A snapshot of my life

Energiser / Warm up, Get-to-know, Opening

Intragroup openness, Team – building

Communication, Empathy

Up to 15 min, Up to 30 min

6-15 persons

Beginner

Safe

Introduction

This exercise is great for building empathy amongst team members, and giving each participant a deeper understanding of their colleagues’ backgrounds (particularly great for international or remote teams). It will also set a casual atmosphere for the workshop ahead.

Necessary tools (what you need)

Pick a videoconferencing tool of your choice.
Pick an online whiteboard toolthat allows using large, zoomable canvas.

Steps

Ask each member of your team to post a picture of something from their life to an online meeting room or to an online whiteboard before the meeting starts. This could be a picture of anything, but the outcome should be that the other members of the team learn something new about you, or hear an experience you have been through that they didn’t already know. For example, the picture could be anything such as:
- A picture of the local sports team you play for
- A photo which captures the time you and your family got lost on holiday
- Your favorite possession and why it means so much to you
- Your dream holiday destination and why you’re so keen to visit it
One by one, the team should share their stories.
After everyone has talked about their photo, encourage the team-members to remember the information they have heard as it provides a deeper understanding of their colleagues. You can repeat this activity with different photos for future workshops so the team feel more bonded and familiar with their colleagues.

Tips & Tricks

For larger teams, it may be best to pick out a couple of photos to discuss, rather than talking about each one.

A snapshot of my life

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Introduction

Necessary tools (what you need)

Steps

Tips & Tricks

The exercise is successfully completed when? Conclusion?