Teamwork and Collaboration Course Modules

Time:
This game will take about 90 minutes to play. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 150 minutes to complete the game and ensure that all of the learning points are brought out.

Aims:
• To create an understanding of UK workplace Equality Law so that all employees and managers are aware of their responsibilities.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to about 24 participants if using the online game board or 12 participants if using the table top version.

Useful For:
Everyone in the workplace – because everyone needs to be clear on what they can and can’t do. This is not a topic bound by status and participants will have the most fun from the game if there is a mix of roles, seniority and experience in each team. The game will be especially useful for managers and team leaders who are usually closest to managing diversity and equality issues and need to be clear on the law.

You'll Need:
• A computer/laptop with Broadband internet access and screen on which to project the screen. Please note, you will need to be logged in to Trainers' Library to access and use the online game board.
• Questions and Answer Sheet.

If you don’t have internet access, it is possible to run a Tabletop version of this exercise, in which case you’ll need:
• A Spinner. (Download the template from Trainers’ Library.)
• The Tabletop Game Board. (Downloaded from Trainers’ Library. Print this as large as you are able.)
• 4 differently coloured sets of 8 counters.
• Questions and answers sheet (downloaded from Trainers’ Library).

Notes:
Most questions have multiple choice or yes/no answers. This means that the third team to have a go at a question is pretty much guaranteed to get a correct answer when the question comes round again. This keeps the overall time for the game within reasonable limits and adds to the fun, because of the danger of a team getting the answer wrong and allowing another team to get in with the right answer next time.

The game is very easy to play and we suggest that you have a practice run before you run it the first time to ensure you are clear on how it works.

Please note that the table top game board and spinner are not included in the Download All Zip File.

Time:
The exercise in this module can be complete within 45 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 75 minutes to complete the module.

Aims:
• To identify specific actions that will enable groups to achieve a shared vision.
• To help individuals see how they will contribute to the achievement of a shared vision.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with most workshop/courses but is not recommended for use where the group has more than 25 participants (e.g., conferences).

Useful For:
Staff at all levels working in a team. It is particularly well suited to new teams formed for a fixed period to manage/implement a project.

You'll Need:
Plenty of sheets of thin A4 card and a selection of coloured pens (felt tip pens are ideal).

Notes:
This module allows the group to share their ideas on how they intend to work together to achieve a shared vision. The group need to be clear about what their vision is. If this isn’t the case, then you might wish to use the module, ‘Creating a Shared Vision’ to achieve this.

This activity can be used as a stand alone activity or combined with others (for example, 'Creating a Shared Vision' as part of a longer event.

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 20 minutes (or 30 minutes with the optional extension). In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 40 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To help participants recognise how their behaviour/communication is experienced by others.
• To encourage participants to increase the positive acts of recognition they give to others, and to create a working atmosphere in which people feel accepted and recognised.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to about 20 participants.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels. It can be particularly useful in management training and team building.

You'll Need:
Post-it notes and flipchart paper.

Notes:
This module can be used alongside Land of the Nutritos in a diversity programme and as part of a programme on giving feedback or team working.

Time:
The exercise in this module will take about 30 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 50 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To identify the main barriers to internal customer care and ways of reducing or eliminating them.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 25 participants.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
Nothing other than the materials provided.

Time:
The exercise in this module will take about 20 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 45 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To consider the importance of momentum when innovating.
• To look at what builds momentum behind a project or idea, and what saps energy from a project or idea.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of any size.

Useful For:
Managers.

You'll Need:
For this exercise you'll need to be able to split your participants into two teams, each with a different room to work in.

You'll also need to gather a set of 'building materials' for each team.

Typically, we provide each team with the following:
• 20 'pick-up' sticks.
• 3 pairs of scissors.
• 4 rulers.
• 6 sheets of A3 card (or 12 sheets of A4 card).
• A ball of string.
• A roll of sticky tape.

You can vary the materials you provide in any way you wish - the important thing is that each team must have exactly the same materials to work with (including the same number of pairs of scissors etc). You'll also need a toy car for each team (each should be the same size and weight). Choose a car that is 'Dinky' sized, rather than 'Matchbox' sized. (More mature UK readers will know what we mean!) For those of you who don't, we mean a car that is not too small - aim for something about six or seven inches long and weighing about 1lb (500 gram). We want this exercise to be challenging.

Notes:
This exercise can be used with very large groups (20 or more participants), but you'll need to establish more than two teams. Establish a number of small teams with four or five participants in them, and then some very large teams with perhaps a dozen participants in them.

Skills tested by this teambuilding game:
Analytical thinking, Attention to detail, Problem solving and Teamwork.

Background:
Bringing the Cows Home is a flexible training exercise that has been especially designed to test analytical skills and encourage clear thinking.

