Expressing, Not Achieving (Map of Meaning)
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.
Goal
- Separate what someone accomplished from what they got to express through doing it
- Offer a sustainable alternative to achievement-only or KPI-only thinking about growth and potential
- Give participants language for a part of their work that usually goes unnoticed, even by themselves
- Build a small, ongoing habit of noticing self-expression at work, not just output
Materials
Instructions
Preparation
No special setup. If running the extended portfolio version, prepare a shared or individual space participants can return to over time.
Step 1: Introduce the distinction (Achieving vs. expressing)
Achieving is external and outcome-focused, it's about hitting a target. Expressing is about what of yourself showed up while you did the work, a skill, a way of thinking, a piece of who you are. Chasing achievement alone tends to be exhausting. Noticing expression tends to be sustaining.
Step 2: Pick a recent piece of work (One thing you're proud of)
Ask participants to choose one recent piece of work, big or small, that they're proud of.
Step 3: Guided questions (Outcome, then expression)
What was the outcome? This one is usually easy to name.
What did you get to express through it that's harder to put a number on?
Did anyone notice that part, or only the outcome?
Step 4: Optional pair share (Share the expression, not the achievement)
In pairs, participants share only their answer to the second question, what they expressed, deliberately leaving the achievement itself out of the conversation. This shifts the exchange away from comparison.
Debrief & Discussion
Where in your current work is there room to express more of yourself, not just deliver more output?
Is there a piece of work you're proud of that nobody, including you, ever framed as an expression of who you are?
What would it look like to notice this in the moment, rather than only in hindsight?
Facilitator notes / variations
Particularly useful as a reset for teams or individuals stuck in achievement-only or KPI-only thinking.
The extended "portfolio" version, where participants build a small ongoing collection of moments they've expressed themselves at work, works well for onboarding or a development day, and turns this from a one-off exercise into a habit.
Formats and running length
Short (10–15 min): Steps 1–3, individual reflection only.
Standard (30–45 min): full flow including the pair share and debrief.
Extended (development or onboarding day): the portfolio version, building an ongoing collection over weeks or months rather than a single sitting.
Tips for Running This Activity Online
Give quiet individual writing time before any breakout room opens.
Breakout pairs work well for the optional share step.
For the portfolio version, a shared or personal doc that people can return to and add to over time works better than a single-session Miro board.
Background
Trainers Toolbox uses and adapts the Map of Meaning, developed by Marjolein Lips-Wiersma, Professor of Ethics and Sustainability Leadership at Auckland University of Technology. This exercise draws specifically on her Expressing Full Potential pathway, one of the four dimensions identified through her research on how people experience meaning at work.
Questions? Reach out via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mirnasmidt