Identify the source of criticism

The first thing you should focus on when receiving criticism is to answer the question of who the person expressing it is to you. Is he important to you or was he just passing by? The most the right way will respond to criticism from those people with whom you have strong, ongoing relationships, who know you well and value you - as an employee, friend, partner or acquaintance - and are generally positive towards you. It is pointless to analyze anonymous negative comments on the Internet, the everyday rudeness of semi-random people and passers-by, the opinions of distant relatives and friends of friends about your life, whose life experience does not inspire confidence in you.

The modern Internet space is designed in such a way that anyone can offend with impunity, leave a caustic comment, without thinking about the feelings of others. And the most wrong thing would be to get excited about such sweeping negative remarks. This is definitely not criticism, but rather tactlessness or even rudeness. Criticism, even harsh criticism, always suggests opportunities for improvement and potential for growth. How much growth can you achieve after the comment “worthless profession” or “ugly face”? Such comments are an indicator emotional state speaker, not a critic, and a person who respects you will never throw around such cruel language.

Trolling is always trolling; you should not expect adequate criticism from strangers and people indifferent to you. It is necessary to ignore negative comments from strangers, first of all, for your own peace of mind - trolls don’t care who they attack, they are only interested in their own release of negativity.

Once the source of the criticism has been identified and you trust, think about your relationship with the person who is criticizing you and how often they do it. In a situation with an employer, it is his job to criticize your work. Colleagues often criticize us when we fight for areas of responsibility and try to agree on a hierarchy in crisis moments at work. Parents and older relatives often criticize us hierarchically and out of habit - from the moment they taught us to tie our shoelaces. And dealing with their criticism is the work of setting personal boundaries. Through criticism, partners and friends talk about personal boundaries and communicate wishes in relationships, insist on their preferences and often want to change us - it is important here that criticism never turns into disputes “who is to blame?” and attempts to shift responsibility onto each other in difficult situations. The source of criticism must be taken into account in order to successfully complete the next step.

Separate the emotional from the rational

Criticism is a separate art of delicacy and tact, which is not developed in the domestic public sphere. This is not taught at school and university, and even less often, constructive criticism can be learned at work: many people in leadership positions abuse the established hierarchy and pathologically miscommunicate with the people who depend on them. Others do not know how to communicate except in a passive-aggressive manner, which contradicts the idea of ​​constructive criticism.

The main skill for a person receiving criticism is to find the rational grain in the remark and concentrate on it, and not on the emotional shell. This does not mean at all that you need to ignore the tone of the conversation and the mood of the interlocutor, but the most important thing is to establish what in his message is fact and what is the person’s attitude.

Not all of our interlocutors can formulate the correct phrase “I am offended that you are often late,” but they are ready to give harsh comments about our behavior in an uncompromising and sarcastic form: “You are, as always, by the way.” It is very easy to be offended by this if you take the emotional part of the message personally, but it is the one being criticized who will most often suffer from such offense. Therefore, if criticism is communicated to you in an emotionally unacceptable form (screaming, swearing, aggressive attacks in the presence of strangers, offensive remarks), be sure to talk it over with the other party.

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Don't defend yourself, ask questions

The two main methods in communicating with a critic are clarifying questions and fixation on details; they help to disassemble an often categorical message at first glance into components that can be worked with. “You didn’t do what I said at all” is an indetailed criticism that does not provide opportunities for growth, correction of mistakes and does not explain anything. Ideally, criticism should become instructions - ready-made recommendations results-oriented plans that you can start implementing right now.

Help your interlocutor clarify unclear wording and give a general comment, because all criticism is needed to improve something: work results, personal relationships, emotional climate. What could have been done differently? Where did the failure start? How to achieve the best with such limited resources? How to overcome the next crisis faster? All these questions help shift attention from sorting out relationships to practical side: how can you fix what has already happened right now, and does it make sense? With detailed and leading questions, we shift attention from the error to methods for correcting it, and most importantly, to whether it is possible to correct this error and how to treat a negative result, how not to repeat it next time.