In the exercise, teams are provided with a map and brief, and need to work in a structured, logical way in order to identify routes available to the farmer when bringing his cows back to the farm for milking.

Time:
We suggest giving teams 45 minutes to complete the exercise. In total we recommend allowing 60-75 minutes in total if working with a group of 10-12 participants to provide sufficient opportunity for the key learning points to be explored and discussed.

Requirements:
There are no additional resources needed to run this exercise. However, you will need to allow a little time to print the 'maps'. You may wish to laminate these for durability.

Time:
The exercise in this module will take about 15 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 40 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To encourage participants to think about rapport and its purpose, particularly when managing others.
• To consider the importance of respect when establishing rapport.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 15 participants.

Useful For:
Staff at supervisory level.

You'll Need:
Nothing other than the materials provided.

Time:
This exercise will take about 55 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 75 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To encourage participants to consider planning and preparation as part of leadership.
• To facilitate discussion around playing to the team's strength.
• To consider factors that motivate staff to perform well.
• To encourage staff to self assess, review and reflect on performance.
• To encourage leaders to consider their communication skills.
• To encourage leaders to consider the question of keeping people motivated.
• To demonstrate leadership skills in a practical task.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 25 participants.

Useful For:
First line managers and supervisors.

You'll Need:
Broadsheet newspapers, sticky tape and tennis ball.

Notes:
In this exercise, participants will be working in teams of 4 or 5. Each team will need one broadsheet newspaper (for example, the Financial Times) and a roll of sticky tape.
In addition you will need a tennis ball (or similar).

Time:
The exercise in this module can be complete within 90 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 120 minutes to complete the module.

Aims:
• To agree what success looks like for everyone.
• To establish effective working relationships within groups or teams.
• To create a vision statement for the team.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with most workshop/courses but is not recommended for use where the group has more than 25 participants (e.g., conferences).

Useful For:
Staff at all levels working in a team. It is particularly well suited to new teams formed for a fixed period to manage/implement a project.

You'll Need:
A selection of craft materials such as paints, brushes, glue, magazines, pieces of material. (You may prefer to restrict the materials available to coloured pens and paper, depending on the make up of the group you are working with.)

Notes:
This module allows the group to share ideas about what is important to them and to agree some communal aim, values and aspirations. As a result of this exercise the whole team will participate in the creation of a shared vision.

This activity can be used as a stand alone activity or combined with others to form a longer event. The module ‘Achieving a Shared Vision’ naturally leads on from this module.

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 30 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 60 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To enable participants to increase awareness of their emotional reaction to other people’s behaviour and how to deal with people they find ‘difficult’.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to about 15 participants.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
Nothing other than the materials provided.

Notes:
The modules Managing Emotions and Changing Perceptions and Emotions are complementary to this module and can be combined with it to make a longer session.

Time:
This exercise will take about 45 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 70 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To create a situation where participants have to manage change driven by one department, affecting the work of another.
• To identify some key learning points about managing change.
• To test information gathering and sharing skills.
• To demonstrate the importance of effective questioning, summary and clarification and active listening.
• To consider the pros and cons of different leadership styles.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 15 participants.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
Egg timer.

Notes:
As well as useful in programs concerned with change, this exercise can also be used as a general communication exercise, or in training concerned with internal customer care.

Time:
The exercises in this module can be completed within 60 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 120 minutes to complete the module.

Aims:
• To agree the important principles of effective delegation.
• To review and learn from the experience of being delegated to.
• To recognise potential barriers to delegation.
• To prepare a checklist for effective delegation.
• To identify tasks that can’t be delegated.
• To plan for delegation.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 15 participants.

Useful For:
Supervisors and junior managers.

You'll Need:
Nothing other than the materials provided.

Notes:
A useful discussion based exercise that encourages participants to really think about when to delegate, why to delegate and when not to delegate.

Time:
The exercises in this module can be completed in about 40 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 60 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To raise awareness of self awareness, the first strand of emotional intelligence.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to about 15 participants.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
Nothing other than a flipchart, pens and the handouts provided.

Notes:
It is important to have an understanding of emotional intelligence and the effects of discussing it with a group of participants. You will find Mike Bagshaw’s Article in Trainers’ Library useful for this.

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 70 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 105 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To introduce managers to the subject of employee engagement.
• To help managers begin to understand why employee engagement is central to being a successful manager.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of between 3 and 20 participants. Ideally, you'll have at least 6 participants though so that you can create 3 teams of 2 or more.

Useful For:
Participants with managerial responsibility (or those who will have imminently.)

You'll Need:
• Prepared flipcharts with simple 'cartoon' faces drawn on them - one face for each participant.
• Post-it notes.

