Square Wheels Business Icebreaker Activity
Objectives
Using the powerful Square Wheels One illustration about how organizations really work, the facilitator can involve and engage people in discussions about the realities of the workplace and what things might be done differently. The generality of the metaphor makes it a great teaching tool and discussion-starter, since the illustration relates to so many aspects of performance improvement on a personal, team or workgroup change framework.
Group Size
Materials
Performance Management Company sells a complete toolkit with powerpoint materials, reproducible handouts and a complete facilitation guide for USD $20. See http://www.performancemanagementcompany.com/Square-Wheels-One-Icebreaker-Toolkit-p/1.htm
Set Up
We suggest tabletops of 5 to 6 people to generate good interactions and complexity / diversity of ideas. Participants are shown the illustration and asked, "How might this represent how organizations really work." Like an inkblot test, people will project their ideas onto the illustration and tabletops will realize the diversity of ideas and perceptions that exist. It can easily be linked to issues like how we manage time, workplace process improvement, involvement and engagement, sales training processes, team building, innovation and creativity, and all sorts of topics for discussion. It generates intrinsic motivation and ownership of ideas, making it a great tool to get things rolling forward in a workshop or group discussion.
Directions
Complete ideas are included and we also encourage users to chat with The Square Wheels Guy, Dr. Scott Simmerman, directly for ideas and frameworks. We have been supporting the use of these materials since 1993.
Debrief
It can be debriefed as to how people think or how groups handle information. It can be anchored easily to identifying Square Wheels that should be addressed and round wheel possibilities that could be implemented.
Alternatives
Performance Management Company sells this simple toolkit and also supports team building games and more extensive Square Wheels Toolkits for change, motivation, alignment and other business improvement opportunities.
