5
Description:
This activity is designed to be used as an icebreaker at the beginning of a course.Objective:
By the end of this activity, participants will have talked to all the other participants and shared some personal information with each.Group Size:
Maximum of 15 participants.Time:
Maximum of 30 minutes.Materials Required:
• One copy of Exercise 5.1 for each participantBackground:
Workshop participants are often asked to find out a variety of information from one other participant. This helps them get to know one person well, but they learn nothing about anyone else. This activity gives participants a chance to talk to everyone.Method:
1. Ask participants to stand up.2. Hand out a copy of Exercise 5.1 to each participant.
3. Give each participant a number that corresponds with a question on the sheet. For example, Bill Roach is given question number 3: “What is your favorite sport?”
4. Instruct participants to find someone to whom they will ask this question, and to continue asking that same question to the rest of the group until they have asked everyone the same question. They should write the participants’ names and answers on the sheet. (For example, Bill will ask all the other participants the question about a sport.)
5. With the participants still standing, ask participants, individually, to summarize what they found out about the people in the group.
Additional Guidance:
The final stage can take considerable time; if time is limited, only ask certain participants for summaries.Exercise 5.1
Reproduced from 50 Activities for Developing People Skills
Jacqueline Stewart and David Couper. HRD Press, Inc., Amherst, Massachusetts
16
Exercise 5.1:
Questions
1. Where do you work? 2. Where do you live?
3. What is your favorite sport?
4. What is your favorite TV program? 5. Where did you go on vacation last year? 6. Do you have a spouse or partner? 7. How many languages can you speak? 8. What food do you like best?
9. What are your hobbies? 10. Where were you born? 11. What is your favorite color? 12. What is your astrological sign?
13. What would you do if you won a million dollars? 14. What kind of music do you like?
Exercise 5.1
Reproduced from 50 Activities for Developing People Skills
Jacqueline Stewart and David Couper. HRD Press, Inc., Amherst, Massachusetts
17
Exercise 5.1:
Answers
Question:
1. Name: Answer: 2. Name: Answer: 3. Name: Answer: 4. Name: Answer: 5. Name: Answer: 6. Name: Answer: 7. Name: Answer: 8. Name: Answer: 9. Name: Answer: 10. Name: Answer:Exercise 5.1
Reproduced from 50 Activities for Developing People Skills
Jacqueline Stewart and David Couper. HRD Press, Inc., Amherst, Massachusetts
18
Exercise 5.1:
Answers (continued)
11. Name: Answer: 12. Name: Answer: 13. Name: Answer: 14. Name: Answer: 15. Name: Answer:19
Appraisal
6
Description:
This activity is a discussion of the problems of appraisal.Objective:
By the end of this activity, participants will be able to apply the organization’s appraisal policy to real-life situations.Group Size:
Maximum of 10 participants.Time:
Approximately 1 hour.Materials Required:
• One copy of Exercise 6.1 for each participant• Paper and pens or pencils for participants
• Meeting rooms
• Flipchart and markers
Background:
Most organizations will have an appraisal system to meet one or more of the following objectives:1. Assess the individual’s work in terms of positives and negatives, with suggestions for improvements. This should be an honest, mutual development session.
2. Look forward to new career opportunities and challenges. 3. Catalog an individual’s skills.
4. Decide on pay increases.
However, appraisals should not be linked to pay increases to the extent that the individual will not want to be honest about his or her strengths and weaknesses.
The person giving the appraisal should be clear about expectations.
Method:
1. Distribute a copy of Exercise 6.1 to each of the participants. 2. Ask them to read the case study and individually decide whatthey would advise the manager to do and why. It will be helpful if they take notes at this stage.
20
6
Appraisal (continued)
4. Tell them to compare and discuss their answers with the other participants in the subgroup and to reach an agreement on the answers.
5. Ask the subgroups to come back together. Invite the groups to report back their advice to the manager. Record useful points on a flipchart.
6. Hand out a copy of the answer sheet to each participant. Compare and discuss.
Additional Guidance:
The suggested answers are only a guideline. An organization might have quite a different view on how to handle these situations.Exercise 6.1
Reproduced from 50 Activities for Developing People Skills
Jacqueline Stewart and David Couper. HRD Press, Inc., Amherst, Massachusetts
21
Exercise 6.1:
Case Study
The manager of the Marlin Grove, which is part of an international hotel chain, has to conduct performance appraisals of the staff.
You are asked to decide:
1. What strengths and weaknesses you identify for each staff member; 2. What the individual should do as a result of these points;
3. What career advice you should give them.
A. Diana Moreton—Manager Trainee: Diana is a 23-year-old graduate from the local
college, fluent in French and Spanish. She is in charge of all bookings and supervises the staff. She is quick, eager, and hard-working. Although she has not been in the job very long, she does not get along as well as she should with the rest of the staff. She has very high standards and expects the same in everyone else.
• Strengths:
• Weaknesses:
• Career advice:
B. Paul Anthony—Head Chef: Paul is a 27-year-old who worked his way up to head chef at
the Marlin Grove. He is an excellent cook and is very imaginative; the restaurant has won several awards and is always booked. He can be rather erratic in the way he deals with his staff. Sometimes he expects them to take the initiative, and other times he only lets them carry out the most mundane tasks. He fondly recalls living and working in London.
• Strengths:
• Weaknesses:
Exercise 6.1
Reproduced from 50 Activities for Developing People Skills
Jacqueline Stewart and David Couper. HRD Press, Inc., Amherst, Massachusetts