Fatality!

Event Playbook

Preparation

Purpose: Minimize the need for improvisation to a minimum while recognizing that this will still be a lot

  • Organize the filled-out madlibs into groups of 3-5 people, one for each round
  • Make sure that no-one is assigned to their own madlib in round 1
  • Make sure that everyone is assigned to their own madlib in round 2
  • Pay attention to diversity in the groups, both in terms of background and in terms of challenge.
  • Prepare a shared space and seating arrangement before people come in

Welcome

Purpose: Ensure participants that they are seen and taken care of

  • Make sure that people are properly introduced to the space and the event
  • If people sit alone make sure to introduce them to others or have a conversation with them yourself

Opening

Duration: 10 min
Purpose: Create a space where people feel safe to talk about their professional challenges

  • Do an introduction round but prepare a question that prevents people from sharing their entire bio, examples: "what is your name and was is the nicest thing someone did for you this week?" or "what is your name and can you share one funny quirk about yourself?"
  • Shift the attention to the need for vulnerability in order to create connection and trust, encourage people to share moments that illustrate this, if they don't deliver tell one yourself (prepare) then ask again

Round 1

Duration: 20 min
Purpose: Finding similarities and differences between other people's challenges and your own.

  • Instruct them to write them one piece of advice per madlib per group
  • Divide the groups over the room
  • Make sure everyone sits in their designated group
  • Only check-in unobtrusively, or when you notice they need your help
  • Remind them to write down the advice 5 mins before the clock runs out

Intermezzo

Duration: 10 min
Purpose: Generalize individual observations into shared ones

  • Have people come back from the groups to a shared space and seating set-up
  • Ask for observations and findings
  • Poke a lot, both for more findings and for deeper reflection
  • Resist the urge to draw conclusions, make sure to summarize it as two-sided phenomena as much as possible

Round 2

Duration: 25 min
Purpose: Have participants experience a sense of connection and trust by sharing their challenges

  • Instruct them to get one learning for themselves out of the group and write that down
  • Divide the groups over the room
  • Make sure everyone sits in their designated group
  • Only check-in unobtrusively, or when you notice they need your help
  • Remind them to write down the learning 5 mins before the clock runs out

Closing

Duration: 10 min
Purpose: Let the participants leave with a sense of community

  • Have people come back from the groups to a shared space and seating set-up
  • Ask for interesting insights
  • Encourage participants to draw conclusion, but don't force it
  • Don't stretch this part, if done wrap up
  • Don't forget to thank people involved in the organization
  • When you happen to go out for drinks afterwards, make sure that everyone feels invited to join