Secret Strengths

Description

Originally done in-person with physical envelopes, this team building and personal branding activity uses team members to identify strengths and characteristics about each participant.  This activity works best when participants already know each other or have gotten to know the members of their breakout room group throughout the program.

Why we like it

This interactive activity builds confidence and rapport, and at times it uncovers hidden strengths or uncovered parts of personal brands. It can open as a warmer for familiar teams or be used as a closer for groups who became familiar during the session.

Process

1. Individuals create their own personal whiteboard with their name at the top.  Using Miro or Mural allows individuals to have a personal whiteboard URL and invite others to edit and contribute.
2. Form small group breakout rooms and participants share their URLs in Chat.
3. Participants visit each other’s whiteboards and write 1 to 3 strengths or positive characteristics on each person’s whiteboard.  It’s common to allow anonymous feedback.
4. Participants review their whiteboards and debrief as necessary.

Alternatives

a) Strengths could be sent to individual participants via private Chat. The receiver would know who sent the words but they would remain hidden from the others.
b) To completely anonymize the results, participants could create their own survey or form and share their URL. Consider: Google Forms, Typeform, and Survey Monkey
c) For completely transparent results, list each participant’s name on a single shared whiteboard to collect strengths.

Daisy chain options

a) Instead of small groups, large groups could complete this activity with more time or over a period of time by keeping personal whiteboard links active.
b) The Johari Window is a great addition to this activity to get participants thinking about their open, blind, hidden, and unknown characteristics
c) In personal branding programs, activity results might be used when forming personal brand statements and dialogues.  Also, the facilitator might open up whiteboards to criticisms or potential weaknesses.

Attribution

See the original activity on Thiagi Group and Session Lab sites for original instructions and other variations.

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