Conference & Meeting Resources

Pocket Introduction 

Time Required: 20 Minutes 

Have everyone in the room take two things out of the wallet, purse, or pocket that demonstrates their most important things in life. Example: picture of kids, because family is the most important thing.  If you have less than 20 people: ask each person to go around the room and explain what they chose and why.  If you have more than 20 people: place people in small groups of 10-12 and ask each group member to explain what they chose and why to their groups. 

The Picture of a Leader Time Required: 10-30 Minutes  Ask each person to draw a picture of a leader. Be vague with instructions…it could be the most important leader in their life, it could be an animal that stands for leadership characteristics or a model. Give each people at least 5 minutes to complete. Depending on time as everyone to present what they drew or select 3-4 people from the group to move to the front of the room and present. 

Activity A: Who am I?

Each student will grab a hat that will have a tag with one of the following names. Students should NOT look at the name on their hat. For a set amount of time, the entire group should mingle, and ask and answer questions. They should treat each other according to the stereotypical way based on what kind of person they have been labeled. Each team member can use that treatment, as well as the answers to questions, to figure out what the label is. As each team member figures out who they are, they can exit the game and let the rest continue. They must ask if they have the correct answer – they can’t look at their hat! Purpose: By confronting stereotypes in both how people treat us and in the questions and answers used, the team can get a better sense of how we mistakenly see people as well as how it feels to be so narrowly defined. This is also a good ice-breaker activity if you have team members that do not know each other yet.  
 

Examples of Hat Labels  

President Donald Trump Oprah Winfrey John F. Kennedy Justin Bieber Garth Brooks Simon Cowell Drew Brees Ed Sheeran Ariana Grande Kylie Jenner Barak Obama Adolph Hitler Martin Luther King, Jr. Teacher Priest Homeless Person College Student Town Mayor Nurse Auto Mechanic Wedding Planner Hotel Manager Sports Agent LeBron James Flight Attendant Chief Financial Officer Tax Collector Insurance Agent Travel Agent Selena Gomez Lady Gaga Adam Levine Bradley Cooper Carrie Underwood Channing Tatum Daniel Radcliffe Emma Stone Hugh Jackman Joe Jonas Kanye West Prince William Prince Harry Johnny Depp Tiger Woods Real Estate Agent Starbucks Barista Fitness Instructor Horse Trainer Interior Designer Librarian Meteorologist Pet Groomer Retail Buyer Safety Inspector Stunt Performer Zoologist  Bank Manager Air Traffic Controller Taylor Swift Vanessa Hudgens Blake Lively Josh Hutcherson Zac Efron  Shia LaBeouf  Governor Product Manager Public Relations Director Account Executive Truck Driver Director of Sales University Professor Family Social Worker Boy’s and Girl’s Club Volunteer Wal-Mart Store Manager Lawyer School Principal Small Business Owner Mobile App Developer Unsuccessful Singer Songwriter Famous Author Doctor Car Salesman Apple Employee Bank Teller Auditor Judge    

Activity B: Electric Current Game

There are two teams — everyone is holding hands. Can your team squeeze hands and send an “electric current” faster than the other team? This game works great as a camp or youth retreat icebreaker, or as a large group activity (more than 50 people). It can be played indoors or outdoors. The activity is relatively short (about 5-10 minutes) to play. 

The Electric Current Game is a game that resembles two fast moving electric currents! 

Setup Nothing much is needed to prepare this game, except a small coin (like a quarter) and two small objects (such as a paper cup or foam ball) that can be grabbed. Place each object at the end of both lines. Arrange everyone into two long lines of people, approximately equivalent in length. Have everyone hold hands as a chain, with everyone facing forward in the same direction. 

Playing the Electric Current Game. Ask all players to close their eyes, except for the two people at the front of the chain. This game is to be played silently. At the start of each round of gameplay, the facilitator does a coin toss. Whenever “heads” is showing, the facilitator simultaneously lightly taps the shoulder of both team leaders and the “electric current” begins. The two people at the front of each team squeezes the hand of the next person in the chain as fast as they can. The next player who received the hand squeeze then also squeezes the next person in the chain, rapidly continuing to “pass the electricity” down the team. The first team who grabs the object (the paper cup or foam ball) at the end of the chain is the winner. As facilitator, it is important to flip the coin slowly and wait several sections between flips. If someone grabs the object but there was no “heads” coin toss, that team loses a point. You may change up the team order after each round if desired. Play continues for several rounds. The winning team is the one that gets six points first.    

Risk Analysis

1. What will this cost in time, money, and other resources?

2. Is anyone else doing it?

3. What will happen if we don't do it?