomly select one of the teams. Explain that instead of producing a simulated conversation, this team

will play the role of evaluators. Ask the team to come up with a rating scale for comparing and evaluating

different simulated conversations along the three dimensions that you identified.

Coordinate production activities. Announce the start of the 15-minute production time. Start the

timer. Let teams work on their own. Give a 5-minute warning at the end of 10 minutes. Blow a whistle at

the end of 15 minutes to signal the end of the production time.

Play the recorded conversations. Randomly select one of the teams and play its recorded

conversation. If necessary, use a microphone to make sure that everyone can hear the recording.

Encourage the members of the evaluation team to listen carefully and take notes. Stop the replay at the

end of exactly 3 minutes. Ask each member of the evaluation team to independently score the audio

recording.


Invite the next team to play its recorded conversation. Repeat this procedure until all teams have replayed

their recorded conversations.

Ask evaluators to announce their ratings. After the replay of the last recording, ask the

evaluation team to discuss their individual ratings and identify the best recording. Invite this team to

briefly explain their rating procedure and to give evaluative feedback for each recorded conversation.

Finally, ask the team to identify the best recorded conversation.

Present your comments. Congratulate the winning team. Give your feedback, focusing on how

clearly each team emphasized key behaviors from the checklist.

Conduct a debriefing discussion. Ask questions similar to those listed below. Encourage

participants to respond to each question and discuss alternative responses.

• How typical was the conversation portrayed in each recording? Which one was the most typical?

• Which item in the Empathy Checklist is the most important one? How did different teams portray

this item?

• Which item in the Empathy Checklist was frequently ignored? What was the reason for teams

ignoring it?

• Which item in the Empathy Checklist is the most difficult one to portray? How did the roleplayers

portray it?

• In each of the conversations, how would you rate the effectiveness of the employee? How could

the display of empathy be improved?

• In each conversation, how realistic were the behaviors of the customer? How could we make these

behaviors more realistic? More challenging?

• If the teams produced a 15-minute recorded conversation, what additional incidents and behaviors

would you have included?


Empathy Checklist

1. Use affirming and assuring statements to connect with customers.

2. Display true concern and interest in the customer’s situation.

3. Maintain a high-level of active listening throughout the conversation, even during emotional

outbursts.

4. Use “I” or “we” statements.

5. Use “Yes” statements frequently (“Sure, let’s take a look at that.”)

6. Avoid “No” statements.

7. Pick up on trigger statements that signal problems and issues.

8. Whenever appropriate, probe to uncover the root cause behind the customer’s questions.

9. Convey reasons behind your probing questions.

10. Whenever appropriate, paraphrase the customer’s statement and check for accurate

understanding.

11. Apologize for the organization’s mistakes and the inability to resolve the issues.

12. Explain errors that made by employees—without blaming them.

13. Use appropriate emotional responses that reflect the customer’s situation.

14. Acknowledge the customer’s feelings by using reflective statements (“It sounds like you’re quite

upset about this.”)

15. Express positive reactions when customer is pleased with your efforts or the efforts of the

organization.

16. Perform all actions promised to the customer before, during, or after the call.


WHY

Genre: Sales 8

Here’s an interesting game that produces humorous results. Hidden behind the humor, however, is subtle

provocation that forces participants to think deeply to justify some of the basic principles and assumptions

related to the training topic.

Key Idea

Participants write “Why?” questions related to the training topic. Then each participant writes a response

to someone else’s “Why?” questions. The questions and answers get mixed up, producing incongruous

results.

Purpose

To recall principles and assumptions related to leadership.

Participants: 3

Time Requirement 7 to 15 minutes

Supplies

• Index cards (or pieces of paper), one per participant

• Pens or pencils

Flow

Write a question. Distribute an index card to each participant and ask her to write a question on one

side of the card. The question must begin with the word “Why” and should be related to the training topic.

Recently we conducted the WHY game on the topic of Leadership. Here are four questions written by the

four players:

Anne: Why are charismatic leaders incapable of producing sustained results?

Bob: Why do most people prefer autocratic command-and-control leaders?


Christy: Why do some leaders get assassinated?

Dave: Why do people make a big issue of differentiating between managers and leaders?

Exchange questions. After a suitable pause, ask each player to pass the question to the player on the

left. Also ask each player to read the question given to her and think of a suitable answer that begins with

the word “Because”. Warn the players not to say or write the answer.

In our sample game, Bob got Anne’s question, Christy got Bob’s question, Dave got Christy’s question, and

Anne got Dave’s question. They read and reflected on the question and mentally worked out an answer.

Write the answer on the back of another question card. After a suitable pause, ask each

player to turn over the question card so the written side is facing down. Ask players to pass the question

card (with its blank side up) to the person on the left. Warn participants not to turn over the card they

receive to see the new question. Instead, ask them to write the answer (that they thought of during the

previous round) on the blank side of the card.

Read and laugh. Ask participants to pass the card to the person on the left. Each participant now has a

card that contains a question on one side and an answer on the other. The question and the answer are

related to each other—and that is what makes them amusing. Ask participants to read the question and

the answer and laugh at the incongruous combination. Invite participants to share the most humorous

combinations to the other seated nearby.


UPSET

Genre: Sales 9

Dealing with upset customers presents both a challenge and an opportunity. In many situations, we can

prevent upsetting customers by proactively proving excellent service. However, certain jobs, such as auto

insurance claim adjuster, require you to face customers who are upset because of things beyond your

control. This training activity helps you explore and apply techniques and principles for healing customers

who are in shock, frustration, anger, grief, fear, guilt, resentment, anxiety, and other such negative

emotional states.

Key Idea

This activity involves two teams and incorporates three rounds of team discussions followed by paired

conversations:

Round 1. One team generates typical demands and questions from upset customers while the other

team comes up with guidelines for responding to these demands and questions. Following this team

discussion, participants pair up with members of the other team and hold question-and-answer

conversations.

Round 2. Teams change their roles and repeat the same procedure.

Round 3. Both teams discuss the key lessons learned from the previous rounds and share them through

one-one-one conversations.

Index Tags

Roleplay. Upset customers. Questions. Demands. Avoiding defensiveness. Empathic listening. Customer

recovery. Large groups. Structured sharing.

Purpose

• To anticipate different complaints, demands, and questions from upset customers.

• To respond appropriately, truthfully, empathically, and without defensiveness to these complaints,

demands, and questions.

• To derive a set of guidelines for effectively responding to upset customers.

Participants

Minimum: 6


Time Requirement 25-45 minutes

Room Setup

This is primarily a stand-up activity. Remove all chairs and other furnishings from the room (or move them

to the sides, next to the walls).

Handout

A list of guidelines for handling upset customers

Supplies • Timer

• Whistle

• Pieces of paper

• Pens (or pencils)

Flow

Brief the group. Explain that this activity is about empathy listening and helping upset customers.

Specify the generic context in which participants are to play the role of customer-service representatives.

Divide participants into two teams of equal size. Designate one of them as Team A and the

other as Team B. Ask participants from Team A to temporarily remove their name tags (so everyone can

easily tell the difference between members of the two groups).

Round 1

Conduct the first round of team discussions. Ask members of Team A to brainstorm a list of

situations, complaints, demands, and questions from an upset customer. Encourage participants to include

several provocative or hostile items in their list. Suggest that team members jot down some of the

demands and questions on a piece of paper for reference during individual conversations.

While Team A is coming up with this list, ask members of Team B to brainstorm guidelines for effectively

responding to the complaints, demands, and questions from upset customers.

Announce a 3-minute time limit for the team brainstorming activities. Blow a whistle at the end of 3

minutes and conclude the activity.

Conduct the first round of paired conversations. Explain that during the next 5 minutes,

members of Team A will repeatedly pair up with different members of Team B and hold brief


conversations. Each conversation will begin with a statement, complaint, demand, or question from the

Team A member and an appropriate response from the Team B member. The conversation may continue

with additional demands and responses. Once every minute, you will blow the whistle and participants will

switch partners and begin new conversations.

Conduct this conversational activity for a total of 5 minutes.

Round 2

Conduct the second round of team discussions. Ask participants to return to their original

teams. Explain that the teams will switch their tasks. Ask members of Team B to share the complaints,

demands, and questions they responded to in the one-on-one conversations and to brainstorm additional

items associated with upset customers. At the same time, ask members of Team A to share the effective

guidelines used by the other team to respond to upset customers. Also ask them to brainstorm their own

guidelines. Announce a 3-minute time limit and blow a whistle at the end of this time to conclude the

activity.

Conduct the second round of paired conversations. Repeat the same procedure that was

used during the first set of paired conversations but with the roles of the two team members reversed:

During this round, members of Team B start the conversation by making demands and asking questions

and members of Team A respond to them. Conduct this activity for a total of 5 minutes.

Round 3

Conduct the third round of team discussion. Ask all participants to return to their original

teams and debrief themselves to share the lessons learned during the earlier activities. Ask each team to

come up with a list of guidelines for effectively, clearly, and truthfully responding to upset customers.

Conduct the third round of paired conversations. Explain that you will repeat the procedure

of conducting five one-on-one conversations between members of the two teams. However, instead of

asking and answering questions, participants will share their guidelines for handling upset customers.

Conduct the activity as before, blowing the whistle at the end of every minute to signal the time to switch

partners.

Follow up. Distribute copies of a handout with guidelines for handling upset customers. Encourage

participants to compare these guidelines with those they came up with. After the session, update your

handout by adding additional guidelines generated by the participants.


2-MINUTE DRILL

Genre: Sales 10

Here is a fast-paced game that I use to review the training content from product-knowledge or technical

publications.

Participants

6 to 25. Best game is for 12 to 25 participants, organized into groups of four or five.

Time 15 - 30 minutes.

Supplies

• Question Cards. One set of 50 or more questions for each group.

• Answer Sheet. One copy for each group.

• Handout: How To Play 2-MINUTE DRILL. One copy for each participant.

• Timer.

• Whistle.

Preparation

Get the big picture. Read the handout (which contains instructions to players and to “Game

Masters”) along with the instructions below.

Prepare Question Cards. Write 50 or more short-answer questions based on the training content.

Print each question on a separate card. Shuffle the packet of questions and number each card. Prepare a

duplicate (with the same numbers) for each group.

Prepare the Answer Sheet. Type the question numbers and the correct answers for each question.

Prepare a copy of this sheet for each group.

Flow

Demonstrate the play of the game. Distribute copies of the job aid, How To Play 2-MINUTE DRILL

to each participant. Pause while participants read the instructions. Then, ask for three volunteers to come

to the front of the room. Explain that you will be the Game Master for the first round and demonstrate the

play of the game. Invite players to refer to the job aid as they watch the game in action. At the end of the

2-minute demonstration, point out that every member of a group will have a turn to be the Game Master.


Organize groups. Divide participants into two to five groups. Each group should have three to five

players. It does not matter if some teams have an extra participant. Explain that the players in each group

compete with each other.

Distribute cards. In each group, select a player to be the first Game Master. Give a question deck to

each Game Master.

Begin the first round. Start the timer and blow the whistle. Ask Game Masters to conduct the game

with their group.

Conclude the first round. At the end of 2 minutes, blow the whistle again and ask players to stop.

Instruct each player to count the number of face-down cards that were correctly classified. This is the

player’s score for the first round.

Conduct the second round. Ask the Game Masters to collect the cards and to shuffle them. Give

the pile of cards in each group to the new Game Master (the person seated to the left of the previous

Game Master). Conduct the game as before.

Repeat the procedure. Continue playing additional rounds of the game until every member of each

group has had a turn at being the Game Master.

Conclude the game. After the final round, identify the player (or players) with the highest total score

in each group. Congratulate these players as the winners.


How To Play 2-Minute Drill

Instructions To Players

Receive a card. When the facilitator blows the whistle, the Game Master will give you a question card.

Answer the question. If you know the answer to the question on the card, yell out the card number

and the answer. If you don’t know the answer, make an educated guess.

Replace the Question Card. Wait for the Game Master to call out your card number and give you

feedback. If the Game Master says that your answer is correct, place the card in front of you with the

question side facing up. If the Game Master says your answer is incorrect, give the card back to Game

Master. In either case, get another Question Card from the Game Master.

Continue playing. Repeat the process, trying to give as many correct answers as possible within the 2-

minute period. When the Game Master stops the round, count the number of cards that you correctly

answered. This is your score for the round.

Play the next round. The game will be repeated for several 2-minute rounds. Repeat the same

procedure during each round (except during the round when you are the Game Master).


Instructions To Game Masters

Get ready. Get a deck of Question Cards from the facilitator. Also get a copy of the Answer Sheet.

Begin the round. Wait for the facilitator to blow the whistle. Immediately give everyone a Question

Card.

Listen for answers. In a little while, players will begin yelling out card numbers and answers. Since

they will not be taking turns, this is going to be chaotic.

Give feedback to the first player. Check your Answer Sheet for the card number that you heard

first. If the player’s answer is correct, say “Right!” and give the player a new card. The player will place the

correctly classified card in front of him or her with the printed side facing up. If the player’s classification is

incorrect, give the correct answer, and take the Question Card back from the player. Place the incorrectly

answered card at the bottom of the deck and give another Question Card to the player.

Do several things at the same time. Keep track of the numbers and answers yelled out by

players. Call out the next number that you heard and give appropriate feedback. Repeat the process.

Conclude the round. Keep repeating the process until the facilitator blows the whistle again. Ask

each player to count the correctly classified cards to determine the score for this round. Collect all the

cards, place them at the bottom of the deck, and give the deck to the next Game Master


FIVE IDEAS

Genre: Sales 11

Teambuilding activities create high-performance teams whose members are extremely loyal to each other

and to their team. Sometimes, however, the emphasis in teamwork results in reduced collaboration across

teams. Similar problems occur when employees become so focused on their departmental goals that they

ignore or downplay the strategic goals for the total organization.

FIVE IDEAS is an activity that encourages participants to go beyond what is good for their team or their

department and work on cooperatively achieving common goals.

Key Concept

During the first round of this activity, participants from each division of an organization identify what they

need from the other divisions. During the second round, participants are organized into heterogeneous

groups with one member from each division. These groups come up with collaborative ideas for reaching a

common goal.

Purpose

To come up with ideas for inter-team and inter-departmental collaboration for achieving common goals in

an organization.

Participants

Two to 10 members representing each different department.

Our sample activity used for illustrative purposes below involves five members representing these three

departments: service, parts, and sales.

Time

45 minutes to 3 hours (depending on the number of participants, number of divisions they represent, and

amount of detail required)

Supplies • Flip charts

• Felt-tipped pens

• Timer


• Whistle

Flow

Specify a common goal. At the beginning of the activity, announce a goal that requires

collaboration among the different divisions. Briefly discuss how the achievement of this goal can be

measured.

Paul, who is facilitating participants from three different departments, has a choice of several common

goals: making a record profit for the next quarter, reducing employee turnover, and developing new service

lines. He eventually decides to stick with the mundane (but important) goal of providing excellent customer

service. During the discussion of this goal, participants suggest that a reduction in the waiting time and an

increase in positive customer feedback could be used as measures for checking the achievement of this

goal.

Organize participants into homogeneous groups. Assign everyone from the same

department to the same group. (However, if there are more than seven people from each department,

divide them into more than one group.)

Paul has a simple task. He organizes three groups of service, parts, and sales, and assigns the five members

from each department to the appropriate group. (If there were 11 people from each department, Paul

would have created one group of six and another group of seven.)

Assign tasks to the homogeneous groups. Ask members of each group to brainstorms a list of

ideas in response to the question, “How can employees from the other departments help us better

achieve the common goal?” Encourage groups to come up with a long list and shrink it down to the top

five ideas. Announce a suitable time limit.

