Let's cut to the chase.  If you answer any ONE of these questions below or ask any of these questions, you will grow and/or the recipient will grow.

These are thought-provoking questions that will encourage and enhance personal and professional growth.

They apply to kids and adults and can be asked at home or at the office --- you choose the situation.

1. Is this an obstacle or an opportunity?
2. How is this like your life?
3. What is this costing you?
4. What is your next step?
5. What is your definition of “success?”
6. What did you learn from this?
7. How would you do this differently?
8. How can you apply what you learned?
9. What specific action steps will you take?
10. What else is the matter?

www.FunTeamBuilding.com

     A belief is a certainty that we create. It is something we believe is true.

     Beliefs incorporate our views about relationships, the work place, religion, family, money, failure, success, and life.  We believe them until something else happens that challenges them.  Some beliefs do us well; many do not. 

     That is why all my beliefs are on probation.

                                                     Example 1:
 
    I used to believe that I had to be perfect before becoming a speaker. I wanted to make NO mistakes in front of people.  This belief delayed my career for years. 
 
    I changed that belief when I observed other motivational speakers and trainers making all sorts of mistakes!  I learned that the not-so-polished speakers were extremely successful --- in fact, the ones who could laugh at themselves, make the most mistakes, and share their vulnerabilities, were the most successful at connecting with people.

    I learned that beliefs can be dangerous.  Right or wrong, good or bad, they guide our behaviors.   I learned that following my passion was more important than my need to be perfect and look good in front of people.

                                                         Example 2: 

     I facilitated 2 rival groups within the same company: sales vs. technical.  The CEO was having nightmares with their lack of support for each other and their breakdown in communication. Back-stabbing, minimal teamwork, and disharmony ruled.  I was called in to work miracles.

    The turning point was an activity called “Back-Talk.”  Mixing the 2 groups together in teams of four; they had to create different ways to communicate with each other without talking.  They could choose to work together or not.  With their pride, egos, and  competitive spirit in check, they were out of their comfort zones.

     Outcomes were hilarious!  They were completely frustrated.  They had to use their frustration to build relationships, tap into their creativity, ask for help, and work together.  And they did.

     Be aware of your beliefs.  Awareness is the key.  Being aware and open to new information about ourselves and others will help us determine whether our beliefs are good or bad.  When we start to fine tune and adjust our beliefs so that they work for us instead of against us, we start creating powerful and lasting lives.

                                                        Larry Lipman
                                             www.FunTeamBuilding.com

I read this story several years ago, and do not know who wrote it.

A woman was sitting at a bar enjoying an after work cocktail with her girlfriends. An exceptionally tall, handsome, extremely sexy middle-aged man entered.  He was so striking that the woman could not take her eyes off him.

The young-at-heart man noticed her overly attentive stare and walked directly toward her. 

Before she could offer her apologies for so rudely staring, he leaned over and whispered to her, "I'll do anything, absolutely anything, that you want me to do, no matter how kinky, for $25.00......on one condition." 

Flabbergasted, the woman asked what the condition was. The man replied, "You have to tell me what you want me to do in just three words."

The woman considered his proposition for a moment, then slowly removed $25 from her purse, which she pressed into the man's hand along with her address.

She looked deeply into his eyes, and slowly, meaningfully said..... "Clean my house."

One of the key ingredients in LIFE begins with excellent communication. Clarity is the key ingredient to communication.

              Larry Lipman
      www.FunTeamBuilding.com

See how your team ranks:

              Good                                                                           Bad

Team members talk and communicate         The work place is built around silos, cliques,
                                                                     and isolation barriers.

Leadership walks its talk.                              Leadership says one  thing --- and acts another.

Team members are encouraged to                 Back-stabbing, private agendas, and low
to contribute and be rewarded.                      morale rule.

Team members trust each other and             People have their own agenda.
ask for help.                                                  (What’s in it for me?)

Team roles are clearly defined.                      The individual is more important than the team.                                

Catch people doing things right.                    Catch people doing things wrong.

                                                  Larry Lipman

                                        www.FunTeamBuilding.com

1. Ask these 2 important questions:
       I.What are your team’s biggest issues at work?
      II.What specific outcomes would you love to see happen at the end of the day?

2.  Have more activities than you will need.  A good facilitator always plans ahead by bringing and  planning more activities than necessary as back-up, in case the day goes really quickly.

3.  Go propless.  When traveling, one never knows when luggage might get lost.  A wise facilitator always relies on several propless activities just in case.

