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I'm starting my workshops tomorrow and I'm still a bit stuck for a good icebreaker.
Its a Egyptian company, quite conservative, the workshops are basically the first line managers (team leaders, supervisors, basically) mainly men but a few women as well. They all know each other.
I need a culturally appropriate, 5-10 mins 'icebreaker' to get them to relax and talking. All the one's I'm looking at on the net just don't seem quite right (everything from those team games involving knots and things to 'if I were a fruit I would be a banana' type things).
Any suggestions gratefully received!
jean_bean Member # 13715
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well, you could go with all that stuff about teams and whatever, or you could be unique and just talk about egypt vs UK - maybe get a few laughs bout the differences, and make them and you relax. hell, woman...you could talk for hours bout your microbus experiences ! Most people I find here are fascinated by the "backwords" thinking of us guys that moved here on purpose....cuz most of the people that you meet here want the chance to leave !
Penny Member # 1925
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How about the Olympics, If they had a chance to compete what sport would they choose and why? At least its topical at the moment.
Shanta Qadeema Member # 9889
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Thanks both for your ideas - JB they need to talk not me! Your idea will be useful later in the sessions but I think that can be useful in the sources of 'conflict' session!
- Penny I think that's great because the topic of the workshops is team building so it would be a great way of getting individual versus team working out!
Penny Member # 1925
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I have my uses sometimes have fun
jean_bean Member # 13715
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I agree....Penny - that is a great idea !
Shanta Qadeema Member # 9889
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quote:Originally posted by Penny: How about the Olympics, If they had a chance to compete what sport would they choose and why? At least its topical at the moment.
or indeed would they rather attend as part of the team in a support role rather than an as an athlete!
Shanta Qadeema Member # 9889
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Penny - that worked SO WELL!!!! Thanks.
Penny Member # 1925
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????? Member # 12336
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The similarity between topsports and doing business is an often used subject, as also the differences between men and women in doing business. To break the ice they usually start with a kind of " women are from venus, men from mars" story. There is a lot on the internet about both subjects. Maybe for another time, because it's too late now....
* 7ayat * Member # 7043
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Oh girl talk about Ahly and Zamalek, and connect it to whatever you are talking about, like teamwork for example. Any soccer talk works in Egypt!
Shanta Qadeema Member # 9889
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The bit I hate now - typing up the flipchart pages They did offer to have someone do it but I guess they can't read my writing (there was a slight misunderstanding in the flip chart & blu tac department so the only person who had one was me )
Next workshop tomorrow.....
I'm such a sad cow - I'm loving this corporate stuff...
jean_bean Member # 13715
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was just sittin here wondering how you are doing? How are the workshops going?
Shanta Qadeema Member # 9889
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Going good JB! Bit of feedback though - they have no experience really of the workshops idea and the managers who attended (as opposed to the managers who booked me!) were expecting me to give them 6 x 2 hour lectures on 'how to be a good manager' instead of giving them a bit of theory and then getting them to do small group work to think about it all themselves and work around some of the issues etc. They seem to be enjoying it though and finding it useful - I did 'forming storming norming performing', 'belbin team roles' and 'different learning styles' yesterday - totally new ideas for them but you could see their brains ticking over - especially during Belbins A few brave soles volunteered what they thought their Belbins were but most of them were too shy to (because of course there is a strong and weak side to each of the Belbin roles). I think a few of them were relieved to find out that 'storming' is a normal part of team evolution!
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have fun
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