Excercises

Eesti keelne versioon asub siin

Hello!

Thank you very much for purchasing my inspiring development cards. On this page you will find 15 different exercises in Estonian and English and ideas on how to use the cards individually, in groups and in teams.

Each card has an inspirational quote on the back, which you can also use for thinking, learning and reflection. Wishing you lots of creativity and inspiration!Jaanika Rannula

Development cards with inspiring pictures support you, your clients and/or team in finding new ideas and solutions, implementing change, raising awareness and achieving your goals. The cards are suitable for use by teachers, training instructors, supervisors, managers, team leaders and anyone seeking inspiration to engage in self-development and achieve their goals and dreams!

WARM-UP and ICE BREAKERS

1. QUICK WARM-UP AND GETTING EVERYONE INVOLVED

Ask the participants to choose a card that:

1. Describes them, i.e. tells others who they are
2. Describes their best childhood memory
3. Describes a success story from their professional lives, etc.

2. MAPPING THE PARTICIPANTS’ STATE OF MIND

How they feel and the thoughts that they bring to the training. Ask a suitable question and let them choose a card. You can always choose whether to have them share their thoughts in a group or individually. If online, you can use chat or break-up rooms.

3. ONE-MINUTE INTRODUCTION USING CARDS
   1. A card drawn blind or
   2. A card that speaks to or best describes the participant

4. MAPPING EXPECTATIONS – What do you expect from the training?

In the case of a large group, thoughts can be shared individually or in smaller groups. The size of a group depends on the number of participants; groups of 3 or 4 are optimal.

Time: max. 15-20 minutes

PS! You can choose the question to include or have them answer. This depends on the objective of your training.

WORKING WITH GROUPS AND INDIVIDUALS

STEP IN, STEP OUT – Time: 3-5 minutes per person

This exercise can be used in different situations, training events and sessions as an introduction or as a summarising tool.

The exercise is suitable for individual, group and team work.

• Ask the client or each participant to choose one card (1-2 minutes) that describes:
  • their current state of mind or
  • feelings/questions/thoughts with which they came to today’s meeting or
  • their expectations at the start of the session or
  • new ideas they gained from the session or
  • feedback and/or reflection on the session/meeting/training.
• Ask the client or each participant to describe the thought, idea and/or suggestion one by one.
• Conduct a group discussion and summarise the following: What did they hear and/or notice? What did they value most among what they heard?
• Be grateful for these thoughts.

BRAINSTORMING/ COLLECTING NEW IDEAS

6-30 participants, time: 10-15 minutes for each group on a single topic, up to 60 minutes in total.

Groups can be made up of 3 to 5 people, depending on the number of participants – min. 3, max. 8.

1. The questions and topics are provided in advance.
2. Issues and focus subjects are determined with the groups.

Option 1 – One group focuses on one topic

Option 2 – All groups provide input on all topics (look up the ‘World Café’ method online)

JOURNEY TOWARDS THE GOAL

1-30 participants, time 30-60 min.

This exercise is suitable for both individual and team work. The aim is to find new resources, opportunities, activities, agreements and ideas with which to achieve your goals. If you are working with a large group, form smaller groups of 3-5 people.

• Ask them to choose the cards that resonate the most with them and are the best sources of ideas, resources or new approaches to achieve their goal.
• Once the cards have been selected, ask the participants to arrange the pictures into a journey from today to the moment the goal is achieved.
• The client or the team tells their story from the beginning of the journey to the end. Your task is to ask additional open questions if there is a need for extra discussion, to find additional resources or to empower the participants:
  • What do these … mean?
  • How do you use these …?
  • What else do you see in these pictures? What kind of opportunities or ideas do you see?
  • What is there in these pictures that helps you overcome obstacles?
  • What else do you need to achieve your goal? Choose another card if necessary.
  • How can you use it?
  • When do you want to achieve your goal?
• Summary

Note: When working in groups, each group shares its own journey, followed by a joint summary and reflection.

CATCH OF THE DAY

5-45 minutes (1-30 people)

This exercise is suitable for individual and team work, meetings, brainstorming sessions, training courses, workshops and performance appraisals. It is a simple way of triggering new ideas, finding new approaches, empowering a client or a team and building on existing plans. In the case of larger groups or teams, divide them into groups of 3-5 and then share the summary and reflections in the larger group.

