Take the plunge - learning from taking risks
Featured in the Learning to Learn training manual
By Aileen Goodman
Category: Learning Methodologies
Credit price: 4 download credits (Single user)
Pressure of time often means we do things we have always done in the way we have always done them unless something goes wrong. Taking risks to do new things or doing something differently can take effort. They can also be powerful ways to learn and develop.
This training activity starts with you modelling risk-taking. A fun exercise using party materials makes for a very different start to the usual training activity and participants will also be taking a risk by joining in. What happens in the exercise is then used to draw out ideas on learning about taking risks. Individuals use a questionnaire to consider their current personal boundaries and the sort of risk they take. They then work in pairs to analyse any patterns of behaviour. This is followed by brainstorming ‘why we avoid risk’ and ‘ways to support risk-taking’. In the final part of the training activity, participants work individually to prepare an action plan for using opportunities to take risks, and they then complete a learning log to note their learning and summarise their planned action.
Who is it for: This training activity is intended for use by trainers to help participants recognise the sort of risk they take and how to extend this risk-taking to further their learning and development.
| Resource Type: | Activity |
| Min Group Size: | 12 |
| Max Group Size: | 20 |
| Typical Duration: | 01:40:00 |
| No of Pages: | 21 |
Resources: View standard resources for Fenman training activities
Additional resources: Sheets of A4 card or heavy paper, Selection of paper hats, Masks, Funny noses, Moustaches, Balloons.
Purpose: This training activity can be used as part of a learning to learn programme and is particularly appropriate to use immediately after lunch when energy levels are usually low. The activity can also be included as part of management development programmes or team-building events to support organisational development through taking risks to learn. The activity is useful as an introductory exercise for ‘action-learning groups’. It can help participants of the groups to recognise part of the process involved and to build trust.
Download the training activity, Take the plunge - learning from taking risks as featured in the Fenman training manual; Learning to Learn