Very often we are criticized not for the real situation, but in response to completely different actions, and clarifying questions help clarify this. In close relationships, criticism of small things is often used to gain emotional release. It often happens that managers do not know how to explain a task, and then tend to blame employees for doing things on their own. If this is a work conversation, always have a pen and paper handy when asking clarifying questions and jotting down comments from colleagues and management. Focus on the actions that are expected of you and on the details that prevented you from doing the job effectively. Discuss together how to overcome the same problem next time.

At the moment of such a two-way dialogue, not only does nervousness go away, but a systemic managerial problem can also be revealed: ineffective use of time, unrealistic goals, unclear division of functions and powers. Regardless of the management method chosen, work commentary should always be aimed at improving the work situation, and not at correcting your character, behavior or appearance.

The same applies to personal relationships. In an emotional remark, “Why do I have to do this alone again?” there is a request for help and participation, but posing the question in the form of a claim often prevents us from seeing this. How can I help you now? What do you expect from me now? Maybe there is something else that upsets you? These are questions that help us understand the other person’s expectations and shift the focus from dissatisfaction with each other to dialogue, where responsibility is shared between two, and everything further actions become the subject of general agreements.

Pay attention to word choice and context of criticism

The motivation to criticize us may vary from person to person depending on the nature of our connections. For colleagues and superiors, this is a logical part feedback, for relatives - an opportunity to take care, for children - an attempt to define their boundaries. Each critic will choose his own formulations and his own situation for this.

Try to convey to others that criticizing your work or specific situation It's always better to talk in person. Evaluative adjectives - “superficial”, “flat”, “primitive”, “ineffective” - in fact always lose to recommendations and catastrophically reduce motivation to change for the better. Short and fragmented reviews are always worse than detailed ones - set aside time in meetings for a thorough critique, especially if the work is difficult and you need an outside perspective. A detailed analysis of one paragraph of text, one negotiation, one meeting, one table, one conversation always gives more practical benefit than a general collective conversation. If you hear criticism about yourself and want to use it to your advantage, politely insist that it be detailed.

Remember also that our work can often be criticized by people (customers, colleagues, bosses) who have no understanding of what they really need. So before you start working with new people or a difficult task, ask detailed plan, approve it in advance and move on it without deviations. Or ask for clear references - a clear role model that is easy to follow. If the team has a set of rules, appeal to it, defending your point of view.

If in personal relationships there are not enough basic agreements about money, free time, general leisure, raising children, work, distribution of responsibilities, sex, constant criticism from a partner is a signal that it’s time to start a long time ago necessary dialogue. Think about the deep motives of loved ones: an unwashed dish, an always-on phone, a long working day, a forgotten purchase from the list are never in themselves reasons for criticism, especially systemic criticism.

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Work out general order actions

There is no point in criticizing something that cannot be improved or devaluing another person according to your preferences. "It doesn't suit you short haircut", "Why do you speak so slowly?" and “You don't have math skills” are not criticism, but offensive remarks. The haircut is already short (and it’s another person’s, not yours, and you don’t have to like it), the person talks the way he talks, and with a wave of his hand, a colleague will not turn from a humanist to a mathematician. When criticizing others, you must always remember that there are things that the person being criticized cannot change.

When accepting criticism, you need to think about what you are being criticized for: for a specific result or for your personality, appearance and views. Separate the preferences of others from what you have control over and what you can change. The sound of your voice, body type and abilities are constant and criticism should not be based on them. If you're a student, get into the habit of asking your mentor questions about what would make your work complete. If you work, come up with an effective system of criticism and rewards that works specifically for you. If criticism comes from subordinates and colleagues, this is often a signal that, despite your higher position, you have something to work on yourself - and regular simple pressure will not solve the situation. Don’t be afraid to use what is said to you as a start for personal changes: in delegation of power, negotiations, etc. clear instructions for subordinates. Just because many people depend on you doesn't mean you never need to change or meet them halfway.

