Energizers and Ice-breakers for WECoaches

Type

Icebreaker

Exercise Name

My inspiration

Specific objectives

This activity is mainly aimed at:

• Stimulating self-reflection
• Focusing on known coaching figures in participants’ life
• Identifying qualities to be inspired by (for the coachee)
• Visualizing participants’ learning path (for the WECOACH)

Duration

30 minutes

Material/room

Flipcharts, pencils, pens, color pencil, etc.

Nr of participants

It can be used both with 2 participant (WECOACH and coachee) or also as a group activity (in this case,15 participants - max. - + the coach)

Description

The WECOACH will start introducing the importance of some people in our life – both famous one and those close to our daily life, the impact some of them had and how these people can inspire decisions in our actions. However, sometimes we don't think much about how these positive models have helped us to make choices that we might not have had the courage to make on our own; or how decisive they have been in revolutionizing the path we had taken.

After this introduction, the WECOACH will draw on a flipchart the shape of a person and she will divide the area around the body in 4 spaces. Then, she will invite the coachee (or the other participants, in case it is a group) to write:

-       WHO?

Participant will write the person’s name who has inspired her in life

-       WHY?

Participant will write the reason why this person has been an inspiration/guide for her

-       For WHAT?

In this area, participant will specify the objective/personal plan for what this person has been an inspiration/guide

-       HOW?

Here participant will explain how the decision to act in a certain way was influenced by this person and – if it happened – how this objective/personal plan has been achieved.

The coachee will have 15 minutes to think about/execute this exercise.

In order to start a discussion on the result, also the WECoach can share with the coachee her answers, thus allowing a sharing of experience which can provide a further bond to their starting relationship.

In the case of the involvement of a group of participants, after 15 minutes in which each member can write on post-its their answers and hang them on the respective areas on the flipchart, the group can sit in circle for other 15 minutes and everyone will describe the inspiring person by the “who”, “why”, “what” and “how”, with a discussion facilitated by the WECoach. Anyone can ask another person to elaborate about a certain aspect of the story. A discussion may also arise about similarities in two or more of the participants’ paths or about a participant’s story and the topic of the course.

Methodological advice

• If the exercise involves only the WECoach and the Coachee, the flipchart can be also the basis for a deeper discussion.
• In the case of the involvement of a bigger group, let the participants use all material and write short or long sentences.

If in both cases, coachees have difficulties in finding an inspiring person, suggest them to think about some of the life moments which would have required other people’s suggestions or help.

Variations

When you involve a big group, the activity can be done by pairs in order to save time and also to know better each other and have an insight on the other participants. In this case, participants will be provided with a A4 paper with the same drawing on it.

Weblinks, Videos, Pictures, further material

No needed

Type

Icebreaker

Exercise Name

The SuperCoach!

Specific objectives

This activity is manly aimed at:

• Focusing on actual learning needs
• Identifying qualities which are necessary to develop specific competences
• Getting an overview on the expectations and needs of the coachee
• Mitigating excessive expectations to set a good collaboration atmosphere for the future

Duration

40 minutes

Material/room

Flipcharts, A4 paper, pencils, pens, color pencil and pens, post-its, adhesive tape (in case you don’t have post-its).

Nr of participants

Two participants, the WECoach and her coachee. In the case of a bigger group, 15 participants (max.) + 1 coach

Description

The WECoach invites her coachee/the group of coachees to think about her/ their ideal coach, introducing a small reflection on the coachee actual learning needs by asking questions to stimulate personal reflection, such as:

“What do I need now in my professional life?”

“What kind of support do I need to make my plans real?”

“How a coach can help me to realize my ideas?”

The WECoach lets participant(s) think about these questions for 5 minutes. After that, the Coachee will receive the following A4 paper (in the case the activity is implemented with a group, the group will be split in 3 smaller groups of 5 people each and every group will receive a flipchart with the following areas):

The coachee (or each group) will be invited to write on the left the results of the reflection of the questions proposed. Then, she will be asked to think about the potential answer to these learning needs identified, thus filling in the correspondent areas on the left dedicated to the coach characteristics, which can make her capable to deal with the needs.

