Group Warm-Ups
I spent many years facilitating a variety of creative thinking groups and I would always start with some sort of a warm-up which would get their thinking juices flowing and put a smile on their faces. Here are some of my favorites:
1. Let’s Go Exploring
Following is a list of interesting thoughts. Feel free to add some of your own. Distribute these to individuals, pairs, or triads in your group and ask them to spend a few minutes discussing the significance of these thoughts to the situation at hand. You may want to give two to each group or individual so they have a choice in case one doesn't move them. Fun and laughter are highly encouraged as usual and anything goes. During the sharing process let others contribute as you see fit.
· Indecision is the key to flexibility.
· You can’t tell which way the train went by looking at the tracks.
· There is absolutely no substitute for genuine lack of preparation.
· Nostalgia isn't what it used to be.
· Sometimes too much to drink isn't enough.
· The facts, although they may be interesting, are irrelevant.
· Someone who thinks logically provides a nice contrast to the real world.
· Things are more like they are today than they ever were before.
· Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler.
· Friends may come and go, but enemies accumulate.
· I have seen the truth and it makes no sense.
· This is probably as bad as it gets, but don’t count on it.
· If you think there is good in everyone, then you haven’t met everyone.
· All other things being equal, fat people use more soap.
· If you can smile when things go wrong, you have someone else in mind to blame.
· One seventh of your life is spent on Mondays.
· By the time you make ends meet, the ends move.
· Not one shred of evidence supports the notion that life is serious.
· The more you run over a dead cat, the flatter it gets.
· There’s more than one way to skin a cat, but you always end up with cat skin.
2. Whine and Jeez Parties
Whining is one of the most interesting outlets you’ll ever find. After five or ten minutes of loud, unabashed, serious whining you’ll feel better and have an open channel for some new thinking. This technique gives people permission to do something they've probably wanted to do for a long time but couldn't. Here’s a chance to get it all out. Just have the whole group walk around and whine about anything that comes to mind. It could be real problems they face or silly things they make up. It really doesn't matter. What matters is that it is done with complete freedom and the exercise is perceived as a lot of fun.
When it’s over have people talk about the experience. How do they feel right now? What new thoughts have taken up the space previously occupied by those things that were able to whine about? Then move on into another ideation technique using the whined-out minds.
If you need a jump-start on things to whine about you’ll find them in Appendix H of my book, Organizational Mental Floss; How to Squeeze Your Organization's Thinking Juices. Or call me for some lessons. We’ll spend a little time on the phone whining. Just call me at Dial-A-Whine 352-552-5973 and remember," whining is just a few letters away from winning".
3.Silly Words
Often some of the most creative thinking within groups comes when trying to attach meaning to a meaningless word. Try this task out in small groups and see if it doesn’t raise some really different thinking and create a lot of laughter in the process. Each group gets a word of their own to work on and needs about 5 minutes to answer the following questions which they will then share with the total group. To add some more oomph to the process have people add to this word list.
What does this word mean? How would you know if you saw one or if it happened to you? In what ways might it benefit you and your organization?
Fratigumptuous
Paridigamial
Valumanian
Skreeter
Thinkamut
Transqualimation
Microsoftie
Forceptitute
4. Stupid Questions
In the mid-eighties The Book of Questions by Gregory Stock was a popular mini-book which contained a number of rather serious questions designed to create group dialogue. A follow up spoof called the Book of Stupid Questions by Tom Weller came out shortly after and I took a few of these questions and used them to warm-up a group’s thinking for a session we were doing. The results were great and I’ve used them often with groups. Here are a few sample questions from various sources to get you started. You may elect to have them just develop their own stupid questions in small groups. Of course, one of the overriding lessons here is that there really are no stupid questions.
· If you crossed the International Date Line on your birthday would you still get presents?
· If you found you had been mix up in the hospital as a baby, would you turn yourself in?
· Have you ever had an out of body experience? How do you know?
· What kind of hen lays extra large eggs?
· If nothing sticks to Teflon, how do they get Teflon to stick to the pan?
· If you play your portable radio louder do the batteries wear out more quickly?
· Where does lint come from?
· Would you rather be extremely happy but not know it or be miserable and not care?
· What is your favorite toe? Why?
· Would you like to be a member of the opposite sex? Why? How do you know you’re not?
· If you could change the order of the alphabet, what order would you put the numbers in?
· What is your favorite internal organ?
