Team Connectedness in action
The research team meets on Zoom across varying locations to conduct this Play.
What you'll need
Remote
Video conferencing
Question list
In-person
Question list
Instructions for running this Play
1. Set the stage for psychological safety 5 MIN
Explain that the purpose of this play is to increase team connectedness by getting to know everyone on the team at a deeper and more personal level.
Explain that the way this play works is by asking a series of questions for everyone on the team to answer. Reassure the team that if there is any question that they don’t feel like answering, they absolutely don’t have to.
Ask the team if they have any questions or concerns - this play only works if everyone feels comfortable being open about themselves!
2. Go through the questions 55 MIN
Ask the team the following 13 questions in a round-robin style, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to answer each question.
These questions are curated for the workplace from a list of 36 questions developed to encourage interpersonal closeness and published by psychologist, Arthur Aron.
The questions
- Given the choice of anyone in the world, whom would you want as a dinner guest?
- Would you like to be famous? In what way?
- Before making a telephone call, do you ever rehearse what you are going to say? Why?
- What would constitute a “perfect” day for you?
- When did you last sing to yourself? To someone else? What did you sing?
- What is your biggest pet peeve?
- If you were able to live to the age of 90 and retain either the mind or body of a 30-year-old for the last 60 years of your life, which would you want?
- If you woke up with $10,000,000 in your bank account, how would you spend it?
- For what in your life do you feel most grateful?
- If you could wake up tomorrow having gained any one quality or ability, what would it be?
- Is there something that you’ve dreamed of doing for a long time? Why haven’t you done it?
- What is the greatest accomplishment of your life?
- What do you value most in a friendship?
- What is your most treasured memory?
- Your house, containing everything you own, catches fire. After saving your loved ones and pets, you have time to safely make a final dash to save any one item. What would it be? Why?
TIP: LARGE GROUPS
For groups of more than 6 people, you may not get through all 13 questions in the hour. Increase the time for this meeting to 90 minutes, or choose just 9 questions to answer.
TIP: ANSWER TIME
Don’t feel pressure to rush through all of the questions. Some teams will answer questions relatively quickly, others will spend quite a bit of time on each question. There’s no right or wrong - as long as everybody is talking.
Follow up and close
If there is time at the end of the session, ask each team member what was the most interesting thing they learned about the person on their right. Here’s to increasing connection on your team!
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