Ask Michelle & Chris About Team Building
Michelle and Chris are here to answer your team building questions so we can learn and grow together!The more you know, the more you can do! Michelle Cummings (Training-Wheels.com) and Dr. Chris Cavert (OnTeamBuilding.com & FUNdoing.com) team up on this weekly podcast to field questions from team builders all over the world. Michelle and Chris have over 50 years of combined team building and training experience and over 20 publications to their credit. They both have traveled the world to help team builders get better at what they do best - lead powerful team building programs. Do you have a team building related question? Submit it to the show at OnTeamBuilding.com/askpodcast
Episodes
92 episodes
#92: What's New at Training Wheels?
Michelle and Chris talk about a few of the new resources available at Training Wheels: Breakthrough Bricks, Generational Diversity Cards, and the magnetic Arrowhead Puzzle. We hope you join us!Emails:michelle@training...
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Season 5
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28:12
#91: Back-to-School Community-Building Ideas
It's that time of year – a new start! What will it be like? Michelle and Chris share some engaging activities to begin building the communities of learning we are all after. Take the time! Build connections.We hope you join us!<...
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Season 5
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25:06
#90: How Do I Start My Own Business in Adventure/Experiential Education?
After a number of inquisitive questions over the past few weeks, Michelle and Chris dive into some of the answers about starting your own business in the wild world of team building – the fields of Adventure and Experiential Education. ...
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Season 5
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29:53
#89: Training Wheels 25 Year History Recap with Lessons Learned
Michelle gives us a vivid recap of Training Wheels at 25! Of course, no historical picture is complete without some reflection over a number of the lessons learned along the way. (Chris is there for the memorable ride, asking questions to spark...
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Season 5
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40:48
#88: Reinvigorating Classics, (Vol. 4) Moonball & Human Knot
Michelle and Chris share two more modern versions of classic teambuilding activities. Put more action and group cooperation into Moonball and make knots, in the now 50-year-old classic, Human Knots (originally called simply, Knots). <...
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Season 5
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29:23
#87: Soft Start – Ideas for Engaging Participants Before Your Program Begins
Michelle and Chris call it the "Soft Start." Mark Collard, author of Serious FUN calls it an "Unofficial Start." Priya Parker, author of The Art of Gathering calls it a "Threshold Moment." These are all terms for the val...
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Season 5
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21:15
#86: Managing Large Groups (30 to 100) by Yourself
Michelle and Chris discuss some of the considerations for solo large group facilitation – how/what to prepare, some all-group and simultaneous small-group activities, and getting the large group's attention. We hope you join us!...
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Season 5
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32:38
#85: Using Index Cards for Teambuilding Activities
Michelle and Chris share some fun with index cards. They are one of the most versatile props you can have on hand. Along with a handful of markers, you'll have hours of engagement at the ready. We hope you join us!Emails:...
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Season 5
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31:56
#84: Building and Supporting a Staff Culture that Efficiently Reflects On Their Facilitation After Programs
Prompted by a question from a listener, Michelle and Chris share some tips that can help build a staff culture around post-program reflection. We know the data is valuable for program improvement and personal development. How can we make it sti...
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Season 5
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21:15
#83: Designing a Game for a Specific Outcome
In this final chapter on changing and crafting games (a.k.a., activities), Michelle and Chris discuss some thinking behind creating an activity that will open up discussions on a particular outcome. We know what we want to talk about, now what ...
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Season 5
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30:12
#82: Changing a Game to Meet an Outcome
Michelle and Chris share a few examples of how they changed the language within activities to meet and discuss the important topics of bullying, gossip, and goal setting. We hope you join us!Emails:michelle@training-w...
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Season 5
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27:32
#81: Game Changing
Changing games and activities to meet the needs of our client groups is an important skill to acquire. In some cases, it's about the physical surroundings and the physical materials within our control. In other cases, it's about the language we...
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Season 5
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29:38
#80: New Activities We Know (Vol. 2)
Michelle and Chris share some of the newest connection and teambuilding activities they're excited about. Find out about the new card decks Michelle has added to her Training Wheels catalog and a couple of activities from Chris – one with Cups ...
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Season 5
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32:55
#79: Three Things We Learned From 2023
After an extended break, Michelle and Chris return with their top learnings from 2023 and their excitement about opening up Season 5 – and the road to Episode 100. "The work is infinite, you are not!" More downtime ('White Space') in st...
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Season 5
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33:20
#78: Tips for Training Team Builders
Michelle and Chris discuss some of their recent experiences (and revelations) working with new team building facilitators in the field. One of the considerations relates to training 'before' the job and training 'on' the job. We h...
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Season 4
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28:15
#77: Team Building with Your Own Staff
Michelle and Chris talk about some fun things you can do to promote connections within your work team over longer periods of time. Team building is more than a one-time program every quarter (and these are good too!). We hope you join u...
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Season 4
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25:07
#76: The Intentional Use of Quotes During Team Building Programs
Michelle and Chris share some of the ways they use quotes to encourage deeper discussions, metaphorical connections to activities and teach concepts like vulnerability, leadership and overcoming obstacles. We hope you join us!
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Season 4
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26:19
#75: Reflections on Contract Facilitation with Special Guest Stephanie Sibille
Stephanie Sibille, among other amazing things, is a contract trainer for Training Wheels (Michelle). She was in Colorado delivering a training and stopped by the Training Wheels Warehouse (and podcasting studio). She agreed to a spontaneous int...
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Season 4
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33:02
#74: Team Building Activities with Tennis Balls
Michelle and Chris rapid-fire a whole bunch of activities you can do with a bucket full of tennis balls (about 26). So much to do with so little! We hope you join us!Emails:michelle@training-wheels.comchris@onteam...
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Season 4
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31:54
#73: Shifting Programming to be Relevant to Corporate Environments
Michelle and Chris share some ideas about how to shift wording, activity selection, sequencing and processing to be relevant to corporate environments. We hope you join us!Emails:michelle@training-wheels.comchris@...
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Season 4
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40:09
#72: Similarities and Differences Between Corporate and Other Facilitated Programs
Michelle and Chris share their approaches to programming and facilitating different types of groups. Outcomes are often very similar across the different groups. It usually comes down to the language used to focus in on the specific take-aways....
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Season 4
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32:48
#71: Season 4 Debut! Words & Quote of the Year
Welcome to Season 4! Chris and Michelle are excited to begin a fresh season with new ideas and tips for experiential facilitation.First up, our favorite beginning-of-the-year activity, Word of the Year. Here's a link...
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Season 4
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Episode 71
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26:12
#70: Reflections on 2022
Michelle and Chris look back over the last year with excitement and motivation. Find out:Why they will continue podcasting this next year.How they did on their "Word(s) of the Year" (Episode #52).Why r...
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Season 3
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27:51
#69: Facilitator Behaviors that Drive Us Crazy
Michelle and Chris share some of the challenging behaviors they see in facilitators and offer some solutions on how to encourage better practices. We hope you join us!Emails:michelle@training-wheels.comchris@ontea...
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27:39
#68: Trainer Tools We Never Leave Home Without
Michelle and Chris go through a rapid-fire list of things they never leave home without when training team builders on the road. This fun energetic episode will leave you thinking about your own 'take-with-you' essentials. We hope you j...
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Season 3
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25:03