Notes:
This exercise is designed for the start of an Employee Engagement workshop.

Before the participants arrive – create a flip chart or charts with colourful cartoon faces on. Please have enough faces so that there is one for each participant. Have these on display at the start of the exercise.

There are two parts to this exercise. It is essential that both are completed to ensure that learning is maximised.

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 70 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 105 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To encourage managers to identify the factors that will make their teams feel that they value the organisation they work for and are valued in return.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of between 3 and 20 participants.

Useful For:
Participants with managerial responsibility (or those who will have imminently.)

You'll Need:
No additional materials are required but the final part of the exercise requires space for participants to move around the room.

Notes:
The exercises allow space for participants to reflect on the engagement of a team of up to 15 employees. If their team is bigger than this, encourage them to think about their best and worst performing team members.

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 70 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 110 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To encourage participants to explore the role of the manager in the success of their team.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of between 3 and 20 participants.

Useful For:
Those with managerial responsibility (or those who will have imminently.)

You'll Need:
Nothing other than the materials provided.

Notes:
This module is built around two specific exercises. Although these can be run separately, we recommend running the module in its entirety in order to get the full benefit of the learning available.

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 40 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 60 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To help participants understand what it feels like to be engaged in their job and the difference it makes to how they feel and the quality of their work.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of between 3 and 16 participants.

Useful For:
Participants with managerial responsibility (or those who will have imminently.)

You'll Need:
• A Bridge Constructor Kit for each team. (These can be purchased from Trainers' Market)
• A separate area for each team to work in, where they will be out of sight of the other team(s).

Notes:
It is advisable to start this exercise without too much introduction – just hand out the briefings and let them get on with it.

Time:
The exercises in this module will take about 90 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 135 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To enable participants to identify different approaches that can be used to manage conflict.
• To explain the advantages and disadvantages of five key approaches used in managing conflict.
• To identify when it is appropriate to use the various approaches.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 15 participants. The exercises work best with groups of ten or fewer.

Useful For:
Staff who need to manage conflict and interpersonal relationships.

You'll Need:
Break-out rooms if possible.

Notes:
It is recommended that you keep the participant group size to ten or fewer for this module.

This module can be used as a stand-alone module or as a follow on to 'The Anatomy of Conflict'.

The module is comprised of two exercises. Depending on your needs these can be run as two separate 'mini-modules'.

Skills tested by this teambuilding game/training module:
Attention to Detail, Accuracy, Process Improvement, Communication, Teamwork, Goal Setting, Motivation, Information Sharing, Problem Solving.

Background:
In this exercise participants work individually or in teams to sort a pack of specially designed ‘cards’ into categories following selected instructions carefully.

Originally designed to test and develop attention to detail and accuracy, the exercise can also be used as an energiser to develop teamwork, goal setting and process improvement.

The exercise can also be used to show reactions to change and is a particularly effective tool for demonstrating the transition curve and in particular the effect change has on short term performance.

Timing
Filing Frenzy is normally run as a series of intermittent energisers, with each ‘round’ taking about 10 minutes to run.

Requirements
All material required for this exercise are provided. For durability and ease of use, you might like to consider laminating the game cards.

PLEASE NOTE:
This exercise may not be suitable for participants who are colour blind or visually impaired.

Time:
The exercise in this module can be complete within 20 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 90 minutes to complete the module.

Aims:
• To explore the differences between a team and work group.
• To help participants identify when a team or group is required.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with most workshop/courses but is not recommended for use where the group has more than 25 participants (e.g., conferences).

Useful For:
Teams, work groups and/or their leaders who wish to explore the current organisation and management of the group.

You'll Need:
Each participant will need a copy of the case study and handout (downloaded from Trainers' Library).

Notes:
Where the intention is to encourage a work group to work together as a team, this module can be usefully followed by the following modules:
• Creating a Shared Vision.
• Achieving a Shared Vision.

It can also be a useful inclusion in any training intervention around remote teamworking.

Time:
This exercise will take about 15 minutes to complete (longer for large groups). In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 20 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To energise participants.
• To demonstrate the value of breaking major projects down into small goals.
• To demonstrate how positive thinking will impact upon results.
• To demonstrate effective teamwork.

Group Size:
For groups with up to 25 participants. Whilst it could conceivably be used for larger groups, it would require more time, or slight adaption.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
For this exercise you will need a large open space, five tennis balls and a stopwatch. Balls and stopwatches can be purchased from Trainers' Market.

Notes:
If using this exercise with very large groups, you will need to split participants into smaller teams.

This is a useful short exercise that shows the link between what we believe we can achieve and what we do achieve. It also illustrates the benefits of breaking long term goals into a manageable steps. It is short enough to be used as a powerful icebreaker around training to do with goal setting and motivation.