Option 1 – Blind draw – no one can see the cards

• Ask the client to choose 1-3 cards (one card for each participant in the team).
• Now turn the cards over and have the client or participants individually describe the card(s) by selectively answering the following questions: What does this card say or recommend? What kind of ideas does the picture give you? What kind of solutions or options does the card offer? How will it help you overcome obstacles? Ask questions based on the client’s needs.

Note: If you are working in a larger group, you can write the most suitable questions on a board.

Option 2 – Precision targeting – cards on view

1. Ask the client for 1-3 cards that speak to them the most (one card per team member).

• Ask them to describe the card and talk about the solutions, thoughts or ideas it offers. You can ask questions that are similar to those in the previous option.

The group exercise is followed by a group discussion – What are the key takeaways from this round? How can you use this resource? Ask needs-based questions.

TEAM TRAINING group work – “PERFECT team picture”

30-45 minutes (3-36 people)

This exercise is well suited for working with a team or in groups. For example, if there have been a lot of changes in the team; they are looking for fresh impetus; a completely new team has been formed and is at the beginning of its journey; the team has a new leader who wants to find a common language; or you are working with the values and agreements of the team or organisation.

PS! It is important that you focus the group work on a specific topic and specific terms of reference.

• In the case of larger groups (+10), form smaller groups of 3-5, for example. This provides a wide range of perspectives and added value in creating team spirit.
• Ask each group member to choose 1-3 cards that best describe their team.
• If they have a lot of questions about how they should choose cards or which cards they should choose, you can ask guiding questions: How do you operate as a team? What are your strengths and characteristics? What do you do together, value and achieve as a team? What is important to you in making your team cohesive, effective and successful?
• Each group then creates a picture of their team (or based on your own topic) on the table using the cards of their choice.
• Then, one by one, the groups present the pictures they have created and tell their story.
• If necessary, ask further questions or ask other groups to share their thoughts.
• Closing group discussion: What did you see in the others’ pictures? What do you take away from it?

Note: Depending on your schedule, let everyone talk individually or in groups about how they completed the exercise.

Individual work on SELF-IMAGE – 15-20 minutes

This exercise can be used for individual sessions, coaching or performance appraisals. This is suitable at both the start and end of long-term cooperation or a session to analyse changes, i.e. the picture before and after.

Option 1 – Self-image here and now

• Ask the client to think about themselves for 1-3 minutes. Who are they and what do they do? What are their strengths, skills, knowledge, experience, etc.?
• Next, let the client choose from the cards as many images as speak to and best describe them. 1-3 minutes
• Ask the client to use the pictures to create a bigger picture of themselves based on their perception. 3-5 minutes
• Ask the client to describe the picture – What is important in it? Why this layout? Which nuances best describe them? What do they value in the picture, etc.?
• Reflect on the picture yourself – What did you notice? What did you hear? Which colours dominate? What actions or messages do you see? Empower the client.
• Summary

Option 2 – A picture of me in the future.

Have the client create a picture of themselves in one year’s time. What do they want to have achieved? How do they see themselves in the future? What might it hold, etc.? The steps of the exercise are the same, but the focus is on the future.

Option 3 – A picture of the team in the future.

This exercise can also be done in a team. The steps are the same, but the differencs are as follows:

• You need to form groups of 3-5.
• Each group creates a picture of itself based on how they feel.
• Each group presents their picture separately.
• Other groups can comment on the good or common points they saw/heard.
• The exercise ends with a closing group discussion.

REFLECTION EXERCISES

This is also a great way to use the cards. The cards are the tool; you select the questions and focus.

1. CONSOLIDATING KNOWLEDGE:

CHOOSE CARDS that answer the following questions. What did you learn? What is your key takeaway? What kind of insights did you obtain?

2. FEEDBACK ON TRAINING

Choose two cards –

1. What went well?
2. What could be developed further in the future?
3. TRAFFIC LIGHT – STOP, CARRY ON, START:
   1. What went well? What should we definitely carry on with?
   2. What should be changed, left out or done differently?
   3. What could you do that you haven’t done yet?
4. EXPERIENCE CUBE:

• Noticing – What did you notice within and around you?
• Thought – What are your thoughts, insights, learning points?
• Feeling – How did you feel? What emotions did you experience?
• A plan, a wish, an idea for the future