Pam is a member of the service department. She suggests that the sales group should provide them with a

clearer picture of what each customer wants. Someone else in the group suggests that the sales group

should stop making rash promises to the customer. The group also decides that they want better

coordination with the parts group to avoid service delays. The other two groups work out similar lists of

what they want from the remaining groups. Each group records its ideas on a flip chart.

Get ready to conclude the first round of the activity. Five minutes before the end of the

allotted time, blow a whistle to get participants’ attention. Ask each group to identify its top five ideas for

achieving the common goal. Ask individual participants to take notes about the final list. Explain that every

participant would need this information during the next phase of the activity.

Reorganize participants into heterogeneous groups. Blow the whistle at the end of the

allotted time. Now, reorganize the participants into several groups that contain one member from each of

the previous (homogeneous) groups.


Paul divides participants into five groups of three members each. Pam ends up in a group with Alan from

sales and Kathy from parts.

Assign tasks to the heterogeneous groups. Ask members of the group to brainstorm a list of

ideas in response to the question, “How can employees from different departments work with each other

to achieve our common goal?” Encourage participants to use their ideas from the previous round in a

flexible fashion. As before, encourage each group to begin with a long list and whittle it down to the top

five ideas.

Pam is somewhat irritated by the unreasonable expectations of the other two members of her new group.

After some debate, all three group members focus on the common goal, compromise their initial

demands, and come up with creative strategies.

Get ready to conclude the activity. Five minutes before the end of the assigned time, blow the

whistle and ask the groups to identify the top five ideas. Also ask each group to list the final set of ideas on

the flip chart and get ready to make a presentation.

Share the ideas. Select a group at random and ask its spokesperson to present the final set of five

ideas. Encourage members of the other groups to listen carefully. Repeat the procedure until all groups

have made their presentation.

Conduct individual action planning activity. Give an index card or a piece of paper to each

participant. Ask participants to write down five ideas in response to the question, “How can I individually

contribute to the achievement of the common goal?” Tell participants that they could record earlier ideas

from their groups, or ideas from other groups, or new ideas. Announce a suitable time limit.


Don’t Alaap Apna Raag

Genre: Sales 12

Objective: Understanding the importance of Standardization. One team one goal

Duration - 5 to 7 minutes

Timing of Activity: Post Lunch. This activity can also be useful while explaining the sales process –

The need for following the sales process of Bharti Axa Life Insurance.

Activity

The trainer divides the entire batch into groups (4 – 5 per group)

Each group is asked to select a song of their choice.

Once each group has finalized their song, all of them are asked to start singing the song very loudly at the

same go.

Their will be total chaos in the training room since every one is singing their own song.

After 2 min. the trainer requests every one to stop singing & ask the participants randomly if they were

able to identify the songs sung by the other group.

Result: Probably no one will be able to do that.

The trainer now gives a common song to all the participants / groups (preferably a motivational one) &

now asks them to start singing once again for a minute or so.

The groups will be much organizes this time.

The trainer should now ask the participants to analyze both the situations.


Result: Participants will themselves understand that every one should be on a single thought or platform

while performing a common task.

The trainer here also need to built upon the need for every one to be focused on one goal of the

organization since otherwise it will become a “Khichdi”


Ruk Jana Nahin

Genre: Sales 13

Duration: 10 – 15 Minutes.

Objective: Problem solving. Don’t run around problems, look for the solutions.

Timing Of Activity: Any time during the workshop. Preferably in a sales workshop.

Requirements: 15 -20 Chairs arranged in a zig zag manner in the training room.

Ask for 4- 5 volunteers & have them take a good look of the entire room.

Give them a destination to be reached at the end of the room.

Now, blind fold them & ask them to reach the assigned destination without touching/colliding with the

chairs.

Meanwhile, silently remove half of the chairs from the room.

The volunteers will try to reach the assigned destination taking every effort not to touch the chairs as per

the arrangement shown to them.

Once every one has reached the assigned destination ask them to open their eyes & have a re – look of the

entire room. They will be surprised to find that there are just half of the chairs in the room to which they

had taken precaution of not colliding with them.

Learning: Obstructions are all in the mind. We perceive lot of obstructions in our mind before

getting on to the actual job; however, most of the obstacles are baseless.


Sales styles: A Role Experience

Genre: Sales 14

Goals To demonstration the impact of four different sales styles (Product-centered, company centered,

customer –centered, Self–styled) on different customers

i. To demonstrate the need for flexibility in sales styles

ii. For understanding the customer.

Group size Groups of 12 participants any number of groups may be used.

Time required About 3 hours

Materials i. Role identity cards – four different salesman (Red, Blue Green Yellow )

Four customers (Red, Blue, Green Yellow) and four observers (Red, Blue, Green, Yellow)

ii. Role briefing sheets for the respective roles (a total of six- role briefs)

iii. Customer, observer and salesman rating sheets

Process i. The facilitator explains the overall structure of the exercise and the procedures

ii. To be followed while working on it. He announces the product or the item which

a. Will be sold by the salesmen and if possible distributes illustrated sales

b. Literature of the product

iii. The facilitator divides the total participant group into groups of 12 each. Or alternately

accommodates available number of participants in a changed scheme of group formation, where

less then 12 but more than 9 participants.

iv. The facilitator invites the groups members to choose their respective roles

a. And helps them put on their “Role Identity card”. He, then, distributes the

b. “Role briefing sheets “and “Evaluation Forms “to the respective role players

c. He then suggests the role-players to spend about 10 minutes to themselves recapitulating

their role without any discussion with other members.

v. While the salesman and the customers are busy recapitulating their respective

a. Roles, the facilitator holds a brief session separately with all the observers together here he,

either reads out to them the “guidelines for the observers”


b. Or explains the procedure that they have to follow while participating in the exercise.

c. He also provides deeper insights into the various dimensions on

i. Which they are expected to observer and assess the salesman-customer

transactions by acquainting them with the variety of verbal and non-verbal

ii. Behaviors that they are likely to observe during the course of the interactions.

vi. The facilitator then, assembles the total group together. He suggests the four Customers to be

seated in four different corners of the rooms at such a distance that their discussions in dyads with

salesman are not audible to other groups.

Then he goes around meeting them individually to enquire if they have any questions.

vii. Once this is over the facilitator suggests the observes to go and join their respective customers and

to sit at such a distance from the customer that

a. The interaction of the salesman –customer pair remain audible and visible to him but his

presence does not distract them. When the observers are thus seated with individually if

they have any question, suggests appropriate name for their companies for inserting on

their respective role identity card and then signals them to meet their scheduled customers

to commence their first round of interactions.

viii. After 15 minutes the facilitator announces closure of the first round, and

Request the respective role-player to spend sometime (10 minutes) to themselves rating the

transactions (they have just completed) on the rating form provided to them in their respective

sets.

ix. The facilitator then requests the salesmen to change their pairs. When the salesmen are thus

reseated he announces the starting time for the round. In this manner he helps the group complete

the four rounds of interactions as provided in the design of the exercise.

x. After a brief break of 10 to 15 minutes, which fallows the assessment – recoding after the fourth

round, the entire group reassemblies together as at the beginning of the exerciser, at this stage the

facilitator distributes to the salesmen and to customers the copy of the “Observer briefing sheet”.

After allowing 5 to7 minutes reading time he proceeds to tabulate (either on the black-board or on

a flip-chart) the consolidated assessments by respective role players:

• Salesman-wise consolidated assessment by all customers.

• Customer-wise consolidated by all –customer-wise consolidated assessment by all salesmen

xi. After tabulating the assessments, the facilitator invites the group to discuss the data if necessary by

raising points such as;

• Which of the salesman was most effective and why?

• Which of the salesman created good impressions and why?

• How realistically did the respective salesmen assess their effectiveness?

• What significant processes came to surface or were involved during the course of various

transactions?

• What different interaction patterns were noticed by the observes?

xii. The facilitator at this stage discloses the predominant characteristics of the respective roles of the

four salesmen which were so far referred to only by their “color” identities.


xiii. The facilitator then initiates of a process of feedback by inviting contributions from the group by

referring directly to the sales styles (as product-centered style etc.)With a view to highlight the

distinguishing features of different sales styles as revealed by the analysis of the process of

interactions. it may also prove useful to relate these features to the ratings given to salesmen by

the customers, and also by the observers.

The 8 dimensions outline in the observation form go a long way in providing significant feedback to role

players even on those behaviors which are not specified in the “Guidelines for role-players”. The

statement-role players may not get so over concerned about playing their specified styles that they may

neglect

The participants who play the “customer” role in this session may have to be briefed individually (in

private) to play only the role of moderate need customer so as to keep this variable constant for the two

or three different rounds in this session.

After each round of role-play, the observer group could give feedback in common, on the basis of

assessments made by all members (other than the “salesman”) individually.


Role Brief for Salesman Yellow

You are going to play the role of sales representative of a company which is manufacturing the product

announced by your instructor. The company has begun to gain a good reputation and has established a

name in the manufacture of this product. The name of the company is

“…………………………………………………………….” (Please insert here and your id card an appropriate name for this

company n consultation with your Instructor).

You have been on this job of sales representative for almost a year now. During this one year, you have

acquired a particular style of talking to people for selling your products. On the basis of your experiences

you have developed into sales men who believe that a lucid narration of your experiences about selling

this product pays better dividends while persuading people to but them. You believe that people can be

made to buy any brand provided the salesmen know how to sell it. In your view very few items on the

market get sold on the strength of intrinsic merits of the products. It is the flair and image of the salesmen

that really makes for the sale. You therefore talk about the number of items you have been able to sell in

the past, and about how well you have been received by customers, about the many agencies that are

after you to work in selling this product. You talk about the problems faced by other salesmen in the field,

stating in the same vein how you have to sell a few more items to have achieved a most challenging target

which you have set for yourself. In other words, you will enact the role of a salesman who talks about

himself, about his accomplishments and experiences. Your basic belief is that customers buy from

successful salesmen. Your thought processes are full of your achievements and your experiences.

In the process of enacting this role, you will be visiting four customers one after the other. You will

approach them with improvised talking points and presentation consistent with your role. You will have to

develop the presentation yourself. Think about how to talk to the customer. You have to talk to him

without sacrificing either realism or sounding yourself artificial. You have 15 minutes to be spent with each

customer. After you are through with each of these customers you will spend then minutes to yourself, in

seclusion, to rate the customer you have met, on the basis of the transactions which you had with him.

You will use the Salesmen Rating Form provided to you. Part 1 of the Form you will fill in immediately after

you are through with a customer. Whereas the part 2 (on its backside) is to be filled in when you have

finished with all the four customers.

Role Brief for Salesman Blue




“…………………………………………………………….” (Please insert an appropriate name for this company n

consultation with your Instructor. Repeat the same name on your identity card).


acquired a particular style of talking to persuade people in buying your products. On the basis of such

experiences you have developed into a salesman who believes that the easiest way to sell items is by

impressing on the customer the superiority of the company rather that glorifying merits of the product.

You believe that people buy not so much by the qualities or merits of the product but by the name of the

company. You do not expect customers to possess such deep insights into qualitative appreciation of

products. Hence you believe in impressing them by talking about the company, in pointing to tae awards


the company has won in the international markets, and about things which highlight the accomplishments

and reputation of the company. You talk only marginally about the merits or qualities of the product you

selling. In other works you have to enact the role of sale representative who displays great reliance on the

reputation of the organization while making sales an who expresses a deep sense of prod in working for

the company. Your belief is that customer but from sales men who represent companies with a very good

image.


approach them whit improvised talking points and presentation consistent with your role. You will have to

develop this yourself. Think about how to describe your product impressively without sacrificing realism.

You have 15 minutes to be spent with each customer.

After are through with each of these customer, you will spend 10 minutes to yourself, in seclusion to rate

the customer you men and transaction you had with him.




Role Brief for Salesman Green








experiences you have developed into a salesman who believes that it is the customer who mattes most. In

your opinion what generally persuades people in buying is the understanding you show to you customer

about his needs, and the way you build up a personal relationship with him. You believe in selling to

customer only when they are likely to benefit genuinely by the purchase. You keep enquiring about the

personal welfare of the customer and seek to establish friendly relations with him. You show respect for

his opinions and remain sensitive to his reservation. Your basic belief is that customers buy from friendly

and likeable salesmen. You rarely talk about your company or about the special qualities of the product in

other words you have to enact the role of a sales man who believes in expressing a concern for customers

and their problems.


approach them with improvised talking points and presentation consistent with your roles. You will have

to develop this presentation yourself. Think how to talk to him without sacrificing either realism or

sounding yourself artificial. You have 15 minutes to be spent with each customer.

After you are through with each one of these customer you will spend ten minutes to yourself, in

seclusion, to rate the customer you have met, on the basis of the transactions which you had with him


Role brief for Red








experiences you have developed into a salesman who believes that is the quality of knowledge of the

product of which matters in promoting sales. In your view it is the description and presentation of the

product which persuades people to by. you believe in talking about the about the excellence of the

product, its superiority over similar products, the distinctive features of its manufacture, the vast range of

advantages that it offers and of its such other characteristic features which single it out from other brands

on the market. You believe that it is these merits of the product which persuade the customer to buy it.

You rarely talk about your company. In other words, you have to enact the role of a sales representative

who displays high esteem for the product he is selling. Your basis belief is that customer by from salesmen

who display the product knowledge.

In the process of enacting this role, you will be visiting four customer one after the other you will approach

them with improvised talking points and presentation consistent with your role. You will have to develop

this yourself. Think about how to describe your product impr4essively without sacrificing realism. You have

15 minutes to be spent with each customer.

After you are through with each of these customer, you will spend 10 minutes to yourself, in seclusion, to

rate the customer you me and the transaction you had with him.




Role Brief for Customer Red, Green, Blue and Yellow

You are going to play the role of customer who has been planning to buy a ‘quality’ product of type

announced by the Instructor, even if this means a long wait for you. You are no in need of the product

immediately but would like to have one of the quality is gook.

Today you are going too have a few salesmen from different companies visiting you. They come with their

products and product description. They will be you one after another.

When a salesman comes to you, you will not tell him straight that you are not interested in his product.

Generally customers of this type talk of their experiences with other similar products and complain. You

may or may not like to tell him about your experience. But you will give him enough opportunity to talk his

own way. You are going to react to him with poise, devoid of any manifest disinclination to by an Indian

product. You have about 15 minutes to talk to each one of these salesmen and to make up your mind.

Even in the end, you are not going to reveal you decision to buy or not to buy. You will simply tell him, in

the end, that you will let him know your decision the next day.


You will enact this role afresh for every other salesman who comes to meet you i.e., even if you have

decided in your mind not to buy from either of them, you will still role-play as though you have not made

up you mind yet. You will not refuse to talk to any of these salesmen, and will interact with all of then

indication your interest in them though not in their product.

Soon after each salesman leaves you, you will spend ten minute to yourself, and folk in the Customers

Rating Form (Part 1) for the respective salesman on all the three dimensions. Once having completed your

assessment for the fourth salesman in Part 1 of the Form, you will give your comparative assessment of all

the four transaction in Part 2.

Please do not reveal to anyone at any stage during the interaction process, that you are going to rate the

salesman who meets you.

Role Brief for Observers

Your customer color ______________

Your name ______________

1. The exercise provides for interactions between four salesmen and four customers, each one of

whom represents a different orientation in sales style and product need, respectively. They interact

impairs accounting to a pre-arranged schedule which will be announced by the Instructor.

2. The salesman-customer transactions in this exercise take place simultaneously in four pair. The

exercise provides for four rounds of interactions to complete the full circle of transactions in pairs

between all the four customers and the four salesmen.

3. You are going to play the role of observer in this exercise. You will observe interaction between one

customer and four different salesmen.

