Method Category: Group dynamics

  • Nippon!

    Nippon!

    Quick introduction

    A fast energizer to get your team’s energy back.

    Instructions

    Stand in a circle. One person starts off by shouting ‘NIPPON!!’ while making an angry face, a downwards O with both arms and bends the knees. After this, the others in the circle copy this. Then, the NIPPON-initiator starts air-punching someone next to him using a ‘Huh’ sound. The receiver copies this.

    The receivers neighbour can do the same or choose to throw a spell across the circle. This happens by raising the hands above the head and throwing an imaginary item to that person while shouting “ATA- NAMA!’. The receiver has to defend ‘his house’ by raising his hands above the head and make a roof shape while shouting “SINSEI KINOMO!” and bend the knees.

    If the receiver hesitates or uses the wrong words, he is out of the game. Before leaving, he needs to dance a humiliating dance. After a person is kicked out, anyone can start the game again.

  • The Machine

    The Machine

    Quick introduction

    The Machine is an exercise to get the creativity flowing.

    Purpose

    A short break in work creates energy.

    Instructions

    One person starts making a sound and a move- ment, eg a “woop”-sound, flapping one arm.

    The next person connects to the first part in our machine, also making a sound and a movement.

    You keep repeating the sound/movement until everyone in the group is connected, making it a giant moving noisy machine! Works best with big groups.

  • Brain shifter

    Brain shifter

    Purpose

    Create new ideas that you never thought about before. Bonus: Laugh and have fun in your group while you learn more about yourself and the group.

    Instructions

    1. Start by putting up a large paper on a wall (at least A1 size)
    2. Get in to character by changing your mindset and try to think like another person. E.g imagine that you are a child, a lawyer, a salsa dancer or why not a superhero? The ambitious ones can also dress up as their chosen character to give extra effect to their brainstorm.
    3. Start by drawing your thoughts on the paper. Let’s say you have chosen to be a dancer, then you could for example dance salsa while you draw your ideas on the idea-mindmap. Be sure to take turns in the group.
    4. When the time runs out you should kill your darlings and select the best idea by using Idea voting.

    Do:

    • Think and play around as much as you can.
    • Use a lot of colors when you draw the mindmap.
    • Always build on the ideas of others in order to make this a crazy idea-mindmap

    Don’t:

    • Forget to challenge your comfort zone by choosing new characters.

    Timeframe

    Total time for the brainstorm will be 1 hour. A 45 minutes session with a 10 min break, 15 minutes to kill your darlings.

    During the break you need to do 5 handstand pushups times 3. Take a glass of water and start again. The purpose with this energizer is to get blood to your brain as well as helping you stay in shape.

    Facilitator role:

    Take time on actual brainstorm and to signal when it’s time for a break. The Facilitator should also bring props for the people in your group to fully get into their characters.

    Reflection questions

    • How was it?
    • Did you feel that this was valuable for your work? In what way?
  • Say yes! And…

    Say yes! And…

    Purpose

    During brainstoming or any type of idea generation session, this is the number one rule. In fact, we feel that it’s so important it’s been given its very own method page here on Project of How.

    Instructions


    Do

    • Stay open and positive during idea generation sessions.
    • Build on others ideas by saying “Yes, and…”

    Don’t

    • Analyse or judge ideas during idea generation sessions.
    • Say the word “no” or be negative to others ideas.

    Facilitator role

    A “red card” is a useful and fun way to remind people to stay positive.

  • Feedback for dummies

    Feedback for dummies

    Feedback Staircase

    Taking feedback from other people can sometimes be difficult. One way to illustrate how different people can react on feedback is showcased by the Feedback Staircase model. There is a line between the 3rd and the 4th step in the model, showing where the individual starts to take criticism on board instead of sending it away. When one is located in the top part of the staircase one also utilizes the given feedback.

    Take a look at the model and give it a thought : where do you see yourself in the model today? How would you like to receive feedback from now on?

    Instructions

    This task is one version of how an easy feedback session can be held. Gather your group (could also be a feedback session between two persons) in a place where you will be undisturbed. You will need one pencil per person and post-it notes.

