Team Trust: What has shaped who you are?

[Valerie]

This is a creative and fun exercise I have used often with teams to support the team in getting to expose more to their whole self to team members.

Objectives
• Get to know each other more individually and personally in a fun, creative and interactive session
• Reveal more about what has influenced them in their life and who they are
• Foster a positive, open and trustful atmosphere.

Description
Team members individually create a sculpture that reflects who they are using creative materials supplied (20 mins). I usually have play dough, Lego blocks, pipe cleaners, buttons, feathers, sticks etc. to work with. Use what can be found in craft shops and not to heavy to bring.

Have team members reflect on a make a sculpture to represent
− What has shaped them in life (influences, culture, family, events, challenges, work experience etc.?)
− Who they are today (the whole person, hobbies, motivators, interests, career dreams etc.)
− Allow about 15 min to make
• Review sculptures by having a gallery walk. Allow 5 min per person to present on their work and how it reflects above questions and open from questions from team members

Debrief
• What new did you learn about your team members? About you as a team?
• What was the atmosphere during the exercise?
• What can you take from this exercise that will support how you work together moving forward?

Adaptions
• Have individuals draw a picture, life tree instead reflecting the same questions above
• Small group exercises to make a sculpture or painting a picture reflecting their team vision, purpose, how team collaboration can look etc.

Note:
Often the team will first say they are not very creative etc. however without fail they get into the exercise and create fabulous sculpture or paintings that represent them in a metaphorical way. In addition people will often learn new things about their team members they did not before.

[Author]

Posts