Beanie Meeting Tools

 

By: Duke Rohe  drohe@att.net

Overview: It is amazing how meeting dynamics change when an element of fun is entertained. This tool provides a fun way for team members can govern their own team dynamic.

Purpose:

  1. Open up group process  monitoring from team members
  2. Keep the meeting focused.

Participants: Team leader or facilitator and team members

Materials: A set of stuffed animals. Here are some examples of animals with names.

  • Horse: Derby or Filly or Hoofer or Lightning or Marshall (this one is a new one)
  • Shark: Crunch
  • Inchworm: Inch
  • Parrot: Jabber
  • Turtle: Speedy or Peekaboo or Zoom

Time: n/a

Procedure:

  1. In the first meeting, the facilitator explains the importance of a healthy, focused group dynamic to any effective meeting.
  2. Ask the team members if they will commit to keeping a healthy group dynamic.
  3. Show them the beanie baby tools and tell them that if they see a team dampening behavior, they are to pick up the appropriate tool and pass it to the person that could use some friendly feedback.
  4. Next, introduce them to new their team tools.
    1. Crunch (shark): Now Crunch is guilty of criticizing, being negative, he has even been known attack or pick on fellow team members.
    2. Derby (horse): He runs off the topic at the start of a hat. Focus is not a word he knows.
    3. Polly: He’s known for dominating every spare minute of a meeting. War stories over past events are his specialty.
    4. Inch Worm: Now he is guilty of being down in the details so deep, the meeting slows to a snail’s pace.
  5. Anytime any of these type behaviors are detected, team member is given permission to gently toss the appropriate beanie baby to it’s owner. The team leader may have to pass the first one. Others will join in, smiles, kidding, and correction happen all at once. No stuffy meetings here.

Debrief: none

Horse: Derby or Filly or Hoofer or Lightning or Marshall (this one is a new one)

Shark: Crunch

Inchworm: Inch

Parrot: Jabber

Turtle: Speedy or Peekaboo or Zoom

Horse: Derby or Filly or Hoofer or Lightning or Marshall (this one is a new one)

Shark: Crunch

Inchworm: Inch

Parrot: Jabber

Turtle: Speedy or Peekaboo or Zoom