Help speed up interactions and conversation in groups that need a spark to ignite them!
ExpressPack is an image/metaphor-based tool in the form of a pack of 53 playing cards. The wide range of photo images included provides an excellent resource to help trainers and coaches help individuals and groups to truly "Express" themselves and engage in stimulating conversations. Pictures allow individuals to express their needs and viewpoints more openly and quickly.
USES for this versatile pack are limited only by your imagination, but here are some suggestions:
Personal Development / Coaching
Cards can be used to assist individuals in their personal development. This may be in a coaching scenario, in a mentoring role, as a Manager in business, as a Youth or Community Worker or simply with someone you would like to help. A sample question might be: "Identify one card which represents where you are now, and one where you would like to be in the future." Once they have chosen their cards, ask them to express their thoughts and feelings about the cards. Once this has been done, you could ask the individual to identify a card which represents the first step on this journey.
Introductions/Getting groups started
Facilitators and trainers know what it's like to be in a room with a group where the conversations are not flowing! Often this happens at the start of a day, when the individuals are just scoping out the group and how they will contribute. ExpressPack is a great way of starting the day and helping a natural flow into other ideas you may want to introduce. For example, lay out a pack of cards and get individuals to pick a card which they think relates to them in some way and use it to introduce themselves.
Change
Change is happening all the time, individuals are developing, organizations are changing, global issues are affecting us all. Change, therefore, is part of life and a subject which can be explored using ExpressPack. Ask an individual or team, prior to a change initiative, to identify a card which represents the state of the organization now and another to show how they would like it to be in the future.
Leadership and Management Development
Leaders and Managers need to help bring clarity to situations. Some useful starting questions might include: "Pick 5 cards which represent your vision of what is important to you in your role?"
Teams
Any work with teams usually needs to focus initially on a clarity of joint understanding. A useful question dependent upon the stage of team development might be: "Pick a number of cards which illustrate your expectations of this team."
View Video Demo!
Ideal group size: 2-8
Boxed set of 53 playing cards 2 inches x 3.5 inches. A carefully researched and designed group learning activity from RSVP Design. The images were created by talented photographers and trainers Simon Whalley and Tony Wright.