4. you will choose your customer and write his color identity (e.g. red, blue, green or yellow) n the

box provided at top right on this page; and remain yourself with this customer throughout the

exercise.

5. To avoid overlapping of choice of the customer between the four observers, you will select your

customer in consultation with other observers.

6. There are four observers, each one of whom will observe the transactions in their respective pairs

of the salesman and the customer spread over four rounds. The dimensions on which you would

observe the transaction are outlined in the “Observe Briefing Sheet”. You will keep note on various

dimension of the interaction and exchange these notes with the interacting person, only after the

four are over.

7. Your role expects you to silently observe the process and also to note the content of the

transactions. At no stage, however, you will intervene in this process either verbally or no-verbally.

8. You will assess these transaction in the ‘Observation For provided in this set. One separate

observation for is to used for one salesman.


Observation Form Your name ______________ Salesman color ______________

On this Form you will record your observations in brief for your own use regarding observed behaviors,

significant statements or expressions. Any important customer reaction which has a bearing on the

following 8 dimensions is to be recorded.

Dimensions Of Salesman – Customer Transaction

1. Opening a sale

2. Client-needs assessment

3. Content of transaction - Motivational

Brief Clarification

Information

4. Listening Skills

5. Practiced Sales Style. Please write whether he was “product – centered’, Company – Centered”,

“Customer – Centered” or Salesman (Self) – Centered;, and give reasons for your assessment by

quoting from the transactions

6. Velocity & Tone

7. Climate Describe By using either of the following adjectives: “Tense: Relaxed”; Friendly”;

“Unfriendly”; “Warm”; “Cold”; “Directive’; “Non-Directive”; “Argumentative”; Composed”;

Etc. Try and justify your assessment by relating it to observed behaviors

8. Close of the Sale & Length of Transaction


2. Feedback: (What Suggestion You Would Like To Make To This Salesman)

Stop Doing

Reduce

Start Doing

Increase

4. Skill Assessment:

i. Please rate his capacity as a Salesman

ii. In your opinion what is the probability of the customer buying the product from this

salesman (out of on a 5 point scale, where 1 denotes the highest and 5 the lowest)

Capacity Probability


Customer Rating Form

Part 1

Your name ______________ Your color ______________

Please mark ‘x’ in the box in appropriate salesman column below, to represent your thoughts after, the

increase with him.

DIMENSIONS FOR ASSEMENT:

1. ACCEPTANCE THOUGHT:

Which one of the following thoughts comes to your mind after your interaction with this salesman?

I will not hesitate to buy from him

if I need it

Red Blue Green Yellow

I will not buy from him even if I

need it

I will recommend it to my friend

who needs it

I will caution my friend to be

careful before he buys this

product, since I am not convinced

FEELINGS:

A set of eight bi-polar adjectives are presented each one of the four assessment blanks on the back

page. There are seven blank spaces between the bi-polar adjective which provide scope for indication

the degree of intensity of your feelings broadly expressed within the range. You will express your

feelings which were left behind in you after your interaction with this salesman. By ticking () and of the

seven blank space provided on the bipolar axis.

For Example

Warm _______________________ Cold


Customer Rating Form

Please tick (√) mark the appropriate blank space on all the 8 dimensions immediately after your interaction

with the respective salesman.

Salesman

Red

Active Passive

Good Bad

Warm Cold

Impressive Unimpressive

Sharp Dull

Efficient Unfriendly

Friendly Inefficient

Patient Impatient

Salesman

Blue

Active Passive

Good Bad

Warm Cold


Sharp Dull



Patient Impatient

Salesman

Green

Active Passive

Good Bad

Warm Cold


Sharp Dull



Patient Impatient

Salesman

Yellow

Active Passive

Good Bad

Warm Cold


Sharp Dull



Patient Impatient


Customer Rating Form - PART 2

Fill in this part of the form only when you are through with all the four salesmen. Here you are giving a

comparative assessment based on all the four interactions.

If at all you have to buy the product, from who would you like to buy meet, and from whom the least?

Please indicate below the respective color identities of the salesmen in your mind.

Most ______________ Least _______________


Salesman Rating Form - Part 1

Your name ______________ Your color ______________

Please give your assessment of each one of the customer on the three dimensions outlined below. You

have to record your assessment immediately after you have completed the round of interactions with

the respective customer. For example after you have interacted with the Customer Red, you will assess

him on all the three dimensions in the column marked in this form for red Customer.

Please mark ‘x’ in that box in the respective customer column which approximates your rating.

Dimensions of assessment Rating Scale Customer

Red Blue Green Yellow

1. How satisfied you are with

the intereaction you had with

this customer

Very much

satisfied

Somewhat

satisfied

Neither satisfied

nor dissatisfied

Somewhat

dissatisfied

Very much

dissatisfied

2. What is your assessment of

this Customer’s need to buy

the product you were

endeavoring to sell?

Very high

High

Medium

Low

Negative

3. In your opinion, what is the

probability of this Customer

purchasing the product

State the

probability in

percentage figure

in the box

opposite


Salesman Rating Form - Part 2

Your name ______________ Salesman color ______________

After having completed all the four rounds of interactions with the four customers’s you will introspect

for a while about the entire range or transacting. Then write in brief below, the thoughts are still in your

mind even after the process was over. Please state your reactions like feelings of comfort or discomfort,

happiness or unhappiness, satisfaction or dissatisfaction, nervousness or exhilaration etc, by specifying

the occasions.


Consensus

Genre: ASSERTIVENESS 1

Summary: A group decision-making activity.

Objectives: Team-building.

Assertiveness.

Decision making.

Materials: Checklists (see below), Pens.

Timing: One hour.

Procedure: 1. Hand out the checklist and ask participants to rank their ten most important qualities in descending

order of importance. When they have done so, ask them to remove the five lowest.

2. Ask the group to come to a consensus as to which are the most important qualities in a 20 minute

period. Observe them doing so.

3. Discuss with the group how they came to the consensus they reached.

Commentary: The group may well seek further advice on terms of reference, or complain that the task is too hard. The

trainer should remain outside the group and not offer directive advice. If the group abandons a constraint

like Pillow Talk then this should be allowed and then talked through in the discussion phase.

Instances

Variations: 1. If your learning points are about team-building then at Stage 2 ask group members to rank each

member according to how dominant they think they are. Share these and get each person to work

out their average rank (the total score they have been given by themselves and others divided by

number of people in the group). A low score means they are perceived as dominant. Divide the

group into sub-groups according to dominance and then go through Stage 2.

2. It is possible to use other qualities like “Qualities of an effective manager” elicited through

brainstorming the whole group, if that is something that can be drawn on later in the course.

3. The group processes can be recorded by the trainer using video and/or an interaction analysis like

that of Bales (Swenson 1973, pp. 195-207) ‘or Rackham (1977). This will increase the processing

time considerably.


Personal qualities checklist: To me it is ‘important that another person can:

-have a good sense of humor - be wise

- be kind -state their bottom line

-have fun -be logical

-be understanding -be accepting

-be friendly -know a lot

-be outrageous , -listen

-be trustworthy -be cynical

-be outgoing -be generous

-take a joke -be confident

-be honest -be consistent

-be critical -be attractive

-be able to understand my feelings -be calm

-be talkative -understand me

-be able to listen -be correct

-be creative -be aggressive

-be stylish -be in control

-be spontaneous -be doing the best you can

-be mature -be lively

-be child-like -be predictable


Appreciative Disagreements

Genre: Assertiveness 2

Summary: Participants try to change each other’s minds while the other person practices non-

confrontational responses.

Objectives: Non-verbal cbmrnunication.

Motivation.

Assertiveness.

Materials: None.

Timing: 20 minutes.

Procedure: 1. Ask participants to work in pairs and ‘choose a topic on which they will disagree. It does not matter

if they both have the same view.

2. Invite them to take opposing views and do all they can to persuade the other to change his/her

mind. Explain that at a signal they will swap over roles. Responses should be in the form “I

appreciate/I agree/I respect . . . AND” (note “and” and not “but”).

3. On’ a signal ask them to exchange roles.

Commentary: Often those who have started arguing against their “natural” view report difficulty in changing back to

what they “really” believe. Explore how the ‘acknowledgement in the form of words used affected their

ability to take a hostile’ attitude. This is a good exercise to do immediately after War of Words. You may

wish to have said something about the theory of assertiveness before starting on this exercise.


Am/Seem


Summary: Exploration of how group members see themselves and are seen by others.

Objectives: Self-disclosure

Team-building

Assertiveness.

Materials: Prepared cards (see below).

One card for each group member with his or her name on it.

Pens.

Pins.

Timing: 30 minutes.

Procedure: 1. Pin up the name cards round the room at an equal distance from each other.

2. Give each participant a set of the prepared cards and explain that each person has the same ones.

You may wish to eliminate some items or add others, depending on the level of trust established

within the group.

3. Invite participants to pin the cards under the name of the person they consider most appropriate. If

you think it will help the group then start them with their own name and ask them to move

clockwise at the same time so that nobody knows who has given what card to whom.

4. Invite them to circulate and look at their own and others’ lists.

5. Discuss the extent to which people’s perceptions of themselves differed from those of others. Note

how this can even apply to apparently “objective” categories like height.

Commentary: On a team-building-course it will not be appropriate to include the trainer. In other contexts

it might.

Variations 1. Give different people different but overlapping sets of cards.

2. Provide some blank cards for people to put their own categories.

3. In the discussion, ask what other categories people would have liked to have.

4. Use blank cards only.


Sample cards 1. Person who makes me laugh the most.

2. Kindest person.

3. Most outgoing person.

4. Most hard working person.

5. Most perceptive person.

6. Untidiest person.

7. Most reliable person.

8. Friendliest person.

9. Silliest person.

10. Most unreliable person.

11. Most scatterbrained person.

12. Most flexible person.

13. Most trustworthy person.

14. Most serious person.

15. Mast prejudiced person.

16. Most critical person.

17. Person I would most share my feelings with.

18. Most talkative person.

19. Most spiritual person.

20. Most untrustworthy person.

21. Most artistic person.

22. Person who most often irritates me.

23. Youngest. Person

24. Cleverest person

25. Most logical person

26. Most accepting person.

27. Least prejudiced person.

28. Wisest person.

29. Most passive person.

30. Person I would most like to work with.

31. Most cynical person.

32. Oldest person.

33. Greediest person.

34. Person I would most like to go on holiday with.

35. Most generous person.

36. Smartest person

37. Person who made the least impression on me.

38. Most fashionable person.

39. Person I would most like to be my boss.

40. Most beautiful person.

41. Most .aggressive person.


The Chairs


Summary: In pairs participants try and persuade each other to get up off a chair.

Materials: A hard chair.

Timing: 30 minutes.

Objectives: Assertiveness.

Non-verbal communication.

Procedure: 1. Ask for a volunteer and sit them in the chair in the centre. Ask for another volunteer.

2. Explain that the task of the second volunteer is to persuade the first to get out of the chair. If they

wish they can dramatize a situation which they might be in and take that as their starting point

(examples below). They may not touch the person, but may say anything they like, and it is up to

the person sitting whether she or he vacates the seat.

3. Invite another pair to try.

4. Lead a discussion. Discover the kinds of arguments people used. Why did they think that argument

would work? Were they the ones that they would have liked used on them? Would you let

anything work on you? If not, why not? Often a simple “I would feel better if you stood up” works.

If they have a dramatized situation then explores other options. Consider whose rights (if anyone’s)

were in danger of being violated. Consider the non-verbal communication used by the parties.

Commentary: This is based on the same game type as Fists.

Variations: 1. Instead of asking for a second volunteer invite the rest of the group to take turns in improvising. This

“brainstorm” approach can work well.

2. The first three stages can be done by the whole group in pairs.


Situation examples: 1. Finding someone in your seat at the theatre.

2. Returning to find your seat occupied on a train.

3. Finding “your” seat taken in the course-room on the

4. Being a clumsy waiter.

5. Head waiter trying to close a restaurant.

6. Operating an electric chair.

7. Being an office cleaner.

8. Sitting in an aircraft that is about to crash.

9. Mother telling her child to come in for dinner.

10. Deck-chair attendant.

11. Dentist.

12. Officer evacuating the Titanic.

13. Nurse getting a patient back into bed.

14. Elderly person needing a seat on the underground.


First Impressions

Genre: ASSERTIVENESS 5 Summary: Exercise exchanging first impressions.

Objectives: Self-perception.

Self-disclosure.

Attribution.

Materials: Paper and pens (optional).

Flipchart.

Timing: 30 minutes.

Procedure: 1. Remind group members of the first time that they saw each other. Introduce an exercise to share

these impressions and to consider their accuracy.

2. Go through a list of questions on a flipchart:

What was your first impression on me?

What things about me gave you that impression?

Did I remind you of, anyone else? Was that important?

Do you want to know if that was the impression I wanted to give?

How accurate do you now feel the impression you had of me is?

3. Invite group members to form pairs and share their first impressions. Say that you will ask them to

change after seven minutes.

4. After three combinations bring the group back together and ask what people have learned about

the first impressions that people make.

Commentary: Once participants have started this, they will often want to do it with everyone else. Time rarely allows

this. Invite them to continue outside the course room if necessary. This exercise works best with people

who are all strangers at the start of the course.


Just a Minute

Genre: ASSERTIVENESS 6 Summary: An exercise to test knowledge of a topic by timed talking in a competitive situation.

Objectives: Attention switching.

Energizer.

Validation.

Materials: Whiteboard to score on and markers.

Stopwatch

Bell or whistle for trainer.

Something for participants to make noises with (like whistles, bells).

Prepared list of cards with topics relating to the subjects of the course on them

Scoring system set out on newsprint.

Timing: 30 minutes.

Procedure: 1. Explain that the objective of the exercise is to speak for one minute, without deviation, hesitation

or repetition, on a topic suggested by the trainer. Participants can challenge one another (one

point if correct, one point to the speaker if incorrect), and whoever speaks as the whistle goes gets

another point. Bonus points to anyone who speaks for the whole minute.

2. Start with a trivial round on a topic suggested by the trainer (like “knees”) and proceed to further

rounds. Then do the real thing. Use suggestions for topics by the participants, and topics relating to

the learning points of the training event.

Variations: 1. Invite participants to suggest topics.

2. Have participants working in two teams.

3. Just a Minuet is a musical variation. Individuals (or teams) sing a well-known song, but when a word

is repeated they must use a different word or expression each time. The challenger then continues

until the minute is up. You may give teams lyric sheets, but it is still a difficult and enjoyable fun

activity.


Decisions, Decisions!

Genre: Assertiveness 7

Objective: To show to participants the desirability of committing themselves to intellectual positions, but only after

careful listening for input with which to make potential decisions. To convince participants of the merits of

remaining flexible so as to absorb new inputs and adapt to new rationale.

Procedure: Ask all participants to stand in the center of the room. Quickly share with them a brief scenario that results

in a dilemma, or the essence of a controversial topic of contemporary interest. Then state a key assertion

flowing from that story. For example, relate the incident from the movie Dead Poets Society in which one

of the students wishes to spend some time working in the theater, but his father dictates that he shall not

because it would detract from his studies. Assertion: The father’s position is defensible. (Many other

examples abound, such as abortion, euthanasia, legalization of drugs, etc.)

Designate each comer of the room as space for those who Strongly Agree, Somewhat Agree, Somewhat

Disagree, or Strongly Disagree. Ask participants to move to the comer of the room that best represents

their current position on the assertion. If they have “No Opinion,” they should temporarily stay in the

middle of the room, but must eventually choose a comer. (Note: Not all comers will necessarily have

someone in them.)

