On a recent workshop I was searching for an activity which would raise energy levels in the room and enable my participants to take a deeper level of ownership for their personal outcomes.
So for anyone who’s ever been in a similar situation…
- Take 9 sheets of flipchart paper and tape them together in a 3×3 grid.
- Place the paper on a large table or clear a space on the floor and use that. In the centre, write down a suitable title for the outcomes summary.
- On a flipchart at the front of the room, set up the exercise with a prompt question of:
“By the end of this workshop I want to be…”
Thinking…
Feeling…
Saying…
Doing…
Feeling…
Saying…
Doing…
.
Each participant then grabs a marker pen (preferably of different colours!) and finds a position on the perimeter of the paper.
- The name of the game is speed here! Put on some motivational music and get everyone to create a mind map of their personal outcomes. This can be done with pictures or words. The objective is to fill every piece of white space with outcomes. As they scribble away, give an instruction for them to become curious about their neighbour’s outcomes and draw new inspiration.
- After a few minutes, call a halt and review progress. Then ask the team to move three steps to the left, read what’s now in front of them and add more thoughts to the chart.
- After a few more minutes call a stop to the activity and give everyone some time to walk round the completed mind map and read everyone’s contributions. It may be appropriate for the group to share observations or ask relevant questions at this point.
- Put this up on a wall in a prominent place where it can serve as a reminder of the focus for the day. Invite participants to add further thoughts and inspirations or alter their outcomes as the day progresses.
This exercise gave me more than I bargained for with a group of leaders I worked with recently. Not only did we create a great energy and commitment to outcomes. The team used it to give each other feedback and messages of support throughout the day. To top it all, everyone took photographs of the chart to keep on their phones and the project sponsor took the whole thing away to put up back in the workplace as a reminder of the event and learning which took place.
Oh and it’s also a great way to cover unsightly walls in your training room!
Enjoy!
