Mad Tea Party
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.
Kate
MikeGoal
Participants form two circles, one inside the other. Each person faces one other person and completes an open-ended sentence in less than thirty seconds. When time is up, participants are invited to move to their right so that they are in front of someone else to complete the next sentence, and so on. In a seriously fun way, the unfinished sentences focus attention on every individual and the group answering tough questions together (e.g., If we do nothing, the worst thing that can happen for us is…).
Instructions
Sequence of Steps and Time Allocation:
1. Ask everyone in the group to for two concentric circles and find one other person, standing directly across from them, face to face (1 min)
2. Describe the rules succinctly: in very short order, one person completes the sentence on the screen while the other expresses keen interest and curiosity (2 min)
3. Invite one person in each pair to finish the sentence # 1 first , ding the bells once at 30 seconds, then invite the other to do the same (1 min)
4. Ding the bells twice at 1 minute, remind participants to move two to the right (you will not have to remind them after the first round)
5. Repeat step 2-4 for each additional open sentence (up to 15 total) (12-15 mins)
6. Ask, what did you notice about the Mad Tea experience? (2 min)
Mad Tea Open Sentences
What first inspired me in this work is…
Something we must learn to live with is…
An uncertainty we must creatively adapt to is…
What I find challenging in our current situation is…
Before we make our next move, we cannot neglect to...
Something we should stop doing (or divest) is…
What I hope can happen for us in this work is…
A big opportunity I see for us is…
If we do nothing, the worst thing that can happen for us is…
A courageous conversation we are not having is…
An action or practice helping us move forward is…
A project that gives me confidence we are transforming is…
Something we need to research is…
A bold idea I recommend is…
A question that is emerging for me is…
When all is said and done, I want to...
Something I plan to do is...
Background
https://www.liberatingstructures.com/mad-tea/
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