Deciding you want to be more productive and fulfilled is a start.
The book "THINK ABOUT IT" will show you HOW to improve and achieve your true potential in an easy, enjoyable - even laugh-out-loud way! See example page
Deciding you want to be more productive and fulfilled is a start.
The book "THINK ABOUT IT" will show you HOW to improve and achieve your true potential in an easy, enjoyable - even laugh-out-loud way! See example page
Deciding you want to be more productive and fulfilled is a start.
The book "THINK ABOUT IT" will show you HOW to improve and achieve your true potential in an easy, enjoyable - even laugh-out-loud way! See example page
Deciding you want to be more productive and fulfilled is a start.
The book "THINK ABOUT IT" will show you HOW to improve and achieve your true potential in an easy, enjoyable - even laugh-out-loud way! See example page
Deciding you want to be more productive and fulfilled is a start.
The book "THINK ABOUT IT" will show you HOW to improve and achieve your true potential in an easy, enjoyable - even laugh-out-loud way! See example page
Deciding you want to be more productive and fulfilled is a start.
The book "THINK ABOUT IT" will show you HOW to improve and achieve your true potential in an easy, enjoyable - even laugh-out-loud way! See example page
Deciding you want to be more productive and fulfilled is a start.
The book "THINK ABOUT IT" will show you HOW to improve and achieve your true potential in an easy, enjoyable - even laugh-out-loud way! See example page
Deciding you want to be more productive and fulfilled is a start.
The book "THINK ABOUT IT" will show you HOW to improve and achieve your true potential in an easy, enjoyable - even laugh-out-loud way! See example page
Deciding you want to be more productive and fulfilled is a start.
The book "THINK ABOUT IT" will show you HOW to improve and achieve your true potential in an easy, enjoyable - even laugh-out-loud way! See example page
Deciding you want to be more productive and fulfilled is a start.
The book "THINK ABOUT IT" will show you HOW to improve and achieve your true potential in an easy, enjoyable - even laugh-out-loud way! See example page
“share, care, communicate!”
for the ultimate balance between success, productivity and HAPPINESS!
Do It Yourself - Kits for purchase
teambuilding, relationships, leadership, mindfulness, creativity, problem solving, decision making, use of resources, negotiating - to use on courses, meetings, conferences, awaydays/weekends, new normal get-togethers - and any level of participants - kits are tailor made to ensure both CHALLENGE and “SERIOUS FUN” !
call Rick
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Many Kits include an "investigation", where teams need to acquire information or resources. This is indicated by an icon linking to WALK. Don't RUN which shows a range of options
Over the years we have built a library of unique learning "Tasks" which we are now making available in "KITS" for clients to use - but not "off the shelf". We discuss a client's needs and refine kits to meet them. The range includes our most popular Teambuilding and/or Leadership Tasks (leaders can be assigned to teams in any Task) and others to develop targeted skills. Below are links to the details of 16 of our most popular kits
To view illustrations, hover over an arrow and to enlarge any or all of them, click one
- and then try to work out or guess which of theTasks below each one is an example of !
Kits include: a Tutor's Brief; delegates' briefs; Teamwork and/or Leadership behaviour checklists for debrief; 6 copies of THINK ABOUT IT and one other book; all necessary tools and equipment. Until our web shop is up and running, to order please email or call Rick.
Getting to Know You
- an Icebreaker; Teamwork and Relationships; Conferences; and Team Get-togethers
outdoors and indoors - 1 to 4 hours - 4 to 8 in each team - £350 for one kit for 8 people - £10 for each extra person
This is a flexible task which typifies our approach of "SERIOUS FUN". Part 1 is the outdoor investigative phase (see Walk. Don't Run) This task really does need to be tailor-made and Rick would be very pleased to ask all the questions necessary to ascertain your objectives, numbers, priorities and resources, especially of time, in order to recommend an appropraite format and prepare your kit. One option which is very popular is for each individual during the investigative phase to complete a questionnaire with items like favourite food, or TV programme, on a form which already has some answers written in (so their name, for example, might be Donald Trump!) Then delegates are paired with a member of another team on their return to base for an (always very amusing) question and answer session. Kits include (bespoke) questionnaires and Impetus banknotes for hiding, as well as the books and Behaviour Checklists
The Moonlanding
- an Icebreaker; Teamwork; Key Skills - indoors - 60 minutes - 4 to 6 in each team - £250
A great task for helping people engage with each other and learn and practise key skills - especially LISTENING and DEBATING as well as TEAMWORKING. In Part 1 individuals (without colluding) choose 12 out of 30 items to take with them on a mission to the moon and then, in Part 2, having made individual choices, each team must discuss and AGREE on 12 items to take - and prioritise them. Teams then present and justify their decisions and the tutor leads a discussion trying to focus NOT on the decisions, but HOW teams debated and worked as a team - leading into serious reflection using the Teamwork Behaviour Checklists.