For both the coachee and the group, the time to execute this exercise will be 15 minutes.

Once the time is finished, the WECoach will ask to briefly present the results of the coachee work. The WECoach will report the answers in the following profile – the SuperCoach – who will ideally respond to the needs of the participants:

In the case of the involvement of a big group: the different group will have 15 minutes to fill in the flipchart. At the end, each group will have 5 minutes to present their results. At the same time, the WECoach will take note of the answers of the all groups on the flipchart of the “SuperCoach”, summarizing their answers and presenting the “common SuperCoach” for all the participants. At the end of the session, the WECoach will present the “ideal” profile of the coach of the group.

Methodological advice

This exercise it has a double-purpose:

1. it allows coachee(s) to think about themselves and their learning needs;
2. it helps the coach to understand the coachee(s)’ expectations and how much some of them can be met or not.

It is up to the coach to help the coachee(s) to distinguish between “ideal” and “real” coach and to make them think that the solution won’t be provided by the coach but that she will be a guide on the path to develop the personal plan of the coachee. It can be a good introduction to discuss furthermore the figure of the coach and what someone can expect from her skills, competences and qualities.

Variations

Participants can use post-its to be put on the flipchart; or some papers cut in small pieces to be written on them, using tape to be put on the flipchart again.

Weblinks, Videos, Pictures, further material

No Need

Type

Icebreaker

Exercise Name

Your Role, Our relationship

Specific objectives

This activity is mainly aimed at:

• Clarifying the role of WECoach and Coachee
• Understanding the relationship between WECoach and coachee (for the coachee)
• Identifying potential gaps on the understanding on the coaching approach (for the WECoach).

Duration

45 minutes

Material/room

Flipcharts, A4 paper, pen and pencils, post-its, cardboard, adhesive tape

Nr of participants

Two participants: the WECoach and her coachee or a group of max. 15 participants

Description

This session is more dedicated to verify if the coachee understands the role and consequently the type of relationship between her and her WECOACH.

At the beginning of the session, the WECoach shows a flipchart with 2 people, one at the left – the WECoach, and one at the right – the Coachee. In the middle there are 2 arrows, one going towards the person on the left and another one going towards the person on the right.

The WECoach then provides the coachee with a list of sentences written on cardboards (one sentence/cardboard) related to the role of WECoach and the Coachee, putting the cardboards all together and mixed. The Coachee needs to put the cardboards with the sentences related to the WECoach in the arrow starting from the figure representing her. The same will be done for the ones related to the Coachee.

Here they are some sentences for each role. Of course, you can add them as much as you’d like to.

WECoach:

• She helps to work out clearly and specifically what someone want or need to achieve and the best way to get there.
• She asks other people questions and challenge them in order to stimulate their critical thinking, and creativity.
• She helps people refine their ideas and make them clearer.
• She gives feedback.
• She helps to learn from mistakes.
• She provides advice and suggestions.
• She trusts and can be trusted.

Coachee:

• She has an open attitude to change.
• She is clear about what she wants or needs to achieve, or be willing to discover.
• She is ready to receive feedback so that the learning can be real.
• She can listen actively and has initiative to ask for help, for answers or clarifications.
• She trusts and can be trusted.

At the end of the activity, the WECoach and the coachee review together how the sentences have been assigned and the WECoach will ask the coachee to provide a comment for each choice.

Finally, the WECoach will ask the coachee if she needs to add other sentences related to their role thus completing the overview on their roles and relationship.

Methodological advice

The activity’s purpose is to understand the awareness of the coachee on her role of the one of the WECoach, in order to avoid future misunderstanding and to ensure a productive relationship among them.

Variations

The activity can also be done without cardboards, with participants being free to define the roles of both parties (but this can take more time).

Weblinks, Videos, Pictures, further material

No needed.