Adventureworks Conference Activities Maximize Value!

The activities in this workshop involve simple tasks like passing an object completely around a circle without letting it drop, or moving the entire group into and out of a defined area. The tasks sound so easy, and groups typically approach the challenges in what appears to be the most obvious way. They quickly discover that their assumptions about what will work are actually quite limiting and they must break out of “the way we’ve been doing it” into “what will work in this situation.” Participants leave with a new ability to look for solutions rather assuming that “it just can’t be done.”

Activities: Paradigm Shifter (pass object around a circle without dropping it); My Space (trade places with the person across from you in the least amount of time possible); The Void (everyone must enter and exit a defined space without losing the resources they need to accomplish the task).

"Almost all creativity involves purposeful play" — Abraham Maslow

Laughter raises morale, reduces stress, strengthens relationships, and even improves health. This workshop reminds people to laugh for the sake of laughing. It includes information on the benefits of laughter, laughter exercises, and a few fun games.

Added responsibilities and aggressive goals have many groups working harder and harder without achieving the results they hope for. This workshop focuses on working smarter rather than harder. The activities expose the futility of working against your teammates and reveal the need to find ways to collaborate and support organizational goals.

Activities: Frenzy Small groups compete to see which group can make the most “new sales.” Each group has a home territory and established clients, which it must guard, meanwhile attempting to gain new clients. It’s fast-paced and exhausting until members discover the secret that can help them “claim a bigger share of the market.”

Corporate Challenge begins with the unveiling an aggressive company-wide goal. The group is then divided into “departments,” and assigned tasks (brain teasers and puzzles) to accomplish within a time limit in order to achieve “the goal.” This activity dramatizes the benefits of communicating best practices and sharing information.

This workshop challenges groups to uncover the expertise possessed by individuals in their group and leverage it for the benefit of the team.

Activities: The Box is an exercise in amassing independent expertise. The group is given 30 seconds to view a collection of items and two minutes to reconstruct a list of what they saw. When individuals work together the list grows until the "picture" is complete.

Planks: Each group is given 14 notched planks and a picture of the object the group must construct. The challenge is to understand the big picture and how each piece fits in.

Leadership requires vision, communication, accountability, and commitment. This hands-on workshop develops skills that will improve leadership abilities in all 4 of these areas.

Activities: Trust Boil — In this fast-paced activity, leaders (with vision) must lead followers (without vision) in a constantly changing environment. The exercise highlights what followers need from their leaders, as well as what they can do to support those who are in leadership positions.

Wild Woozy Pairs must traverse a set of diverging rails while the rest of the group offers feedback and support. The activity highlights the need for ongoing, effective communication, real commitment, and an willingness to receive feedback.

Each experience offers valuable information, but keen observation and brief reflection make the difference between learning from the experience or repeating the same mistakes again and again.

Activities: Cross the Line is a face-off between partners who are challenged to “get their partner to their side of the line.” The activity reveals the benefits of creating win/win situations.

Speed Cube: Group members are given a supply of parts, from which they are to build a geometric shape as many times as they can, while racing against the clock. This activity clearly demonstrates the benefits of observation and communication. What is working, what is not?

Pipeline requires groups to move their “product” (objects of different shapes and sizes) through the pipeline to “the client.” Once again the key is to identify the real breakdowns (rather than perceived problems) and work together to overcome them. Most groups discover that breakdowns are most likely to occur during transfers, and everyone plays a part in improving the process.

The Cube: Most tasks cannot be completed by one individual. This workshop focuses on giving and receiving support and feedback so that over-arching goals are reached. Each individual must pass through a giant cube; just one error and the whole group must begin again. Teams learn how to focus on success, and support one another to achieve it.

Raise the Bar. The task is to lower the bar. Even with a clear goal and everyone on board, the bar, nonetheless, seems to go up. Clear communication and mutual support are the keys to success.