Time:
This exercise will take about 15 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 30 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To test participants' planning and communication skills.
• To demonstrate the importance of listening and using summary and clarification to check understanding.
• To consider what makes communication effective and the dangers of getting it wrong.
• To energise a group of participants.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 25 participants.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
Whistles, stopwatch, skittles and hoops (or similar-see note), prizes.

Notes:
We don't often develop exercises specifically for the outdoors, but this is a simple exercise that can be used by anyone with access to a park, lawn or yard. A great energiser for sunny days and one which really does contain some important lessons about communication and the importance of checking understanding.

This exercise does require some preparation as you'll need to devise a 'course' for your participants to follow. Preparation will take about 5 minutes once you have the items you'll need. The course maps show three different routes through the same course, which means you won't have to change the course itself if playing more than one round.

We suggest using hula-hoops for your 'pens'. If not, you can mark the 'pens' out using other things like rope or giant pick-up sticks. Skittles, cones or balls can be used to mark out the rest of the course.

Time:
The exercise in this module will take about 30 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 45 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To encourage participants to communicate effectively in order to gather all the information available.
• To encourage participants to think about how they communicate.
• To encourage participants to work co-operatively to solve a shared problem.

Group Size:
This module is for use with a minimum of 8 participants, which is the optimum number for the exercise. If you have more than 15 in your group, split them into teams.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
Nothing, other than the materials provided.

Notes:
This communication exercise is based on a logic puzzle.

You will need a minimum of 8 participants, which is the optimum number for this exercise. However, we have included additional 'gossip sheets' which enable the exercise to be used in groups of up to 15. (If you have more than 15 in your group, split them into teams and see which team can solve the problem soonest.)

Please note that where there are more than 8 participants some of the 'gossip' will be duplicated.

Time:
The exercise in this module will take about 45 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 60 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To encourage participants to consider their attitude.
• To encourage discussion around optimistic versus pessimistic outlooks.
• To recognise the impact that attitude has on performance.
• To enable participants to identify personal traits that might be holding them back.
• To encourage leaders to consider how they might deal with negative attitudes in their team.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 25 participants.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
Nothing other than the materials provided.

Notes:
This module provides an excellent opportunity, when working with a wide range of delegates, to consider how attitude can impact on performance. Topics where the inclusion of a module looking at optimism/pessimism might be beneficial include: Managing change, problem solving and decision making, customer service, selling skills, leading a team, strategic leadership, communication skills, and planning and scheduling.

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 75 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 120 minutes for this module if working with 10-12 participants.

It is strongly recommended that, for maximum impact and best overall use of time, this module is run in conjunction with the other modules from the Hotel Doldrums series.

Aims:
• To build an understanding of the key steps in strategic planning.
• To encourage participants to analyse financial and other data using a SWOT analysis.
• To encourage participants to think about where they are now, before moving on in the next module to consider where they want to be.

Group Size:
An ideal group size for this module is 12, with participants working in 3 teams of 4. If you have more than 15 participants in your group, you may want to consider ‘doubling up’ on some of the briefs with more than one team using the same scenario. This doesn’t detract from the learning; in fact it can be interesting to see how different teams approach the same problem and task.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels including individuals, groups and teams that need to use strategic planning and analysis skills in the workplace.

You'll Need:
Each team will need a hotel data pack (provided) and a syndicate room or area.

Notes:
Hotel Doldrums is a series of modules that are designed to be run in sequence.

Together they form a complete 1.5 day workshop, which can be run as a single workshop, or as three independent sessions, each lasting between 2 and 4 hours. We’ve also suggested other modules you could add to the programme, if you have more time available.

Hotel Doldrums can also be run as a teambuilding game, where teams are left to compete with less facilitator involvement during the exercise, but a thorough review at the end. This takes about 3.5 hours to run.

If you prefer to use the teambuilding version of Hotel Doldrums, please download the trainer’s notes from the teambuilding games section of Trainers’ Library.

This series of modules is set in the context of the hotel industry but requires no specialist knowledge of it.

The modules, when used together, also draw out skills relating to business planning, problem solving, influencing, team working and making presentations.

This module follows on from Hotel Doldrums, part 1, and is not designed to be used as a stand-alone module.

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 135 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 180 minutes for this module if working with 10-12 participants.

Aims:
• To give participants the opportunity to identify and explore options and appraise these.
• For participants to create a 3-5 year outline strategic plan based on the fictional case study they’ve been given.