The golden rule of responding to criticism - not to respond immediately - works in both horizontal and vertical relationships. Don’t respond to work emails with the first thing that comes to mind, don’t criticize others when you’re feeling strong or in a bad mood, try to reschedule the critical conversation at a time that’s convenient for you, when you’re calm and not anxious. And remember that criticism can never be directed into emptiness: based on it, you can always learn something new, find a new solution, or try a non-obvious method in relationships or work.

Understanding that you are vulnerable, that you can make mistakes, but strive for the best is the first stage on the path to accepting often difficult and uncomfortable criticism. Awareness of vulnerability and imperfection is precisely what helps to rebuild from constant defense and self-justification for shortcomings to the beginning collaboration with others to improve their actions. After all, criticism is feedback and time spent working with you, for which you should be grateful in any case, even if the relationship has exhausted itself. If criticism from the outside systematically upsets you so much that there is no rational grain in it, and critical analysis over and over again leaves you with a feeling of crushed dignity, this is a good starting request that you can work with in the company of a therapist.

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1. Be prepared

It’s good if you have at least a rough idea of ​​what you might be criticized for. If you need feedback about your work or behavior in general, ask for it while remaining confident. Don't invite a derogatory response or false approval by asking questions like, "Am I doing a bad job at this?"

2. Keep calm

Check if your body is tense and control your breathing.

3. Think positively

Feedback can be very helpful to you. Assertive people are not afraid to make mistakes, viewing them as opportunities to learn.

4. Stay in the position of an Adult

An adult is that part of your personality that is guided by rationality and objectivity. Try to evaluate the critical review according to the following parameters:

• How important is this person's opinion to you?
• How fair and constructive is this criticism?

“Turn on” your adult part to remind yourself that criticism only applies to certain aspects of your behavior. This does not mean that you are completely rejected as a person.

5. Listen carefully

Calmly repeat what your critic says in order to:

• show that you are listening carefully;
• check whether you heard what was said correctly (since anxiety can interfere with our ability to perceive other people's words, and sometimes even our ability to hear itself).

6. Show empathy for those who criticize you

This does not mean self-deprecation. There is no need to say something like “Yes, it must be terrible to live with a person like me!” It is better to say: “I understand that my behavior may upset you.” Or: “I understand that you have been unhappy for some time that I...”

7. Take a break

Sometimes it's better to postpone the conversation until later. Especially if you feel like you can't hold on to your Adult position because you're too angry or confused. In this case, agree to talk another time. Say that you can listen to the other person more carefully later. During this time, you can calm down, reconsider all the facts and, if necessary, prepare for a counterattack.

8. Protect yourself

If you feel that your critic is being unfair or aggressive, or that the time and place for such a conversation are poorly chosen (for example, this moment you need to gather your strength before an important meeting, or your conversation is taking place in a crowded place, or you are just tired) - be assertive and defend yourself.

9. Make it clear what exactly they want to tell you

Ask clarifying questions. For example, if your critic says, “I don’t think someone who behaves like you would ever be promoted to manager,” ask them, “What is it about my behavior that makes you think that?” This technique reveals aggressive and derogatory undertones that may be disguised as benevolent or innocent comments. Sometimes the phrase “Did you buy new lipstick?” may mean: “How vulgar is that lipstick of yours!” And the question “Were there traffic jams again?” can actually mean "You're late again!"

10. Share your feelings and thoughts

Respond honestly to constructive criticism unless you have some special reason not to. Recognize its positive aspects. For example, you could say, “I was a little taken aback by what you said. But on the other hand, there is reason to think about it.” Another option: “I found that helpful to hear, although I may not agree with you.”

11. Give yourself more confidence

Remind yourself of your strengths and about your values, about what you have achieved. Ask for support from people who love you for who you are.

12. Make an action plan

If the criticism is fair and you really want to listen to it and change something in your behavior, think about how this can be done. If the criticism is aggressive and unfair and you do not agree with it, but at the same time it has hurt you or unsettled you, you need to think about some self-defense techniques or understand the underlying reasons for your reaction. Perhaps your critic's words reminded you of some significant people in your life, for example about your parents or boss. Understanding the reason can help you free yourself from this stupor. Maybe you should engage in self-development, work on your relationships with these people, so that past failures no longer deprive you of strength. If you cannot understand the reasons for your reaction yourself, it is better to contact a psychotherapist or trainer 1.

