My experience has been specifically with pumping up passions. . . groups will naturally morph to present themes.
A random improve technique is what I've seen most effective, even with the stale old boring folks. It can start as simple as a Name-Game. Everyone stands in a circle and states their first name spinning round the circle back to you. "Let's do it again with one word names!" With kids I would challenge them to see how fast they can do it, without interrupting each other. This evolves from one-word, to single syllable nick-names. Each time it came back to me I would do the circle again with another word, a passion, skill or immediate feeling. Here's where you can really get everyone focused again.
If you really make it dynamic encouraging people to express, if gets kinda cool, especially with like a dozen people. Like give me a passion that rhymes with your name, "Eric the Engineer," Donna the Dean, no rules of course, just spontaneous expressions. . .
The idea is to create Flow, strong and present. Then you can direct it better. So if your Hospital group is having trouble settling on new workgroups/plans . . .Give them something they can all chime in about . . . "this time give me one word, on Hospital Food" . . . now ask others to suggest a theme for one-word responses. . .
If you have a really large group you can still do it easily. "Everyone who had lunch from the vending machine last month stand up" . . . now create your circle again really quick by asking they state their names as you point . . . now do the same process as you point around the room. . . Too many people, not creating flow. "now let's have mom's born in December stand up. . . "
What's kinda interesting for me doing these kinda things, is often people think it's child-games and it is. So of course everyone gets into it playing like the child we all are. . . course it's also great to team-build, create community, inspire innovation . . . etc ;-)
here's another must see challenge on the same vibe:
Have a wonderful Day
Eric
Eric R.R. Weaver, MBA, MSM, Research Associate
Patel College of Global Sustainability
University of South Florida
From: Thomas Herrmann <thomas@openspaceconsulting.com>
To: OSLIST <oslist@lists.openspacetech.org>
Sent: Saturday, August 23, 2014 8:27 AM
Subject: [OSList] org'n works too good to use OST…?
Had a "funny" experience yesterday when I facilitated an OST with an organization that I mentioned about earlier, they have dived into OST and use the approach more and more in everyday life. Every August they have 1-2 days with all employees. Last year we had 2 full days (twice with half the staff each time) in OST resulting in a total of 23 action plans implemented by self managed workgroups. We have had follow up meetings reporting the progress from teams that now have dissolved or are still working. Their business (a hospital) now runs really smoothly, producing well over targets with energy and high spirit.
Out of different reasons the message for the first of this years conferences (one full day, next Friday is the next - for the other half of the staff) was a bit blurry (in my opinion/how I experience it) so the energy was not so high (setting agenda was really slooooow, didn't experience anything like that in the hundreds of events I have facilitated!) and some thought the day was a bit boring/slow. At the end most who were still there were happy(some left early - long day on Friday is not a good choice either) - 9 action plans with concrete improvements! I used re-opening space, so it was all by invitation (-:
Anyhow, a challenge may be to find a really hot theme when business runs so good… I am now in communication with the leadership about how we can get the steam going better next Friday.
Any experiences to share, ideas and/or suggestions?
Warm regards
Thomas Herrmann
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