Group Size:
An ideal group size for this module is 12, with participants working in 3 teams of 4. If you have more than 15 participants in your group, you may want to consider ‘doubling up’ on some of the briefs with more than one team using the same scenario. This doesn’t detract from the learning; in fact it can be interesting to see how different teams approach the same problem and task.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels including individuals, groups and teams that need to use strategic planning and analysis skills in the workplace.

You'll Need:
Each team will a hotel data pack (provided) and a syndicate room or area.

Notes:
Hotel Doldrums is a series of modules that are designed to be run in sequence.

Together they form a complete 1.5 day workshop, which can be run as a single workshop, or as three independent sessions, each lasting between 2 and 4 hours. We’ve also suggested other modules you could add to the programme, if you have more time available.

This module follows on from Hotel Doldrums, parts 1 and 2, and is not designed to be used as a stand-alone module.

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 140 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 240 minutes for this module if working with 10-12 participants.

Aims:
• To encourage participants to develop a strategy from the options generated in previous sessions.
• To encourage participants to prepare and give a persuasive presentation outlining their strategy and the work they have done.
• To reflect on the learning from the Hotel Doldrums series of modules.

Group Size:
An ideal group size for this module is 12, with participants working in 3 teams of 4. If you have more than 15 participants in your group, you may want to consider ‘doubling up’ on some of the briefs with more than one team using the same scenario. This doesn’t detract from the learning; in fact it can be interesting to see how different teams approach the same problem and task.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels including individuals, groups and teams that need to use strategic planning and analysis skills in the workplace.

You'll Need:
Each team will a hotel data pack (provided) and a syndicate room or area.

Notes:
Hotel Doldrums is a series of modules that are designed to be run in sequence.

Together they form a complete 1.5 day workshop, which can be run as a single workshop, or as three independent sessions, each lasting between 2 and 4 hours. We’ve also suggested other modules you could add to the programme, if you have more time available.

The modules, when used together, also draw out skills relating to business planning, problem solving, influencing, team working and making presentations.

Time:
The exercises in this module will take about 45 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 65 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To provide participants with a way of understanding behaviour and improving communication.
• To provide a very basic introduction to transactional analysis.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 25 participants.

Useful For:
Staff up to junior managers.

You'll Need:
Nothing other than the materials provided.

Notes:
This module is intended to provide a very simple introduction to transactional analysis, a theory developed by Eric Berne in the 1950s. If you are not familiar with transactional analysis you will need to read through all the notes carefully plus the additional material in the handout. Go through the exercises on your own first so that you can see the rationale. If you have time, try to observe the different types "in play" in your own interactions with people.

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 40 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing at least 50 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To help participants to consider how it feels to be different from the majority.
• To encourage understanding of the sources of prejudicial feelings and ways of behaving that can make others feel uncomfortable.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to about 15 participants with enough to encourage discussion.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
Nothing other than the materials provided.

Notes:
This exercise uses an imaginative method for raising awareness of prejudice and really gets participants thinking.

It is important to use this activity within a diversity course in which ground rules of showing respect for individual opinions and experiences have been established. The content is potentially sensitive and it is important that the trainer monitors conversations during the group work to pick up on any intrusive questioning of minorities within the group, which could mirror the unhelpful behaviour described in the imaginary scenario.

The module consists of four activities:

Part 1:
1) Reading the scenario.
2) Discussion of the experience of imagining yourself into the scenario.
3) Input on where the attitudes and feelings may come from and the unhelpful behaviours that may follow.

Part 2:
4) Discussion in groups of what the two sets of people in the scenario could do to encourage acceptance and integration.

Time:
The exercises in this module will take about 75 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 90 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To explore the way underlying beliefs can drive behaviour.
• To help participants to identify beliefs that they share even where the observable behaviours seem unusual.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 15 participants. The exercises work best with groups of eight to fifteen. It can be used with smaller groups, but participants may be more reflective as they will have to explore their own beliefs and assumptions more.

Useful For:
Teams, work groups and/or their leaders who wish to explore cultural differences between nationalities, age groups, or departments and organisations.

You'll Need:
In addition to the Belief Cards and Team Brief, provided, you’ll need:
• A pre-prepared sheet of flipchart paper with a rough diagram of an iceberg.
• Sheets of coloured sticky dots for all participants.
• A small pile of Post-it® notes for each participant.
• Five blank flipchart sheets, which should be fixed to the walls at various points around the room.

Notes:
This module can be used as an introduction to diversity training as well as a team-building exercise. The activities explore different behaviours and beliefs without judgement so is ideal for organisations with cross-functional teams or cross-cultural business units.

Time:
The exercise in this module will take about 10 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 25 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To encourage participants to share information about each other.
• To test participant's listening and recall skills.
• To briefly explore barriers to listening.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 15 participants.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
Nothing other than the materials provided.

