September SkillShops at WorkShop NETWORKING, COMMERCIALS AND SOCIAL MEDIA

Each Friday 8:30am-10:00am Choose your date, $35.00 pp breakfast included REGISTER ONLINE!

BRING IT WITH FUN! Sales Managers, Executive Assistants, Team Leaders, Supervisors

Scott Kiefer, Oliver Group, shared a great idea with me. Thanks Scott!

Present your team of up to 12 people with a puzzle. A puzzle for 4 year olds that you can get at Target.

Hold up the box with the puzzle in it and ask your team how long it would take them to put the puzzle

together. They will probably say 2 or 3 minutes. Give your team the puzzles pieces only and see how

long it take them. This should take them twice as long because they cannot see the big picture. Once

completed ask your team if they would like to try it again only this time seeing the picture. When they

complete the puzzle, ask them what helped them complete the puzzle faster. Then pose a challenge to them. Give

them 5 minutes to figure out how to put the puzzle together in 5 seconds. Then do it. This is a great idea for dis-

cussing the importance of goals and shared vision. FUN at work, give yourself permission to play.

Many discussions and meetings can feel like a waste of time. Here are six things you can do to help your meetings.

1. Prepare. Yes, it seems obvious, but too many people come to

meetings unprepared. Have an agenda and be there early. Send

important documents in advance.

2. Think before speaking. Are you speaking just to be on the

record for talking? Ask yourself before you speak, "Is this helpful,

productive, and relevant to what we are trying to accomplish?"

3. Make it two-way. Engage everyone and get new ideas by ask-

ing for differing opinions. Try this, pass out sticky notepads and

have everyone write down their ideas on the subject. This helps the

introverts have a say.

4. Listen. Playing BlackBerry bingo during a meeting let’s every-one know that you are not mentally there. If the meeting isn't worth listening to, then you might as well be back at your desk.

5. Add FUN. Have something fun to do at the beginning of your meeting to get them engaged.

6. Share a Success Story. It is much easier to network when you have a success story to share with others. Telling a story sells much better than a sales pitch.

Let’s Talk Blog…... Well, we have tried our hand at a blog. Check us

out at : http://workshoplouisville.wordpress.com/

And wow! We found the magic of Social Media. We

recently conducted a Build a Bike Treasure Hunt for the

educators of Breckenridge Franklin Elementary School.

We donated the bikes to children of the Big Brothers

and Big Sisters program. Just from my blog, 3 people

volunteered to be Big’s. One person said, “I thought

you were writing to me”, another person said, “ I have

some free Saturdays, how can I be a Big Brother?” and

another person was one of the teachers who said she

thought she might be too old to be a Big Sister but

when she found out that age doesn’t matter she got

excited.

Can you just imagine if other people in your or-

ganization just took the time to educate people in a

blog, or on facebook or on linkedin? Talk about net-

working.

Get WorkShop Discounts-

Have you checked

your Member

Market on the GLI

Website?

2005 B Frankfort Ave

Louisville, KY 40206

(502)899-9225

Social Media— Are you In?

www.creativeworkplace.com

Page 2 September 2009

Have you ever thought about writing a song as a

Corporate Team Building Activity. Fred Bogert

(www.fredbogert.com ) a three time Grammy nominated

song writer is a friend of WorkShop who uses music and

the art of songwriting as a team building exercise. Here is

a sample of our Fun with Fred….

T e a m B u i l d i n g

A d v e n t u r e s a t

W o r k S h o p . C a l l T o d a y !

10% OFF MEETING OR

ADVENTURE

September

SPECIAL

Valid thru 11/01/09

Please present coupon for discount.

ONE COUPON PER VISIT

http://workshoplouisville.wordpress.com/

WorkShop Gives Back. We are excited to say that when some teams participate in Team Building

Adventures, they help a local charity. The 7 Bicycles that were built by Breckenridge Franklin Elementary

School were donated to Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Kentuckiana. See the JCPS article, “Schools that Work”

about our Build a Bike Day: http://www.jefferson.k12.ky.us/Pubs/MondayMemo/MondayMemo081709.shtml

Team Building “Reaching New Heights”

The Businesses at Mellwood AC-

Fun Food Café, SHINE,

A Face in Time; Los Monitos;

Janie Moss Originals; Patty Cakes; Gallery

Janjobe, Hound Dog Press, Celia’s, The Mellwood

Art Center Staff, and to the Adventure

Guides (Jessie Bunn and Melba Harris). Special

thanks to Big Brother Big Sister of Kentuckiana!

Build a Bike Treasure Hunt

Team Building with Song Writing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAr_VJMCPTY