(Keep reading and you may earn a free book!)

Ok, so you are having another boring corporate meeting meeting. Nobody wants to be there, and the doughnuts are just not enough to get people in a good mood, much less a creative and success-minded mood.

What do you do? Well, I have a ton of ideas for meeting ice breakers and warm ups, but one of my favorites is to print out an odd or unusual photo from the internet or some magazine, and have a brainstorming session of possible captions for that photo.

Before you give it a try, know that you’ll need to set some ground rules for this ice-breaker.: The rules for the brainstorm session need to be made clear. I use something like this in my creativity seminars:

“Ok let’s see if we can come up with some easy rules before we start. First of all, can we agree that only one person talks at a time?” (Of course they’ll agree.)

“Can we agree that there will be no bad ideas…. all captions are good, because we’re going for volume, not quality…. deal?” (They’ll agree, because nobody will want to feel stupid if they come up with something lame. Sometimes I take this a step further and ask them if they think that anybody who says ANYTHING negative has to put a dollar in the middle of the table for next week’s doughnut upgrade. This is really fun… they’ll love it.)

“Our goal is to just find a bunch of captions… not to be funny. So if you come up with a funny one, that’s great. But don’t feel pressure to be funny… just come up with a caption. Deal?” (If you set the goal to find a “funny” punch-line or joke, many people will seize up and shut down. Just tell them that you want a bunch of captions, and trust me, the funny will happen.”

That’s it! It’s easy. Just have somebody write down the ideas on a dry-erase or even a note pad. See how many you can come up with, and then increase that number at your next meeting. Set a time limit of 3 minutes or so, but if they are cranking them out at minute 5, let ’em!

You’ll be amazed at the positive creative energy you’ll create with this simple little task.

humor me bookWhat’s that? Put my money where my mouth is? Sure, glad you asked.

Earn a Free Book!

Write a caption for this photo…. I’ll send a FREE copy of my e-book Humor Me: America’s Funniest Humorists on the Power of Laughter to the 3 best submissions. (Just use the comment field below, and be sure to list your URL.)write a caption and win a free book

 

 

My entry for the mock caption:

“You should see what the Tin Man got!”

 

Brad Montgomery
Motivational Speaker, Humor in the Workplace Seminar Leader, Corporate Comedian

PS. Submit your caption to th at lion-and-woman photo and win a free copy of my ebook Humor Me!

42 replies
  1. Palmo Carpino
    Palmo Carpino says:

    Woman and Lion photo

    – you have a little somehting right there. Here, let me get that for you.
    – this is how they do it in the French Congo
    -you are a cagey beast
    – I wonder if his eyes are closed too?
    – One one thousand, Two one thousand, Three
    – Sigfried and Roy will never know…or care
    – Carnivore, Shmarnivore. Just lick me you fool.

  2. Palmo Carpino
    Palmo Carpino says:

    So… who won?
    You did say that it is volume that counts, right?

    Brad, thanks for a great site and newsletter.

    Palmo Carpino
    Calgary, Alberta

  3. Hermann Schulze
    Hermann Schulze says:

    The latest in Diversity Training –
    leading by example – this “king” facilitator shows the other animals that people are animals too!

  4. Steve Smith
    Steve Smith says:

    Not now, my husbands/boyfriends looking!

    I didn’t know lions kept thier cycs closed when they kiss.

    MMMM-I hope no one is looking.

  5. Greg Wilson
    Greg Wilson says:

    “Hey buddy, not on the first date.”

    “I don’t care if you are king of the jungle. You watch that tongue of yours!’

    “Hey pal, have you been chewing on sandpaper.”

    “What d’ya mean welcome to Honolulu? This is Africa buster!”

  6. Peggy Aucoin
    Peggy Aucoin says:

    – It takes a WOMAN to tame a beast!!!

    – (Lion) If I give you a kiss, will you let me out of this cage?

    – Ooo—You are the KING!!!

    – (Woman) Hey, can I have my gum back please???

  7. Brian
    Brian says:

    King Karl Kissed A Kook

    Loony Lady Loves a Lion

    Lady Kisses Lion: Lives to tell Story.
    Lion kisses Lady: gets laughed at by friends.

  8. Dennis Buchanan
    Dennis Buchanan says:

    “I need to check what I put for my profile on e-Harmony.com”

    “Have to stop wearing polka dots…gives the beasts the wrong idea”

  9. Donna
    Donna says:

    “Get a Room”

    “Mom, is that what you mean when you talk about why heavy petting before marriage is bad?”

    “Why don’t you pick on someone your own size.”

    “I thought the sign said no feeding the animals?

    “Mom, I thought you said it wasn’t good to play with your food?

    “Look inside your self Simba, you are more than what you have become, Remember who you are…. “

  10. Debbie Iancu-Haddad
    Debbie Iancu-Haddad says:

    – Please Do NOT FEED THE ANIMALS…

    – You know.. I didn’t say anything when you slept with all my friends, my brother and my buisness partner but you have to draw the line somewhere…

    – Lion: “Yep, They’re real”.

  11. Kathy Jo
    Kathy Jo says:

    Two eyes and a mouth; nothing else required.
    “As long as you have two eyes and a mouth nothing else is required to add humor to your meeting”.

  12. English Teacher
    English Teacher says:

    Who would you choose, the Lady or the Lion?

    or

    A tale as old as time, Beauty and the Beast.

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