4.  Be invisible.  A good team building facilitator asks good questions and steps back --- allowing the participants to engage, interact, and communicate.   It’s their day; let them learn by doing and speaking up.

5.  Lead by example.  A good facilitator is aware of his or her actions when things do not go according to plan or in between the activities.

6.  Put EGO’s in the back pocket.  A good facilitator allows the group to lead and proceed at their rate and on their agenda.  Letting go of one’s agenda to meet the needs of the group is a terrific facilitator strength.

7.  Pause.  Allowing participants to pause often gives them time to process, think, and anchor their learnings.  Few facilitators do this.  Pause, pause, pause.

8.  De-brief.  Allowing the participants to process their actions, behavior, and responses after each activity is precisely when the learning takes place.

9.  Be punctual.  Start on time, allow breaks, end on time.  Period.

10. Nurture spontaneity.  The best moments and the most teachable moments are usually the unplanned moments.  Enjoy, appreciate, and honor them.

11. Laugh often.  Participants learn best when having FUN!

                                              Larry Lipman

                                    www.FunTeamBuilding.com

     We are brought up learning that nobody is perfect.  Fine.  I can handle that.
As a Success Coach who specializes in Team Building and Leadership Training, I am not perfect.  I am far from it. “Perfect” is a nasty word.  It encourages us to beat up on ourselves when we are not.

     That important thought helps me handle mistakes that I make when I present and facilitate groups.  I tell myself that I am not perfect.  That I will learn from this. 

Then I recommit.

And boom ---- I bounce back and proceed to be the best Success Coach on the planet.
At least that is what I tell my mind.

     A turning point in my life happened when I learned the flipside of "perfect." 

"All groups are perfect."

     Yes, you read that correctly.  I have incorporated that new belief into my belief system because it works for me.  Now, wait a minute.  I just said that nobody is perfect.  Yes, and I still believe that.  I also believe that all groups are perfect.

     I success coach groups of all sizes, ages, and occupations.  They are all different.  And I mean different.  I love the challenge of working with a variety of participants who have different personalities, needs and outcomes.  That stretches me and that is how I learn and grow. 

     More importantly, when I remember that all groups are perfect, it’s OK for anything and everything to happen.  I follow the lead of my group.  If I anticipate one direction, and they go another; I go their way.  If a conflict or upset occurs, we handle it and discuss it.  If it takes 90 minutes to do a 20-minute activity, we do it.  If we spend 12 minutes on an hour activity, we do it.  When I make a mistake, I acknowledge it, they see I am human, and we connect even better.  If the group makes a mistake….

That’s the point. 

The group never makes a mistake.  It was meant to happen because a team building day mirrors real life situations.  The learning takes place when we choose how to handle our reactions to these mistakes or unplanned events.

     I used to get scared handling situations that pop up unplanned in a team building seminar. 
Truth: I almost welcome those moments now.
 
     I used to think that there were bad apples in every group:  you know, the ones who refuse to participate, the ones who blame others, the ones who are never happy, the ones who thrive on conflict and upsetting others.

     These folks are part of that perfect group.  In fact, they are the teachers.  How would the team learn if nobody pushed our buttons?  It is those folks who push our buttons from whom we learn the most. 

Individuals are not perfect.  Groups are.

                                           Larry Lipman
                                  www.FunTeamBuilding.com

No, not that word! 

I have another “F” word that might change your life.  It has mine.  I learned it from a 9-year old girl several years ago.

I was facilitating a team building session for an elementary school in Philadelphia, PA.  There were 300 kids, teachers, parents, and administrative folks packed into a gymnasium.  I lead them through several interactive, team building activities touching on trust, leadership, self-esteem, and success.

After a particularly challenging activity, one of the participants brought up the subject of failure.  People joined in immediately.  Everybody started talking about their failures. The topic spread like wildfire.

Suddenly, this 9-year old girl raised her hand and said, “Mister, I am not allowed to use or say the word, “failure!”  The crowd hushed.  The silence was scary.
Everyone looked at me and I had nothing to say.

Then she proceeded to say, “I am supposed to use another “F” word instead.”
My face turned red.  There was not a sound in the gym.  No one knew what was coming.  I could see the parents and teachers squirming in their seats.  She quickly added, “My mom says I am supposed to use the word, “feedback,” instead of “failure.”

WOW!  We all learned something that day.  Especially me. 

Not a day goes by in my Team Building Seminars where I don’t use that little girl’s F word of Feedback!

      Larry Lipman
      www.FunTeamBuilding.com