Notes:
This exercise can provide a useful introduction to any training session concerned with listening skills. It also provides a fun and engaging way of building rapport between participants and encouraging concentration and focus from the start.

Time:
The exercises in this module will take about 30 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 50 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To provide a basic understanding of continuous improvement as a process and management tool.
• To place continuous improvement in context through a participatory exercise.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 25 participants.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
Old newspapers and sticky tape.

Notes:
You will need a large pile of old newspapers and some reels of sticky tape for this exercise.

You will also need to have made one "standard design" camel from folding or scrunching newspaper and using sticky tape.

This camel should have discernible legs, a head and a hump; but does not have to be a work of art! The participants need to be able to roughly copy it (note - the exercise is about improving upon the original). Finally you need to make a baton from newspaper, which will be used to bat the camel along in the camel races.

You will also require space to set up a track - this can usually be achieved by safely moving tables and chairs to the sides of the room.

You may wish to have a supply of small prizes available for the camel race winners.

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 40 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 70 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To enable participants to consider the value and difficulty caused by organisational politics and political games.
• To create an understanding that managers cannot avoid politics and so need to know the games in which they may – deliberately or inadvertently – be playing.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to about 20 participants. It tends not to work well with very small groups.

Useful For:
All managers, but particularly those who are new to management and may not understand the political nature of organisations, including their own.

You'll Need:
Post-it notes, marker pens, a flipchart and copies of the handout provided.

Notes:
This is the first in a series of three modules examining power and politics. It can be used on its own as a short session or with the other two to form a complete half day programme.

Politics is often seen as a ‘dirty word’ by many people, or as one in which they have no interest. The purpose of this module is for the participants to recognise that divorcing themselves from politics is a decision that could affect them adversely – and is, in itself, a political act. To influence the direction an organisation is taking means people taking part in politics.

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 25 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 50 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To enable participants to understand what power is and where it comes from.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to about 20 participants. It tends not to work well with very small groups.

Useful For:
All managers, but particularly those who are new to management and may not understand that power comes from many different sources, not just authority.

You'll Need:
Nothing other than the materials provided.

Notes:
This is part two of three modules looking at Politics and Power. It can be run on its own or combined with the other two modules to make a complete half day programme.

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 50 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 80 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To allow participants the opportunity to identify their own sources of power, to know which they need to develop and to have an action plan for doing this.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to about 20 participants.

Useful For:
All managers but especially those who are new to the management role and may feel that they have little power of their own to allow them to accomplish results.

You'll Need:
Nothing other than the materials provided.

Notes:
This module is the third in a series looking at Power and Politics. Whilst this module can be run on its on, it will have more effect if used as a follow on to the work done in Sources of Power.

Time:
The exercises in this module take about 30 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 50 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To explore the background issues that affect remote teams.
• To help participants recognise the challenge of working collaboratively when geographically separated.
• To show the importance of establishing clear guidelines at the start of any project to ensure success.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 15 participants. We do not recommend it for very large groups.

Useful For:
Those responsible for managing remote teams, and those who currently work, or are about to start working in remote teams. It is particularly well suited to those that are just about to start working remotely.

You'll Need:
At least one set of the Rules for Remote Teams cards (provided). You might like to laminate these so that they can be used again.

Notes:
This is a useful follow on to the icebreaker Working in Remote Teams, which is also available in Trainers' Library.

Time:
The exercises in this module will take about 50 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 90 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To welcome participants to the course.
• To introduce the facilitator and participants to each other.
• To discover the participants needs.
• To encourage interaction and discussion.
• To practise writing SMART objectives.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 25 participants.

Useful For:
Supervisors and above.

You'll Need:
Nothing other than the materials provided.

Notes:
This module provides a long introduction to courses, but is particularly useful where the concept of SMART objectives is important to the training being delivered. It provides an ideal introduction to performance management training for example.

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 15 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 30 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To encourage participants to find things they have in common.
• To consider the impact on relationships of finding common ground.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of up to 15 participants.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
Nothing other than the materials provided.

Notes:
This exercise can be used as an icebreaker, and can provide a particularly powerful introduction to sales or negotiation skills courses.

It can also be used as an introduction to equal opportunities and diversity programmes, where it can be used to highlight a potential barrier to equal opportunities.

It can even be used to highlight one barrier to creativity and innovation within organisations.

This is a great exercise for building rapport between participants and is particularly useful with a group that do not know each other very well.

Time:
The exercise in this module will take about 15 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 30 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To encourage team development.
• To focus discussion on the team's approach to problem solving, communication, success and failure and team leadership.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 15 participants. 12 is an ideal number of participants for this exercise. More than 12 can make it a little unwieldy to run.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
For this exercise you will need one stepping stone per participant plus one extra. Stepping stones could be sheets of newspaper (though these will easily tear) or used flipchart sheets (good for recycling). Alternatively, you could use carpet squares (perhaps left over remnants from a local store). These are heavy to carry but colourful and robust.