Part 3 (optional depending on numbers and time available) is where you try to achieve unanimous agreement between all teams. NB: this rarely happens but illustrates how well teams stick together - even if they argued amongst themselves initially in Part 2. Part 3 is integral to our bespoke "Assertive Negotiating" workshop.
CASHBACK
- an Icebreaker; Teamwork; Leadership, Relationships
Very simple in concept, but endlessly flexible. Impetus bank notes are hidden and competitive teams try to find as much as possible! The money they find can then also be used in other ways. For example to buy food at a "Tutors' Deli" for a Gourmet Challenge see below. (We've even used it in private bars at events eg a conference, where we give them an "exchange rate" eg £100,000 Impetus = £1) Follow link for an example of a Cashback Brief but remember this concept is very flexible, so please call Rick to discuss what might suit your needs.
outdoors - around 60 minutes - ideally 2 or more teams - £300
In preparation for this Task ideally EVERY member of the team (even those not attending) must anonymously complete a questionnaire scoring 14 "symptoms" of effective teamwork in YOUR team. Go to How Good Are We for an example (these symtoms can be edited for you by Rick). The team leader or whoever is going to facilitate the meeting, then collates the scores to identify the team's strengths and weaknesses. The results are presented to the team for discussion and debate and, hopefully, AGREEMENT on an action plan on how to improve teamwork and communications AND how to move on together to achieve the team's "SHARED OBJECTIVES".
How Good Are We at Teamwork?
- the ultimate way to boost Teamworking and Communications !
indoors - circa 60 minutes - ideally for a whole team (department, location, etc) - £300
THINK ABOUT IT!
- see THINK ABOUT IT! - for Mindfulness, Reflection, Teambuilding, Relationships
indoors (possibly remote, eg Zoom) 60 minutes - ideally 6 to 10 delegates who all know each other - normally £200 but ...
Part 1, participants are issued (or posted) copies of the book with a brief on how to study it: eg, from each of the 5 Steps select 1 or 2 epigrams that are most relevant to them from the business and/or a personal point of view. Prepare to say WHY - and to THINK ABOUT their colleagues as well (those who will be attending the meeting). Part 2 is an "honest debate" where people learn about themselves including seeing themselves as others see them! Please call Rick to discuss your people and goals.
Wordpower
- for Teamwork, Flexibility, Decision Making, Strategic Planning, Negotiating and Recognising Assumptions
indoors - 60 to 90 minutes - for teams of 4 to 6 - £400 for two kits (ie for 2 competitive teams) - extra £100 each
In this task, using Scrabble letters, teams have to make up words of specific lengths. Each team is issued with a box of Scrabble tiles (the same number and the same value BUT a different mix for each team, eg one team might have many As and another many Es (negotiating is allowed) and they can add to these in a variety of ways - egs buying, or an auction between teams for valuable letters like a Z or a blank. Teams need to read the "small print" carefully to work out how to score highly - and, watch out for the ASSUMPTIONS that WILL distract them! The Kit includes two different briefs - one with a price list of special tiles and one with negotiating perameters.and rules.
The Lego Tower
- for Teamwork, Planning for Profit, Decision Making, Strategic Planning, Creativity and Recognising Assumptions
indoors - 60 to 90 minutes - for teams of 4 to 8 - £400 for two kits (ie for 2 competitive teams) - extra £100 each
The aim for this task is to maximise PROFIT. Each team is issued with a box of Lego pieces (an identical number and mix of size of bricks for each team) and 3 Profit Graphs illustrating how much money they would earn depending on how many bricks they use, the height of their tower and the time they take to build it. This task requires real teamworking, especially in challenging the ASSUMPTIONS people WILL be making! And as a Leadership task, strong leadership to control the debates!
