Yellow Pages Icebreaker: Mergers & Acquisitions
Yellow Pages Icebreaker: Mergers & Acquisitions
Today we are living in the crux of the “Information Age”, where the Internet is our go-to resource for limitless knowledge. While the Internet is indeed an unparalleled tool, having a printed volume of systematized information is not obsolete. There is a simple satisfaction of having all the key information of a business laid out in a single-format page. Back in 1886, the advent of Yellow Pages made this possible. So what does this have to do with a workshop around the merging or combination of two companies or groups? Read More
Into the Matrix Icebreaker
Into the Matrix Icebreaker
Just like the first weeks in a new project team, where everyone is adapting to a new environment, without their core group of friends, a 3-day meeting or workshop full of unfamiliar faces may host its own level of awkward confrontations. Imagine a large room full of strangers, gathered together to cogently interact with one another and reach solutions over three day’s time…how good do you expect the results to be? And how will their level of cohesion influence the solutions they produce? Read More
What is Scrum?
What is Scrum?
Are you familiar with Rugby? You don’t have to be a player or an avid follower of the game to have seen a scrummage or a Rugby scrum. In fact, the word, ‘scrum’, is not just a Rugby term anymore. If you’ve been developing technology for the past few years, then it is possible you have worked in a ‘Scrum team’, or have even been a Scrum Master.
Read MoreTeam Building Icebreaker: Finding Three Things in Common
Team Building Icebreaker: Finding Three Things in Common
Ever hear of the six degrees of separation, the notion that any two living things are six or fewer links apart? If not, then maybe you’re more familiar with the “small world” phenomenon…a moment you’ve likely experienced at some point that establishes a link between you and someone else, that wasn’t necessarily expected. Whatever the case, both ideas illuminate humanity’s connectedness and our common ground. No matter how bold or vast your differences may be with another person, all humans share some common denominators that go beyond gender, race, nationality, and socioeconomic status. Team building is all about this! Read More
Top Three Icebreaker: Guessing the Priorities
Top Three Icebreaker: Guessing the Priorities
Are you a project manager who’s in the midst of solving a complex problem? Building a list of ideas and/or solutions might seem like an easy win, but the tricky part is in narrowing down and highlighting a small set of priorities to focus on. Let’s say, a Top 3.
Read More6 Keys to a Great Workshop
6 Keys to a Great Workshop
Are you launching a new product or at the start of an Agile Transformation? Perhaps you are in the middle of a Digital Transformation or at the end of an acquisition deal that brings the challenges of merging organizations together? Or maybe you’re simply planning a project that will run for several months or years. Read More
Family Vacation Icebreaker: Compromising Customer Needs, Creating the Ideal
Family Vacation Icebreaker: Compromising Customer Needs, Creating the Ideal
If you come from a big family, it’s likely you’ve experienced the toils of planning a vacation that suits everyone’s needs and/or desires…naturally, planning a trip [of any size] depends on numerous elements. The first question one must ponder in planning a family vacation, however, is this: will it just be immediate family or is extended family coming along, too? The season, the age range, the personalities, and the budget, of course, all follow in suit as key elements in planning an apt – and hopefully ideal –vacation. Keyword: ideal. Yes, let’s all agree: this is what everyone wants at the end of the day. So, in this “Family Vacation”icebreaker, we want you to imagine summer is approaching and the time has come to plan your ideal family vacation. The caveat: this year your family getaway won’t just be amongst your immediate kin, but also certain members of your extended family. Read More
Secret Service Icebreaker: Cracking Your Code Name Alter Ego
Secret Service Icebreaker: Cracking Your Code Name Alter Ego
While plenty of alternative “names” exist for presidents and other prominent figures in politics, in the US, these high-profile men and women are actually required to have a code name, used in lieu of their birth name by the Secret Service. For example, Barack Obama and Michelle Obama were Renegade and Renaissance, while their daughters, Malia and Sasha, held the names Radiance and Rosebud. In this “Secret Service” icebreaker groups are challenged with the constraint of choosing code names beginning with the same letter, in parallel tradition as US presidents and their counterparts.
Read MoreBehind The Name of Starfish Taylor
Behind The Name of Starfish Taylor
Starfish Taylor
At first it’s not clear what Starfish Taylor is or who it is. Similar to great brands like Apple, you have no idea what it does. And I love that. I find it deeply satisfying when people ask me where our name comes from… Read More
Supermarket Icebreaker: Blending Products with Personalities
Supermarket Icebreaker: Blending Products with Personalities
We’ve done numerous workshops lately focusing on improving Customer Experience and we believe this supermarket icebreaker is a great one for a customer focus. It starts with the simple question, “what product are you?” This enables everyone to start immediately with something personal – one of our three pillars of good icebreakers – and to share a little of themselves with their colleagues. Our objective here is to oust the old mentality of meetings and agendas and transform the way others interact with each other. Jump here to learn more about our three pillars. Read More