· When a fly alights on a ceiling does it do a loop or a roll to get into position?
· What happens to doughnut holes when you eat the doughnut?
There are a number of ways to use these questions in group sessions. I've found it to be quite successful when groups of three are given a question and a few minutes to collaborate on their answers followed by general group sharing. Another possibility might be to post them in the meeting area and have people add their remarks during breaks.
5. Totally Useless Skills
I first had the pleasure of seeing Rick Davis when he did a presentation at a Humor Conference in Saratoga, New York. Rick has a group called The Institute for Totally Useless Skills at 20 Richmond Street in Dover, New Hampshire, 03820. I have often used some of the skills I learned from Rick as diversions in my own workshops. These include disappearing body parts, arm stretching, two noses, yodeling, spoon hanging and many others. Sound intriguing? These activities are a great deal of fun and, more importantly, can really get people to free up some new thinking. Contact Rick for his book (Totally Useless Office Skills) and/or video. Or visit his website by searching on the book title.
6. Image Streaming
This technique involves a no-holds-barred dumping of images about whatever topic people are working on. The idea is to download any images, thoughts, feelings, and pre or misconceptions about the problem or opportunity being addressed. Everyone comes loaded with pre-conceived notions regarding most any topic and these can create blockages in thinking that can greatly reduce creative capacity. The process question to get a group started in image streaming is simply:
What thoughts come into you mind when you think of _________?
Track these images in as few words as possible and post them so that people can refer to them as fodder in the creative process.
7. Job Titles
I’m convinced that, for many of us, our current job titles determine how we think. If your title is director or manager, you tend to think like one (whatever that means). If your business card says you’re an administrative assistant, then that’s probably the way you’ll think and act. In a number of workshops I’ve asked people to invent a new job title which describes what they would really like to be – or do. When I started my business a few years ago I decided to give my self the title of president. It sounded impressive. After a while I decided that it wasn’t all that exciting and it certainly didn’t describe what I wanted to be doing. Let’s face it; the president of a one-person firm is not exactly something to write home about. I actually have a friend (let’s call him Joe) who has a company called Joe, Inc. and a title of president and CEO.
So I changed my title to Raging, Inexorable, Thunder-Lizard Creativity Evangelist and later to Wicked Good Slayer of Organizational Sacred Cows (I toyed with the idea of carrying a sword but decided against it since the airlines frowned upon it). I’ve recently changed it to Cerebral Proctologist. I think I lost a few customers with that one. Nothing says we have to keep titles for that long so I change mine when I find something that better describes what I do.
This warm-up exercise asks participants to scratch out the present title on their business card and change it to something that excites them. In Appendix G of my book. Organizational Mental Floss, you’ll find my collection of job titles. Feel free to use this to stimulate new ideas or simply borrow a title if it appeals to you. This is one of those exercises that have the capability of a lasting impact on people. An exciting and different title sets people apart from the normal and elevates their feelings of self worth a great deal.
8. Question Storming
Question storming is similar to image streaming except that it focuses in on brainstorming all the questions that come to mind about a problem or opportunity. I find it useful to get people to stretch their thinking about questions by asking them to identify at least three really stupid questions. The idea is to make it OK to ask these questions because most people are a little hesitant to ask them. Just telling people that there are no stupid questions doesn’t always work. You need to let them practice how to identify and accept them, and how to use them as a means of really stretching the thinking.
9. Opera Singing
And now for something completely different! When a group is really in a rut regarding how it conducts its meetings it’s time to really liven things up and change the rules completely. Why not conduct your meeting as a light opera. Rather than speaking, people must sing to each other (and perhaps even throw in some show biz animation). Who knows - you may get to like it and want to conduct all your meetings that way!
The idea is to do something different that really disrupts existing patterns - and is fun. Other alternatives might include:
· Stand-up meetings
· Blind-folded meetings
· Person talking stand on one leg
· Talk in different (or contrived) language
· Totally non-verbal meetings
· Sculpturing, acting, or drawing out thoughts
· Using sign language
· Whispering, or yelling
10. What do you call this?
This technique is useful when you want a quick and easy way to disrupt thinking patterns. Simply have everyone walk around identifying particular objects and giving them new names. For example, look at the overhead projector and say, “What a nice car”. Then move on to the lamp hanging from the wall and say, “Nice doggy”. The whole thing sounds a little foolish, doesn't it? It is. And that’s why it works. Sometimes you really need to get pretty silly to create thinking shifts. Have fun with this one.
