As GOT Power, the training department of the Mid-South Peace & Justice Center, just wrapped up our workshops in collaboration with the Juvenile Justice Project, – the program area currently leading our Criminal Justice Reform work at the Mid-South Peace & Justice Center, all I can think about are games, icebreakers, and their place in workshops and meetings.
I think it is safe to say that most people facilitate meetings and workshops around issues and topics that they genuinely care about, and for some of us may be an area of extreme passion, but what does that mean for participant engagement? I would say it could mean a variety of things depending upon your audience, but ultimately your interest and passion alone can be both attractive and boring. Yes, boring…no matter how many times your powerpoint prezzy spins, how often you change the inflection of your voice as you read from your paper, phone, or from memory, or also regardless of how many presenters you have speaking about the various sections of your issue or topic.
Participants and observers sitting in one place for over an hour will at some point become less engaged, tired, consumed with thoughts from earlier that day, or even worse making plans for their speedy exit as soon as they can free themselves from that space. What could that mean for the reception of all of your amazing material? It could mean little, because some people do still take in a good amount of information regardless of their wandering thoughts, but it could mean everything if the person decides that this is not a constructive means for their time.
This is where the importance of breaking tension, shifting the room and space, creating community among participants, and ultimately personal involvement for everyone comes in as super useful tools. What are those tools exactly? Games, icebreakers, and movement are all tools you should consider infusing into your meetings and workshops with participants of any age, especially if you are planning to relay a large dosage of heavy information. It is amazing how much the energy in the room can heighten after a short period of moving, speaking, laughter, or subject (and/or seating) change. Those little things can really be the difference between comfort vs discomfort when trying to create an atmosphere for group participation, attentive listeners vs cell phone users or dozers when delivering information, and also engaged vs disconnected members while trying to garner support from constituents.
Does this mean that any game or icebreaker is appropriate for your audience or subject area? No, absolutely not actually, but as the facilitator unfortunately the responsibility of both reading your audience and understanding what may be needed for that particular space is completely on you. Sometimes, a quick break can be all the change you need to rejog your participants and shift your atmosphere. So I guess the real tip for this week is building an extra 10 minutes into your agenda can take your meeting or workshop a long way!
Not comfortable with creating your own games yet? Check these out: https://www.trainingforchange.org/tools/?topic%5B12%5D=12&searchbox=
This is the training departments first weekly tool or tip of the week. Please let us know if it is helpful, and what subjects or issues interest you in the area of facilitation via email: gotpower@midsouthpeace.org