This pack is designed to be used however you want. It can be used as a part of a team meeting, to kick off a conference, as part of a wellbeing programme or simply used to generate some conversation around the theme of kindness and positive relationships.

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Idea generation phase:

• Limited time session
• No idea is silly
• One person’s crazy idea leads to another’s inspiration
• Listen actively
• Keep an open mind
• Don’t judge
• Build upon other people’s ideas
• Think about what was just said…look for slightly different positions
• Think about what was just said…look for opposite positions
• Use genuine inquiry for clarification…no false inquiry

Idea selection phase:

• As a group, identify the top group, 3-5 of ideas
• First discuss possibilities, then select individually
• This may be by distributing votes by using markers or Post-its to each selection
• Often people can be given 5 – 10 votes each to distribute between their favourites – they can give all 5 to one idea or spread it between several. 
• Look at the team rankings
• List the top items and then discuss them as a team

Action planning phase:

• Decide upon the priority items, and put together an action plan which prioritises actions over time
• Decide who is responsible for each action
• Action phase

Review phase:

• Set up a review meeting

1. The activity leader puts a flipchart at the front of the room with the key questions on it.
2. The activity leader asks the team to identify an issue that needs to be addressed.
3. Read through the following questions and ask for answers:

1. Ask the team members to call out suggested answers for each question in turn.
2. When all the ideas are captured, the activity leader then summarises the suggested answers for each question.
3. If more information or editing of the answers is required, the activity leader should assign this task to a team member with a deadline for completion.

1. This exercise can be done separately for a number of “task” characteristics or “climate” characteristics separately, or if you like you can do it generally for all aspects of team work.
2. On one card of each colour write “stop” “start” “do more” and “do less” respectively and stick those on the wall with plenty of room (2 meters) between each.
3. Divide the team into subgroups of 4-6 team members. Give each team a pile of cards of each colour. Ask the team to come up with as many ideas of what the team should start doing, stop doing, do more of or do less of and write that is big letters on the appropriate coloured card.  This is a kind of brainstorming, so no idea should be rejected. You may like to specify whether they should concentrate on task, climate or give a free reign.
4. Once the team is ready, the cards are stuck to the wall under each grouping.
5. Gather around the wall and look at the proposals. These can be clustered into groups.
6. Map out an action plan for the coming months on changes to the way the team works.
7. Keep a record and revisit the list periodically.

1. The activity leader asks the rest of the team members to call out examples of typical causes of stress. Write the list up on a flip chart at the front to the room.
2. After 15 minutes, the activity leader shows the rest of the team the handout. Check that everything was there. (Clearly some will be phrased differently.)
3. One interesting activity is to now do a survey through a voting process. Give everyone three adhesive dots and on a flip chart or 20 sheets of A4 paper stuck to the wall ask team members to “vote” on the three causes of stress from which they suffer most.
4. Discuss actions that can be taken to deal with each stressor starting from the most critical.
5. Establish team rules for stress management behaviours.

1. The activity leader asks the rest of the team members to call out examples of typical time wasters. Write the list up on a flip chart at the front to the room.
2. After 15 minutes, the activity leader shows the rest of the team the handout. Check that everything was there. (Clearly some will be phrased differently.)
3. One interesting activity is to now do a survey through a voting process. Give everyone three adhesive dots and on a flip chart or 20 sheets of A4 paper stuck to the wall ask team members to “vote” on the three time-waster which they suffer from most.
4. Discuss actions that can be taken to deal with each time waster starting from the most critical.
5. Establish team rules for time management behaviours.

1. Ask each team member to think of a current job-related problem or issue.
2. Each individual team member writes their problem on a note pad (e.g. how can we reduce the cost of x, or improve our working relationship with y, or meet such and such a deadline).
3. After 5 minutes ask each team member to pass their piece of paper with their problem written on it to the person on their right.
4. That person then reads through the problem and makes a few notes about the problem on the bottom of the piece of paper. After 1 minute that person passes the paper to their right.
5. Repeat this process every minute and keep the process going until each team member gets their own piece of paper back.

1. Prior to the meeting give every team member a wall card or large Post-it and ask them to write in felt pen in large letters their Wish answering the following question: “If I could change anything about the team’s mission/goal or way of working or about the way team members interact with each other I would….”
2. Encourage team members to be open, honest and imaginative and then return the card to the activity leader without their name on it. You may like to set up a special “in tray” so that the wishes can be deposited there anonymously.
3. The activity leader will stick the cards on the wall and facilitate a discussion and action plan during the meeting.

1. There are a number of issues that commonly occur within teams; the checklist gathers these issues into 10 categories and suggests a number of questions that can be raised to both diagnose underlying problems and for improving future performance.
2. Identify an important issue that was recently decided upon in the team or one which you are facing now. (You should reach consensus on the problem but it is prudent for the activity leader to have identified one in advance in case the team members do not come up with a relevant issue.
3. The activity leader issues the checklist of questions to individual team members.
4. Individual team members, or the team as a whole, should read the checklist and answer the questions to gain a better understanding of how well your team makes decisions.

1. The activity leader discusses the importance of positive relationships with stakeholders.
2. Use brainstorming to generate a list of key stakeholders. (See APPENDIX 1)
3. Remind the team of the rules of brainstorming – to generate as many ideas as possible without criticism by anyone. Run the brainstorming session for as long as you can generate new ideas.
4. After the team has finished brainstorming distribute building bridges handout to the team.
5. Divide the team into smaller groups and ask these groups to complete the handout for the key stakeholders.
6. After 30 minutes the team is to prepare a flip chart and present back to the rest of the team.