Activity Overview

Celebrations are becoming a more frequent thing in organizations and companies mainly because they are energizing, motivating, and supportive ways to empower employees. This activity encompasses many ideas for celebrations.

When teams work together for longer periods of time, they should be encouraged to take frequent energy breaks to keep their creative juices flowing. This activity will help, so as its practical tips on snacks, water, and physical activity.

Objectives

• Recognizing the various kinds of celebrations participants have been part of in the workplace.
• To portray the LIFE formula.
• To establish a plan to incorporate more celebrations into the workday.

Training Methods

• Presentation
• Personal reflection
• Group discussion

Equipment Needed

• Balloons
• Streamers
• Napkins with hearts on them (to represent life)
• Banners that say Felicitations! Let’s Celebrate!
• Dissimilar hats (one for each participant)
• Cloak and wand for the facilitator
• Batons
• Candles (for the cake)
• Food and beverages
• Basket for cards
• Music

Room Set-Up

Using many of the supplies listed above, decorate the meeting room to look like a celebration. Chairs arranged in a semicircle.

Many leaders will provide appropriate recognition to their employees and team members but few remember to hold celebrations. Many authors have done excellent research on the benefits of celebrations and provide numerous suggestions. This activity will help leaders plan meaningful celebrations in their workplaces.

Activity Variations

Divide participants into small groups of 5 to 7 people each. Give each group a different case study that exemplifies various reasons to hold a celebration.

Examples include:

• The organization has recently achieved its estimated goal for this year.
• The company recently managed to break even and now operating in profits.
• The research and development team has reached the midpoint for the completion of its year-long research effort.

Provide props and art materials for the groups to use. Each group has a duty to design a large poster-size invitation to their celebration and should select one piece of appropriate music for the season for the celebration. Allow 20 minutes for the groups to plan.

Each group should detail its plan. Ask all the groups (after all have presented) to talk about the best thing each group did in their plan. Then everyone can vote on which group best represented the “LIFE” formula. The prize for the winning team can be anything or maybe chocolates to share.

Step By Step Instructions

1. Before entering the celebration room which is already decorated, ask each person to fill out a card narrating about a celebration they attended at work that was meaningful to them. Instruct them to drop their cards into a large basket at the door. They should then select a hat to wear. Open the door with great enthusiasm (blowing a horn or vuvuzela). They will be entering a decorated room filled with the music of celebration.
2. After participants settle in and are enjoying the treats you have provided, bring the basket with their cards to the front of the room. Pull out the examples, one at a time, and ask each contributor to talk about the celebration they referred to on their card. Take notes on the flipchart of the elements found in these celebrations.
3. Ask this question “What are the elements of a wonderful Celebration?” Present the LIFE formula by handing out the document attached.  Let everyone know that celebrations start with the leader, hence it is up to the facilitator to initiate. Reassert how important it is for the leader to get the ball rolling in planning a celebration. People need to know, upfront, that the leader believes there is something worth celebrating.

   Review who should be involved. Outline these roles:

   1. The Celebration Team: Appoint a small group of people who can help plan celebrations. Set it up in such a way that membership rotates periodically.
   2. The Event Planner: Include the company planner, but don’t make him or her totally responsible.
   3. The Project or Team Leader: This person needs to plan how and why to celebrate at various points in the project’s “life,” as well as at the completion of the project. Milestones are idea times to celebrate.

4. Pose the following questions for discussion:

   What new things have you learned about celebrations?
   What is your next plan of action?

   Get ready to host celebrations in your workplaces!

Activity Review

After conducting the activity take time to reflect on how it progressed, how engaged the participants were, and what questions they raised. Write down some notes that include how much time you actually spent on the activity.