50 Communications Activities

50 Communications

Activities, Icebreakers,

and Exercises

Peter R. Garber

HRD Press, Inc. ? Amherst ? Massachusetts

Copyright ? 2008, Peter R. Garber

The materials that appear in this book, other than those quoted

from prior sources, may be reproduced for educational/training

activities. There is no requirement to obtain special permission

for such uses. We do, however, ask that the following statement

appear on all reproductions.

Reproduced from 50 Communications Activities,

Icebreakers, and Exercises, by Peter R. Garber.

Amherst, MA, HRD Press, 2008.

This permission statement is limited to reproduction of materials

for educational or training events. Systematic or large-scale

reproduction or distribution¡ªor inclusion of items in publications

for sale¡ªmay be carried out only with prior written permission

form the publisher.

Published by:

ISBN

HRD Press, Inc.

22 Amherst Road

Amherst, MA 01002

1-800-822-2801

413-253-3488

413-253-3490 (fax)



Contents

Part I. Communications Principles

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

Communications Is an Art............................................

Communicating Time .................................................

Communications Is the Key..........................................

I Know You Believe You Understand ...............................

Communications Model...............................................

Listening Dilemma ....................................................

Interactive Listening Tips............................................

Listening Bad Habits ..................................................

Listening Questionnaire ..............................................

Seven Levels of Listening ............................................

Silent Messages ........................................................

The Three Levels of Communications .............................

Nonverbal Listening Test ............................................

Laws of Remembering ................................................

Laws of Forgetting ....................................................

Meaning of Words .....................................................

Communications Circles..............................................

Attention Spans .......................................................

Meaning of Listening..................................................

3

7

11

15

19

23

27

31

35

41

45

47

55

59

65

69

73

79

83

Part II. Communications Icebreakers

20.

21.

22.

23.

24.

25.

26.

27.

28.

29.

Vanity Name Cards....................................................

Repeating Introductions .............................................

Circle, Square, Triangle, or Z .......................................

Introducing Each Other ..............................................

Fantasy Career ........................................................

Name that Participant ...............................................

Story of Your Name ...................................................

Nickname Game .......................................................

Introduction Bingo ....................................................

Card Match .............................................................

89

91

93

95

97

99

103

105

107

111

Part III. Communications Exercises

30.

31.

32.

33.

Reading Test ...........................................................

The Longest Line ......................................................

Color Block .............................................................

Following Directions ..................................................

iii

125

129

133

135

50 Communications Activities, Icebreakers, and Exercises

34.

35.

36.

37.

38.

39.

40.

41.

42.

43.

44.

45.

46.

47.

48.

49.

50.

Train Story .............................................................

Count the Ss ...........................................................

Communications Shutdowns.........................................

Repeat the Question..................................................

Quick Answers .........................................................

Rephrasing Exercise ..................................................

Wedding Story .........................................................

Who Done It?...........................................................

Picture Puzzle .........................................................

Creative Fairy Tale ...................................................

Rumors..................................................................

The Shoe Store ........................................................

Two Moose Sitting on a Log .........................................

Communications Styles...............................................

¡°Oh¡± ....................................................................

Word Games ...........................................................

Trading Cards ..........................................................

iv

139

141

147

151

153

155

161

167

173

177

183

189

195

197

203

207

227

Preface

Communications plays such a big part in our lives

today. It is hard to think of a single activity that

we engage in that doesn¡¯t involve communications

in some way. In our busy world, we sometimes

forget just how important communications are to

our success, relationships, and, ultimately, happiness in life. But, indeed, communications does

play a major role in achieving all of our goals.

These 50 communications activities are

designed to help participants become more aware

and prepared to deal effectively with the many

types of communications challenges they face

every day. Each activity is designed to help participants better understand some facet of communications and gain expertise in that communications skill or competency. These activities will

make participants think about communications in

new and different ways than they ever did before.

They will also find these exercises not only useful

but memorable as well.

I hope you enjoy learning and presenting

these communications exercises as much as I have

over the past three decades of using them to help

people become better communicators. Each is

time tested and ageless. Have fun presenting

these activities along with those you present them

to for many years to come.

Peter R. Garber

v

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