The Moose Joke - Scott Simmerman's Best Session Closing Story

© Performance Management Company, 1993 - - 2014

THE MOOSE JOKE

The Most FavoriteTeam Building Session Closing Story / Joke of

Dr. Scott Simmerman


To best end a team building, performance improvement or

leadership development presentation / workshop, you want

a memorable and rock-solid ending or closing.

This is one I have used since 1995.Bombproof!


First, you need a session summary of key outcomes or learning points

to set the stage for your final comments.

The next slide shows a sample, focused on employee involvement

and engagement:


Key Learning Points:

• It’s about making Progress Forward and about active involvement in things

• Focus on Continuous Continuous Improvement

• Not Every Step is a Success. Keep trying

• Celebrate Any and All Progress

• Round Wheels are already in Wagon

• Engage and Enlist the Energy of All


Then you pose a puzzling statement, one that seemingly

makes no sense, to generate that “Huh?” reaction from everyone.


So, would you So, would you NOW agree that NOW agree that this is a lot like this is a lot like

Hunting Hunting Moose?Moose?


And you fake them out, pretending that their puzzled

reaction is because you think they do not know what a moose is, and not that you think your question is unrelated to the program you just did… So, tell them what a moose is

and see if they now understand.


Moose…

A large horse-like animal with antlers that lives in

colder climates.


So, now you tell them the story about the 3 hunters who return to Alaska to hunt moose again, going back to the same lake as last year. They have a pilot fly them in using

a float plane – one that can land on water – and say that he will

return in three days.


And you explain that he does return as promised and that the

men proceed to load up one of the moose and tie it to the pontoons. At this point, the pilot says, “Let’s

go!” but the men say that they need to load up the other two

moose…


The men and the pilot argue, with the men saying that they took off from the same lake, with the same temperature,

with the same kind of plane and the same gear last year. The only

difference is: PILOT. Finally the pilot gives in and says to

load up the other two moose.

You can embellish your storyline as much as you like...


So, the men load up the other two moose and tie them down and get in the plane with all their gear and the

pilot taxis the plane down to the very far end of the lake, revs the motor and the plane takes off. It goes across the lake faster and faster and faster and

gets into the air…


But, the pontoons hit the top of the trees, the men go flying, the gear goes flying and the moose go flying. After a

couple of minutes, one of the men comes to and yells, “Joe!” and you, pretending to be that person answer

after a moment, “Bill!”“Joe!” “Bill!!”

(Personalize the joke to that audience with the names of their leaders!


“Joe! Where are we?”…“Bill!” (pause and look around)…

“Looks like about 50 feet farther than last year!”

The key is to let the punch line settle in a bit and then make the key

learning points that the men viewed the effort as a greater success,


I will generally come back and show the bullet slide of the desired session

outcomes again and make a few comments about progress being

incremental, that the reality of doing something and flying off into the air is

not of high probability. The team effort itself needs to be viewed as a

success so that the attempt to succeed is repeated again.


Key Learning Points:

• It’s about making Progress Forward and about active involvement in things

• Focus on Continuous Continuous Improvement

• Not Every Step is a Success. Keep trying

• Celebrate Any and All Progress

• Round Wheels are already in Wagon

• Engage and Enlist the Energy of All


The other thing we need to do is to better involve and engage the efforts

of a lot more of the people in the organization, the “50 feet” and get them better focused on goals and aligned, more motivated to work

together, and to keep trying to make improvements.

Link people to performance!


The Journey Forward




Fifty Feet Farther Than

Last Year!

The goal is to go:


If it is to If it is to bebe

it is up to it is up to me!me!


If not you, who?If not now,

when?


PMC sells a number of outstanding tools to generate engagement,

motivation, collaboration and team work, including our Square Wheels

Toolkits and team building games.


PMC’s flagship team building exercise, sold worldwide since 1993.

PMC’s flagship team building exercise, sold worldwide since 1993.

With tons of user testimonials!

The Search forThe LostDutchman’s Gold Mine


Versions of Lost Dutchman are available, all with a one-time cost.

LD-3 is designed for up to 3 teams (18 people) $995

LD-4 is for use with up to 4 teams (24 people) $1,695

LD-6 is for up to 6 teams (36 people) $2,895

The purchase price contains everything you need to deliver the exercise except for a computer and projector. It includes reusable, laminated team forms, resource cards, grub stake and team envelopes, tracking maps, DVD-case informational videos, toys and poster map / game boards.

There is also a Professional Version available for any size group and a Rental Option.


Have FUN Out There!

Thanks for your time, energy and thinking.

Scott SimmermanThe Round Wheels Guy

[email protected]


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The Moose Joke - Scott Simmerman's Best Session Closing Story