You will also need sufficient space for participants to be able to stand as though in a queue.

Notes:
You will need an even number of participants for this exercise. If you have an odd number of participants you could ask for a volunteer to help observe and give feedback to the group.

12 is an ideal number for this exercise. More than 12 can make it a little unwieldy to run.

If you have more than 12 participants you could run the exercise simultaneously with two smaller groups - if you have the space and an additional observer.

Although we've listed this exercise as an icebreaker, and it can be used as a simple icebreaker to get participants thinking, it's also a great exercise for prompting a detailed examination of the way teams' work and can provoke plenty of discussion and learning.

Time:
This exercise will take about 60 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 90 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To encourage participants to think about the extent to which staff feel engaged with the organisation they work for.
• To consider who staff feel is responsible for business performance.
• To think about how vision and values are used within the organisation.
• To demonstrate how values can be ingrained in the organisation.
• To consider the benefits of an organisation where staff feel engaged and responsible for the business outcomes.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 15 participants.

Useful For:
Managers.

You'll Need:
For this exercise you will need a good quantity of greeting card making materials. For example: Glue, Double sided tape or pads, Scissors, Card of various colours and textures, Ribbon of various colours and Gold/silver markers.

You'll need enough materials for each team of 4-6 participants to make one 'template' card and one 'team' card of their own design.

Notes:
This exercise was first used at the 2008 Trainers' Library Conference and has been designed around the five 'passions' that underpin our business. It's an unusually personal module that we've used to share some of the key principles and approaches that we believe have been key to the success of Glasstap. It's been added to Trainers' Library in response to requests from participants who attended the conference.

You can use the five values we've suggested for the exercise to great effect. The exercise can also be easily adapted to your own organisation's vision and values but we do strongly recommend limiting the number of values used in this exercise to 6 or fewer.

If your organisation does not have a clear set of values or principles, you could use an exercise like 'Feeling Cards' to generate discussion around people's values and to identify some possible organistional values for the future.

Time:
The exercise in this module will take about 30 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 45 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To identify the benefits and dangers of internal customer care programmes.
• To reach agreement on how to define internal customer care as a desirable goal.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 15 participants.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
Nothing other than the materials provided.

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 60 minutes (including the time required to view the training video). In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 115 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To encourage participants to critically review a meeting and identify areas for improvement.
• To consider the key responsibilities of the Chair and other attendees at a meeting.
• To help participants understand why conventions like an agenda and minutes are important.
• To provide an opportunity for participants to practice facilitating and participating in a meeting.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to about 15 participants, as long as suitable projection facilities are available to give everyone a clear view of the training video.

Useful For:
Anyone who attends or chairs meetings.

You'll Need:
Facilities to play the film. (If streaming from Trainers' Images, you'll need broadband internet connection wherever the video is being shown.)

Notes:
This module is designed to accompany the Glasstap film, ‘The Ineffective Meeting.’

This exercise involves a detailed look at a fictional meeting in order to identify what went wrong.

Library+ Customers:
If you don’t have a copy of the DVD version of the film and don’t have a Gold account that allows you to stream the video from Trainers’ Images, we recommend you consider using ‘The Monthly Meeting’ in Trainers’ Library, which uses a similar approach to this module, and covers similar learning points, but with a meeting transcript that participants can read.

Time:
The exercise in this module will take about 55 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 75 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To explore the concept of an internal service chain.
• To give participants the opportunity to map an internal service chain and identify critical internal relationships.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 25 participants.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
Nothing other than the materials provided.

Time:
The exercise in this module will take about 60 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 90 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To encourage participants to critically review a meeting and identify areas for improvement.
• To consider the key responsibilities of the Chair and other attendees at a meeting.
• To help participants understand why conventions like an agenda and minutes are important.
• To provide an opportunity for participants to practice facilitating and participating in a meeting.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 15 participants.

Useful For:
Anyone who attends/chairs meetings.

You'll Need:
Nothing other than the materials provided.

Notes:
This exercise involves a detailed look at a fictional meeting in order to identify what went wrong.

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 50 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing at least 70 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To help first time managers to recognise and discuss some of the things that they need to do to build awareness of the team and monitor its performance.
• To help first time managers understand the importance of spotting potential problems quickly and taking appropriate action to help the team overcome these.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to about 18.

Useful For:
Teams, work groups and/or their leaders who wish to understand the elements of monitoring a team.

You'll Need:
Nothing other than the materials provided.

Notes:
This module can be usefully followed by any of the First Time Manager modules.