I spent many years facilitating a variety of creative thinking groups and I would always start with some sort of a warm-up which would get their thinking juices flowing and put a smile on their faces. Here are some of my favorites:
1. Let’s Go Exploring
Following is a list of interesting thoughts. Feel free to add some of your own. Distribute these to individuals, pairs, or triads in your group and ask them to spend a few minutes discussing the significance of these thoughts to the situation at hand. You may want to give two to each group or individual so they have a choice in case one doesn't move them. Fun and laughter are highly encouraged as usual and anything goes. During the sharing process let others contribute as you see fit.
· Indecision is the key to flexibility.
· You can’t tell which way the train went by looking at the tracks.
· There is absolutely no substitute for genuine lack of preparation.
· Nostalgia isn't what it used to be.
· Sometimes too much to drink isn't enough.
· The facts, although they may be interesting, are irrelevant.
· Someone who thinks logically provides a nice contrast to the real world.
· Things are more like they are today than they ever were before.
· Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler.
· Friends may come and go, but enemies accumulate.
· I have seen the truth and it makes no sense.
· This is probably as bad as it gets, but don’t count on it.
· If you think there is good in everyone, then you haven’t met everyone.
· All other things being equal, fat people use more soap.
· If you can smile when things go wrong, you have someone else in mind to blame.
· One seventh of your life is spent on Mondays.
· By the time you make ends meet, the ends move.
· Not one shred of evidence supports the notion that life is serious.
· The more you run over a dead cat, the flatter it gets.
· There’s more than one way to skin a cat, but you always end up with cat skin.
2. Whine and Jeez Parties
Whining is one of the most interesting outlets you’ll ever find. After five or ten minutes of loud, unabashed, serious whining you’ll feel better and have an open channel for some new thinking. This technique gives people permission to do something they've probably wanted to do for a long time but couldn't. Here’s a chance to get it all out. Just have the whole group walk around and whine about anything that comes to mind. It could be real problems they face or silly things they make up. It really doesn't matter. What matters is that it is done with complete freedom and the exercise is perceived as a lot of fun.
When it’s over have people talk about the experience. How do they feel right now? What new thoughts have taken up the space previously occupied by those things that were able to whine about? Then move on into another ideation technique using the whined-out minds.
If you need a jump-start on things to whine about you’ll find them in Appendix H of my book, Organizational Mental Floss; How to Squeeze Your Organization's Thinking Juices. Or call me for some lessons. We’ll spend a little time on the phone whining. Just call me at Dial-A-Whine 352-552-5973 and remember," whining is just a few letters away from winning".
3.Silly Words
Often some of the most creative thinking within groups comes when trying to attach meaning to a meaningless word. Try this task out in small groups and see if it doesn’t raise some really different thinking and create a lot of laughter in the process. Each group gets a word of their own to work on and needs about 5 minutes to answer the following questions which they will then share with the total group. To add some more oomph to the process have people add to this word list.
What does this word mean? How would you know if you saw one or if it happened to you? In what ways might it benefit you and your organization?
Fratigumptuous
Paridigamial
Valumanian
Skreeter
Thinkamut
Transqualimation
Microsoftie
Forceptitute
4. Stupid Questions
In the mid-eighties The Book of Questions by Gregory Stock was a popular mini-book which contained a number of rather serious questions designed to create group dialogue. A follow up spoof called the Book of Stupid Questions by Tom Weller came out shortly after and I took a few of these questions and used them to warm-up a group’s thinking for a session we were doing. The results were great and I’ve used them often with groups. Here are a few sample questions from various sources to get you started. You may elect to have them just develop their own stupid questions in small groups. Of course, one of the overriding lessons here is that there really are no stupid questions.
· If you crossed the International Date Line on your birthday would you still get presents?
· If you found you had been mix up in the hospital as a baby, would you turn yourself in?
· Have you ever had an out of body experience? How do you know?
· What kind of hen lays extra large eggs?
· If nothing sticks to Teflon, how do they get Teflon to stick to the pan?
· If you play your portable radio louder do the batteries wear out more quickly?
· Where does lint come from?
· Would you rather be extremely happy but not know it or be miserable and not care?
· What is your favorite toe? Why?
· Would you like to be a member of the opposite sex? Why? How do you know you’re not?
· If you could change the order of the alphabet, what order would you put the numbers in?
· What is your favorite internal organ?
· When a fly alights on a ceiling does it do a loop or a roll to get into position?
