Time required
Approximately 30 minutes, depending on group size.
Instructions
If you’re facilitating this activity in person, provide a piece of paper or index cards for each person to write on and, if possible, the same colour and type of pen. This helps maintain some level of anonymity.
To do the activity online, use an anonymous chat function if you have access to one, or request submissions by email.
Collect all of the responses and redistribute them evenly to participants to read, or read them all out yourself.
Once you have read all of the submissions, ask each participant to share the one idea they plan to do or continue to do in the future.
Suggested wording
Today I’m going to ask you to anonymously share one or more actions you’ve taken in the workplace that contributed to positive team morale or cohesion. This must be something outside of your basic job requirements, not just your regular tasks. It can be as simple as a kind word or helping someone, or it could be something more complex like arranging a social event, learning about someone’s culture or supporting someone who is struggling. We call this the “hero exercise” because even though you may not wear a cape, these acts can have the effect of saving someone from a difficult day, improving their mood and lifting spirits. Please be as specific as you can about the actions, without divulging names or information that could identify yourself or someone else.
You can submit as many stories as you wish, but everyone needs to submit at least one. When we’re done, I will collect all of them and redistribute them so that we can read them all out loud. Since you will not write your name or identifying information, they will be read as inspiration to the rest of us for how we might be able to contribute to a positive work environment. For those of you who just quietly go about practicing random acts of kindness, it’s a chance for us to be more aware of what those are.
When we’re all done reading, I’ll ask each of you to name one thing that you’ll do or continue to do going forward that either came from the ideas shared or was inspired by them.
[Give 10 minutes for people to write and then say…]
Ok, I’ll collect what you have and we’ll read them out loud.
[Read or have participants read them.]
Now I’d like you each to write down one thing that you’ll do going forward to contribute to a positive work environment that isn’t part of your basic job requirements.
Find more activities like this at Team building activities.