Gael Lindenfield is a psychotherapist, self-development coach and writer. Her books “How to Deal with Anger” have been translated into Russian. A positive strategy for managing strong emotions" (Golden Calf, 1997) and "Theory and practice of assertiveness. How to be open, active and natural" (Potpourri, 2003).

1 For more details, see the book by G. Lindenfield “Super-Confidence. Simple Steps to Bild Self-Assurance" (Thorsons; New edition edition, 2000).

Everyone has their own little tricks that help them remember more and better. From children putting a book of poetry under their pillow to drawing sketches of their thoughts. Science describes a series common features how the human brain accepts new information.

1. We remember better what we see.

The brain uses 50% of its resources to analyze the information it sees. In other words, half of its power is devoted to visual processing, and the rest is divided among the rest of the body's abilities. Moreover, vision directly affects other senses. A great example of this is a test in which 54 wine lovers were asked to taste several samples of a grape drink. Experimenters mixed a tasteless, odorless red dye into white wines to see if participants could spot the trick. They couldn't cope, and the red went with a bang instead of the white.

Vision is such an important part of how we interpret the world that it can overwhelm people's other senses.

Another unexpected discovery related to vision is that we see text as separate images. While you are reading these lines, your brain perceives each letter as a picture. This fact makes reading incredibly inefficient compared to getting information from pictures. At the same time, we pay more attention to moving objects than to static ones.

Images and animations can speed up your learning. Add doodles, photographs, or newspaper and magazine clippings to your notes. Use colors and diagrams to illustrate new knowledge.

2. We remember the big picture better than the details.

When you're learning a lot of new concepts, it's easy to get overwhelmed by the onslaught of data. In order to avoid overload, it is necessary to look back and draw the big picture. You must understand how fresh knowledge fits into a single puzzle and how it can be useful. The brain assimilates information better if it makes a connection between it and something previously known within the same structure.

For better understanding Let's give a metaphor. Imagine your brains are a closet with many shelves. As you place more and more clothes in your closet, you begin to separate them according to different criteria. And here’s a new thing (new information) - a black jacket. It can be sent to other knitted items, added to a winter wardrobe, or assigned to its dark brothers. IN real life your jacket will find its place in one of these corners. Your brain connects knowledge with everything else. You will easily remember the information later, because it is already laced with threads of what is firmly stuck in your head.

Keep in sight large diagram or lists of notes that explain the whole picture of what you're learning, and add new elements each time along the way.

3. Sleep greatly affects memory

Studies have shown that getting a full night of sleep between cramming and an exam significantly improves results. In one experiment, participants' motor skills were tested after they intensive training. And those subjects who slept 12 hours before the test showed where top scores than those who were tested every 4 hours while awake.

Napping also adds a positive effect. At the University of California, it turned out that students who sat down after solving a difficult task performed the following tasks better than those who did not sleep a wink.

wernerimages/Shutterstock.com

It is important to know that sleep is good not only after, but also before training. It turns the brain into a dry sponge, ready to absorb every drop of knowledge.

4. Lack of sleep has a detrimental effect on learning.

Lack of awareness about sleep and underestimation of its importance have the most adverse effect on the “flexibility” of your convolutions. Science is still very far from a detailed description of all the healing functions of rest, but it clearly understands what its lack leads to. Lack of sleep forces the head to slow down and act according to stereotyped patterns without sound risk. In addition, the chance of getting physical damage increases due to the fatigue of all the “cogs” of the body.

When it comes to learning, lack of sleep reduces the brain's ability to accept new information by 40%. So there is no need to torment yourself with low efficiency nights, it is better to rest and wake up fully equipped.

Research from Harvard Medical School contains interesting numbers: limiting sleep in the first 30 hours after learning something new can negate all the gains, even if you get a great night's sleep after that 24 hours.

Normalize the amount and frequency of sleep during training. This way you will be much more attentive and will be able to avoid memory lapses.

