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TURBOCHARGE YOUR THINKING
by using Toys as Transformers
by Grace McGartland
As seen in Words of Mouth!As a child you used toys to express your creativity and expand your
imagination. Now you can use the same toys to effect a transformation in behavior,
attitude, and thinking. When you introduce toys into your meetings you give people
powerful resources to rediscover the child within themselves and integrate their
creativity into their work, stimulating new ways of thinking.
Using toys as transformers not only brings the spirit
of play into the work environment, but by strengthening the link between play and energy,
the flow of blood to the brain increases, which stimulates fresh thinking. Designed to
help participants through difficult periods, toys are often just the thing to break the
ice, ease through a tough issue, kick-start the engine, diffuse the anger, ease the
confrontation, and curb the egos. Toys as transformers are instrumental in driving
behavior to shift attitudes.
You can’t magically change attitudes--but you can shift
behavior. And just as attitude drives behavior, shifts in behavior often lead to
transformations in attitude. Toys as transformers can help you: 1) clean
out clogged brains, so ideas can flow and connect freely; 2) charge up positive brain
power, so your people can accept new ideas, different ways of thinking, and more
innovative ways of working together; 3) expand perspectives, so that people learn to
accept and value others’ ideas and viewpoints, integrating them into their own.
The following list of toys may contain just the one to effect
a shift in behavior, attitude, and thinking at your next meeting:
- Try passing around a hat, ball, teddy bear or other toy to
each person in the room as a sort of round-robin, ensuring that no one is left out of the
discussion.
- Bring a pair of your most outrageous sunglasses, and encourage
people to expand their perspective and see things in a new light.
- Encourage people to doodle, sketch, or draw their ideas;
display these and discuss.
- Hold the breaks outdoors. Invite your co-workers to bring jump
ropes. This allows them to get fresh air, stretch and increase blood circulation.
- And, don’t forget to bring along your F.I.S.H. -- something to eat those Fatally Inappropriate
Slimy Hits that slow or sometimes stop conversations.
When you introduce toys as transformers to your team,
you give them powerful resources to integrate creativity and innovative thinking into all
aspects of their work and communication. Try using toys at your next meeting, and
you’ll be astounded at how they can help clean out clogged brains, charge up positive
brain power, and expand perspectives.
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