Library of facilitation techniques

A quick, physical improv game that asks participants to embody an object as quickly as they can!

Distribute participants in space (or if online, on a whiteboard) to quickly capture some aspects of the group: where are participants from? How familiar are they with the topic? What are their backgrounds?

Stretch your imagination with some help form everyday objects.

Spark creativity by forcing yourself to see objects you know well from different perspectives or imagine new users for them.

A group idea-generation and ice-melter activity.

🔍 A Journey of Self-Discovery and Team Togetherness

The "Getting to Know YOU" icebreaker is a dynamic resource designed to unravel the layers of team dynamics and individual roles within an organisation. It's a unique blend of personal reflection and collective exploration, powered by the BIG PICTURE framework. This tool uses simple yet powerful symbols – Team, Customer, Technology, Measure, Money, Process, Challenge, Opportunity – to facilitate a dialogue that's both fun and thought-provoking. The essence of BIG PICTURE here is not in its comprehensive business modeling but in how these symbols help team members express and understand their roles and perceptions within the broader organisational context.

Participants engage with these Symbols, reflecting on which ones resonate with their personal and professional identities. This process of reflection and sharing is designed to foster a deeper understanding of not only individual roles but also how these roles interweave to form the fabric of the organisation. It's an exercise that brings to light the diverse perspectives and strengths within a team, encouraging a culture of openness and shared insight.

The 'Getting to Know YOU' Resource transforms standard icebreakers into dynamic sessions rich in personal connection, team cohesion, and a deeper understanding of each symbol's role in business, fostering both individual insight and collective accountability.

Energize your group with a fun series of physical poses and movements.

Here's what the three letters of the acronym stand for: constructive, immediate, and active. Whenever someone shares some news about positive things that happened to her, react constructively, immediately, and actively. This strengthens your relationship and makes both of you happy. To learn more about this approach, read the handout at the end of the game instructions.

Here's memorable closing activity based on the framegame Best Answers..

Help people to share their individual way of navigating an activity - such as doing their work, or attending an event - by combining the revealing power of metaphor with a series of simple interactions.

When people are hesitant to engage with each other, for example at the beginning of an event, you can help them to actively feel heard, and create a space where discovering and sharing rarely-noticed personal talents and insights becomes straightforward.

Once participants feel heard and have begun to share, they will be more inclined to trust, to work together, and to take interpersonal risks. And each person will have created an enduring personal image to carry with them and to share with others.

I've been using this for years as a Clean Language introduction, and recently submitted it as a candidate Liberating Structure because I'd love to see loads of other people trying it out.

Works in person or online, with six to 600+ people.

This method quickly provokes a deeper set of reflections and insights among group members. While standing in two concentric circles, everyone forms a pair with someone else and completes an open-ended sentence in less than thirty seconds. After one minute, the participants move to the right, form a new pair, and complete the next sentence. This allows the entire group to simultaneously have a conversation, share ideas & insights, and quickly get to know many new persons.

Great questions broaden your horizon, change your perspective, and have the ability to connect people around a topic, without judgment.