· What happens to doughnut holes when you eat the doughnut?
There are a number of ways to use these questions in group sessions. I've found it to be quite successful when groups of three are given a question and a few minutes to collaborate on their answers followed by general group sharing. Another possibility might be to post them in the meeting area and have people add their remarks during breaks.
5. Totally Useless Skills
I first had the pleasure of seeing Rick Davis when he did a presentation at a Humor Conference in Saratoga, New York. Rick has a group called The Institute for Totally Useless Skills at 20 Richmond Street in Dover, New Hampshire, 03820. I have often used some of the skills I learned from Rick as diversions in my own workshops. These include disappearing body parts, arm stretching, two noses, yodeling, spoon hanging and many others. Sound intriguing? These activities are a great deal of fun and, more importantly, can really get people to free up some new thinking. Contact Rick for his book (Totally Useless Office Skills) and/or video. Or visit his website by searching on the book title.
6. Image Streaming
This technique involves a no-holds-barred dumping of images about whatever topic people are working on. The idea is to download any images, thoughts, feelings, and pre or misconceptions about the problem or opportunity being addressed. Everyone comes loaded with pre-conceived notions regarding most any topic and these can create blockages in thinking that can greatly reduce creative capacity. The process question to get a group started in image streaming is simply:
What thoughts come into you mind when you think of _________?
Track these images in as few words as possible and post them so that people can refer to them as fodder in the creative process.
7. Job Titles
I’m convinced that, for many of us, our current job titles determine how we think. If your title is director or manager, you tend to think like one (whatever that means). If your business card says you’re an administrative assistant, then that’s probably the way you’ll think and act. In a number of workshops I’ve asked people to invent a new job title which describes what they would really like to be – or do. When I started my business a few years ago I decided to give my self the title of president. It sounded impressive. After a while I decided that it wasn’t all that exciting and it certainly didn’t describe what I wanted to be doing. Let’s face it; the president of a one-person firm is not exactly something to write home about. I actually have a friend (let’s call him Joe) who has a company called Joe, Inc. and a title of president and CEO.
So I changed my title to Raging, Inexorable, Thunder-Lizard Creativity Evangelist and later to Wicked Good Slayer of Organizational Sacred Cows (I toyed with the idea of carrying a sword but decided against it since the airlines frowned upon it). I’ve recently changed it to Cerebral Proctologist. I think I lost a few customers with that one. Nothing says we have to keep titles for that long so I change mine when I find something that better describes what I do.
This warm-up exercise asks participants to scratch out the present title on their business card and change it to something that excites them. In Appendix G of my book. Organizational Mental Floss, you’ll find my collection of job titles. Feel free to use this to stimulate new ideas or simply borrow a title if it appeals to you. This is one of those exercises that have the capability of a lasting impact on people. An exciting and different title sets people apart from the normal and elevates their feelings of self worth a great deal.
8. Question Storming
Question storming is similar to image streaming except that it focuses in on brainstorming all the questions that come to mind about a problem or opportunity. I find it useful to get people to stretch their thinking about questions by asking them to identify at least three really stupid questions. The idea is to make it OK to ask these questions because most people are a little hesitant to ask them. Just telling people that there are no stupid questions doesn’t always work. You need to let them practice how to identify and accept them, and how to use them as a means of really stretching the thinking.
9. Opera Singing
And now for something completely different! When a group is really in a rut regarding how it conducts its meetings it’s time to really liven things up and change the rules completely. Why not conduct your meeting as a light opera. Rather than speaking, people must sing to each other (and perhaps even throw in some show biz animation). Who knows - you may get to like it and want to conduct all your meetings that way!
The idea is to do something different that really disrupts existing patterns - and is fun. Other alternatives might include:
· Stand-up meetings
· Blind-folded meetings
· Person talking stand on one leg
· Talk in different (or contrived) language
· Totally non-verbal meetings
· Sculpturing, acting, or drawing out thoughts
· Using sign language
· Whispering, or yelling
10. What do you call this?
This technique is useful when you want a quick and easy way to disrupt thinking patterns. Simply have everyone walk around identifying particular objects and giving them new names. For example, look at the overhead projector and say, “What a nice car”. Then move on to the lamp hanging from the wall and say, “Nice doggy”. The whole thing sounds a little foolish, doesn't it? It is. And that’s why it works. Sometimes you really need to get pretty silly to create thinking shifts. Have fun with this one.