It can also be a useful inclusion in any training intervention around coaching teams.

Time:
The exercise in this module will take about 10 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 30 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To demonstrate the importance of teamwork.
• To show how, by working together, we have the potential to achieve more.
• To encourage participants to consider the dangers of an overly competitive workplace culture.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 25 participants.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
Dice, counters and prizes.

Notes:
This module provides a superb introduction to any training around teamwork and co-operation/collaboration, and has been used successfully with participants at all levels within an organisation, from junior clerical staff to directors. It also provides an ideal introduction to training around the service chain, and internal customer care.

Time:
This exercise will take about 80 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 180 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To encourage participants to consider different approaches to improving poor performance, and the relative merits of those different approaches.
• To encourage participants to think about appropriate timescales over which they might expect to improve performance and standards.
• To consider the implications of not taking action to improve poor performance.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 15 participants.

Useful For:
Managers.

You'll Need:
Nothing other than the materials provided.

Notes:
There are two different versions of the team brief for this exercise.

For junior managers we recommend using version 1, which contains a list of actions that the managers could consider when dealing with the issues of poor performance.

For more experienced managers, we recommend using version 2, which does not provide any clues about the type of action they could take and encourages them to come up with their own solutions.

This module is ideally suited for inclusion in training around managing change.

You can reduce the amount of time needed for this module by approximately 30 minutes by not requesting a formal presentation and simply asking each team instead to talk through its proposed actions.

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 30 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 40 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To encourage participants to share information about themselves.
• To discover more about participants and build rapport.
• To consider the extent to which we communicate through body language.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of up to 25 participants.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
Each participant will need to be provided with two cards. One with a large 'T' or 'True' written on it; the other with an 'F' or 'False' – available to download from Trainers’ Library.

Notes:
This exercise is ideally suited for use as an icebreaker for team training and teambuilding events. It can also provide an interesting introduction to any session on body language. It can even be used effectively to introduce equal opportunities/diversity training sessions.

Time:
The exercises in this module can be completed in about 80 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 130 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To help participants prepare for and conduct conversations they find difficult.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to about 15 participants.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
Nothing other than the materials provided.

Notes:
Please note that Brief 1 is not available as a Word document. Brief 2 and all three handouts can however, be downloaded in Word.

Background Information:
A Welsh Holiday has been written and tested by the authors of Murder at Glasstap Grange. It is only available from Trainers’ Library.

Participants are split into small teams and each team has to work with one other team, located elsewhere, to solve a shared problem. Communication between teams is by telephone (or Walkie Talkie). The exercise is brilliant for demonstrating the importance of clear communication where there is no face to face contact and can be used to illustrate the importance of summary and clarification, good open questions and active listening, as well as more specific problem solving and team skills.

Skills tested/developed by this teambuilding game:
Communication, Teamwork, Collaboration, Information Sharing, Information Gathering, Listening, Questioning, Problem Solving.

This module is suitable for:
Staff at all levels.

Requirements:
For this exercise you will need at least two rooms and preferably one for each team. Teams will need to be able to contact each other by telephone (for example, internal extensions).

Alternatively, we’ve very successfully tested this exercise using Walkie Talkies – the beauty of these is that the exercise can be used in many more locations – it can even be run outside. We used Binatone MR200 Walkie Talkies purchased from www.argos.co.uk, which worked fine. At the time of writing these cost £29.50 for 2 or £44.50 for 3. Alternatively Binatone MR300 Walkie Talkies were available at £69.50 for 4.

In addition you will need to purchase one copy of OS Landranger map 125, and OS Landranger map 124 for every two teams involved in this exercise. The maps can be purchased from Trainers' Market

Time:
The exercise in this module will take about 20 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 40 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To encourage the team to think about the team's strengths and weaknesses.
• To identify behaviour that the team needs to change.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 25 participants.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
Nothing other than the materials provided.

Notes:
This activity is a powerful tool for encouraging teams to look critically at their own performance and behaviours. It can be used as an icebreaker, but is probably more suited to provoking thought and discussion later in a training intervention when rapport and ground rules have been established.

It is designed for use when working with teams that normally work together.

Time:
This exercise will take about 30 minutes to complete (longer for large groups). In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 40 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To encourage participants to consider whether they naturally tend towards aggressive, submissive or assertive behaviour.
• To encourage participants to consider their reasons for choosing particular responses in common situations.
• To encourage participants to reflect on the reasons for others choosing aggressive, submissive or assertive behaviour.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 25 participants.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
Nothing other than the materials provided.

Notes:
Prior to running the exercise, print off one set of question cards for each team that you'll have and enough answer cards to be able to give each participant one of each type: yes, no, but, if, unless, because.