Now ask volunteers from any comer to voice their reasoning. Individuals may, at any time, move from one

corner to another, thus indicating that they have changed their mental position on the issue—either

directionally (agree—disagree) or by degree (somewhat—strongly).

Discussion questions: 1. How flexible are you on controversial issues? Are you truly open to new inputs and arguments?

2. What kinds of arguments are most effective in swaying opinions?

3. How can we discipline ourselves to become better listeners?

Material Required: None


On Your Face

Genre: Communication 1 Summary: Identification of labels through the responses they evoke.

Objectives: Energizer Non-verbal communication

Attributions

Materials: Marker pens

Prepared headbands (examples given below). Two strips of paper or card of A4 length taped together

will fit an average head.

Timing: 20 minutes.

Procedure: 1. Form participants into pairs, excluding the trainers. Explain that you are going to put a headband

onto each participant which will offer instructions on how that person is to be treated by others.

Do so. They should not get the chance to see their own headbands.

2. Ask pairs to find as many areas of common interest as they can in ten minutes, reacting to each

other as though the labels were true.

3. After ten minutes stop the discussion and, as a group, talk about how people managed to guess

what was on their headband. Ask them for parallels from their own experience. How might such

messages be transmitted? Are they aware of any such messages that they give to other people?

Commentary: This activity is related to Amnesia and Labels. It can also be used to explore the internal “voices” that seem

to push people into behaving in certain ways.

Variations: 1. Rather than talking in pairs, participants can form a group and discuss any topic in that context.

2. Blank headbands can be handed out and participants asked to fill them out and put them on

someone else’s head.


Selves and Possibilities

Genre: Communication 2

Summary: Comparison of self in different circumstances with ideal self.

Objectives: Self-development.

Self-disclosure.

Team-building.

Action planning.

Materials: Blank cards (six per person).

Pens.

Timing: 25 minutes.

Procedure: 1. Distribute the cards to participants individually.

2. Explain that you are going to ask them to think about themselves in different situations. Ask them

to think of words to describe “What I am like when I am at work”. Two or three adjectives are all

that is required.

3. Then do them same for “What I am like when I am at home”, and “What I am like when I am by

myself”.

4. Then do the same for “What I would like to be when I am at work”, “What I would like to be when I

am at home”, and “What I would like to be when I am by myself”.

5. Invite them to discuss in pairs what the differences are between their present and the ideal state,

and what might be the best way of reconciling the two.

6. Invite them to share anything they wish with the main group.

Commentary: The approach used here is based on that of Carl Rogers to counseling, which was to consider the difference

between the self and the ideal self (Rogers 1951). The trainer interested in adding a short input session on

this approach could consult Hampden-Turner (1981).

Variations: 1. Invite participants to close their eyes and imagine themselves in the various states.

2. Choose all work related situations (for example, “What I am like as a line manager”, “What I would

like to be being managed by others”).


3. Carry out the exercise at the start and at the end of the course and ask participants to look at the

differences.

4. At Stage 5, place more emphasis on pairs comparing the different ideal states, present states, and

the differences between them.


Transmitting Information


Objective: To demonstrate that information transmitted loses much of its content when passed through

“channels.”

Procedure: Take any recent article (2-3 paragraphs) that is not currently “in the news.” Divide the group into teams of

4 or 5 people each. Tell them to count off, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 so that each person is identified in sequence. Ask

those numbered as #1 to stay in the room and all others to move outside the room. Then, tell those

remaining that you’re going to read them a story; they should not take notes, but merely listen to it. After

you’ve read the story (with no questions allowed), ask the #2’s to return to their tables, where the #l’s will

repeat the story to them. Then the #3’s are brought in and hear the story from the #2’s while the #1’s

observe. Continue the sequence until all have participated. Then at random have some of the number 5’s

repeat what they heard.

Discussion Question: 1. Of the initial story, how much was lost in the respective transmittals? How much embellishment

took place?

2. What errors or differences were observed as the story passed among the group members?

3. How could we have increased both the facts and the understanding of the story? How do we get

feedback in real world incidents?

Materials Required: A brief article from a magazine or newspaper

Approximate Time Required: 10-12 minutes

Source: Unknown


A READ AND DO TEST

Can you follow instructions? 1. Read all that follows before doing anything.

2. Write your name in the upper right-hand-comer of this page.

3. Circle the word “corner” in sentence two.

4. Draw five small squares in upper left hand corner of this page.

5. Put an ‘X” on each square.

6. Put a circle around each square.

7. Sign your name under line 5.

8. After your name, write “yes, yes, yes.”

9. Put a circle around number 7.

10. Put an “X” in the lower-left-hand corner of this page.

11. Draw a triangle around the “X” you just made.

12. Call out your first name when you get to this point in the test.

13. If you think that you have followed directions carefully to this point, call out, “I have!”

14. On the reverse side of this paper add 6950 and 9805.

15. Put a circle around your answer.

16. Count out loud, in your normal speaking voice, from 10 to 1.

17. Put three small pin or pencil holes in the top of this page.

18. If you are the first person to get this far, yell out, “I am the first person to get to this spot and I am

the leader in following directions.”

19. Say out loud, “I am nearly finished. I have followed directions.”

20. Now that you have finished reading carefully, do only those things called for in the sentences

numbered 1 and 2. Did you read everything on this page before doing anything?

NOTE: PLEASE BE QUIET AND WATCH THE OTHERS FOLLOW DIRECTIONS.


A Read and Do Test

Genre: Communication 4 Objective: To show, in a humorous way, that people often fail to read and / or follow Directions.

Procedure: Distribute a copy of the “Read and Do” test to each participant. Ask them to keep the test face down until

everyone has a copy. Explain this is a timed test with a maximum time of three minutes allowed to

complete the task. Offer no further instructions of any kind. Then state “OK? Ready, set-go!”

Materials Required: Copies of the Read and Do test.

Approximate Time Required: Five minutes. Source: Unknown.


A Nonverbal Introduction


Objectives: 1. To demonstrate that communication can sometimes be completely accomplished without words and

still be largely effective.

2. To illustrate that interpersonal communication is indeed possible through the use of gestures and

other nonverbal methods.

Procedure: Divide the group into two-person teams. State that the purpose of this exercise is to introduce oneself to

his or her partner, but that this entire activity must be accomplished with no words, i.e., completely

nonverbally. They may use visuals, pictures, signs, gestures, signals, or anything nonverbal. If necessary,

you may offer certain hints, i.e., pointing to a wedding ring to indicate marriage, an in-place running

movement to indicate jogging, etc. After a 2-minute time period allowed for each member of the dyad,

have each group then take a few minutes to verbally “check themselves out,” i.e., allow them to verbally

state what they were communicating nonverbally.

Discussion Questions: 1. How accurate were you in describing yourselves? (Have them rate themselves on a 1-5 scale.)

2. How accurate were you in “reading” your partner’s gestures? (Rate themselves again)

3. What were some of the better clues given by your partner?

4. What barriers or problems seemed to be in our way? (Lack of props, lack of experience with

nonverbal communication)

5. How might we eliminate or reduce these barriers?

Materials Required: None

Approximate Time required: 10 minutes

Source: Unknown


Arithmetic Test


Objective: To demonstrate that people don’t always read or follow even simple, written directions.

Procedure: As shown on the following page, this is a one-page “test.” Preface your instructions by commenting that

the test is a very simple one involving easy addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division problems.

Pass the papers out face down. Then state, “As soon as I say ‘Go’, turn your papers over and work as -fast

as you possibly can. As soon as you finish, turn your papers back over, and raise your right hand in the air.

Ready - Set - Go!”

Make certain your instructions are given hurriedly and allow no time for questions. Give the impression

that time is very tight and they must rush this assignment. Allow only around 30 seconds, and then

interrupt, saying, “OK, I see most of you are finished, so let’s check our answers.” Pause. “The answer to

number 1, of course, is what?” (Note: Experience indicates that at least half of the audience will respond.)

Acknowledge that “10” is correct, even though one or two people will correctly give the answer as “16.”

Continue, “OK, the answer to number 2 is what?” After one or two more responses, demonstrate that

there are different answers and ask the group, “Did you all get the same sheet?” Then let the group itself

discover their problem by reading the directions to themselves.

Discussion Questions: 1. Remember the saying, “If all else fails, read the directions”? Why didn’t we do so here? (Pressed for

time; saw familiar problems).

2. Have you ever seen incidents where poorly given or rushed instructions may be worse than none at

all?

3. Did anyone experience group pressure when you began to start this exercise? What effects did this

have on your performance?

Materials Required: Test sheet (see following page)


Source: Unknown


ARITHMETIC TEST

In the following simple arithmetic problems, a plus (+) sign means to multiply, a divide (÷) sign means to

add, a minus (-) sign means to divide, and a times (x) sign means to subtract. Complete the problems

following these directions.

8 + 2 = 1 4 - 7 =

9 + 11 = 6 x 5 =

4 x 3 = 8 + 3 =

6 ÷ 2 = 7 x 2 =

9 - 3 = 9 + 2 =

7 x 4 = 8 - 4 =

4 + 4 = 9 + 6 =

8 - 4 = l ÷ l =

12 x 2 = 8 x 7 =

20 - 10 = 1 3 - 1 =

9 - 1 = 1 6 - 4 =

5 + 6 = 8 x 2 =

2 x 1 = 9 ÷ 9 =

1 0 - 5 = 6 x 2 =

1 2 + 2 = 8 + 4 =

6 + 6 = 10 - 2 =

8 + 5 = 4 - 1 =

6 + 6 = 1 8 - 3 =

17 x 2 = 8 + 2 =

14 ÷ 7= 15 x 3 =


Listening Test: Riddles


Objective: To introduce a session on listening or on communications by showing that few of us really are good

listeners! By the use of a humorous, light exercise such as these riddles, the participants are quickly shown

that their own skills in listening can be improved.

Procedure: Ask the group to take a sheet of paper and number from 1-10 on it. Tell them you are going to ask them a

series of questions, all of which have short answers. They are to simply jot down their responses on their

sheets. Read each question only once. Now check their answers (see the key below), Ask, “How many said

‘Yes’ for #l? How many said ‘No’?” (A few chuckles will prompt the group that something may be wrong.)

Then read the questions again, providing them with the appropriate commentary. Repeat the process for

the other nine questions.

Key: 1. There’s no law against a man’s marrying his widow’s sister, but it would be the neatest trick of the

week. To have a widow, he would have to be dead.

2. You’d get one hour’s sleep. Alarm clocks don’t know the difference between morning and night.

3. Oh, yes. They have a 4th of July in England. They also have a 5th and a 6th, and so on.

4. First of all, you’d light the match.

5. Moses took no animals at all. It was Noah who took two of each.

6. Who said the Yankees and the Tigers were playing against each other in those games!

7. The average man has one birthday; so does the average woman. All the rest are birthday

anniversaries. In fact, in France “birthdays” are known as “anniversaries” (anniversaries).

8. You can’t bury survivors under any law - especially if they still have enough strength to object:

9. The archeologist is a liar because B.C., of course, means “Before Christ,” and who could have

guessed in advance when Christ would be born?

10. The bear that rang the doorbell would have to be a white bear. The only place you could build a

house with four southern exposures is at the North Pole, where every direction is south.


LISTENING TEST: RIDDLES

1. Is there any federal law against a man’s marrying his widow’s sister?

2. If you went to bed at eight o’clock at night and set the alarm to wake up at nine o’clock in the

morning, how many hours of sleep would you get?

3. Do they have a 4th of July in England?

4. If you had only one match and entered a cold room that had a kerosene lamp, an oil heater, and a

wood stove, which would you light first for maximum heat?

5. How many animals of each species did Moses take aboard the Ark with him during the great flood?

6. The Yankees and the Tigers play 5 baseball games. They each win 3 games. No ties or disputed

games are involved. How come?

7. How many birthdays does the average man have? The average woman?

8. According to International Law, if an airplane should crash on the exact border between two

countries, would unidentified survivors be buried in the country they were traveling to, or the

country they were traveling from?

9. An archeologist claims he has dug up a coin that is clearly dated 46 B.C. Why is he a liar?

10. A man builds an ordinary house with four sides, except that each side has a southern exposure. A

bear comes to the door and rings the doorbell. What color is the bear?


Listening And Following Directions


Objectives: 1. To demonstrate to trainees that the directions given to subordinates may be ambiguous and

therefore need greater clarity.

2. To demonstrate the need to listen carefully and seek clarification of an unclear message.

Procedure: Show the following page to the group and direct their attention to each quadrant in sequential order.

Move rapidly through this set of directions:

1. Quadrant One: Tell them to place a dot on the letter “i”.

2. Quadrant Two: Tell them to print the word “xerox” in the blank spaces.

3. Quadrant Three: Tell them you saw a papa bull (PB), a mama bull (MB), and a baby bull (BB) in a

barnyard. Which one should not have been there? (Circle one)

4. Quadrant Four: Tell them to circle the word that doesn’t fit with the rest.

The “answers” to these queries are:

1. Quadrant One: Although most will place a dot in the usual place above the “in, they should have

placed it on the “i”.

2. Quadrant Two: Many will write the letters on the lines; however, the directions told them to write

it in the blank sp aces, e.g. _X_E_R_O _X.

3. Quadrant Three: There is, of course, no such thing as a mama bull.

4. Quadrant Four: The task is to search for the common denominator among three items and exclude

the fourth (many will circle the drum). But as one participant said, “You can beat your dog, your

child, or a drum, but you just can’t beat sex!”

Discussion Questions: 1. Why did we respond incorrectly? (Ambiguous directions, time pressures, failure to listen, failure to

seek clarification, our prior habits and conditioning)

2. What lessons does this provide us for being better trainers/trainees/supervisors? (Take action to

overcome each of the problems identified in #1)

Materials Required: Following page on handout card or overhead transparency


WORKSHEET FOR FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS


ONE WAY COMMUNICATION DIAGRAM


One- And Two-Way Communication


Objective: To demonstrate the many problems of misunderstanding that can occur in a one-way

communication.

Procedure: Prepare a diagram similar to the one shown on the following page. Ask a volunteer to assist in this

demonstration. Explain to the audience that the volunteer is going to describe something to them and

their task is to simply follow instructions in sketching out the illustration. Provide the volunteer with the

figure shown. Have the volunteer turn his or her back to the audience so no eye contact is possible. The

volunteer can use only verbal communication, i.e., no gestures, hand signals, etc. Further, no questions are

allowed on the part of the audience. In brief, only one-way communication is allowed. When the exercise

is completed, project the correct figure on the overhead projector and ask participants to judge whether

their drawings are at all similar to it. (If time permits, this activity can be immediately followed with

another volunteer using a comparable illustration but allowing for full and free two-way communication.)

Discussion Questions: 1. How many of us got confused and just “quit” listening? Why?

2. Why was the one-way communication so difficult to follow?

3. Even two-way communication cannot ensure complete understanding. How can we make our

communication efforts more effective?

Materials Required: Diagram, as shown


Source: unknown


Yin-Yang


Did you ever play the TELEPHONE game during your childhood? In this game, children sit in a circle, and the

first child whispers a message to the next child. The second child whispers to third child and so on until

everyone has heard the whispered message and transmitted it to the next person. In the end, when

children compare the original and the final version of the message, they usually burst out laughing at the

way the message gets distorted.

We have designed an online game (called YIN-YANG) based on TELEPHONE with an interesting twist. Recently,

we used this game to explore direct and indirect modes in intercultural communication.

Direct and Indirect Communication

Indirect communication assumes that people understand the meaning without having to tell everything. It

tones down unpleasant aspects of the message by using convoluted language and metaphors.

Direct communication makes everything explicit. People using this mode of communication tell you exactly

what mean in a direct and assertive fashion.

How Yin-Yang Is Played

In this game, the first player writes a note in direct communication mode (example: “You’re stupid!”).