5. We learn better ourselves when we teach others.

This is confirmed by a very revealing experiment. The scientists divided the participants into two equal groups and gave them the same tasks. According to legend, half of the subjects had to convey their acquired knowledge to other people a little later. It is not difficult to guess that future “teachers” showed a deeper level of assimilation. The researchers saw firsthand the power of a “responsible mindset,” which gave such an effective result.

Approach learning from a “mentor” perspective. This way your subconscious will force your brain to distinguish the subtleties of similar definitions, carefully analyze the material and delve into the nuances.

6. We learn better by taking turns.

Often repetition seems to be the only sure way to learn information or hone a skill. You have used this method more than once when memorizing a poem or shooting at goal with one hand. However, less obvious alternation tactics can be more effective.

Thus, in one experiment, participants were shown paintings painted in different artistic styles. The first group was shown six examples of each style sequentially, and the second group was shown mixed examples (different schools in random order). The latter won: they guessed the style twice as often. It is curious that 70% of all subjects before the start of the study were sure that sequence should give a head start to alternation.

You shouldn’t focus only on penalties during training. When learning a foreign language, mix memorizing words with listening to speech in the original or writing.

Good information is hard to come by.
Doing anything with her is even more difficult.
Stirlitz

Wherever a person is, he is surrounded by an information field. But are we always ready to correctly accept, understand and convey the necessary information? Psychologists state that many people do not know how to work with incoming information and therefore suffer from an overabundance or lack of impressions received. This is why it is so important to teach children to process information in school. different ways. And you can do this with the help of games.

Brief description of each side obtaining information:

1. Psychologists identify two main ways to obtain information: using the senses (vision, hearing, smell, touch, taste); and with the help of inferences. Often these two paths merge into one, which is necessary to solve a problem.

2. Under the preservation of information, first of all, the ability to retain received information is impaired. The process of storing and processing information includes all components of cognition: perception, memory, imagination, thinking.

There are passive and active conservation. In the first case, the information is reproduced in its original form, that is, in the form in which it was received. With the active preservation of information, the “text” undergoes certain changes (connection of figurative, associative spheres of thinking, etc.).

3. Successful reproduction and transmission of information depends on the means used by people involved in the communication process. To such means of information exchange include speech, writing, gestures, facial expressions and pantomime, para- and extralinguistic systems (intonation, non-speech inclusions in speech, for example, pauses) and even the system of organizing the communication space (comfort, degree of trust, etc.).

Game block goal is to familiarize participants with the basic techniques for exchanging information, developing the ability to process it, and find what is vital in it to solve any problems.

The exercises below:

• develop logical memory(i.e. the ability to use special techniques for comprehending and remembering received information based on similarity, contrast, semantic proximity and associations),
• help to achieve a high speed of information processing,
• deepen perception (understanding of both direct and indirect information),
• train the flexibility of assimilation of information (ease of transition from one association to another).

All games included in the information block are integrative, although they are associated with a specific aspect: obtaining information, saving, playing and transmitting.

Game 1. Business card

For the first exercise, you will need a small ball that is easy to roll in your palms (a cone, a pebble, etc. will do).

Exercise: Each participant must tell about himself. But the task is complicated by the fact that each new “ business card“In addition to repeating information that has already been presented, it should add something new. For example:

1st participant: My name is Anton, I’m 10 years old.

2nd participant: My name is Anya, I’m 11 years old, I love pancakes.

3rd participant: My name is Lena, I’m 11 years old. I don't like pancakes, but I like dancing... Etc.

The game forms the primary perception of the group as a whole. Participants learn to isolate basic information, “try on” it, and engage in the process of circular communication.

Questions for discussion:

• Whose information turned out to be the most interesting and “reached” the end?
• And what information was lost and why?

The game is aimed at developing the ability to isolate basic information, correlate and enrich the acquired knowledge in accordance with a specific life situation.

