This document describes an exercise called "The Silent Treatment" intended to warm participants up and get them in a creative mindset during a brainstorming session. The exercise involves pairing participants up and having them communicate an abstract message to each other without speaking, writing, or drawing for 3 minutes. By depriving participants of typical communication methods, it aims to teach creative communication, attention to others, and get minds in a creative state. An example of how to guide participants through the exercise is provided.

1. THE
SILENT
TREATMENT
CREATIVE
BRAINSTORM,
WARMING
UP
EXERCISE
Bas6aan
van
de
Werk
June
28th
2012

2. THE
PURPOSE
OF
THIS
EXERCISE
This
is
a
warming
up
exercise
intended
to
be
used
during
a
crea6ve
brainstorm.
It
works
par6cularly
well
aQer
a
break
of
some
kind.
› It
warms
up
par6cipants
and
gets
their
brains
into
a
crea6ve
mindset
by
depriving
them
of
a
crucial
resource
(they
cannot
use
speech.)
› It
teaches
par6cipants
to
communicate
crea6vely.
› It
teaches
par6cipants
to
truly
pay
aUen6on
to
each-­‐other.

3. HOW
TO
USE
THIS
EXERCISE?
› When
the
par6cipants
enter
the
room,
say
nothing.
› When
par6cipants
sit
down,
pair
them
up.
(use
a
PowerPoint
to
'talk'
to
them)
and
have
them
communicate
a
rela6vely
complex
or
abstract
message.
› They
must
do
this
this
without
talking.
Without
wri6ng.
Without
drawing.
› Watch
for
about
3
minutes
as
people
fran6cally
sign,
mime
or
even
dance
their
message
to
each-­‐other.
› Have
par6cipants
share
their
most
interes6ng
ideas
with
the
group
and
discuss
those.

4. EXAMPLE

5. SHHT.
TODAY,
WE
START
OUR
SESSION
IN
SILENCE.

6. GOOD
MORNING!

7. DID
YOU
GUYS
SLEEP
WELL?

8. I
DID.

9. HOW
WAS
BREAKFAST?

10. A
BANANA
&
TWO
COFFEE
FOR
ME.

11. OKAY

12. LIKE
I
SAID.
TODAY
WE
BEGIN
OUR
BRAINSTORM
IN
SILENCE

13. THAT
MEANS
NO
TALKING.

14. THAT
MEANS
NO
TALKING
FOR
ME
TOO.

15. THAT’S
HARD.

16. VERY
HARD.

17. SO,
DID
ALL
OF
YOU
DO
YOUR
HOMEWORK?

18. AND
DID
YOU
DO
A
GOOD
JOB?

19. TODAY
WILL
BE
HARD
WORK:
10
NEW
BUSINESS
CONCEPTS

20. LIKE
I
SAID.
HARD
WORK.

21. LET’S
GET
STARTED
WITH
A
GOOD
WARMING
UP
EXERCISE.

22. TAKE
A
MINUTE
TO
THINK
WHAT
WILL
BE
YOUR
MOST
IMPORTANT
CONTRIBUTION
TODAY.

23. NOW
I
WILL
PAIR
YOU
UP.

24. COMMUNICATE
TO
EACH
OTHER
YOUR
MOST
IMPORTANT
CONTRIBUTION
TODAY.

25. BUT
REMEMBER:

26. NO
TALKING,
AND
NO
WRITING.

27. NO
DRAWING
EITHER.

28. GOT
THAT?

29. OKAY,
LET’S
GO!
YOU’VE
GOT
ONE
MINUTE
EACH.

30. HAS
EVERYBODY
FINISHED?

31. GREAT.

32. YOU’RE
ALLOWED
TO
TALK
AGAIN.
(THAT’S
A
RELIEF
ISN’T
IT?)

33. WANT
TO
KNOW
MORE?
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DE
WERK
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