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.
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.
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
This method helps groups to avoid awkward silence at the beginning of the session and instantly start a conversation. Ideal for large groups.
Whether your group has already established its dynamics or is working together for the first time, creating a group contract enables people to mindfully ground their behaviours in inclusivity and respect, and promote psychological safety. These dynamics encourage trust, confidence, and inspiration–which in turn build engagement, encourage creativity, and result in wellbeing and success for all.
Guided Journaling is a tool for the bottom of the U-process and builds on a completed co-sensing phase. It cannot stand alone! It allows participants to step into a deeper level of self-reflection and is often followed by a solo experience to expand on the insights that arise.
