Energizer: Symbols Of

Symbols Of is a quick energizer that frames the day and primes participants for following activities. 

Ask participants to grab a sticky and a sharpie and draw a symbol of an experience that's relevant to the overarching purpose of the facilitation. Here are some examples:

• for Leadership Development: "Draw a symbol that represents a moment when you were at your best as a leader."
• for Innovation and Creativity: "Draw a symbol that represents a time when you came up with a creative solution to a problem."
• for Team Development: "Draw a symbol representing a high-performing team you were a part of."
• for Learning and Instruction: "Draw a symbol that represents a time when you learned an important lesson that you've carried with you."
• for Strategic Planning: "Draw a symbol that represents an organizational strategy that became real for you."
• for Success: "Draw a symbol representing a moment of success that you look back on with pride."

Encourage participants to favor symbols over literal drawings. Frame your instructions to recall positive experiences. In remembering the positive past experience, participants' mindsets will be better prepared to engage with the facilitation to come.

Ask participants to share their symbols, the experience that they represent, and what the experience means to them. Post the symbols together in a place visible for the rest of the facilitation.

Symbols Of is an energizer is based on "Learning Symbols" by Dean Meyers. Dean's original concept was expanded to include symbols of any experience by Samantha Oleson. The symbols in the illustration above are the work of the Think With Ink cohort of April 2017.