What really happened

Following up my last post, here’s what actually happened when I had an opportunity to do some connecting activities with the 80+ people I’m working with this week.

As is often the case, 60 minutes became around 40 minutes. Because I believe it’s important to honour the finishing time (in this case a morning tea break where people were itching to catch up with their mates) I adjusted my plans accordingly.

I started with a few words (phatic communication) and a two sentence description of my role as facilitator.

“Thank you for inviting me…You might be wondering why you need a facilitator for this meeting? Good question. Some might say to ‘make things easy’. We have C, T and M to do that. So let me describe my role in two sentences. No need to take notes! Ready?

One: My role could best be described as making the best use of the living, breathing bodies here (you) and disrupting set patterns of thinking and acting.

Two: Or…I could just do it!“

And here’s the activities I did (once I had everyone on their feet and down the back of the room).

* Birthday Clumps

* World Map: where you currently work; where you were born: where you would like to go for a vacation (then pair up with someone nearby)

* Story of Your Name and Speed Dating (4 rounds)

* Back of your name tag (thanks Chris Corrigan for the reminder): I asked them to write on their name tag something they’d like to talk with others about. “Ask me about…”

And then we broke for morning tea.