.Category
{T/F Exercise}
.Stage
{Beyond Basics}
.Title
{Little League Dilemma}
.Minimum
{3 - 4 Ts and 3 - 4 Fs}
.Ideal
{6 - 8 Ts and 6 - 8 Fs}
.Maximum
{50 people (If larger see Trainer Tips - Dealing with Large Groups.)}
.TimeMin
{30 minutes}
.TimeMax
{45 minutes}
.Object1
{To highlight and experience the differences between T and F judgments}
.Object2
{To begin to understand the role of the T and F preferences in relation to giving feedback}
.Object3
{To help participants validate a T or F preference}
.Material1
{Flipchart paper (several sheets) for each group}
.Material2
{Markers}
.Material3
{Masking tape}
.Material4
{T/F Highlights or Good T/F Words handouts (Optional)}
.Material5
{A pre-printed overhead or flipchart with the instructions (Optional)}
.Instruct1
{Divide into T and F groups and position in the room to utilize flipchart paper for capturing group data.}
.Instruct2
{Give both groups the following verbal instructions:}
.Box1
{"Your kids are on a Little League team.  They have just been invited to compete in the Regional Finals and travel to (name a distant city).  However, there is not enough money in the budget to take everyone. You are hte parent committee that is gathering to decide what to do. You have five minutes.  Write your results on flipchart paper to share with the group."}
.Instruct3
{Tell the other participants in the room to silently write down notes on how they might solve the problem.}
.Vary
{<BI>Variation:<N>  This exercise also lends itself to a fishbowl format, especially with larger groups.  If you choose this format:}
.Varya
{Ask the chosen T and F groups to leave the room while you brief the participant observers.  Do not tell the groups which preference they are representing. }
.Varyb
{Arrange the exact number of chairs needed in the fishbowl.}
.Varyc
{Ask the observers to look for differences, especially in the criteria that they use and the personal or impersonal approaches used in decision making.}
.Varyd
{Call in the T group first and give the following instructions:}
.Box2
{"Your kids are on a Little League team.  They have just been invited to compete in the Regional Finals and travel to (name a distant city).  However, there is not enough money in the budget to take everyone. You are hte parent committee that is gathering to decide what to do. You have five minutes.  Write your results on flipchart paper to share with the group."}
.Varye
{Call the F group into the room and give the same instructions.  Invite the Ts to become silent observers.}
.Varyf
{Monitor time.  This can vary, especially if the Ts are argumentative and the Fs are very concerned and/or work toward more solutions and can't decide.}
.Debrief1
{When working with the non-fishbowl variation, have each group share their reports without telling the participants which group is T or F.  Have each group report before processing the differences in the large group.}
.Debrief2
{With the fishbowl variation, after both groups have completed their discussion, share with them the observers' assignment (e.g., personal versus impersonal criteria for decisions).}
.Debrief3
{Ask the group:  "What, if any, differences did you observe?"}
.Debrief4
{Facilitate a discussion highlighting the differences.  Help the group to see that Fs used their personal values to redefine the problem itself.}
.Debrief5
{To complete the group debriefing, give a brief presentation and handout to reinforce the T/F differences and group learnings.  (See Good T/F Words and T/F Highlights handouts.)}
.Debrief6
{Ask the rest of the room to debrief for 2-3 minutes at their tables in terms of how their notes related to the outputs of the two groups.}
.VariationTitle
{Alternate Instructions:}
.VariationText
{"Your kids are on a Little League team. They have won the local championship and so it's on to the state finals. Unfortunately, there is not enough money in the budget to take everyone. You are the parent committee that is meeting together to decide what to do about this. You have five minutes.  Write your results on flipchart paper to share with the group."}