Asked and Answered: Effective Openers for Time Management Workshops

Asked: I need a powerful class opener for a time management session I'm facilitating.

Answered:  As I am sure you have found, there are so many ways that you could approach this.  Depending on your objectives, here are three different options that you might consider:

1)      WHAT'S A MINUTE TO YOU? – This opener is from our book SCORE! if you are looking to purchase an amazing resource).  This opener can help learners become more time aware and set the stage for focused discussion and application.

Purpose: To give participants in a learning environment or a meeting the opportunity to develop an awareness of the duration of a minute and help them estimate time spans. This is especially helpful for a trainer or meeting leader with limited time to conduct the session to make a point about the value of time.

Audience: Usually a training or meeting audience, any size. This exercise is done with a partner

Time: 5-10 minutes

Space: Space to sit with a partner

Materials: A timepiece with a second hand for each pair of participants, plus a note card or piece of paper to write down the actual time guesses

Application: To help trainers and meeting leaders understand time and how to gauge the time it will take to complete an activity. This exercise is also useful in time management training.

Process:

1. Ask participants to each get a partner. One person will close his/her eyes and estimate the time. The other will be recording the actual time.

2. Explain that you will ask them to estimate the duration of three minutes.

3. Participants with eyes closed will hold up one finger at the end of the first minute, two fingers at the end of the second minute, and three fingers at the end of three minutes. When they have done this they may open their eyes, but they cannot talk until everyone is done.

4. Partners will record the actual time when the fingers went up.

5. They will then switch roles and repeat the exercise, allowing both persons the chance to gauge one, two and three minutes.

Debrief: Debrief your feelings! What was it like to try to estimate the time? Did any minute seem longer or shorter than any others? Did any participant have a system for maintaining accuracy? What was it? Did the second set of participants do a better job of estimating? Why or why not? How can this exercise help us as trainers in any given training course?

2)      Big Rocks – This video is a classic example from Stephen Covey that directs learners to think critically about what is really important. For seasoned professionals, this concept may be a bit overdone, but it may spark other ideas for you as you consider your opener.

3)      Time auction – This is a variation on a “values auction” where participants in small groups will have the chance to bid on various items.  The highest bidder for each item gets to claim it, and once their “currency” is gone, they may no longer bid.  There may only be one winner per item.  To set this up:

a.       Each person will be given a sheet of paper with the auction items listed.

b.      Give time for learners to identify what amount they would like to bid for each item (I would recommend 24 units as your currency to models hours in a day…or go 48 to model 30 minute chunks).  Participants may distribute their currency evenly or they may decide to prioritize several things.  The choice is theirs.  The sheet might look something like this (with additional items that meet your workshop needs, but ideally things that people typically spend time on in a given day):

c.       Each group will have an auctioneer who puts each item up and then allows the small group to bid.  Once an item is sold, the bidder should take note of how much currency s/he has left and bid accordingly.

d.      After all items have been auctioned, debrief in a small or large group.

e.      Possible questions:

                                 i.      What did you like/not like during this activity?

                                 ii.      What surprised you?

                                 iii.      How does what you bid on reflect your daily work life?

                                 iv.      How does what you bid on reflect your own time management?

                                 v.      If you structured your day on what you bid on and won, what would be the impact?

                                 vi.      How can this information be a guide for us as we start to talk about time management?

I hope that you find these opener ideas helpful.  If there is anything else that The Bob Pike Group can do for you or if you have additional questions, please be sure to let us know.  In addition to our public workshops, the Bob Pike Group offers a whole suite of consulting services.  Let us know if we can be of service. 

Scott Enebo is a training consultant for The Bob Pike Group.