The next player converts it into indirect communication mode (example: “There are many factors that

make one person different from another. In the factor of appearance, you are beautiful. In the factor of

strength, you are strong. In the factor of intelligence, you are somewhere among typical people, slightly

below the statistical average. Of course, that does not mean that you are not a wonderful human being.”)

The next player sees the message in the indirect mode and converts it into the direct mode. This

alternating conversion continues and at the end we can compare different versions of the same message

in the two modes.

A Sample Game

During one of the most recent sessions, we started with this direct statement:

I love you.


And ended up with this direct statement:

One price only: $15. Do you want to buy it or not?

In case you are curious, here’s how the message alternated beween the direct and the indirect modes until

the noise in the system changed the entire meaning:

Direct: I love you.

Indirect: I hand knit this poncho for you. I thought you would like it.

Direct: This hand-made poncho costs $15.

Indirect: This is really a very good offer, high quality, nice price. Would you be able to spare $15 for this

superb product?

Direct: One price only: $15. Do you want to buy it or not?


Competency: Managing Conflict-

Interpersonal Communication Practices


Instructions: This survey is designed m assess your interpersonal communication practices. For

each item in the survey, indicate which of the alternative reactions best represents how you would

handle the situation described. Some alternatives may be equally characteristic or equally

uncharacteristic of your reaction. Although that is a possibility, choose the alternative that is relatively

more characteristic your reaction. For each item, distribute between the ‘ alternatives in any of the

following combinations.

A B

1. 5 0

2. 4 1

3. 3 2

4. 2 3

5. 1 4

6. 0 5

Thus, there are six possible combinations for responding to the pair of alternatives presented to you

with each survey item. Be sure that the numbers you assign to each pair sum to 5. To the extent

possible, please relate each situation in the survey to your personal experience. In this survey, we

alternate the words he and she and him and her m balance use of the feminine and masculine genders.


1. If a friend of mine had a personality

conflict with a mutual acquaintance of

ours with whom it was important for

her to get along, I would

a. Tell my friend that I felt she was

partially responsible for any

problems with this other person

and try to let her know who the

person being affected by her is.

b. Not get involved because I

wouldn’t be able to continue to

get along with both of them

once I had entered into the

conflict.

2. If one of one of my friends and I had a

heated argument in the past and I

realized that he will be ill at ease around

me from that time on, I would

a. Avoid making things worse by

discussing his behavior and just

let the whole thing drop.

b. Bring up his behavior and ask

him how he felt the argument

had affected our relationship.

3. If a friend began to avoid me and act in

an aloof and withdrawn manner, I

would

a. Tell here about her behavior and

suggest she tell me what was on

her mind.

b. Follow her lead and keep our

contacts brief and aloof because

that seems to be what she

wants.

4. If two of my friends and I were talking

and one of my & friends slipped and

brought up a personal problem of mine

that involved the other friend, and of

which he was not yet aware, I would

a. Change the subject and signal

my friend to do the same.

b. Fill in my uninformed friend on

what the other friend was

talking about and suggest that

we go into it later.

5. If a friend were to tell me that, in her

opinion, I was doing things that made

me less effective than I might be in

social situations, I would

a. Ask her to spell our or describe

what she has observed and

suggest changes I might make.

b. Resent the criticism and let her

know why I behave the way I do.

6. If one of my friends aspired to an office

in our student organization for which I

felt he was unqualified and if he had

been tentatively assigned to that

position by the president of the student

organization, I would

a. not mention my misgivings to

either my friend or the president

and let them handle it in their

own way.

b. tell my friend and the president

of my misgivings and then leave

the final decision up to them.

7. If I felt that one of my friends was being

unfair to me and her other friends, but

none of them had mentioned anything

about it, I would

a. Ask several of those people how

they perceived the situation to


see if they felt that she was

being unfair.

b. Not ask the other how they

perceived our friend but wait for

them to bring it up to me.

8. If I were preoccupied with some

personal matters and a friend told me

that I had become irritated with him

and others and that I was jumping on

him for unimportant things, I would

a. Tell him I was preoccupied and

would probably be on edge a

while and would prefer not to be

bothered.

b. B. listen m his complaints but

not try to explain my actions to

him.

9. If I had heard some friends discussing an

ugly rumor about a friend of mine that I

knew could hurt her and she asked me

what I knew about it, if anything, I

would

a. Say that I didn’t how anything

about it and tell her no one

would believe a rumor like that

anyway.

b. Tell her exactly what I had heard,

when I had heard it, and from

whom I had heard it.

10. If’s friend pointed out the fact that I had

a personality conflict with another

friend with whom it was important for

me to get along, I would

a. consider his comments out of

line and tell him I didn’t want to

discuss the matter any further.

b. Talk about. It openly with him to

find out how my behavior was

being affected by this.

11. If my relationship with a friend has been

damaged by repeated arguments on an

issue of importance to us both, I would

a. Be cautious in my conversations

with her so that the issue would

not come up again to worsen our

relationship.

b. Point to the problems that the

controversy was causing in our

relationship and suggest we

discuss it until we had resolved

it.

12. If in a personal discussion with a friend

about his problems and behavior, he

suddenly suggested we discuss my

problems and behavior as well as his

own, I would

a. Try to keep the discussion away

from me by suggesting that

other, closer friends often talk to

me bout such matters.

b. Welcome the opportunity to

hear what he felt about me and

encourage his comments.

13. If a friend of mine began to tell me

about her hostile feelings about another

friend who she felt was being unkind to

others (and I wholeheartedly agreed), I

would

a. Listen and also express my own

feelings to her so she would

know where I stood.

b. Listen but not express my own

negative views and opinions

because she might repeat what I

said to her in confidence.

14. If I thought an ugly rumor was being

spread about me and suspected, that


one of my friends had quite likely heard

it, I would

a. Avoid’ mentioning the issue and

leave it to him to tell me about it

if he wanted to.

b. Risk putting him on the spot by

asking him directly what he

knew about the whole thing.

15. If I had observed a friend in social

situations and thought that she was

doing a number of things that hurt her

relationships, I would

a. Risk being seen as a busybody

and tell her what I had observed

and my reactions to it.

b. Keep my opinions to myself,

rather than be seen as

interfering. in thing- s that are

none of my business.

16. If two friends and I were talking and one

of them inadvertently mentioned a

personal problem that involved me but

of which I knew nothing-.. I would

a. Press them for information

about the problem and their

opinions about it.

b. Leave it up to my friends to tell

me or not tell me, letting them

change the subject if they

wished.

17. If a friend seemed to be preoccupied

and began to jump on me for seemingly

unimportant things and to become

irritated with me and others without

real cause, I would

a. Treat him with kid gloves for a

while on the assumption that he

was having some temporary

personal problem that were

none of my business.

b. Try to talk to him about it and

point out to him how his

behavior was affecting people.

18. If I had begun to dislike certain habits of

a friend to the point that it was

interfering with my enjoying her

company, I would

a. Say nothing to her directly but

let her how my feelings by

ignoring her whenever her

annoying habits were obvious.

b. Get my feelings out in the open

and clear the air so that we

could continue our relationship

comfortably and enjoyably.

19. In discussing social behavior with one of

my sensitive friends. I would

a. Avoid mentioning his flaws and

weaknesses so as not to hurt his

feelings.

b. Focus on his flaws and

weaknesses so he could improve

his interpersonal skills.

20. If I knew that I might be assigned to an

important position in our group and my

friends’ attitudes toward me had

become rather negative, I would

a. Discuss my shortcomings with

my friends so I could see where

to improve.

b. Try to figure out my own short

comings by myself so I could

improve.

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Scoring Key

In this survey 10 of the items deal with your receptivity to feedback and 10 are concerned with your

willingness to disclose yourself. Transfer your scores from each item co this scoring key. Add the scores

in each column. Now, transfer these scores to Figure by drawing a vertical line through the feedback

score and a horizontal line through the self discipline.

Receptivity t o Feedback Willingness to Self-Disclose

2 B_____ 1 A_____

3 A_____ 4 B_____

5 A_____ 6 B_____

7 A_____ 9 B_____

8 B_____ 11 B_____

10 B_____ 13 A_____

12 B_____ 15 A_____

14 B_____ 17 B_____

16 A_____ 18 B_____

20 A_____ 19 B_____

Total ______ Total ______

As Figure suggests, higher scores in receptivity to feedback and willingness to disclose yourself indicate

a greater willingness to engage in open interpersonal communication. Of course, you need to be

mindful of the situational factors that may influence your natural personal preference to be relatively

more open or closed in interpersonal communication.”

Question

1. Based on your scores, what communication abilities do you need to develop?

109

Personal Openness in Interpersonal Communication

Low personal Openness

High Listening

High Personal High Openness

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Preconceived Notion

Genre: Perception 1 Objective: To illustrate how a “mind set” can block simple communication.

Procedure: Before showing the illustration on the following page, simply state, “Keep the arrow pointing down. If

you can read this, please raise your hand, but don’t tell anyone else.” As you rotate the sheet, say,

“You don’t have to turn it around as I am doing, but with the arrow pointing downward, can you read

what this says?” (Usually 10-15% of a group will have seen this before or will detect the word “FLY”

quickly.) Acknowledge them immediately, and ask, “The rest of you can’t see the word FLY? If you still

can’t see it, try looking at the white space rather than the black markings. “

Discussion Questions: 1. This type of thing - preconceived notions - is common for most of us. Can you recall an incident

where such notions may have caused some concerns?

2. What other barriers cause problems in interpersonal communication? (Noise, disinterested

people, wrong methods, etc.)

3. Children see the word “FLY” immediately. Why, then, do adults experience difficulty in seeing it

as fast? (We have “learned” to read black print on white paper, such as this page.)

Materials Required: Sheet like the attached


Source: Unknown

113

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Recall Neal Patterson’s scathing e-mail

message in the Preview Case. What

types and forms of communication

should he undertake to reduce or

eliminate the damage that he has done?

2. Describe some problems that an

individual from a low-context culture

and an individual from a high-context

culture could have in trying to lend a

meeting.

3. Describe your communication network

at work or in school. Is it effective?

Would you like to make any changes in

it? Why or why not?

4. The Internet and e-mail are making it

easier to communicate with people

from different cultures. Do you agree or

disagree with that statement? Explain.

5. Think of a team of which you are a

member. How would you assess the

members’ self-awareness?

6. Why is media richness important in

communication?

7. According to Ken Blanchard, author of

the One-Minute-Manager, feedback is

the “breakfast of champions.” What are

some of the barriers that managers

need to overcome, when giving others

feedback?

8. Describe the common nonverbal cues

used by someone you have worked for.

Are they usually consistent or

inconsistent with that person’s verbal

expressions? Explain.

9. If your job transfers you to a foreign

culture, what nonverbal communication

practices must you be sensitive to?

114

Brain Teasers

Genre: Brain Teaser 1

Objective: To provide a quick, fun exercise that will facilitate the interaction of strangers and their formation into

task-oriented groups.

Procedure: This is strictly a “for fun” exercise and should be introduced as such. It purports simply to give

participants a chance to do some liberal translation by interpreting visual and written communications.

Form the members into small groups of 3-4 persons each. Tell them that they have 5 minutes to

decipher the 20 brainteasers found on the following page into a word or brief phrase. (The team with

the highest score may be promised a prize.)

Answers: 1. Sandbox

2. Man Overboard

3. I Understand

4. Reading Between the Lines

5. Long Underwear

6. Cross Roads

7. Down Town

8. Tri-cycle

9. Bi-level

10. 3 Degrees Below Zero

11. Knee on Light

12. Circles Under the Eyes

13. High Chair

14. Paradise

15. Touchdown

16. 6 Feet Under Ground

17. Mind Over Matter

18. He’s Beside Himself

19. Backwards Glance

20. Life After Death

Materials Required: Brainteasers as shown, on a handout or overhead transparency

Approximate Time Required: 10 minutes

115

Source: Unknown

116

Brain Teasers


ANSWERS

1. It’s up to you

2. Different Strokes

3. The start of something big

4. Just in case

5. Fouled up

6. Jay walking

7. Just between you and me

8. Time’s up

9. Deep sea fishing

10. Forget it

11. More to it than meets the eye

12. Space invaders

13. That is beside the point

14. Water under the bridge

15. Highway overpass

16. Making ends meet

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Brain Teasers


ANSWERS 1. Play on words

2. Dipsy doodle

3. Better late than never

4. Partly cloudy

5. Head over heels in love

6. Fancy that

7. Bed and breakfast

8. This round is on me

9. Jack-in-the-box

10. Without a second glance

11. Man in the moon

12. Open-and-shut case

13. A round of drinks

14. Middle of the ninth

15. Overseas holiday

16. Downhill skiing

120

Brain Teasers


ANSWERS 1. Cry over spilled milk

2. Big man on campus

3. Six of one; half dozen of another

4. Unfinished business

5. Cancelled check

6. Moving in the right circles

7. Middle of the road

8. Sitting on top of the world

9. Three square meals a day

10. Vitamin “A” deficiency

11. Stepping over

12. Backseat driver

13. Right under your nose

14. Splitting headache

15. Heat wave

16. Mountain climbing

122

Brain Teasers


Look at this picture: what do you see?

Images nearby ... and far away

123

Brain Teasers


Where are:

� The woman

� The horse

� The lion

� The old man

� The wolf

124

Brain Teasers


How many hidden images?

� Horse

� Bear

� Lion

� Eagle

� Wolf

� Father

� Woman

� And ???

125

Brain Teasers


12 elephants / 6 heads

126

Brain Teasers


This face consists of 30 animals

127

Brain Teasers


Can you find 9 hidden images?

128

Brain Teasers


There is a hidden face in this scenery

Can you find it?

129

RING TOSS GAME:

Genre: Setting Challenging Goals 1 Risk-taking is an important aspect of entrepreneurial life. Entrepreneurs are calculated risk-takers.

They do not aim at goals that can be very easily accomplished. They like challenges. They also do

not aim at tasks that are very difficult to accomplishing a challenging goal. They are moderate risk-

takers.

Objective The ring-toss game provides an opportunity for an entrepreneur, potential entrepreneur or for any

participant to examine his own risk-taking orientations and associated behaviors. It has the

following objectives:

(a) To enable the participant to examine his own risk-taking behavior, i.e., whether he is a high

risk-taker, moderate, or a low risk-taker.

(b) To enable the participant to examine the dynamics of achievement motivation (or affiliation

and power motives)

(c) To enable the participant to study the extent to which he use this information to modify his

behavior.

(d) To help the participant examine his tendencies to take personal responsibility in accomplishing

the risks.

The Rational To be personally responsible for the risks involved in the establishment of an enterprise may be

considered as on of the important dimensions of entrepreneurial behavior. Entrepreneurs have,

however, certain characteristic attitudes towards risk. Generally, the choice of an occupation is

governed by many other considerations. Most people look for security in their occupation because of

the ‘fear of failure’. However in the choice of an entrepreneur, the fear of failure forms the important

consideration. The entrepreneur bears the risk of launching a new business. Nonetheless, while opting

for a risk, he does not like to play the gambler. The difference between a gambler and an entrepreneur

needs to be clearly understood for a proper appreciation of entrepreneurial behavior.

When a gambler risks his stake, he is primarily concerned with the payoff which is solely determined by

the result of a “chance” event, such as the fall of a “die” or the draw of cards. The gambler stakes

expects waits and is prepared to receive either the positive or negative payoff. He cannot control the

outcome by his intervention. He operates where his experience does not help. In gambling, each event

is independent of any outcome.

