The Game and Play Leader's Handbook

by Michaelis, Bill; O'Connell, John M.

• ISBN13: 9781892132482
• ISBN10: 1892132486
• Edition: Revised
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-06-30
• Publisher: Venture Pub

Table of Contents

Dedications	v
Acknowledgments	vii
Preface: Welcome to the Game	xv
Kernel Concepts	xv
Focus on Leadership	xvi
Our Biases	xvii
A Word to the Wise	xviii
Learning to Lead, Learning to Learn	xix
Disclaimers	xxi
On Playing on Purpose	1	(8)
Some Qualities	3	(1)
Some Values of Play(fulness)	3	(2)
Some Forms and Contexts	5	(2)
Elements of the Play Experience	7	(1)
Summary	8	(1)
The Fundamentals of Play Leadership	9	(10)
Enthusiasm and Safety	9	(8)
Enthusiasm	9	(2)
Safety	11	(6)
What It Is All About	17	(2)
Getting It Going	19	(26)
Basic Concepts	19	(2)
The Play Community	19	(1)
Facilitation Versus Arbitrary Authority	20	(1)
A Short Quiz	21	(1)
The Four Ps (of Getting a Game Going): Purpose, Planning, Preparation, and Presentation	21	(20)
Purpose	21	(1)
Planning	22	(1)
The Players	22	(1)
New Games	23	(1)
The Situation	23	(1)
The Setting	24	(1)
The Game	24	(1)
The Leader (You)	25	(1)
A Few Final Thoughts About Planning	26	(1)
Preparation	26	(1)
Gathering	26	(1)
Testing	27	(1)
Setup	28	(1)
Presentation	28	(1)
Recruiting	29	(1)
Focusing	30	(2)
Warmups	32	(2)
Dividing Teams	34	(3)
Explaining	37	(1)
DDADA	37	(4)
Fine Tune as Needed	41	(1)
Multiple Games	42	(3)
Keeping It Going (aka, Rolling on the River)	45	(24)
The Middle Game	45	(1)
Continue To Nurture and To Build the Play Community	46	(1)
The Evolving Game: The Play Community and Shared Player-Leader Roles	47	(1)
Play Exercise: The Roles and Qualities of the Leader	48	(1)
High Viz Versus Low Viz	49	(1)
Safety	50	(9)
Support Great Playing	59	(1)
Bending, Shaping, Changing, and Playing Well	60	(7)
Game Change Quality and Process	62	(1)
Changing Channels---A Totally Different Game (Really)	63	(4)
Summary	67	(2)
Ending It All Well	69	(12)
Ending the Game or Games Session	69	(6)
Timing	70	(1)
Clock Time	71	(1)
Understanding the Game Life Span	72	(2)
Multiple Games Sessions and Other Miscellaneous Stuff	74	(1)
Some Games and Game-Like Activities That Lend Themselves to Good Endings	75	(4)
The Lap Sit	75	(1)
Spirals	75	(2)
Progressive Circles	77	(1)
Get Down	78	(1)
Pruie	78	(1)
Magic Ball or Magic Pine Cone (Outdoor Version)	79	(1)
Some Final Final Thoughts	79	(2)
One Final Game	79	(2)
On Games	81	(14)
Games Storm I	81	(1)
Games Storm II	81	(1)
Why Games? Why Not Just Play?	81	(2)
Types of Games Bonus Points Exercise!	83	(1)
``Flavors'' of Games	83	(1)
The Bill System	83	(1)
The John System	84	(1)
Game Segues	84	(1)
Using Games I	85	(1)
Using Games II: Just When You Thought It Was Safe to Play (Game Change and Invention)	86	(4)
Variation	86	(1)
Combination	87	(1)
Adaptation	88	(1)
Innovation	89	(1)
Elements of Games	90	(2)
End Game	92	(3)
Events or the Big Game	95	(20)
Why Do It?	95	(1)
What This Chapter Will and Won't Do	96	(1)
The Song Remains the Same: The Fundamentals	97	(1)
What's Different?	97	(5)
The Players	98	(1)
The Situation	98	(2)
The Setting	100	(1)
The Games	100	(1)
