Exercise – Portrait of Diversity

Exercise for everyone (new members and old)-everyone is seen and appreciated.
Goal
• Learn to know each other by being presented by another person.
• Learn other sides of oneself and our colleagues
• Open up to each other in a new or an established group.
• Everyone is seen and appreciated by the group through positive feedback.

Material:
Paper, Pencils, An eraser, Pencil sharpener or coloured pencils.

Time
Around 60 mins

Practical Info
Group is divided into pairs – that will sit opposite each other.

Project – To draw a portrait of the person that is sitting opposite.
( if the group is uneven, it is fine to make a group of 3)
• Working time allowed is 30 secs ( leader controls time)
• No one is allowed to look at the portrait during the drawing time. Eye contact is essential for this time.
• The best idea is to have the paper on board on the knee of the person drawing and tucked under the table. ( so it is impossible to see from either person).
30 secs eye contact can feel like a long time..so it is important to remember to try and find those features that make that person different from anyone else in the room?..
Ie: hair..makeup..jewelry…eye shape,,
After 30 secs and time is up..everyone can look at the portrait – opens up for laughter.

Variation 1
Person writes their name on the back of the sketch they have done.
All paintings/ sketches are attached to a board and each person is matched to their painting/ sketch.

Variation 2
Everyone is given 30 secs extra time to sharpen up their sketches..join necks..etc..
Then everyone is given questions to ask their partner:
• Name
• Interests
• Most satisfied with
• If I could do exactly what I wanted, I would do….
• The bravest thing I have ever done is…
• What did you want to do as a child…?

Each pair is asked to stand up and give a presentation to the group of their colleague/ partner in the exercise.

End with a Team dialogue, common values and different values that you see in this team, what energy do you see (different colors, ways of expressing, content etc). What is not there? What do you not see or maybe miss? What would you like to honor? What are you curious of? What could be waiting for this team? How to know? Where to go?

Finish with honor diversity.

One next exercise could be brainstorming ideas of next steps.