On a SF mailing list we follow, from our community SOLworld, there recently was a reguest for an exercise in a 60 min. workshop to illustrate “integrity”.
A lot of good input came from people and what triggered my mind (and what I ended up contributing) was this “homebrewed” exercise. It has bit’s and pieces from other exercises. I couldn’t help to fine tune the idea so if you have read it on this list this will be slightly different.
60 min isn’t much, integrity is a big word but it has (preferably) to be fun. I like that. What wasn’t mentioned though is how many participants there will be and and if it’s a one time workshop or a part of a longer process.
START BEFORE YOU BEGIN
Send a welcoming mail to all participants before the workshop containing following instruction:
As you know our next workshop will be about integrity. As preparation to that I have a small task for you that goes as follows:
- Please think back on a moment recently where you showed integrity at work. Imagine I or another “stranger” from outside the company was observing what you did – but without knowing anything about you!
- What would we notice about you that would tell about your integrity? What would we observe from a distance that would make us think: “wow, this person really has integrity!”
- Please write that in one (1) sentence and mail it directly to me. And please do try and make it short.
IMPORTANT: keep this as a secret until we meet. Don’t tell anyone!
One last thing: it is going to be fun!
Yours sincerely,
(workshopholder)
“INTEGRITY GOSSIP”
Your preparation for the workshop is to make a lottery coupon:
1. Take all the statements and put them on a list in random order.
2. Make enough space next to each statement allowing people to write a name.
NOTE: if up to 15 participants (max 20) it’s one lottery coupon with all statements on it. If more then you have to think out a clever logistic way since you only have 60 minutes all in all. Maybe with 40 participants you divide it all up in 2-3 lottery coupons with 2-3 groups, statements fitting to the person in the groups of course.
3. In smaller groups, 3 to 6 persons in each, the participants have to figure out which statement belongs to who.
4. Instructions to participants:
— Your task is to guess which statement belong to who.
— Go through the coupon the following way:
A. Spend X minutes on reading it and put on the names you think belong to the statements.
B. For each statement everyone in the group tells who they think it belongs to. It’s done the way that you stand up at point directly at the person while saying the name out loud (just to the group, you don’t need to shout).
C. When all groups are finished you show them the correct coupon (beamer or on a flip-chart) and instructing them:
– When we talk about “integrity” and in a way close to us like in our daily work; what have this exercise given you of thoughts, reflections, aha’s etc.?
D. Closure: here how do you do that?
— Either take this sentence literally and ask the participants this question but with a 60 min limit I would the time is up. Do you have more time this question can be very intriguing and would – to my opinion – be a nice hand over of the process to participants.
OOPS – HERE’S ANOTHER IDEA
Maybe you want this topic to go on in the organisation?
A fun way to do that is for instance to give each person 10 small pieces of sweets (or 10 symbolic small items). The task would be to observe colleagues showing “integrity” and by those who it is seen to put a sweet on the desk of this person.
— Add an obstacle to that: when the sweet is given it’s not allowed to tell how come or for the receiving person to ask questions.
— Unless… the receiving person invites the giving person for a time-out e.g. taking a coffee break together and have a talk about the observed.