Game 2. Going on a hike or going to the supermarket

Three or four volunteers are selected from the group and leave the audience. The rest are offered the following exercise:

Imagine that you are a group of people planning to have a good rest in the coming days. You are not limited by any material boundaries, so you came to a magnificent supermarket to pick up everything you need for your future trip. But there is one condition: you buy only those goods that begin with the letter... (for example, “C”: boots, soup, sofa, diesel fuel, etc.). But remember that those who serve you do not know about the agreement. Their task is to understand, without your prompting, what goods you will take with you on the road.

A group of "supermarket attendants" are then brought in and asked to serve unusual customers. Moreover, do not forget that “clients” should only respond affirmatively or negatively to the offer of goods. So:

Dear customers, we offer you tents... No? Then maybe backpacks?.. Etc.

Questions for discussion:

• How long will it take the group to isolate the information by ear?
• What means will they use to solve the problem?

The game develops the ability to analyze different channels of obtaining information (hearing, vision, etc.). The game is also attractive because all participants are involved in its process, and the solution is found by a small group of participants.

Game 3. I give you...

A couple of participants are playing. The rest are “limited” to the role of attentive observers.

Exercise: two people sitting opposite each other can give the most unimaginable gifts within a few minutes. However, the following conditions are met:

• At the beginning of each remark, gratitude must be heard: “Thank you, Valera (Marina, Igor, etc.) for the gift...”;
• All gifts already given must be listed and a new one added.

For example, after the fourth gift exchange, you might hear the following:

Thank you, Sveta! I gave you a table, you gave me a flower, I gave you a broom, you gave me a dishwasher, I gave you an eternal holiday, you are a rejuvenating apple to me, I gave you Earth, you gave me a treasure island, and I give you...

Questions for discussion:

• Who will be the first to make two failures in a row?
• Who retains information better?
• Who goes the unconventional route when looking for gifts?

The game, in addition to the information load, teaches not to be afraid of direct contact, the ability to improvise, concentration and... goodwill.

Game 4. Tell a story

A game that will be interesting to people of any age, literally “from young to old.” Fairy tales are loved by everyone; many enjoy inventing their own fabulously modern plots. It would seem, what could be unusual (super-informative) in such a game? But the fact is that the tale is told from the end...

Game form: along the chain (the more participants, the longer the tale). The basic condition is the same as in the previous game, but here you first need to say something new and then repeat the previous lines.

Exercise: the first participant says the usual final phrase of the fairy tale (for example: “And they lived happily and died on the same day”). The next one completes in two or three phrases the events that happened before: “And they played a magnificent wedding. They had beautiful children. And they lived happily and died on the same day.” And so on until the plot of the tale reaches the last storyteller. The last participant gives the title to the tale and tells it from beginning to end.

Questions for discussion:

• What are the twists and turns of the plot: traditional or completely unusual?
• Is the logic of the “fairy tale in reverse” narrative maintained?
• Is the plot of the tale supported by the intonations of the narrators?
• Whose plot twist is the most surprising?

As in previous games, you develop memory, the ability to concentrate and improvise, keep the thread of reasoning, and the ability to “complete” information.

Option: The fairy tale is told by the participants sequentially from beginning to end, one word at a time.

Game 5. Combine incompatible things

You will need a pen (pencil) and paper for each participant.

Exercise: Here is a list of 10 words: shoemaker, nuts, bun, bank, celery, hairdresser, scissors, bananas, mosquito, correspondence.

First of all, classify and group the given words according to your choice. Then try to connect at least three words from each other in one sentence. different groups. To connect words, it is possible to combine them using various prepositions (for example, “correspondence with a mosquito and bananas”).

Questions for discussion:

• Whose classifications are the most complete?
• Whose imagery is the most memorable?

The ability to group objects and associative memorization, according to psychologists, helps improve the assimilation of information from 19 to 61%. “It’s better to use any grouping than not to use any grouping at all,” says American researcher Danielle Lapp.

Option: compose a story based on the classifications received.

Game 6. Information in the newspaper

For this work you need clippings from newspapers and magazines of the same size.

The lesson takes place in the form of a competition.