On the hand, even though the entrepreneur also stakes and expects, he continuously intervenes to

influence the outcome. He is aware that his intervention, even in the most certain situations,

makes all the difference to the outcome. Such awareness in him is confirmed by his experience. It

would be appropriate to say that an entrepreneur takes only such risks where he can control the

outcome. The feeling or awareness, which is confirmed by experience that the outcome can be

130

controlled by interventions, marks the demarcating line between gambling and the calculated risk-

taking.

In gambling, learning is not possible, whereas entrepreneurial risk-taking is mainly governed by

learning. In the former, it is possible to calculate the long-term objective probabilities or odds. Such

objective probabilities may be almost denied or not always available to the entrepreneurial activity.

The sense of control, the possibility of learning and the presence of moderate subjective probability

or the level of confidence is to demarcate the dividing line between gambling and entrepreneurial

activity.

Material Required This game requires a wooden peg with a stand and four light weight rings made up of thin dry cane.

The height of the peg mounted on a stand may be about 18 inches. The diameter of the rings

should be about 8 inches

This game is to be played in a free space, on the ground without any obstructions. A room or

verandah about 25 ft long and 10 ft wide is needed. There should not be tables, chairs, etc., which

can obstruct movement.

The peg should be kept at one end from where the distance should be marked in feet at intervals of

1 ft. against each unit distance or interval, the points may be marked as suggested in Appendix 1.

Time Required This game may take about two hours for a group of 20 participants: one hour for playing and one

hour for discussion.

Procedure The following procedure may be followed for conducting this exercise.

1. The participants should be told that they are going to participate in a ring-toss game. If

the timetable is given to the participants only the title of the game should be mentioned

and nothing more. It is advisable not to announce to the participants or to communicate

to them in any way that this is a announcement or communication is likely to influence

their behavior on the game.

If the program is not announced, the participants should be seated in a room and told that they

are going to participate in a ring-toss game the detail of which will be given when they go to

play.

2. There are three rounds in this game. The first round will be played by every participant

individually. Second and third round will be played in the presence of all the

participants. While playing the first round the participants may be given a reading task

to keep themselves busy.

3. The following instructions may be given to the participants.

“You are now going to participate in a ring-toss game. In this game you will be required to go

out one by one, play the game and return to your seats. Detailed instructions will be given to

you outside before playing the game. Please do not talk or communicate to one another

anything about what happened in the game.”

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4. The participants are called one by one outside and the following instructions may be

given after handing the four rings.

“You can see the peg (point to the peg). You have four rings with you. The distance is marked

from the peg in feet. The numbers 1, 2, 3, etc., indicate the distance. Against each marking of

the distance, the points if you can get at least two successful throws from the corresponding

distance. If the ring you throw catches the peg and remains there it is called a successful throw.

You may choose any distance from where you like to throw. Once you choose the distance you

cannot change and all four throws must be attempted from there. In order to get the points

you must have two successful throws. No trials are allowed. Before you actually throw the rings

please tell me the distance from where you would like to throw.”

5. After giving the instructions, the behavior of the participant may be observed and the

peculiarities may be noted in the remarks column of the ring-toss data record sheet

(Appendix 2). The peculiarities may include feeling the weight of the ring, going near the

peg and examining it, attempting a trial without actually throwing the ring, putting the

ring down to test its restitution, throwing it in the opposite direction of the peg to

estimate the distance where it falls, etc., These behaviors indicate that the participant is

exploring and trying to generate information about his own abilities before he actually

throws.

6. When the participant actually throws, the distance chosen and the number of successful

throws may be noted in the record sheet. If some throws have almost caught the peg

and missed, this may be noted in the remarks column. This information may be useful

while interpreting the results.

7. after the completes the first round he should be requested to return to his seat and

write down an introspective report on why he chose that particular distance, what

considerations he had in mind, what thought processed did he have while playing the

game, how he felt after each throw and the end of four throws, etc. He may be

requested not to share anything with others in the class till the discussion begins. The

sample introspective report form given in Appendix 3 may be used for this purpose.

8. For the second round all the participants should be called out. They should be asked to

stand in line on either side of the marking as observers. They should stand as much far

away from the markings as possible to permit the-free movement of the players. The

instructions may be repeated as in the first round. The participants may be told that the

called out one after the other and the distance chosen, and the data on the successful

throws, etc., may be recorded. They may be asked to write an introspective report after

completing play.

9. Before staring the third round the participants may be told that the last round will be

played using money as the incentive. In order to play this, ten rupees may be collected

from each participant. The participants may be told that each point they earn carries ten

paise as incentive. The procedure is the same as in the earlier round and they may

choose a new distance for their throws. They must get at least two successful throws to

obtain the incentive. The data may be recorded in the record sheet as earlier. After

everyone complete they may be requested to write an introspective report as they had

done earlier after getting back to their seats.

10. While the participants write the report the trainer may transfer the date from the

record sheet to the blackboard for discussion.

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Processing the Exercise Discussing the data is the most important part of this game. Till the time of the discussion the

participants may not be aware of the significance of the date they have generated for themselves. The

skill of the trainers lies in making the participants see the significance of this date for themselves.

Raising a series of questions, suggesting alternative interpretations and helping the participants think

about the various behaviors’ they have shown and the implications of these behaviors for

entrepreneurship could do this. The data generated by the game and the behavior shown by the

participant in the game, should be treated as suggestive rather than conclusive, i.e., the trainer should

not try to force any of his conclusions on the participant but should attempt to help the participant

raise questions about himself. When the questions raised by the participant about himself are in the

context of entrepreneurial participant behavior, a significant learning process commences. Such a

reflection can be facilitated by the trainer picking up some typical as well as exceptional cases from the

date on the blackboard and rising question. It would be ideal to analyses the behavior of each and

every participant. But it may not be possible to do that as it requires a lot of time. Hence an

intermediate strategy of analyzing a few typical cases and all exceptional cases could be followed.

What makes a case typical or exceptional depends on the data. Those who show patterns of behaviors

similar to most others in each round can be taken as typical cases. Deviations may be traded as

exceptional. Some times groups may differ from one another. What is exceptional in one group may

become typical in another. The following sequence may be followed interpretation and processing the

data.

Initial Goal-Setting When any participant begins to play game, he has no idea of the distance from where the probability

of his success is moderate (about 50%). Every individual starts with his own expectations. Some

perceive longer distance as the most probable distance and some perceive very short distances as the

most probable distance for success. Their perceptions are the indicators of their subjective probability.

The objective probability depends on the actual skill of the individual and may vary from individual to

individual. Getting every individual to throw the ring from every unit distance a number of times and

preparing a chart can determine the objective probability. However, this objective probability may

change with the acquisition of skill. For the purpose of this game the objective probability can be taken

on the basis of the data collected on a number of individuals. As all the participants are new to the

game and have not developed the requisite skill, these average probabilities can be taken as the

objective probabilities.

The approximate objective probabilities of success are reproduced in Appendix 4. These objective

probabilities are estimated on the basis of the data generated by a number of participants. For

example, against 6 feet the probability of success is 60% that means 60% of participants have

succeeded catching the peg when they threw the ring from this distance. Interpreted in another way it

may mean that there is a 60% chance of success when the ring is thrown from the 6 feet distance. The

same way the rest of the chart may be interpreted.

The objective probabilities re not known to the participants in the same way as an entrepreneur does

not know the objective probability of his success when he takes a decision. He estimates on the basis

of the information available to him and makes a guess about his probability of success. This guess is

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called subjective probability of success. This is what is reflected in the initial choice and the later

choices of the distance from where to throw the rings.

An enterprising person attempts to get his subjective estimates as close to the reality as possible by

generating and using information or data from the environment. In the first trial the data are minima.

Particularly if the participant has not played the game earlier the participant has no clue as to the

distance from where he is likely to be successful and at the same time gain the maximum point. In the

absence of such data he can only make indirect estimates by studying the situation. He could feel the

weight of the ring, he may study the height of the peg, he may throw the ring outside without using

the peg, he may study the position, his hand movements, etc. Such a study may not help him very

much but it is indicative of his information collection behavior. He might even ask questions to the

trainer about the distance from where most people succeed (although the trainer does not answer

that question).

A person who takes the rings from the trainer and without any planning or thinking chooses a distance

and starts throwing the rings straight may be indication his carelessness or impatience in data

collection. Such candidates are less likely to succeed, as their subjective estimates may be random and

far away from the objective estimates.

While some individuals make random estimates and thereby become poor performers, some others

make consistently low or high estimates. The latter category may be the ones who are guided by the

fear of failure. In other words, they are motivated by the avoidance of failure. These individuals may be

having a poor self-concept. Low estimates are also indicative of domination by affiliation motivation

whereas high estimates may indicate high power motivation (McClelland, 1975). Both these

orientations do not facilitate entrepreneurship.

The choice of the distance in the first round may throw up a lot of data about some of these

orientations of each participant. Skillful questioning and processing of data may bring these out.

Instead asking one or two questions and concluding that the candidate is a low or a high risk-taker, it is

advisable to indicate the possibilities and leave the conclusions for the participants themselves.

While asking the questions it is better t start with the behavior of the participants is the first round.

May be useful to pick up the extreme cases first and then go on to the typical ones. Questions like the

following may be asked:

Why did you choose this distance?

What consideration did you have in mind before you choose the distance?

What was your objective in the choice of distance? ( to test yourself, to avoid failure, to be able to have

all four rings catch maximum points, to try from the longest distance, etc.).

What did you think after the first throw?

What die you feel after all the four throws?

Answers given by the participants may be indicative of the following – avoidance of failure, low risk-

taking, high risk-taking, a very planned way of approaching the task, calculated goal-setting, interest in

taking challenges, etc.

After eliciting the answers from a select group of participants the trainer may summaries the different

approaches and orientations the participants had in approaching the task and setting the goals. A

example record of the data is reproduced in Appendix 5.

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The following are some of the typical answers that the participants may give (the answer of individual

from Appendix 5 are indicated in brackets):

(a) I just felt that I will be able to succeed from there. I had no reason (most typical response)

(b) I had no previous experience. So I looked at the peg. The rings are light. So I thought I should be

able to succeed from somewhere in between among the range marked there, the points did not

mean anything for me (individuals 2, 3, and 4 from Appendix 5)

(c) I preferred a challenging distance; no use throwing from too near; and no use from a long

distance (individual 6, 9, and 10 from Appendix 5).

(d) I am tall and I thought I can throw from along distance. I thought I am skillful. But I realize now I

cannot do that well (individual 15).

(e) No reason in particular. I thought I will succeed from there (individual 13).

(f) I imagined from 3 or 4 distances’ throws. I selected the most appropriate one (individual 14).

(g) I wanted to get as many points as possible. So I chose the longest distance (individuals 5 and 7)

(h) I wanted to succeed in the first trial so I must have a success experience. So I chose a smaller

distance (individual 18).

(i) The points are meaningless. I did not bother about them at all. I am only trying to estimate the

best possible distance fro the same distance. I was confident that I will succeed (individual 1).

(j) No reason. I thought that is the best distance (individual 11).

(k) I thought four is a safe distance. It is not too near but at the same time one is sure to get it

(individual 12)

Responses 1, 5, and 10 are similar. The possibility that these individuals approach the tasks blindly by

random goal-setting may be suggested. They need to explore further if this random-missed goal-

setting and ignoring the surroundings or not paying attention to details is their characteristic way of

behavior.

Responses 3 and 9 indicate the tendencies to go for challenges. But there is, however, no evidence of

planning. This could be explored through further questioning.

A response 7 indicates a power-dominant orientation. Making as many points as possible may not be

linked with a long distance. It is possible that the candidate has a tendency to achieve higher targets.

This may be further explored.

Responses 8 and 11 indicate an orientation toward a fear of failure or an avoidance of failure. The

subjects seem to be primarily guided by the need to have a definite success experience. This is

indicative of the failure avoidance motivation. Consequently they set lower goals and underutilize their

capabilities.

Second Round The data from the second round can give some more significant inputs about the entrepreneurial

characteristics of the individual. The candidate has already generated some data about his skill in

playing the game in the first round. And enterprising person uses these data and modifies his goal-

setting behavior in the second round. The use of feedback is a characteristic of entrepreneurs. Since

this round is played in the presence of others every candidate has an access to not only the data

generated by him self but how others thus becomes another set of data. This advantage may increase

for the last players as they have a chance to observe the majority perform before them.

The processing of the data in the second round could be done for the following objectives:

135

(a) To bring out the extent to which the participant is using the data generated by him self to

modify his goal-setting behavior.

(b) To help the participant become aware of his sensitiveness to the data generated by others and

the use of this information in his own goal-setting.

(c) To help the participant examine consistencies in his goal-setting behavior (he may be a

consistent low risk-taker).

(d) To examine the impact of presence of other on his goal-setting behavior.

While going on to process the data from the second round is advisable to stick to the same participants

that were picked up for interpretation in the first round. If new individuals are to be picked up it is

necessary to start with processing of their data on the first round. Questions like the following may be

asked to process the data?

Why did you choose this distance, this time?

What consideration did you have in mind?

Why did you change (if there is a change)?

What impact did the group’s presence have on you?

What did first round data mean to you for setting goals now?

How did you feel upon succeeding or failure?

What did the performance of others mean to you?

How did you use the data generated by others? Etc.

The following are some of the responses generally given by participants:

(a) I have retained the some distance as in the first trial as on e of my rings almost hit the target.

Now that I gained some practice, I thought I will be able to get them by the second trial. (e.g.

individual no: 11)

(b) I have retained the some distance because I wanted to try from there. I must succeed from

that distance only. That is my goal. I will prefer not to change. (e.g. individual 5)

(c) I have changed the distance in spite of my failure because I wanted to be different than

others. No use sticking to the same distance you must go up. (e.g. individual 15)

(d) I have lowered my goal because I failed in the first trial. My rings were falling about I foot

short of the peg. So I lowered the distance by a foot. (e.g. individuals 3, 6, 9)

(e) I have lowered the distance because the first round indicated that I cannot throw from such

a long distance. I must come down. So I changed by 2 feet. (E.g. individual dual 9).

(f) I have increased the distance because I wanted to try from a longer distance. No use from a

short distance you see. Failure didn’t bother me. I am happy that I tried from a longer

distance. (E.g. individual 7).

(g) I have increased the distance because I did well in the first round. I thought I am capable of

getting more. So I changed. Group presence didn’t make any difference. (E.g. individuals 12

and 14).

(h) I did not change the distance because my objective is to succeed from there only.

A response 1 indicates that the participant may be looking for challenge. If in the first trial at least one

ring caught the peg or most rings almost missed the peg narrowly, maintaining same distance is very

understandable and is indicative of calculated risk-taking. The participant is also indication his

orientation to learn from experience.

136

Responses 2 and 8 are similar and indicate rigidity or perseverance on the part of the candidates.

Which of these are more dominant is a question that the respondents themselves should answer.

Perseverance is good but perseverance of high power motivation. These possibilities should be pointed

out to the candidates.

Responses 3 and 6 are likely to be by candidates who increased their distance inspite of failures. This

again is an indicator of failure to learn from feedback and a high risk-orientation. The candidate may be

trying to avoid failure by setting such unrealistic goals. Setting unrealistically high goals is another way

of avoiding experience of failure as the candidate can claim later that he failed because his goals are

unusually high. Therefore it is not a real failure. It show, he at least had the courage to aspire for higher

goal. This could also be an indicator of high power motivation or need to get attention both of which

may not facilitate entrepreneurial success.

Responses 4, 5 and 7 indicate a tendency on the part of the participants to learn from experience.

These are very desirable characteristics for entrepreneurs.

These dynamics again should be brought to surface by throwing alternatives. Impact made by the

presence of the group should also be explored. Some individuals are likely to be hindered by the

presence of the group. People having again high interpersonal need (affiliation and power) are likely to

get affected by the presence of the group.