    Write your feedback in keywords for every person on three post-its, and split them after the three steps. Every step is based on how you’ve perceived the other person during the project or during work. Your feedback should consist of what you think the other person should:

    • Continue with …
    • Stop with …
    • Start with …

    Start with the first step, Continue with … and write one post-it note for every person in the group.Then do so with Stop with … and Start with …

    Once everyone is ready cluster yourself two and two, and give your self a little bit of space so that you two can give each other feedback without being disturbed by the others. Then do so with everyone in the group until they all have given and received feedback from everyone.

    Then gather in the big group again and have a discussion about the task, see the Facilitator role and reflection questions.

    Do

    • Take your time, phrase the feedback in a concrete way, think about how would you like to get feedback yourself
    • Formulate the feedback with I messages, starting every item with ‘I’

    Don’t

    • Rush, give every possible irritated feeling time to calm down before questioning the feedbacker (see model of Staircase)

    How to deliver it

    Think about how you yourself would like to get feedback delivered to you, and talk from your own experience. Use ‘I’ when you give voice to feedback. For example:

    • when you have this behavior I perceive it in this way..
    • and that makes me feel …

    Criticism vs. feedback

    “Criticism is driven by the frustration and fears of the giver, not from the needs of the recipient. The underlying assumption is that the recipient somehow “should know better” and needs to be set straight. The implied message is that the recipient’s intentions are questionable, that there is something wrong with the recipient that the giver of criticism knows how to fix. In criticism, the problem is all in the recipient.

    In contrast, feedback has an air of caring concern, respect, and support. Far from being a sugar cookie, feedback is an honest, clear, adult to adult exchange about specific behaviors and the effects of those behaviors. The assumption is that both parties have positive intentions, that both parties want to be effective and to do what is right for the company and other people. Another assumption is that well-meaning people can have legitimate differences in perception. The person offering the feedback owns the feedback as being his reaction to the behavior of the other person. That is, the giver recognizes the fact that what is being offered is a perception, not absolute fact.”

    – Gary R. Casselman & Timothy C. Daughtry

    Facilitator role

    Inform the participants of the structure of the task and when the feedback session is finished gather the group and go through and reflect over the task.

    Reflection questions

    • How was it?
    • Did you feel that this was valuable for your work? In what way?
    • How could the assignment be designed to fit you better the next time?
  • Check-in! Check-out!

    Check-in! Check-out!

    Quick introduction

    Check-in! Check-out! – it’s all about sharing with everyone in the group one’s status (feelings, concerns, state of mind) at the start and finish of every workday. It’s an easy way to get to know how the group feels and how work is related to the time plan. It’s a good way to keep the focus when working together in a team.

    Purpose

    To quickly and easily uphold an updated status for the project or in the working group everyday. It makes it easier to see what actions you might need to take in order to keep the time plan or just keeping up a good team spirit!

    Instructions

    When starting up a working day: Have a Check in! When ending a working day: Have a Check out!

    This is how you do it, starting by sitting down in the team together, preferable in a round formation. Everyone answers the questions one after another.

    Check in:

    • What did you do yesterday?
    • What will you do today?
    • Is there something you need help with from the group?

    Before ending the work for the day, do a Check out!

    Check out:

    • What did you finish today?
    • And if there is unfinished work, what stuff is left to do, in relation to the time plan and expected results?


    Extended questions:

    • How do you feel today?

    Do:

    • it together!
    • take action on information about delayed work tasks and talk about how you can solve them.
    • keep every person’s check in / check out short.

    Don’t:

    • zoom in to much on details

    Facilitator role:

    Present the questions for the team, and initiate the start and end meetings.

    Reflection questions

    • How was it?
    • Did you feel that this was valuable for your work? In what way?
    • Is there something more to ask the group that could be useful in your project?
  • Silly dancing

    Silly dancing

    Movie by: Kenneth Larsen

    Quick introduction

    Silly dancing is an energizer with a big portion of silly-ness.

    Purpose

    A short break in work creates energy.

    Instructions

    Stand up. You need to have your group gathered in a place with a lot of space. Dancy music played out loud is also needed! One person now has to lead the dance, and the others follow. Send around the lead dance task until everyone has been the leader of the dancer.

    Do:

    • Let everyone lead the dance
    • Choose a good dance song to dance to
    • Crazy moves
    • Have fun!

    Don’t:

    • Stay to long on each lead dancer

    Facilitator role:

    Start up the session, check up that you have what you need for the session, and most important: join in, lead by example!