For Teams wanting to experience the powerful and productive ease of Team Synergy,our second week introduces the concept of "How I can Make A Difference" in the life of others - a concept many team members have not considered.

Objectives:
Introduce the idea of Compassion.
Help team members understand how one individual can make a difference in the life of another.

Materials Needed:
Make A Difference Movie - the Teddy Stallard Story.
One 'I Make A Difference' purple wristtband for each team member and trainer.
 

Activity #1: The Teddy Stallard Story

Watch the Teddy Stallard Story movie together. While this is not a true story, it is autobiographical in nature, and was based on a childhood experience of author Elizabeth Silance Ballard.

Discussion:
Discuss with the team members how they feltt after viewing it:
What does a movie about a teacher helping a lost child haave to do with the world of business?
How did they feel about Teddy when thee movie started?
What did they think about Miss Thompson at the beginnning of the movie?
If they had a team member like Teddy, what could theyy do to make a difference?

Conclusion of this activity:
Help the team members to evaluate the following:
What do they think compassion means?
Why is compassion important in creating the Best Community ever?
 

Activity #2: In Your Shoes

Divide the teams into pairs. Have each person bring to mind someone they do not particularly get along with. Without giving that person's name, each member is to "act out" to his or her partner, pretending to be the person who's difficult to get along with. (It can be another member, a family member, a manager, owner, trainer, etc). Take turns, so everyone gets to "act out" their most challenging person, to see what it's like to be in "their" shoes.

Discussion:
How does it feel to be in the shoes of thee person you are having a difficult time with?
As you were watching your partnner "act out" this challenging person, what were your thoughts?
Did you havve any ideas about what might make this situation better?
What did you leaarn about how you treat this person?
What do you now feel you could do thatt might make a difference with this person?

Conclusion of this activity:
Compassion turns "me" into "we" in that, when we "get outside" our own problems with others and put ourselves into their shoes, we access understanding. It's only then that we can better communicate to find solutions.

Each team member now receives one 'I Make A Difference' wristband. Taking turns, each person gives the wristband to the person sitting behind him or her, while saying out loud: "You Make A Difference and this is our best 'Make A Difference' Year Ever!" The final person in line gives the last wristband to the trainer.

Tell team members that they can wear it every day. When they're having a tough day, they can simply rub their finger over the words on the wristband to remind them that they do make a difference. Help them understand that by being compassionate with themselves first, they are more readily able to give compassion to others. When this occurs they will instantly begin to feel better themselves. Compassion is a "core value" that regulates emotions.

Encourage them to now notice times when others in their day-to-day lives are making a difference, and to reach out and acknowledge them - inn the moment. - by taking their own wristband off, and giving it to them as they share the difference that person just made in their life. Have a pile of extra wristbands available for your team's use, to replace the wristbands they've given away.

To download the full 9-Week Training Manual to gather even more ideas click here.