Final Round In the third round, financial incentives have been introduced. Individuals with high need for

achievement are likely to respond to this round more seriously even if they have not been responding

so till this round. By the time of the third round the participant may also have generated significant

information about his skill in throwing the rings. Because of these two factors the goal setting behavior

on the third round and the consistencies in all the three are likely to give enough insights about the

entrepreneurial tendencies.

The data on the third round may be processed for the following objectives:

(a) To help the candidate assess his risk-taking behavior with more confidence.

(b) To help him understand and analyses the consistencies in his goal-setting behavior, and

(c) To help him examine the extent to which he learns from feedback.

Questions similar to those asked in the second round may be asked. While processing the data of this

round an attempt should be made to find out consistencies in behavior patter.

It is possible that some candidates who were taking high risks till this round may suddenly jump down

to moderate risk level.

The discussion should bring out the impact made by the financial incentives on the risk-taking behavior

of the participant. The meaning attached by the participants to financial incentives may be brought

out.

It is possible that some participants start setting unrealistically high goals or very low goals when faced

with financial incentives. These may also be explored by picking up individuals who have lowered or

increased the distances.

The extent to which the individual is taking personal responsibility for his success or failure can be

assessed by the statement he make. For example, some individuals state that the light ring , or too

137

short height of the peg etc., influenced their failure. Such candidates indicate external control or lack of

orientations to take personal responsibility. Those who own up success of failures, feel happy about

success and unhappy about failure are indicating that they can take personal responsibility.

It is useful to point out the consistencies in patterns of behavior and statements made by the

participants.

138

Appendix 1- A suggested distribution of Points for the ring-toss

game

Note: If money is used each point may be considered as equal to one unit of currency or one paisa.

Distance

In feet 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

Points in

Round 1 5 10 20 35 55 80 110 145 185 230 280 335 395 460 530 605 685 770

Points in

Round 2 5 10 20 35 55 80 110 145 185 230 280 335 395 460 530 605 685 770

Points in

Round 3 5 10 20 35 55 80 110 145 185 230 280 335 395 460 530 605 685 770

139

Appendix 2 - Ring Toss Game: Record Sheet First round of distance Second round of distance Third round of

distance

No of Chosen Successful throws Chosen Successful throws Chosen Successful throws

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

140

Appendix 3 After completing each round please give an introspective report of your decision-making process here.

Round 1 No. of successful throws

Distance you chose:

1. How did you choose the distance? What factors influenced you? What are some of the thought

processed you had before you announce the distance?

2. What was your estimate of the probability of your success from this distance?

• Not Thought about – 10% - 20% - 30% - 40% - 50% - 60% - 70% - 80% - 90% - 100%

3. How satisfied or dissatisfied are you with you performance on this round?

- very much satisfied – satisfied – somewhat satisfied

- More Dissatisfied that satisfied – dissatisfied

- Very much dissatisfied


Distance you chose:

1. What factors influenced you in your choice of the distance this time? Please record your thought

processed:

2. What was your estimate of the probability of your success from this distance?


3. How satisfied or dissatisfied are you with you performance?

• Very much satisfied – satisfied – somewhat satisfied

• More dissatisfied that satisfied – dissatisfied - Very much dissatisfied

4. What effect did the presence of others have on you?


Distance you chose:

1. What factors influenced you in your choice of the distance this time?

2. What was your estimate of the probability of success?


3. What does financial incentive mean to you? What effect did it have on you?

4. How satisfied or dissatisfied are you with you performance?

• Very much satisfied – satisfied – somewhat satisfied

• More dissatisfied that satisfied – dissatisfied - Very much dissatisfied

1

41

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Than four teams and trials by others Distance from the page 1’ 2’ 3’ 5’ 4’ 6’ 7’ 8’ 9’ 10’ Probability of success 100% 100 % 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 35% 30% Distance from the page 11’ 12’ 13’ 14’ 15’ 16’ 17’ 18’ 19’ 20’ Probability of success 20% 15 % 10% 5% 5% 5% 4% 3% 2% 2%

1

42

First round Second round Third round Distance No. of Distance No. of Distance No. of No. Name correct throws correct throws correct throws Remarks 1 Hussain 13 0 9 1 9 1 2 Rashid 5 2 6 2 6 2 Took long time to chose 3 Abu Bakar 7 1 6 2 6 2 “ 4 Lee 7 3 8 1 8 1 “ “ 5 Wong 10 0 10 0 10 1 Chose very fast 6 Cheng 9 0 8 0 7 1 Took long time Move bank and forth 7 Bashir 15 0 16 0 18 0 Chose fast 8 Abdullah 3 4 3 4 5 2 Started from 1 his first trial 9 Yusof 8 0 6 1 6 2 Tried imaginary thrwos 10 Md. Ghani 8 0 9 0 9 0 Thought for a while in first trial 11 Yunus 9 1 9 0 10 0 - 12 Yeng 4 3 5 2 6 2 - 13 Chee 10 0 9 0 9 0 Fast decision 14 Jmil 6 3 7 1 6 2 - 15 Jamaludding 12 0 13 0 3 4 -

Appendix 5 A sample ring toss data record

143

TOWER BUILDING

Genre: Setting Challenging Goals 2

Objectives The following are the main objectives of this game:

1. Understanding the origins of achievement motivation. The game can be used to indicate how

achievement motivating develops in children, why some children have a high achievement

motivation and others have a low achievement motivation.

2. Insight into to values and the culture. The game can also be used to help the participants

become aware of the values they hold in relation to other people while working with them,

how such values have been formed by the process of socialization, and how the culture in

which they live, whether it is the family culture, of the organizational culture, contributes to the

development of such values and with what consequences.

3. Insight into the goal-setting process. The game con be used to have an insight in to the

dynamics of the process of goal-setting in which the person who sets the goal, and others

working with him, contributes to this process.

4. Understanding the role of expectations in the motivation for and the level of performance of a

task. The game is mostly used to illustrate and demonstrated how expectations of significant

people around a person influence his motivation to perform, as well as the level of hi

performance.

5. Understanding the role of help in the motivation for and level of performance. The game also

helps people to understand the role of two significant helping behaviors, namely, giving

instructions and directions and encouraging the persons. The roles of these two behaviors are

significant and have different implications at different levels of the working of the person.

Material Required The game is played with wooden cubes or wooden blocks. Experience shows that cubes of about 1

½ inch dimensions are useful for the game. These cubes can be bought or constructed out of

ordinary wood. Usually about 25 cubes would be needed for playing in one group. If multiple group

exercise is to be conducted, more cubes would be needed, at the rate of about 25 cubes per group.

One handkerchief or a cloth or a ready-made blindfold is also necessary for each team.

Time Required Usually it takes bout 10 to 15 minutes to play the game, but needs much more time in processing.

Experience shows that if a single group is playing the game, about one hour is needed. However, if

more than one group plays the game more time may be needed and may be useful to keep about 2

hours for the exercise.

144

Conducting The Exercise The following suggestions may help in conducting the exercise:

1. The trainer first asks for volunteers to play the game. Usually there are three volunteer. In

asking for the volunteers it may be stated that these person would be involved in playing some

roles and playing the game together. There is always one person who has to play the game

(henceforth called ‘self’ or S) and two persons are chosen who are significant persons in

relation to that role (henceforth ‘significant others’ or SO). For example, the exercise could be

conducted in a family setting where one person plays the role of an 11-year boy (S), and two

other persons play the roles of his parent (SOs). If an organizational situation is selected, then

the S can a Junior Person Like a worker or a superintendent, or a manager, or an entrepreneur,

etc., and the SOs would be senior people in relation to his role. Any situation could be used in

playing the role.

2. After some person volunteers to play this role, the trainer gives instructions to the observers. It

may be useful to ask the role players to go out of the room and then the trainer may give

instructions to the rest of the participants. These instructions can also be stenciled and

distributed to the observers. One sample of instructions appears in Appendix 1

3. After the players have been given the instructions to the observers, the players are brought

back to the group and they are given instructions when the game begins. The instructions may

also be typed and handed over to the players to read. A sample of such instructions appears in

Appendix 2.

After the player has been given instructions, the trainers make the following statements:

“Well now we would like to start the exercise. However, before we start the exercise I would

like you to individually write on a small piece of paper your own estimate how high a tower (in

terms of the number of cubes) the child (or worker, etc.) will be able to make. And the child (or

the worker, etc.) will also give his estimate of his own performance. Now are you ready? Write

down your own estimates.”

4. All the three persons playing the game then write down their estimates. At this stage the

trainer can ask the overseers also to write down individually their own estimates. After the

estimates are taken individually from the three role player, the trainer reveals tem and says

that there are three are thee estimates (usually there will be differences in the three). Before

the exercise starts, he would like to have only one common estimate which is agreed upon by

all the three players. He then asks them to discuss together and give him one common

estimate.

5. After the discussion is over, and after the final figure is give the game starts. The trainer

explains to the SOs that they cannot do two things. They cannot touch the person who is

building the tower nor can they touch the wooden cubes. If they ask him questions whether

they can give instructions or what other things they can do, he simply answers that they can do

anything they like, but they cannot do these tow things It is useful for the instructor not to

answer specific questions but only repeat this sentence again and again when may question is

asked: “You can do anything you like, but ye cannot touch the person who is building the tower

not can you touch the cubes.”

6. Then the exercise is conducted after blindfolding the S. After the last cube falls down, the

exercise is over. Then all persons assemble in the room and the trainer writes down the various

figures on the board.

145

Rationale The game can be played in various ways. However, come people wonder why people should be

blindfolded and why they should not be allowed to build the tower with their eyes open. Similarly,

why should the no-dominant hand be sued? The rationale of both blindfolding the S and also to ask

him to use his non-dominant and are mainly two, viz., to reduce the role of the skill in the exercise

and to provide the possibility of help so that later it may be analyzed how giving help and giving

encouragement contributes to the level of performance and of achievement motivation. If the

person builds the over with open eyes he would not need any help and therefore the role of help

cannot be discussed. Moreover, by cutting out the sight as well as the dominate hand, which we

often use in our work, we are bringing people to more or less the same situation, and therefore the

role of skill is greatly reduce. This may help us to examine the experience generated by the

exercised rather that the discussions being too much confined to someone being more skilful in

handling the cube, the other person.

Another question which the trainers may wonder about is why the average figures is given and why

not allow people to build the tower without mentioning any figures. The average figure is given to

se some standard or norm against which the performance can be measured to see whether their

expectations are higher or lower. Later on, if we process the experience it may be difficult for us to

talk in terms of high or low expectations because we would have no figure. But given the average,

we create conditions under which later the SO may be able to reflect why he gave higher or lower

that this average figure, and in some cases why he failed to hear or read in the given instructions

something about the average.

Sometimes the trainers may also ask whether there should be a time limit or not even though this

really does not make much difference in the game. However, if a time limit is imposed, say five

minutes, we are adding another variable. But exercise has been done with certain time limit so that

the person can build and then can rebuild if the tower falls within that time limit. It should not

make much difference if this variable is introduced.

Processing The Exercise Processing the exercise is the most significant part for training. If the exercise in not properly

processed then it may merely become a piece of entertainment or a exercise from which different

persons can derive different point of learning, and may fail to be a very strong and useful source of

learning.

Enough attention should be paid to the processing of the exercise. It may be useful for the trainer

to read several original articles and other literature so that they have sufficient grasp of the various

concepts in the expertise.

The main purpose of processing of an exercise is to help the participants examine their experience

and analyze them for some significant learning. While generating such experience, the trainer may

help evolve some conceptual learning around which various experiences may meaningful hang, and

get integrated. Trainer may differ in their styles of deriving the learning from the experience. While

146

some trainer may prefer to let the participants develop their own learning points. And get their

various massages from the discussion, some others trainers may prefer to have detailed discussion,

and later provide necessary information from the researches done and provide a framework at the

end which the participants may find useful for understanding their experiences and to put all that

they have discussed and experienced in a conceptual context so that they may be able to use this

learning later. The learning, thus, gets integrated and internalized. The following are the various

stages of the processing of the exercise.

1. Recording the Data

Whether one group or more that one group has played the exercise, the trainer should get all

the data from the exercise and write down on the board. The data obtained from two groups in

a bank in Malaysia are given in Table 1.

TABLE 1

Data from two Groups

Group A Group B

Average

Significant other 1

Significant other 2

Self

Consensus

Achievement

Instructions by significant 1

Instructions by significant 2

Encouragement by 1

Encouragement by 2

9

5

4

10

7

7

Low

High

Low

low

9

12

10

6

12

14

Medium

High

High

High

If directions and encouragement are rated by different observers, these may be collected and the

average figures may be put down on the board. In case this is not done, then these two thins may not

be written

2. Goal Setting.

in the first part of the exercise the different expectations about the S’s performance are put

down when the trainers ask the players to give estimates of the performance of the S. the

trainer may ask each player why he had a particular figure, of the estimate, and especially ask in

relation to the lower or higher figure compare to the average given by the trainer, i.e., 10. He

may also get the various reasons they had in mind while putting the estimates. Some of these

reasons may not be full articulated by players, but trainer can help them to articulate them

even though they did not consciously think of those reasons at the time of giving these

estimates. But the trainer should encourage them to give the rationale even when this was not

clear thought. Reasons for Having Low Expectations than Average

Usually the following reasons are given for having lower expectation than the average figure.

147

I want to ensure the success of S.

(ii) The task is too difficult for S, because he is blindfolded, the wooden cubes are rough, he

is working with his left hand, etc.

(iii) I do not know his capability and therefore I do not want to put higher estimates.

(iv) I do not want to inflate his ego by showing higher expectation from him.

(v) He is below average

(vi) I can do only so much, and so I make similar estimates for him. He may no be able to do

more that what is can do.

(vii) Having lower expectations will encourage him,

If we examine the reasons given above for having lower expectations, we find that the first five

reasons are more or less the same. All these five reasons are based on the logic that the S is

below average, and the SO does into trust his ability to go beyond the average. Let us see the

various reasons. The first reason given by a person that he does not trust his ability to take a

risk or stretch himself. Why should a person ensure success of the other person unless he

doubts the latter’s ability to meet the challenge and to take risk and then succeed?

Similarly, the second reason where the task is seen as to difficult and handicaps are seen as to

many, and so the expectations are put lower. It has the same logic behind. The task being

regarded as too difficult or the handicaps being exaggerated only indicate the lack of trust in

the ability of the other person to deal with such difficulties and overcome any obstacles which

are seen in the situation. This again indicates doubts about the ability of the person. The third

reason may doubt his ability and this may in general show that the tendency the person is to

have low expectations from others. And of course the fourth reason indicates that the person

does not trust the ability of the other person to meet the challenge, to succeed under difficult

situations, and yet remain self-confident and not become vain. Doubt in the ability or person to

remain calm under success also is indicative of trusting the ability of the other person.

The latest reason, namely that having lower expectations will encourage the person, can be

explored by the trainer by interviewing the S. if the interview is properly conducted, it will come

out that the S feels very bad about the lower expectations because it shows the SO’s lack of

trust in his ability.

Reasons for Having Moderately High Expectations

Those people who have higher expectations that the average slightly higher to make their goals

more challenging, give the following reason.

(I) I have confidence in him

(ii) I want to create a challenge for him, and I am sure he will be able to take this

(iii) he is better that the average.

(iv) I can myself do and therefore he can also do it.

(v) I shall be available for help to him.

148

Appendix I

Instructions for Observers

You will observe a game being played here. Three people will be involved in this game. You are

observers and your have to follow the rules of observation strictly. No observer can participate in the

game not can communicate in any way, verbally non-verbally, his or her feeling.

The game will have several stages.

(a) One of the three persons (called S) will be required to build a tower under some conditions.