Exercise: in front of you are two small newspaper materials. Your task is to read both passages aloud, observing the following condition: read one by one (one paragraph from each material). Then retell it from memory full text each passage.

Option: Sentences are read one by one, not paragraphs.

Questions for discussion:

• Whose retelling will be closer to the originals?
• Who will spend the least amount of time on this work?

The game helps to isolate the necessary information in different streams, and also develops the ability to quickly switch attention.

Game 7. From the clatter of hooves...

Repeated studies by psychologists have confirmed the fact that any information is transmitted not only through content, but also through intonation, gestures and facial expressions of the speaker. Let's try to check this statement.

Group assignment: imagine this situation: you come to school and find out that there will be no chemistry (algebra, literature) today. Try to convey this news to any of your classmates mainly with the help of gestures and facial expressions, since the text that you pronounce when conveying the message is the well-known proverb “Dust flies across the field from the clatter of hooves.” The intonation should show whether you are happy about this occasion or not. Pass this information on to your neighbor. He will convey his mood using the same words to the next participant, and so on until the end of the chain. And the latter should tell this news to the chemistry (algebra, literature) teacher whom you met in the corridor.

Questions for discussion:

• What is the intonation of your line this time?
• Whose “replicas” seemed the most expressive and why?
• Is it really possible to convey the content of information through additional means?
• Where else can this technique be used?

When performing this task, it is not just a play out of an imaginary situation, but the ability to emotionally convey, experience information, and enrich it intonationally is formed. The paradox of the situation is that certain restrictions in the content (only the words of the proverb) force the informant to look for other means to achieve his goal.

Game 8. Complete set

Prepare cards with the names of literary works and the names of their main characters (option: historical event and its participants, etc.).

Exercise: Each participant receives a card with either the title of a literary work or the name of a character. At the leader’s sign, everyone reads loudly what is written on the cards twice. The goal of the game is to unite the heroes with the work (event with participants) as quickly as possible.

Questions for discussion:

• Is it easy to find “your person” in conditions of information overload?
• What or who is preventing the reunion?
• What other tasks could you suggest?

Game 9. Let's get together

Participants are divided into small groups of 6 people. The presenter offers a wide variety of tasks:

Line up in a row according to the alphabet based on the first letter of your name;

Line up in a row in accordance with the alphabet according to the last letter of the name (last name, second letter, etc.);

Find your own way of building a group.

Questions for discussion:

• Which group responds faster to tasks?
• Which one found the most interesting way of self-classification? etc.

Game 10. Telegram

Which of us hasn't sent telegrams? What is the main thing in it? Of course, laconic, emotional content. Groups are encouraged to send telegrams to each other. These messages are united by the initial letters of words, for example:

B T L V D K M P Z X O (the selection of letters can be very diverse).

Exercise: compose a telegram text in which each (significant) word sequentially begins with the proposed letter. So, the first word begins with “B”, the second with “T”, etc. To connect words, you can insert prepositions and punctuation marks in an unlimited number.

For example:

Large Tomatoes Lie Under the Carriage. Making Ketchup or Changing Tomatoes for Animals? I would like an Orangutan.

Boris! Your Laziness Leads to Wild Conflicts. May I help? Good knowledge, I promise.

Questions for discussion:

• Whose telegram was funnier? More terrible? More vital? More expressive?
• How do insignificant parts of speech and punctuation marks affect the content?
• Was it easy to work in a group when composing the telegram?

Game 11. The cat that walks...

Everyone stands in a circle, leaving more space in the center.

Exercise: Participants are asked to walk through the circle one by one, but not with a normal gait. If a person is at a loss, ask him to walk like a spy (sneaking on tiptoes), like a supermodel (“hip-free walk...”), like a soldier on parade (sneaking his way), etc.

Each participant goes through the circle, and the group guesses “who is who.”

Option: Participants are offered cards on which various professions are written. It is necessary to show your professional affiliation with your gait.

Questions for discussion:

• What information channel is used here?
• What can a person’s gait express: his profession? his emotions?
• How do we react to different styles gait?
• What do the people who are being observed and evaluated feel?