Type:
The creation of a sense and inter-departmental communication, breaking down between “Silos” within groups, allows employees to discuss current problems within the team and the organization.
Group Size:
Between 5 and 500, Participants are expected to join their current team of employees, i.e. Accounting is part of one group, Human Resources is together in another section, Sales, etc…
Other ideas for School Groups divided by the grade level of instruction or by the curriculum that is taught, divided by who is accountable to whom Be imaginative!
The most important thing is that teams are comprised of the same people they collaborate with and have the same tasks such as supervisors and responsibilities, roles, and even the culture.
Time Frame:
60-120 minutes based on the size of the group as well as the pace of discussion.
Goals:
In giving participants and teams the chance to discuss and debate concerns and to praise each other, a bond of trust is formed. In addition, by highlighting issues within the department and in the overall organization, Teams can then think about and improve the group. They are facilitating a “one team” environment and allowing the participants to share their knowledge and strategies that have proven successful which may not have been discussed in a public forum.
Materials:
Flip chart paper enough to make two sheets for a functional workgroup
– A range of magical markers
Metaphor Cards are cards that have images but no specific meaning. They are used as a means for the participants to discuss and decide on the teams’ BRIGHT BLURRY BLIND BLIND areas.
* You can create your own cards by using Index cards and then cutting images, or they can be purchased from the majority of suppliers of team building supplies.
Briefing:
“We all recognize that within our teams, and within the company, there are a variety of issues and ideas that seem intuitive to us but nobody else. As a team, it’s essential to establish an environment that is transparent and open communication about needs and demands to enable our employees and teams to perform at their best.
I’d like to request that one member from each team collect a small pile of metaphor cards, two pieces of paper for flip charts and a few markers. They should and then return to their group.
The metaphor cards are merely images that can be utilized to assist your team in defining the topics to be addressed. Metaphor cards are not either good or bad, right or wrong, negative or positive significance. The only relevance they possess is the one the team and you assign to them.
In a few seconds, I will invite each small group to pick three metaphoric cards that have different meanings associated with the cards. The team should be in agreement about the three cards to choose and what they symbolise for each group.
One Card is expected to represent BRIGHT Bright. It is a topic or issue that is open and public and clearly visible to the team regarding the company. Everyone realizes that it is a source that is a source of worry for the team and the company.
The second card symbolizes BLURRY. Blurry is not widely known or discussed enough, which is a topic that should be made more prominent. Blurry is the conversation in the water cooler, an area in which the team is unsure regarding the company and its standing within the company. Blurry is a subject or subject that is more enlightened if it were. Most are it’s “Gossip” would disappear, and any questions would be addressed.
The third card depicts the things they consider to be Blind; The third card represents what they feel is BLIND. Blind isn’t well-known or is not part of the system, or one that the team believes is hidden away from them. Blind topics or issues are those which the team thinks only they have to deal with and that no other team members are aware of. If the Blind subjects and issues became brighter, the company would be transparent and lead to an atmosphere of excellence.”
Teams are required to pick three metaphors (one for BRIGHT and one for BLURRY and the third another for BLIND), create these on flip charts and later present them as BRIGHT BLURRY BLIND for all teams and the entire organization who are participating in the exercise.
Processing:
BRIGHT BLURRY The BRIGHT BLIND initiative could ignite some intense conversations and emotions. Prepare yourself to open up to your team members criticizing each other and addressing issues that cause conflicts. The way in which this project ends can lead to real change and build trust within the business.
Each team will have the opportunity for a presentation of their bright BLOOD charts, ask them to put them up on the walls. The participants should be given 15 to 30 times (more time if needed) to wander through the room and check out the flip charts of other teams. Documents and allow for informal speaking, as well as question and answer sessions.
After the viewing time, which is unstructured, invite the participants back to their teams of functional members and request that they sit down on their flip chart sheets. Some possible processing questions;
How did the metaphor cards selected represent the BRIGHT, the BLURRY, and the BLIND?
How efficient was the group’s communications process?
In what ways were disputes resolved?
What was the easiest part? What made it so easy?
What was the most challenging aspect? What obstacles were encountered?
Are there common themes that we observed in all departments?
What are the BLURRY topics we can talk about right now in order for making BRIGHT?
Did you find any surprises in teams that have BLIND areas?
Are those zones that seemed BRIGHT only to one team BRIGHT to all other groups?
What is the reason for BRIGHT BURRY BLIND issues within companies?
What can we do to collectively reduce the BLIND areas?
What can you do now with the information?
* Perhaps ending the day by forming an individual group of people who are accountable for designing and implementing an approach to improve transparency and transparency within the company. The group can make use of the data gathered as the basis of their initial discussion.
Don’t allow this information to go unnoticed! If you are the leader of this group building exercise and don’t do anything, you’ll create an atmosphere that is more hostile and subversive than it was before you started.
Variations:
Try the exercise using only metaphor cards, instead use plastic animals (sharks, camels, pigs, camels and donkeys), Fruit (authentic or made of plastic) or with no props; just ask questions.
Participants can paint them bright, blurry blunders on canvas using latex or acrylic paints. Then, you can hang the work in the lobby, classroom or in an office space.