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Slogans

An Intact Team Ice Breaker

Purpose

1. To give team members an opportunity to reflect on the image of the team.
2. To provide an opportunity to assess the team with images rather than numbers.

Team Size

Designed for an intact team of less than 10 members. However, it can be adapted for use in a course for team leaders.

Required Resources

1. A copy of the "Slogans" handout for each person.

Time

Thirty to forty-five minutes.

Room Setup

Chairs in a circle or chairs around a round or rectangular table.

Design Steps

1. Prior to the session determine the outcomes you want to achieve. Do you want to use the exercise primarily as an icebreaker or do you want it to be more of an assessment activity?
2. Explain the purpose of the activity to the group.
3. Distribute the handout. Ask each person to review the list of slogans and make their selection. Alert them to the fact that you will ask them to provide the reasons behind their choice.
4. Facilitate a discussion based on the responses. You may begin by going down the list asking if anyone selected the slogan. When you get a positive response, facilitate a discussion on that slogan by asking some of the following:
   • Why did you select this one?
   • What do you think the slogan means (some of the slogans have double meanings)?
   • What is it about our team (i.e., what do we do) that caused you to select this slogan?
   • Would you be proud to have this slogan represent us?
   • Would you edit or change the slogan in any way to better describe our team?
5. If time permits, discuss the slogans not selected.
6. Close the session by reviewing the slogans selected and indicating what that seems to say about the team.

Variations

1. Revise the list of slogans to include others that may be of greater interest to the team.
2. Make a transparency of the handout. Before beginning the discussion (step 4) tally the number of people who selected each slogan. Begin the discussion with the slogan receiving the most votes.
3. Make a game of the tally exercise by asking each person to guess which slogan will receive the most votes. Ask them to write their name and their selection on a piece of paper and fold it. Give a small prize to the person who guessed right. In addition, ask that person to begin the discussion by indicating why they selected that slogan.
4. Ask the team to rank the slogans. Turn the activity into a consensus building exercise.
5. If time permits, you can close the activity by having some fun with the slogans. Prior to the session delete the names of the companies from the handout. When you close the session ask the team to name the company associated with each slogan.

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This exercise was developed from some material originally prepared by Sapna Shah of Ann Taylor, Inc., New York, NY

SLOGANS

Directions: Please review the list of slogans and select the one that best represents your team now.

1. ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES -- Liz Claiborne
2. THE REAL THING -- Coca Cola
3. DRIVERS WANTED* -- Volkswagon
4. THINK DIFFERENT -- Apple
5. OOH LA LA -- Sassoon
6. FIND YOUR OWN ROAD -- Saab
7. PEOPLE MOVING IDEAS -- GTE
8. IN TOUCH WITH TOMORROW -- Toshiba
9. IT'S ALL WITHIN YOUR REACH -- AT&T
10. PEOPLE FINDING A BETTER WAY -- Dana
11. GO FARTHER -- Izuzu
12. WHERE DO YOU WANT TO GO TODAY? -- Microsoft

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* The full slogan is "On the highway of life there are drivers and passengers. Drivers wanted."

Reprinted from Teamwork and Team Play: Games and Activities to Build and Train Teams, Pfeiffer. 1999.