What have we got here?

What have we got here?
Purpose: Map the strengths on the team and get new ideas for how to utilize them

Positivity: Trust, Respect, Camaraderie, Communication, Constructive Interaction, Values Diversity, Optimism
Productivity: Accountability, Alignment, Resources

Supplies: Strengths Cards

Time: 8 people will need approximately 45 minutes to one hour – adjust according to size of team.
Preparation Instructions: The coach brings strengths cards (2-3 decks, can be different styles) to the sessions. The team sits in a circle around a table, the cards are laid out on the table, so the name of the strength can be read.
Exercise Instructions: The coach: Here we have ___ strengths cards with ____ different strengths. Each person has many strengths. Please choose a card for every member of your team; the card should present a strength that you have seen the person utilize on the team and state how he/she used it for the benefit of the team. Name a concrete example. Also choose one card for yourself – with a strength that you have but are not sure the others know about and you would like to use more on the team. When you have chosen your 8 cards, we will start and go in a circle. Take turns and focus on one person at a time.
Each person picks one card for everyone on the team and for him/herself. If there are 8 people on the team, each one has 8 cards. (give 5 minutes for the choosing).
The coach chooses who starts (the one whose birthday is coming up next); the person on his/her left looks at her/him and hands over the card: I see this strength in you … I saw it benefit the team when you…
After each team member has given one card to each team member, (the recipient does not comment); then each team member shows the card he/she chose for her/himself and tells about a strength that she has and would like to use more on the team. She/he has now 8 cards on front of her. And the focus goes on the person to the left.
Option #2
When everyone has 8 cards in front of them the coach says: “Now look at the strengths your team members have seen you use on the team. You get one minute to tell us how you are going to use them in the work we have ahead of us.” Give them 2 minutes to prepare and then everyone has 1 minute to state how he/she is going to use those strengths for the project the team is working on.