NB: There is a BEST way of using the bricks which is counter-intuitive and is explained in the tutor's brief. If a team does do it this way, (or if none do, the tutor can explain it) this can be used in a discussion around the types of intuitive assumptions that influence decisions and limit creativity and innovation in your world.
The Minefield
- for Teamwork/Leadership, Use of Resources - time people, equipment, Creativity and Lateral Thinking
- outdoors - to 3 hours - for teams of 4 to 8 - £600 for 1 kit (for 2 teams)
The aim is to escape through a minefield - including wounded and blindfold team members! Teams are issued with logic puzzle clues which enable them to plot where mines are laid and plan a route through. Included in the kit is one "minefield" for laying out, poles and materials teams can improvise with to make stretchers for "injured" team members; blindfolds; a "mastermine" and carrying buckets and assorted poles and ropes for teams to improvise with on how to carry the "mastermine".
NB: see many photographs all over this web site of various minefields in action. It has been over the years one of our most popular tasks and is very flexible - very senior people confused and arguing about the logic puzzle clues and once a Headmaster who had attended a Leadership course briefed Rick to prepare a version with simpler logic clues (and methods of escape, eg three legged) for Year 6 pupils (they did brilliantly, because they didn't make the assumptions or argue as much as senior people do!)
Venue dependent, ideally with an overnight stay, but could be done at lunchtime, - 3 hours
minimum - 6 to 8 delegates in a team - 1 to 3 teams - £500 for one kit, £250 each for more
A classic "treasure Island" task. Teams are issued with a hand drawn scroll map of the "island" with cryptic clues and instructions to where the "treasure" is buried in a minimum of 3 places. When a team finds "the crooked tree" or whatever, they take a smartphone photograph with at least two team members recogniseable in it and then on their return to base redeem this for their treasure (food) Not all the team will have been out hunting, however, because others will have been finding fuel and starting a fire on which to cook and eat the food they have found - FIND, COOK, EAT!. Then teams can relax around the camp fire for as long as they like!
Brief Rick to prepare an “Away Day” or Weekend for you.
Find, Cook, Eat!
- for Leadership, Teamwork, Getting to Know You, CREATIVE Planning
- indoors, venue dependent - 1 to 2 hours - for teams of up to 6 - £300
Another cooking and eating task, this one is ideal after a morning task like Cashback where teams have earned some money to spend! But you can also just give each team a budget of Impetus bank notes or hold a quiz on product knowledge or whatever.
One way or another though, teams acquire a budget in hard cash with which to buy ingredients at the "tutors' deli, which will have items like potatoes priced at £20,000 each! Thie deli should contain a sensible range of ingredients including vegetable/vegan options - but limited amounts - which is where the negotiating and co-operating between teams comes in. Teams are briefed to produce a 3 course meal for themselves and one or two extras (course tutors) and the brief stresses ALL team members should participate equally!
The Gourmet Challenge
- for Teamwork, Leadership, Budgeting, Negotiating, CREATIVE Planning
- indoors - 60 minutes - 4 to 8 delegates ideally - £300
The facilitator issues laminated Reference Cards and explains the principles of Experiential Profiling (from detailed Tutor's Brief) Team members then pair up to each select 2 or 3 "Personality Types" from each of the Bright AND Dark sides that best describe how they believe they project as personalities. There is then a round table "group therapy" session with each individual learning HOW they can maximise their individual effectiveness and "see themselves as others see them". Kits include 20 Reference Cards.
