This goal-setting exercise is very similar to The Being, but requires a lot less space.
In advance, grab a large sheet of paper, sufficient to allow for the handprints of every person in your group plus a little more (just in case.) Generally, a sheet about 1m x 1m is sufficient for a group of up to 25 people (age-dependent.)
Place this paper on a table or the floor and ask your group to stand around it.
By way of demonstration, take a marker and trace the outline of one of your hands on the paper. It doesn’t matter where on the paper you do this, but to the side is fine.
Your group can probably guess what needs to happen next. That’s right, they will soon be invited to do the same thing, but… before they launch into it, announce that you have an extra challenge for them to meet.
Each person should aim to marks the outline of their own hand so that it touches or overlaps (intersects) slightly with the outline of another handprint on the paper. Go to the Resources tab to view and/or download an example.
That is, challenge your group to ensure that every handprint is visually connected to the handprints of the entire group, ie no islands or sub-groups disconnected from the rest of the group. In case you missed it, this already speaks to the metaphor of building a connected group.
Dispense with any questions, and then invite a few people to get started, ie there’s not enough room for everyone to draw at the same time.
Within a few minutes, you should be left with a wonderfully creative (and possibly, colourful) montage of interconnected (empty) handprints belonging to your group.
From here, you may launch in one of many directions (see the Variations tab for ideas.) Most often, I ask each person to return to the handprint they created and – after some useful framing – write a goal inside the outline of their hand, as well as their name.
For example, if I am using this exercise to frame the success of a large group project, I will ask them to think of an attribute or characteristic that would contribute towards their success, ie cooperation, respect, etc.
Once your group understands what you are asking them to do, invite a few people to grab a marker and get writing.
This may take a few minutes, so I always find it useful to invite those who started early to share what they wrote and why in the context of your framing, ie to soak up some of their idle time. For example, I may ask why did they write “cooperate” and how does this achieve our project’s goal?
Continue until everyone has written inside their handprint.
Once again, your options from here are endless. I would frequently invite my group to reflect on what they have just created and when ready, display this artwork in a prominent position so that we can view and refer to it frequently.
If possible, use a bunch of coloured markers to create a wonderfully vibrant artwork to display when finished.
And when it comes to markers, I recommend that you use the non-toxic, non-permanent type. Nothing worse than having to scrub off permanent ink from your skin as a result of poor penmanship.
Posting your artwork of handprints in a prominent position is really useful if you want to keep this topic and the various things discussed in existence. Physically seeing it at the front of the room or on a door is a great way to keep these goals or aspirations front of mind.
Our hands, much like our fingerprints, are unique to each of us. It is understood that not one other person in the whole world has a hand or fingerprint just like our own. This is not unlike our own ideals and aspirations. In an effort to connect these two ideas together, I’m going to ask you to use your handprint as part of a goal-setting exercise…
In a moment, we are going to have a discussion about the sort of group we’d like to be, in the true sense of the word. That is, we are human ‘beings’ not human ‘doings.’ So, I’d like you to start thinking about the sorts of behaviours and characteristics that would be acceptable to you, and not so acceptable. Think in terms of what would make this group super-effective and successful…
In this next exercise, we’re going to create a tool that will connect all of the members of this group together, both figuratively and literally speaking…
Add your Comments...
Have you played this activity? What worked, what didn't work? What type of group? Do you have useful advice for other users? Do you know a fun variation?