The Leaders	101	(1)
A Few Additional Notes on Orchestration and Sideline (Peripheral) Activities and Logistics	102	(1)
Some Notes on the Process of Large Event Development	103	(2)
Planning	103	(1)
Preparation	103	(1)
Publicity	104	(1)
Presentation	104	(1)
The Festival Day (the Event, the Play Itself)	105	(6)
Beginning I	105	(1)
Beginning II	106	(1)
The Middle	107	(1)
Ending I	108	(1)
Ending II	109	(1)
Endings III and Beginnings	110	(1)
A Few Hot Events	111	(4)
Dundercon--Magic Fest	111	(1)
New Games Festival	111	(1)
Family Fun Festival	111	(1)
Spielfest	112	(1)
The Power of Play--Days of Play (Tages de Spiel)	113	(1)
Freedom Day	113	(1)
Playfair Events	113	(2)
Advanced Leadership Skills	115	(40)
Flow	116	(5)
The Fun Zone	117	(1)
Some Practical Implications of Flow Theory	118	(3)
A Few More Wolf Tickets	121	(2)
More on Flow, Energy, and Sequencing	122	(1)
Flow and ``It'' Power	123	(2)
``It'' Power Defined	123	(1)
Some Ways To Moderate the ``It'' Power	123	(1)
In Summary	124	(1)
Psychological Safety Zones	125	(1)
Empowerment	126	(1)
Zen and the Art of Play Leadership	127	(4)
Situational Leadership	131	(7)
The Players	131	(1)
The Setting	132	(1)
The Situation	132	(1)
Some Examples	133	(2)
Another View on Situational Leadership: Hersey and Blanchard's Model	135	(1)
The Theories	135	(2)
Some Problem Solving	137	(1)
What Would You Do?	137	(1)
Discipline	138	(4)
Approaches to Positive Behavior	139	(1)
What Kids Need	139	(2)
Another Look at Front-End Loading	141	(1)
Some General Principles of Positive Discipline	142	(5)
If All Else Fails	147	(3)
Sanctions	147	(3)
Effective Communication: Assertive Discipline, ``I'' Messages, and Limited Choice Language	150	(4)
Limited Choice Language	152	(1)
Steps of Assertive Discipline	152	(2)
Advanced Leadership Skills: A Summary	154	(1)
A Bigger Bag of Tricks	155	(12)
Five (or More) ``Openers'' That the Pros Use	155	(2)
Ten or Fewer ``Can't Miss When All Else Fails'' Games	157	(1)
10+ Somewhat ``Cute'' and Maybe Even Challenging ``Transition'' Activities	158	(2)
Three Lesser Known Leader Talents	160	(1)
Six Great Lines, Cheap Tricks, and Emergency Actions That May Evoke a Smile in Tight Situations	160	(1)
All The Equipment You'll Never Need	161	(6)
Minibag	162	(1)
Day Pack	163	(1)
Duffel Bag	164	(3)
How to Get Better	167	(4)
Set a Pattern for Learning	167	(1)
Set Up a Review Pattern	168	(1)
Keep a ``Book''	169	(1)
Develop Resources	170	(1)
Plan Your Own Development Program	170	(1)
On the Importance of Being a Playmaker	171	(4)
Resources, Connections, and Beyond (The Bigger Picture)	175	(24)
Beyond Games	175	(2)
In Business and Organizational Settings	175	(1)
In Schools and Children's Centers	176	(1)
For Friends and Families	176	(1)
As a Community Organizing Tool	177	(1)
As a Creativity Exercise or Exercise in Self-Renewal	177	(1)
Miscellaneous	177	(1)
An Even Bigger Picture	177	(2)
Resources	179	(19)
Catalogs, Magazines, and Newsletters	180	(5)
Books, Videos, Journals, and Magazine Articles	185	(7)
Organizations and Networks	192	(6)
Further Services and Sources of Information From Us	198	(1)
Closings	198	(1)
About the Authors	199	(2)
Index	201