hints and tips
grips
Most of the exercises are team-based and as such will benefit from the application of GRIPS – a simple acronym to remind participants to:-
- Agree on the specific goals and clarify it if necessary.
- Agree the roles required for good teamwork such as Leader, Facilitator, Timekeeper and Scribe.
- Discuss and agree the groundrules or interactions.
- Decide on the best process to use to address the problem or challenge.
- Accept that every team leader has a different style, but that this should be openly discussed to make sure everyone is comfortable and involved.
tips
To make sure that the exercises, games and activities go according to plan, consider the following hints and tips:-
- After briefing for any exercise, visit each group very quickly to make sure they have understood the task. Follow up with longer visits to each group but never intervene unless you believe the brief has been completely misinterpreted.
- Always walk around groups keeping either a mental or actual note of things you hear. It’s good to be able to quote them back afterwards.
- Make sure you are consistent about the ‘rules’ you give each group.
- Always make sure that the correct materials are available and that no parts are missing. Groups will jump to the conclusion that parts are missing if they are unable to complete a task. You must be confident that this is not possible.
- Observe the groups in action so that you can refer to some specific behaviours in the debrief.
- Answer any questions that might be asked but do not give more information than is asked for.
- Watch the time and maybe give a few time checks to add a little pressure.
- Always debrief as soon as an exercise is finished – try to avoid a coffee or lunch break between the exercise and the debrief as momentum will be lost.
- Debriefs in syndicate groups are preferable where serious team working issues are likely to emerge. You may need to facilitate feelings that surface which could otherwise not be discussed. Summarise the learning when everyone returns to the full group, but only raise sensitive issues with the permission of those involved.
- Record the learning points on a flip chart for later reference.
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