The Case for Experiential Learning – 5 ways we learn better by doing than listening

For years practical activities have been used in team building to help people get to know each other ‘off the job’. In management development case studies and role plays are used to turn theories into experience.

Experiential learning is more acceptable now than at any time in the past as participants have become less fearful of leaving the security of the classroom, relishing the opportunity to take a break from the monotony of the lectures.  …

Learn Leadership Lessons Off the Job

To ask a child to perform a piece of music, in front of her peers using an instrument she has never touched before, would rightly be regarded as cruel. Prior to the performance she should not only learn to read music and listen to others playing the same piece, she should also practice playing her instrument in private.

Why is it then that we expect our bright young employees to step into management roles having read books and attended courses, yet never having actually practiced leading a team? …

Make it fun and it’ll get done

In the opening chapter of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer we see Tom persuade passers by to help him paint a picket fence: “work consists of what a body is obliged to do, play consists of what a body is not obliged to do” – Mark Twain.

Similarly the clip below demonstrates how commuters were persuaded to take the stairs in preference to the escalator, by making climbing the stairs fun.

Teams that play together, work together.

Is there more to life than happiness?

Much has been written and spoken this year on the subject of ‘Happiness’. The Prime Minister wants to measure it, schools are teaching it and most of us claim that when all is said and done we simply want it.

At this time of year a similar word comes to the fore in greetings cards and seasonal songs; that word is ‘Joy’.  As we reflect on the ups and downs of the year gone by it’s worth considering whether next year we should strive for happiness, or for joy….

Learning Through Play – Could bad management be the result of too little play?

This Christmas children will be pleading for the latest toy and many families will dust off their Monopoly sets and rediscover the simple joy of playing a game together. But should we limit our game playing to childhood and holidays, or can play help us in our work, our thinking and our leadership?  

Attitudes to play are changing and the once ridiculed video game industry is now recognised as a valuable contributor to the economy and culture. …

Case Study: Corporate Branding & Change Management Team Event

HSBC Merchant Services would be changing their name to Global Payments in line with their US parent company. The process was part of an internal campaign and a full day was set aside for a management team event for the whole company to get everyone involved, excited and motivated about the name change.

Fresh Tracks was asked to develop a programme for this event, with content that reiterated the benefits of the name change and highlighted Global Payments’ mission and values. Above all it needed to be a fun activity that everyone would feel part of. This was a large scale programme with activities to run twice throughout the day, each time for over 200 participants….

Have a Nibble – For Free

We love chocolate here at Fresh Tracks (see our chocolate team building event to find out why) but too much at this time of year can be bad for our beach bodies. The good people at Graze.com have been sending us some tasty healthy alternatives and have generously offered to send our blog readers a free box. Just click here and tell graze what you love to nibble.

Free Team Building Activity – Superhero Feedback

This free fun and feel-good team building activity is great for the end of a team session or training day.

Overview

This is a fun and feel-good activity for the end of the session or close of the day. By encouraging feedback on individual skills it focuses on the positive aspects of the day and makes sure that everyone’s contribution is appreciated. …

Wise Words in Chocolate

The Chocolate Challenge is one of our most popular team building activities, so here are some chocolate quotations. Feel free to share…

“Strength is the capacity to break a chocolate bar into four pieces with your bare hands – and then eat just one of the pieces” Judith Viorst

“There’s nothing better than a good friend, except a good friend with CHOCOLATE” Linda Grayson, “The Pickwick Papers”…

Olympic Tickets Available – at a price

I received an email recently inviting me to buy Prestige Olympic Tickets. It was from a LOCOG accredited source and the tickets were genuine and amongst the best available. But, they come at a price, £7500 for the Opening Ceremony!

It’s unlikely that many of us will be able to justify taking our teams to the games but we should certainly seize the opportunity to replicate the behaviours of world class sports teams in our own work groups….