Listen carefully to the instruction given at that time. Two people (called SOs) will remain with

him. They will be required to estimate or guess the S’s score. At that time you also make a

guess, and note it down in the space provided at the end of these instructions. The three role

players must have different estimates. We shall require the role players to come to a common

agreement about the number of cubes to be guilt by S. In this process you observe who is

primarily influencing the final decision and the consensus.

(b) The game will then proceed and you may observe the behavior of each SO. Particularly observe

how the two SOs are helping or not helping, and how much encouragement thy are giving to

the S. you May Divide the exercise into three time periods (beginning, middle, end) and observe

how much help was given by each SO at three different stages of the game, in the beginning,

later on while the game is progressing, and in the final stages of the game. Also observe what

works were used by each SO indicating directions (instructions) and what words were used to

indicate that they were encouraging the S. You can check the appropriate number in the

following form.

At the end of the game, you may also observe some significant things which they do in relation to the

achievement or cant thing which they do in relation to the achievement or non-achievement by the

person who is building the tower, Write down your personal estimate of the S’s score. Rate

instructions and encouragement given by each SO at the all the three Stages of the game. Rating may

range from 1 (the least) to 10 (the most or the highest)

Period instructions encouragement words used to instruct words used to encourage

SO-1 SO-2 SO-1 SO-2

Earlier

Middle

Later

149

Appendix II

Instructions to the players, I am a psychologist, testing people how well they do with their

hand and fingers – something like a finger dexterity test. I have conducted this test in several places

and would like to test your child (or worker, or entrepreneur, or employee whatever the case may be).

The child (or worker, etc.) will be required to build a tower with the help of the wooden cubes which

will be put on the table here. He can build as high as he wants or you want him to do.

The last cube after which the tower falls down will not be counted; all the cubes up to that will counted

as his score. For example, if the 4th cube falls down then his score will be 3, or if 20th cube falls down

then his score will be 19.There are two conditions under which the person will build the tower. First, he

will use his non-dominant hand. If he is a right-handed person then he will use his left hand, or if he is a

left-handed person then he will use his right hand. Are the instructions clear? Before we start the

exercise I want to give more information to you.

As I said that I have conducted this test in several families (or companies, etc.) and I have some data.

Under these conditions which I have mentioned, viz. being blindfolded, using the non-dominant hand,

and having two significant person like you with him, under the same conditions the person (or the child

whatever the case may be) with average ability has been found to put 10 cubes to build the tower.

150

BOAT MAKING

Genre: Setting Challenging Goals 3

Objectives This game has objectives similar to the ring-toss game. The former differs from the later more in terms

of its closeness to the reality in entrepreneurial life. The supply of norms on how fast, average, and

slow performers do on this game, the opportunity made available to the participants to test his speed,

and the penalties introduced for changing the goal are three special features of this game. This game

has the following objectives:

1. To help the participant understand his own goal-setting and risk-taking behaviors.

2. To help the participant examine the extent to which he exhibits the characteristics of

an entrepreneur or a high achievement oriented person on an actual performance

exercise. These characteristics include:

i. Use of information and sensitivity to the surroundings.

ii. Calculated risk-taking

iii. Learning from feedback

iv. Ability to cope with stress

v. Concern for excellence in terms of quality, quantity or profits.

vi. Taking personal responsibility for success or failure.

3. To help him experiment with his own goal-setting behavior by modifying it on the

basis of feedback from experience.

Materials 1. Glossy colored papers cut into squares of 4 inches length. Only one side should be coloured and

the other side should be white. About 20 such 4 inch square papers are required for each

participant.

2. Instructions sheet for the boat making game (reproduced in Appendix 1) : one copy for each

participant.

3. Boat making game date record sheet (reproduce in Appendix 2) : one copy for each participant.

4. Blackboard or flip chart arrangement for writing the date for discussion in the class.

5. A stop-watch

Time Required For two rounds of play and discussion, this exercise requires about 2 ½ to 3 hours with 20 to 25

participants. With smaller groups, less time may be required.

Procedure In this game every subject will be portraying himself as an independent entrepreneur. He would be

making paper boats following the procedure supplied to him by the instructor. The instructor will be

portraying the role of a contractor. The entrepreneur is in the business of boat making. He gets raw

151

materials from the contractor and sells back to the contractor finished products. The instructor is

required to be continuously \active in this game as contractor.

1. The participant should be seated in the room. Each participant should have at least

two square feet of open space in front of him on the table to keep the paper boat

materials and to work on making paper boats. The participant may be instructed to

keep this space free of books and any other materials. They may be told that they

would be portraying as entrepreneurs and would be involved in a game to

manufacture paper toys. To facilitate manufacturing, they should keep their tables

free of any materials.

2. After the participants settle down, the instructions sheet could be handed over to

each. The participants may then be requested to read the instructions and

understand the exercise. It mat be useful if the trainer explains the various steps in

the game even before the participants go through the instructions. This facilitates

reading and clear understanding of the instructions. While explaining the game the

instructor should explain only the steps in the game. All reference to the purpose of

the game, risk-taking, etc., should be avoided. It should be introduced a business

game and steps may be repeated from the instructions sheet. About 10 minutes may

be allowed for the participants to real all the steps.

3. After they have read, the instructor may clarify if there are any doubts or questions

by the participants. Mostly the questions will d3eal with the clarification of the

procedure and the steps. If anyone asks about the purpose the instructor may merely

say, “The purpose is to see how well you do as entrepreneur – whether you make a

profit or a loss.”

4. After clarifying the instructor may distribute one piece of paper to each participant

for learning to make the boat of the king the is going to specify.

5. The instructor may then give a demonstration of the procedure for making the boats.

(before the class begins the instructor should have practiced and mastered the art of

making paper boats. This is very essential. While giving the demonstrations the

instructor should go slowly, step by step, ensuring that every one in the classroom

understood. After the demonstration he may clarify if any one had any doubts about

the mechanics of making of boat.

6. he ham then specify the quality control requirements, such as:

(a) The outer surface of the boat should be white in color.

(b) The top point of the boat should be pointed and not flat.

(c) Both the edges and the sides of the boat should be balanced. This can be

seen by pressing both sides of the boat together. It the colored surface

from inside is not noticeable in larger areas, then the boat is balanced.

7. After announcing the quality control specifications, the trainer may then request the

participants to \make their initial estimates on the business game data record sheet.

While they do this, the trainer may collect the boats made in the trial run. This would

prevent some of them from practicing. It is useful to m\maintain a uniform level of

practice.

8. After ensuring that everyone has made their initial estimates, the trainer may

distribute another piece of paper for the timed practice. He should instruct the

participant not to begin till he signals them to begin. He may announce that after he

signals them to begin he would be speaking out the time passed at every 5 second

152

interval. Every participant should note the i\time taken by him after he completes

making the boat. After completing the distribution the instructor may set the

participants to be ready to work. He may then ask them to begin and start counting

the time. He may announce the time this way: five seconds over ten seconds over,

fifteen seconds over, etc. He may stop announcing after 90 seconds or after everyone

completes.

9. he should ensure that everyone notes the time taken in the date record sheet. He

may then ask the participant t give their finale estimates after which he should go

around and distribute the paper to each participant, checking the number written by

each participant. It is useful to check as only the current number papers should be

given to the participant. The trainer should also ensure that no participant starts

making folds or any movements with the paper till he asks them to begin.

10. After completing the distribution he may set them and signal them to start. While

they perform he may announce the time after 3 minutes, 5 minutes and 5 ½ minutes.

When 30 seconds remain he may announce at every 5 second interval. When only 10

seconds remain he may start the countdown 10, 9, 8, ….,2, 1, stop. With stop, all

movements in the class must cease\, for for those who continue, one boat’s price

could be deducted or they may be disqualified. Generally such cases do not occur id

the trainer gives instruction in the beginning itself and stresses this point.

11. The trainer may then go around inspecting the boats for quality control. While

making the checks he should firs see the general trend. He could slightly lower the

quality standars if the general performance is low \. However boats having very flat

tops and highly uneven sides should be rejected.

12. After completing the checks, he may request the participants to full out the data

sheet and complete calculating the pants to fill out the data sheet and complete

calculating the profit or loss. The trainer may assist the participants in completing this

task.

13. The participants may now be asked to answer part B of the data record sheet where

they are asked to give an introspective report.

14. After everyone completes, the instructor may announce that he is interested in

getting another product manufactured. The procedure to be followed would be

similar. This time the product manufactured is a ‘knife boat’. After he announces, the

total process, staring from the first practice, till the calculation of profit and loss and

writing of the introspective report may be prepared. The detailed instructions for

making a knife boat are given in the appendix. The trainer should practice sufficiently

before beginning the class. The quality control instructions, the purchase Most and

the penalty chart remain the same. The trainer may suggest after the first practice

trial and before the initial estimate that the time taken for making the knife boat may

be another 3 to 5 seconds more that the time taken for the earlier boat. A second

data record sheet should be supplied to the participants and the game may be

supplied to the participants and the game may be repeated.

15. After the profit or Loss statements are completed and the second introspective

report is filled by the participants the instructor may record the data on the

blackboard or on flip charts. The format used in table 2 in appendix 1 of this chapter

may be used of tabulating the data.

153

After transferring the data to the blackboard the trainer may process the data along the

guidelines suggest below.

Business Game: Instruction Sheet You are going to participate in a business game where you are going to portray yourself

as an entrepreneur. Yours is a single man’s enterprise. You are the boss, the manager, the worker,, the

salesman and everything.

In this business game you will be manufacturing paper boats and selling them. Your instructor will

portray as the sole supplier of raw materials for your production of boats. He also the sole buyer, i.e.,

you can buy raw materials only from him and sell the finished products only to him. Thus your

instructor will be acting as contractor from whom you can contract business. You can make profits in

this business as the finished products you sell will fetch you a price higher than the raw material cost.

However, there are a few rules involved in this game. These include the following:

(a) You have to make paper boats of a particular type and quality as specified by your contractor.

The contractor (i.e., your instructor) will teach you how to make boats of the specification he

wants. He will teach you free of cost.

(b) After the contractor demonstrates and teaches, you will be required to make an initial estimate

of the number of boats you would like to manufacture in a 6- minute period. It is on the basis of

this initial quotation by you that your contractor can procure his raw material and keep it ready

for purchase by you.

(c) The raw material costs and purchase price (by contractor) for the boats are presented in Table

2.

(d) For your information the average time taken by fast makers, slow makers, and people with

average speed for making similar boats are presented below:

Fast makers = 30-40 seconds per boat

Average = 40-50 seconds per boat

Slow makers = 50-60 seconds per boat

(e) After you make the initial estimate the contractor will give you a timed practice. For this

practice you will be supplied with a new sheet of paper. You will start making the boat when

the contractor gives a signal to start. The contractor would be announcing the time every 5

seconds. As soon as you complete you may note down the time taken by you in the business

game data record sheet. This would help you to look at his time you take to make one boat.

(f) After the timed practice you would be required to give your “final estimate “ of the

number of boats you wish to make ( or the number of units of raw materials you wish to

purchase) for a 6 minutes manufacturing period. For any change in your estimates you will have

to pay a penalty. Details of the penalty to be paid by you are also presented in Table 2 at the

end of these instructions. The penalty would be deducted from the profit you make or added to

the loss if you make loss.

(g) After you give your final estimate, the contractor will come and distribute to you the number of

sheets (raw material) that you judged in the final estimate. You may check the quality of the

raw material without folding the sheets in any way and you have to ask for replacement only

when the contractor is with you.

(h) You will start making the paper boats only when the contractor signals you to start after he has

completed distributing the raw material to all entrepreneurs.

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(i) When the contractor signals you to start, you may start. The contractor will be announcing the

time at the end of 3, 5 and 51/2 minutes. When only half a minute is left he would announce the

remaining time every five seconds. When only ten seconds remain he would countdown every

second from 10 to 1. As soon as he says stop you must stop no matter in what stage you are.

Otherwise you may be disqualified and may loose all money.

(j) After the production process stops the contractor himself or any quality control inspectors sent

by the contractor welcome to you to check the quality of the boats you made and buy the boats

that need their specifications. The number of boats you made and the number of boats

accepted by them may be entered in your record sheet.

(k) On the basis of the number of boats accepted, your raw material costs and the penalty, you

may calculate your profit or loss.

Profit or loss = selling price of the boats accepted – (Purchase price of raw material + Penalty

for change in estimate)

Remember that any unfinished products and raw material remaining after the 6 minutes period

have no value.

(l) After you complete the calculations answer the questionnaire given in part B of your data

record sheet.

(m) After you complete this, the game would be repeated by the instructor with a different

product. This time you would manufacture knife boats. The same procedure would be followed.

You may use the second record sheer for recording your data

1

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TABLE 2 Raw material cost, purchase price and penalty for change of estimates

Raw materials costs Purchase price Penalty for change ________________________________________ _________________________________________ ___________________________________________ Quality Cost in No of boats Purchase No. of Penalty in of paper dollars/ passing price in units dollars/ rupees Quality control dollars/rupees changed rupees

3 300 3 320 1 10 4 400 4 440 2 25 5 500 5 560 3 45 6 575 6 665 4 75 7 650 7 770 5 110 8 725 8 875 9 775 9 965 6 150 10 825 10 1055 7 195 11 875 11 1145 8 245 12 900 12 1210 9 300 13 925 13 1295 14 950 14 1400 10 360 15 960 15 1560

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Appendix 2

Business game data record sheet

Name: Date: Trial No:

Part A

1. Your initial estimate of the boats you would

Like to make in a 6-minutes period: ________

2. Time taken by you in the timed practice: ________

3. Your revised and final estimate of the boats

you would like to make in the 6 minutes period: ________

4. Cost of the material (consult Table 2): ________

5. Penalty for change in estimates (consult Table 2): ________

6. Total cost of material including penalty (add 4 and 5): ________

7. No. of boats you could complete: ________

8. No. of boats accepted by the quality control department: ________

9. Cost of the material purchased by the contractor (purchased

Cost of the boats accepted): ________

10. Profit or loss (item 9 –item 6, if the value in

Item 6 is more, it is a loss, and otherwise it is a profit): ________

Part B

Please answer the questions below after you have completed the game.

How did you make you initial estimate? On what basis? What data have you used? What factors

influenced your choice?

1. What did the average timings mean to you? How did you place yourself in relation to these

averages (i.e., fast, slow or average)?

2. What were your reactions during the timed practice? Were you concerned with quality or you

wanted to do as fast as you can, etc.?

3. How did you react to the time you have actually taken? Did that influenced you in any way

latter?

4. What factors influenced your revision or non-revision of the estimates?

5. How did you plan for the exercise? How did you actually carryout the plans?

6. What factors influenced your profit or loss? Could you have done better? How?

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Sky Is the Limit

Genre: Setting challenging goals 4

Duration: 5 – 7 Minutes.

Objective: Realize your Potential.

Timing of Activity: When doing Goal Setting.

Requirements: 1 White Chart Paper + 3 different color markers. The chart should be pasted at a

height of the wall.

Call for 3 volunteers & ask them to put their initials at a comfortable height on the chart.

Once every one is through ask them once again to put their initials higher than the earlier attempt. This

time the trainer should motivate the volunteers to stretch themselves a bit.

The activity will be repeated the third time with the trainer still motivating them to reach still higher.

At the end of the third attempt the trainer will now ask the audience to judge the winner out of the

three.

Majority of the people will vote for the volunteer as a winner who has put his initials at the highest

level.

However, the trainer will announce all the three as winners focusing on each persons quest to go still

higher with each passing attempt.

Learning: At the first instance many people don’t realize their actual potential but when they put

the efforts, nothing can stop them from delivering the best

Simulation Exercises

Documents

Transcript of Simulation Exercises