Experiential Profiling
- for Teamwork or Leadership or Selling or Persuading (see Profiling) + Reflection, Mindfulness
One Big Happy Team
- for TEAMWORKING share, care, communicate! Leadership, Use of Resources, Negotiating, Co-operating,
- indoors and outdoors - 90 to 120 minutes - for teams of 4 to 8 - £750 for a 500 or 600 piece jigsaw; £950 for a 1,000 piece
At least two competing teams need to collaborate to fully assemble a jigsaw in about an hour! The puzzle is however, split into 20 sections with teams allocated the sections they are responsible for; AND each piece has a number on its back to help with assembly. But teams are not issued with their sections - they have to earn them by going on a “treasure hunt” This is a great task for bringing everyone together and getting over the message that, no matter what your individual and/or “small team” roles might be, everyone has to communicate and co-operate to maximise results for the "greater good"!
The Outdoor Jigsaw/A Floating Puzzle
- for Leadership, Motivation, Teamwork, Use of Resources, Creativity, Time Management
We have a continuous production line assembling, numbering, sectioning and disassembling jigsaws and have used them in a variety of ways over the years. Illustrations in the slide show above include an Indoor (hotel pool) and an outdoor (pond) floating puzzle and an outdoor jigsaw which had to be transported to the top of a mountain! Jigsaws are supplied in 20 small boxes and each individual piece of the puzzle has a number written on its back as per a plan that's issued. A 1,000 piece puzzle really needs a minimum of 12 participants split into 2 or more competing (and then co-operating) teams, who also need to build a raft to carry / float their completed puzzle. And the option is to have teams earn their sections by going on a “treasure hunt”
- predominantly outdoors up to 4 hours - two to four teams of at least 6 - £750 for a 500 or 600 piece jigsaw; £950 for 1,000 piece
This is a PROBLEM SOLVING exercise to be used alongside Chapter 7 in the book Leadership at Work. Teams have to solve an industrial problem by acquiring information from a tutor who refers to a file in the kit. Information is "priced" in units of time with the objective of finding a solution as quickly as possible. If teams have appointed leaders they can be debriefed afterwards using checklists provided.
The Case of the Blackened Filament
- for Problem Solving, Decision Making, Leadership, Negotiating
indoors - 60 to 90 minutes - for one team of 6 to 10 - £300; two team version £500
The Balloonpole
- for Leadership, Teamwork, Use of Resources, Motivation, Creative Planning, Negotiating
- outdoors - up to 3 hours - for teams of 6 to 8 - £600 for 2 kits - £200 each for more
The aim of the Task is to maximise PROFIT by building a flagpole flying balloons from the top of it. Profit is calculated by the height and the number of balloons and the time taken. Included in each kit are 100 balloons; poles of varying widths and strengths sufficient to design and build a base and then erect a 50 feet balloonpole; varying widths and lengths of string and rope; and scissors. An option In the Planning Phase is to hold an auction between teams for materials. So by the time of the auction teams need to have a very specific strategy - for how much they can afford to spend versus the potential rewards. And negotiating before and after the auction is allowed. See a variety of Balloonpoles in various stages of erection in the slide show above.
It is recommended that the client identify in advance real life challenges the group face (or case studies of past situations) so discussions following the task can relate the lessons learned on problem solving to real life, and an action plan agreed. The two team version provides different background information for each team and teams can liaise and exchange information as they wish (to save time and money)
Down on the Farm
- for Leadership and Negotiating to manage/minimise deadlock and avoid "LOSE-LOSE"!
- indoors - circa two hours - for four teams of two or more (ie minimum 8) each with an appointed leader- £350
This is a Leadership and Negotating Task requiring four teams of two or more people. Simple in concept but fiendishly difficult in practice,.it hammers home, amid all the frustration, that unless people aren't 100% selfish; unless they are genuinely prepared to aim for WIN-WIN, then there will always be deadlock.
If teams can, early on, realise that they should all be negotiating not for a specific score, or for items of information, or to "WIN", but for an agreement on SHARED OBJECTIVES, then they TOGETHER may defeat the house - ie tutors!
The debrief is where the learning will come - reflecting, dissecting (holding an autopsy!) on the previous couple of hours or so - what COULD teams have done. Use hindsight now - but how can you use it in the future? In which situations in your real life working world could deadlock and vastly differing startpoints dominate - maybe industrial relations, or politics, or even East v West diplomacy could be related to!
See Down on the Farm for an introduction and the front page of the brief AND for details of a special Teamworking and Assertive Negotiating bespoke workshop by Rick