ATTITUDE

On several occasions I've been told that People Games didn't go as well when other people were leading them as they did when I was leading them. I found it surprising and I was somewhat concerned.

Admittedly, I made up the games and ran them for some time. I probably know more about them than any other person and I've had a great deal of experience learning to handle them. However, the game procedure is fairly simple and things seldom go wrong. So, if there are any special skills I have, they are seldom needed.

I think, therefore, that being a good leader is only a matter of attitude and understanding. It involves a simple desire to help people enjoy communicating, a complete willingness to be there, an understanding of the essence of the game, and a clear knowledge of the procedure. Since you already have the attitude, it is only a matter of establishing the understanding.

There is no barrier to obtaining the full knowledge of the procedure. Just read this book. Then, read it again more thoroughly. Get familiar with the steps and explanations and begin to assemble the whole thing in your mind.

Then, read the book a third time. You may think this is a lot, but you will find that you will discover new things about the games as you do. On the third time around make sure you understand every word and sentence. Stop at the end of each paragraph and check yourself to make sure you understand it. When you are sure, check it off with a pencil. Do this for every paragraph all through the book. I must admit that my literary talents are lacking and you may often have to read twice to see what I mean.

When you get to the end of the book, give it to a friend and have him quiz you on it. When he is done with that, talk the following words over with your friend to be sure you have a good strong friendship with them. They are: "brisk", "help", "encourage", "guide". They are used here and there in this text and are particularly important to the attitude of the game.

At this moment, this study may seem like quite a lot of work. However, this is really a short book and you will find that it won't take long at all. What is more important is that it is difficult to lead anything when one has uncertain feelings. There he is, standing before a group of people who expect him to know what he's doing and who will accept his leadership for that reason. But if he isn't sure of himself, they will sense it and be reluctant to accept his leadership.

So, read the manual carefully, make notes if necessary, and work it all out in your mind. If you still have questions, write to Lifetalk. After all, this manual is your ticket to a successful game.

Once you know the procedure and have a familiarity with the routine, an understanding of the philosophy will come easy. You will see that it is what it says it is, an easy way to help people meet others and enhance interpersonal communication.