Why is it important? It sets up an environment to help stretch, reshape, and remodel your group's thinking process. It demonstrates how easily and painlessly we can "remold" our shape in order to develop fresh ideas. This is a wonderful remedy for stuckness.

How do I do it? Using plastic Easter eggs filled with Play-doh, create a debate over which came first, the chicken or the egg. Establish quickly that the egg came first. Ask the participants to crack open their eggs and stretch and pull the "gob" (Play-doh). Assure them that by the end of your time together, they will have a "chicken." Explain the parallel: that you would like them to "crack open their minds," stretching and pulling their brains (thoughts, ideas, suggestions) in various directions, allowing new ideas ( chickens) to emerge.

What are some ways to use this? This a great way to kick off a morning breakfast meeting. Use it as you begin to create a new service or product, develop a plan, or solve a business problem. You can personalize the eggs with your company's name, get an eggcup for each egg, and encourage the participants to take the egg and the eggcup back to their own offices and crack open the egg when they feel stuck.