OPTIMIZING RESOURCES

Heads and Tails

Goal To optimize the use of available resources. Participants will form six-letter words by combining appropriate three-letter word pairs.

Time Required Approximately 30 to 45 minutes

Group Size Ten to twenty participants

Materials

• Twenty large adhesive shipping labels and a felt-tipped marker

• One copy of the Heads and Tails Answer Sheet for the facilitator

• One sheet of blank paper and a pencil for each participant

PROCESS

1. Prior to the session, prepare the labels by using large block letters to print the following word pairs on separate labels.

SEA – EGO CUT – PEN OFF – LET IMP – LED

RAT – PET ARC – ORE TAR – HER GAL – ACE

RED – ION CAR – DON BUT – ONE MAN – GET

SON – HEM PAL – TON DAM – ART PAR – ICE

MAR – SON FOR – NET PEA – RED ANT—AGE

2. At the beginning of the session, place one or two labels (depending on the number of participants) on the back of each person.

3. Distribute one sheet of paper and a pencil to each participant.

4. Explain that each label bears two three-letter words. The word on the left is a “head” and the one on the right is a “tail.” When each head is joined to a particular tail, it will form a six-letter word. There are two rules: (1) participants are not allowed to merely make a list of the heads and tails and then match the words, but must find the complete word match before listing it, and (2) no head or tail may be used more than once no matter how well it may match up again.

5. Tell the participants that they are to walk around the room without talking, looking at the labels on the backs of others while trying to match up the appropriate heads with the tails. The resulting twenty words are to be written on the paper provided.

6. Allow approximately 7 to 10 minutes and then stop the activity.

7. Determine who had formed the most words and ask the person(s) to read the list(s). Verify the answers against the list of words on the answer sheet.

8. Facilitate a large group discussion by asking the following questions:

• What process did you use to determine the appropriate word combinations?

• Was it necessary to make any changes in the process as you progressed through the task?

• Why were some words more difficult to form than others? (Recognizable three-letter words affect the ability to blend into other words, such as arc + her to form “archer”)

• How did you determine the words that were on your own back so that you could complete the task?

• Why is planning such an important part of utilizing available resources?

• What actions can you take to plan for the optimal use of workplace resources?

HEADS AND TAILS ANSWER SHEET

1. anthem ANT – HEM

2. archer ARC – HER

3. button BUT – TON

4. carpet CAR – PET

5. cutlet CUT – LET

6. dampen DAM – PEN

7. forego FOR – EGO

8. galore GAL – ORE

9. impart IMP – ART

10. manage MAN – AGE

11. marred MAR – RED

12. office OFF – ICE

13. palace PAL – ACE

14. pardon PAR – DON

15. pealed PEA – LED

16. ration RAT – ION

17. redone RED – ONE

18. season SEA – SON

19. sonnet SON – NET

20. target TAR – GET