Fred Brown

True of Me

by for .  
2 - 8 Low

Everyone covers their camera and one person makes a statement that is true about themselves. If it is true for others on the call, they show their face to the camera as well. The initiation for the next prompt is passed to another person in the group.

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Goal

To get people sharing about themselves, seeing one another, and making connections with one another. For the group to understand its collective relationship with a topic and with each other. 

Materials

    Instructions

    On Zoom, instruct everyone into Gallery View.

    Everyone covers their webcam with a post it note, a piece of paper, or their finger. Then one person reveals themself and says a statement that is true for them, e.g. "I can see flowers from where I am sitting" or "I have a dog" or "I've had coffee today." Everyone for whom that's true uncovers their camera, waves to each other, and then covers their camera again. The person who gave the prompt then passes the lead to someone else in the group that is revealed from their question. 


    Facilitation notes:

    I think it is more fun for people to cover their screens with something than to have people use "stop video" on zoom, because you can still see everyone's individual square and the different colored squares light up like a stained glass collage. And because it involves more physical motion as well.

    This is a great activity for reading the energy and dynamics of the group. Especially with smaller groups, participants will often begin to share more vulnerable things about themselves. Based on how it is facilitated, this activity can be used as a light connecting game or as a deeper activity that surfaces issues on a team, checks for alignment, and builds connection among participants.


    Adaptation 
    If people do not have a webcam, they can use the 'Reactions" button on Zoom. This will display an emoji on their Zoom box. 


    Variations
    The facilitator can constrain the topic to use for specific application. For example, debriefing an event or determining what's important to a team. 

     
    Another variation is that the facilitator can change the prompt to "Show your face if..." to source information about the group. e.g. "Show yourself if this is your first time attending one of our programs!" Use care with this version since it puts participants on the spot to reveal what is true for them, so use only for information that you have confidence is neutral to positive for people to be sharing.


    Large groups
    This exercise works really well for large groups because you don't need to see everyone at once. It also naturally encourages people to turn on their videos because they want to play! It also gets everyone involved in a way that is relatively easy and low stakes. Its a great activity for bouncing the energy around in a group and including many voices.



    In person versions

    Big wind blows.
    Put chairs in a circle with one less chair than there are people. One person goes in the center and says something that is true for them. "The big wind blows for anyone who..." Everyone for whom it is true gets up and has to change chairs. You can not change to the chair next to you. Whoever is left without a chair is now in the center and makes the next true statement. 


    Step into the Circle

    Stand in a circle. Anyone can step into the circle and make a statement that is true of them. Anyone else for whom that is true also steps in. 

    Round 2 - Something you think is only true of you

    Round 3 - Something you think is true of all of you

    Learned from Bobbi Block. 

    Background

    Learned and developed with fellow facilitators in the Applied Improvisation Network in 2020. Erica learned a variation from Adam Lawrence, Ana Kyra Bekš and Renatus Hoogenraad of CoCreation School, who learned it from Belina Raffy, who learned it from Alexandra Pearl, and that's as far as we've traced it so far!


    Curious about what we do?

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    Erica Marx

    erica@ericamarx.com

    + 1 (607) 269 - 7401 


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