Original Icebreakers and Energisers

   

I don't know about you but I sometimes find that I do not have enough time to wade through tomes of Icebreaker books to find the right one in readiness for a course.  Trainers are always rushed right?

There is also the temptation when we are busy to use our favourite Icebreaker to kick a course off because we know it works and, we are too busy to  come up with a new one. 

  But don't you just hate it when someone turns up on several of your courses and you are doing the same introduction on all your courses. You can just see it in their eyes as they groan their way through the same icebreaker AGAIN!

When I left Corporate life at the end of 2001, I decided I would do something about it.  The Icebreaker books that I wrote with a friend Alan Evans, are designed to give you easy icebreakers at a flick.  The icebreakers are also tailored to specific courses. For instance, if you are about to run an Assertiveness course, you will find 2-3 in there just for that course. That way, you are not going to repeat yourself on a different course.

  The other point I wanted to make was to create icebreakers and openers that actually linked to the course content in some way. You have those precious few minutes at the beginning of a course when delegates still have a pulse where we can get them talking to each other of course.  BUT, more importantly, let's get them talking about course content early on.

There are lots of simple ideas are in there to use with your specific course and they will be tailored to that actual course. Why waste time asking them what their favourite car is and how they are like that car when you are about to start a course on Appraisal Skills!  It drives delegates nuts as I am sure you know!

  I have found that when I follow up with delegates months after a course, they remember sod all about the course. Most times they will have a vague recollection of knowing me for some reason.  They might barely remember the course name. They do remember that I gave them a wedge of Swiss Cheese and then I asked them to consider how it related to Facilitation Skills.  I am actually very happy with that.

Why? 

Because the Swiss Cheese is a metaphor linked to the central point of the whole course.  Which, by the way, if they only remember one thing about facilitation, I would want it to be this one thing.

  In case you are wondering, the Swiss are known for being a neutral country aren't they? One of the main functions of a facilitator is to remain neutral. Hence Swiss Cheese!

On this website are some previous newsletters buried somewhere with Icebreakers in there. Also, if you subscribe on the right hand side, I will write to you about once a month with a new one that you can find use for. 

My mission is to help you to be different! 

 

Good luck!!