Library of facilitation techniques

Communication Workshop Activities

Group activities and exercises to improve communication skills.
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Joran Oppelt

Elephants, Dead Fish, and Vomit

  • Frame: Famously utilized by AirB&B to get at the heart of some of their culture issues. The idea is that there are three things that move the needle on psychological safety and team effectiveness:

    • Elephants - The "elephants in the room" or things people are avoiding and not talking about. These tend to create a sense of ambiguity and helplessness. Elephants must die.
    • Dead Fish - These are the "old tapes" that people refuse to let go of. They've been around so long that they're beginning to stink up the place. These tend to sour people on each other by undermining trust and creating fictions. Dead Fish must disappear.
    • Vomit - This is our ability to speak freely, directly, and openly with another person without fear of reprisal. If we're not listened to in this way, it can build up over time and bad things can happen. Vomit has to happen.
  • Outcomes: Creates more honesty and psychological safety; Surfaces crucial issues on the team

  • Demo: Leader shares an example of an old tape or story they've been carrying around and are ready to let go of
  • Process/Steps:
    • Facilitator introduces the framework by drawing three columns on a flipchart (or a flipchart for each)
    • Facilitator asks the group for an example of either an Elephant or a Dead Fish
    • Team members affirm, clarify, or provide additional context
    • Group decides how to appropriately address or let go of the issue (usually by naming some hard, next steps)
    • Facilitator captures on flipchart
    • Group is invited to add to the flipcharts over the course of the day
    • Facilitator reviews additions at the end of the day
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Thiagi Group

Bus Trip

This is one of my favourite feedback games. I use Bus Trip at the end of a training session or a meeting, and I use it all the time. The game creates a massive amount of energy with lots of smiles, laughs, and sometimes even a teardrop or two.
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Liberating Structures

Heard, Seen, Respected (HSR)

You can foster the empathetic capacity of participants to “walk in the shoes” of others. Many situations do not have immediate answers or clear resolutions. Recognizing these situations and responding with empathy can improve the “cultural climate” and build trust among group members. HSR helps individuals learn to respond in ways that do not overpromise or overcontrol. It helps members of a group notice unwanted patterns and work together on shifting to more productive interactions. Participants experience the practice of more compassion and the benefits it engenders.
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Teampedia Tools

Friendly Flyers

This is an exercise to build up relational and communication skills. While creating paper flyers in teams, you learn about your group members one-on-one as you build paper planes with them. Afterwards, you get to know more about the rest of your group when you play a personality-matching guessing activity.
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