Track daily what energises and drains participants to reveal their strengths. Over a week, participants log the activities that lift or deplete their energy, sometimes called green and red activities, then read the pattern to surface strengths and weaknesses. Daily noticing is far more accurate than recalling it all at the end. Ideal for strengths, self-awareness and role-design work.
Polarities live as interdependent pairs that need each other to exist, for example inhaling & exhaling. One pole is not valued as better than the other. Polarities have an enduring quality, they are unavoidable and unsolvable.
Polarities live everywhere from our internal dialogue to external patterns of relating in society and within organizations. Overfocus on any one pole leads to the breakdown of the system as a whole.
Starting a meeting or after a break in a group where participants don't know each other or don't know much about each other
Your Values is an exercise for participants to explore what their most important values are. It’s done in an intuitive and rapid way to encourage participants to follow their intuitive feeling rather than over-thinking and finding the “correct” values. It is a good exercise to use to initiate reflection and dialogue around personal values.
This exercise shifts a familiar question, what did you achieve, into a different one, what did you get to express, and asks participants to notice the difference. Rooted in the Expressing Full Potential pathway of the Map of Meaning framework, it moves away from the pressure of "unlocking" or "achieving" potential toward the quieter, more sustainable experience of expressing something that was already there. Ideal for individual coaching, leadership development, and onboarding, wherever a team or person needs a reset away from achievement-only thinking.
Regular, effective feedback is one of the most important ingredients in building constructive relationships and thriving teams. Openness creates trust and trust creates more openness. Feedback exercises aim to support groups to build trust and openness and for individuals to gain self-awareness and insight. Feedback exercises should always be conducted with thoughtfulness and high awareness of group dynamics. This is an exercise for groups or teams that have worked together for some time and are familiar with giving and receiving feedback. It uses the words “stop”, “start” and “continue” to guide the feedback messages.
One of the best concepts to work on meaning & purpose in life. Ikigai is Japanese concept that translates roughly as your reason for being; the sweet spot where four core dimensions of a meaningful life overlap: what you love, what you’re good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for.
Note: While the naming for this exercise is a bit off from it’s original meaning, it is the name under which this concept is known.
This exercise guides participants through a structured 4-circle Venn diagram reflection to explore these four life dimensions, identify overlaps, and uncover areas to develop toward a meaningful, purpose-driven life. Ideal for personal development, career coaching, or team wellbeing sessions.
One of the best models to explore purpose and meaning in life. Ikigai is a Japanese concept that translates roughly as your reason for being; The sweet spot where four core dimensions of a meaningful life overlap: what you love, what you’re good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for.
Evaluate the factors that will either support or hinder a change in an organisation or entity.
One person shares a goal, other players offer obstacles. Main player delightfully overcomes those obstacles.
This exercise is preceded by a set of other activities allowing the group to clarify the challenge they want to solve. See how the Four Step Sketch exercise fits into a Design Sprint
Team energiser for a virtual classroom or web conference meeting
