Table of Contents 
Preparation
Tips for the Facilitator -
Before you conduct The Mingle, read this:
- There are several options for timing,
introducing and debriefing The Mingle depending on whether
you use it as an ice-breaker or as a discussion-starter.
- As an icebreaker, the best time
is right after opening remarks. The debrief will provide
a lead-in to any agenda or group process.
- As a discussion-starter, later in
the agenda works best, where the sharing can be of new ideas
or concepts.
- About timing - to use the activity
as an icebreaker, calculate a total of 2 minutes per participant
to figure out how long to plan for the whole activity (this
breaks down to 1 minute per pair interaction, see "Asking
the Questions" and then 1 minute per introduction,
see "Sharing the Answers").
To use the activity as a discussion-starter,
see the various options below to determine timing.
- The Mingle is not a sit down activity
- people will need to move around to talk with each other.
- If using it as an icebreaker, don't
give yourself a question card, but feel free to answer questions
if you're asked by the participants.
- The Mingle is a flexible activity
- so let yourself and the group have some fun with it!
- When introducing it as an icebreaker,
provided you have at least one card left over, you can offer
this: "Remember, you won't have to answer the question
on your own card. However, if you are uncomfortable asking
it, then you can trade with me, sight unseen, for another
card in the set."
- When debriefing it as an icebreaker,
if the person who is introducing hasn't talked with anyone
who hasn't already been introduced, ask someone who has
talked with one of the people who has not yet been introduced
to introduce them. It's more important that everyone be
introduced than that everyone gets to introduce someone.
Using
The Mingle as an Icebreaker
Asking the Questions
- [Note - allow 1 minute per participant for "Asking
the Questions"]
Here is what we say when it
is used as an icebreaker (see the next section
for our language when it is used as a discussion-starter):
- We're going to do an activity
that will let you meet some new people, or get better
acquainted with people you already know.
- Each of you will get a card with
a different question
- [Pass out the cards as you talk]
- Over the next (ex., 1 minute per
person) minutes, your task is to talk, one-on-one, with
as many people as you can. In each of these conversations,
you will be answering each other's questions. One of you
will ask your question and write the other person's response
(and their name, so you don't get confused later) on your
card. Then the other one will ask their question.
- There are no good or bad answers.
It's all about having an opportunity to share some information
with each other that we don't often share, and learn something
about the other people in the room that's outside of typical
conversations.
- Start with the people you don't
know at all, or don't know well - even if this is uncomfortable.
Begin by introducing yourself. This will turn these strangers
into acquaintances and make the whole room seem friendlier.
- Again, these are one-on-one conversations
- you'll have to get up and move around. Keep track of
the answers. And, be brief - you only have (ex., 20 minutes)
minutes, so you'll need to keep moving.
Sharing the
Answers - [Note - allow 1 minute per participant
for "Sharing the Answers"]
Here is what we say when it is
used as an icebreaker(see the next section for our
language when it is used as a discussion-starter):
- The next part of this activity
gives everyone an opportunity to introduce someone else
in the room.
- We need a volunteer to start [if
nobody volunteers, choose someone that was active in the
process]. They will read their question to us, and then
they will share the answer they got from someone they
interviewed. Then, the person who was just introduced
will then repeat the process with someone new - reading
their question to us and sharing the answer they got from
someone they interviewed (not the person who just introduced
them).
- We want everyone to be introduced
once - so please keep track of who has been introduced
as we go along so you know who is still available when
it's your turn.
- A reminder - there are no good
or bad answers, just an opportunity to learn about each
other.
- [Note - Conduct introductions
around the room, ensuring everyone is introduced.]
- Now, let's make the connections
between this activity and what we are doing here today
- what does what we just did have to do with working together?"
(There aren't any right or wrong responses, and these
are some we frequently hear - "builds trust because
we know people better," "reminds us that everyone
has something different to contribute than we might already
know." )
Ideas
& Options
- About timing - Calculate
a total of 2 minutes per participant to figure out how
long to plan for the whole activity (if you have 10 participants,
allow 20 minutes). This breaks down to 1 minute per pair
interaction, and then 1 minute per introduction.
- More than 30 participants
- If there are more than 30 participants, instead of going
longer than an hour, divide the group in half and encourage
the options in "c" below.
- People don't "finish"?
- What if everyone doesn't have time to talk with everyone
else? This often happens, so we encourage people to continue
asking their questions later - on the breaks, over lunch,
back at work
- Don't go too long - The
group will almost always want enough time for everyone
to talk with everyone. Stick to something close to the
original timeframe, and suggest the options in "c"
above.
- What about "late"
participants? - Give them a question and let them
participate for as long as they can. If you're already
"Sharing the Answers," give them a question
and have them answer it at the end of the sharing (basically
introducing themselves) and suggest the options in "c"
above for them to connect with others in the group.
- Talk with strangers first
- Continue to encourage people to talk to the people they
don't know first. This is uncomfortable in the beginning,
but the increase in the comfort level between people in
the group overall after they've met others is so significant
that it's worth pushing the point.
- Short on time - If you
don't have enough time to "Ask the Questions"
and "Share the Answers" (a total of 2 minutes
per participant to both "Ask the Question" and
"Share the Answer"), choose 3 questions to post
on the wall and have each person answer one of them to
the whole group.
- Tracking the introductions
- It can be helpful to chart the names as people are introduced
so everyone knows
- Time can get away from you
- Give the group regular time checks while they are "Asking
the Questions."
- Sharing a 2nd answer -
This is a great option when the group comes back together
after lunch, or for Day 2. Often, you'll find that the
answers that get shared on this 2nd round are deeper and
more personal
Using
The Mingle as a Discussion-Starter
Each
option covers "Asking the Questions" and "Sharing
the Answers."
Option
#1 - This scenario is
based on a group of 20 in table groups of five and has one-on-one
sharing at the tables, followed by a table conversation and
then a sharing of key learnings with the whole group.
Part One - (allot 20 minutes)
- This is what we say:
- This activity will let you hear
what others at your table think and feel about the topic
of _____________ [Note: this comes from the title of the
deck, i.e., sustainability, collaboration].
- Each of you will get a card with
a different question.
- Over the next 10 minutes, your
task is to talk, one-on-one, with the others at your table.
In each conversation, you will be answering each other's
questions. One of you will ask your question and make
notes on your card about the other person's response (include
their name so you don't get confused later). Then the
other one will ask their question.
- Once everyone has answered all
the questions at the table, take the next 10 minutes to
have a discussion about what you heard. Gather the key
learnings to share with the whole group, and choose someone
as spokesperson.
- Remember, there are no right or
wrong answers, just an opportunity to share some information
we usually don't share with each other, and to explore
the topic. Again, one-on-one conversations, keep track
of the answers, and you only have 10 minutes for the first
part, and another 10 minutes for the table discussion,
so you'll need to keep moving.
- [Note - Conduct the conversations
around the room.]
Part Two - (allot another
20 minutes) - This is what we say:
- The second part of this activity
gives everyone in the room an opportunity to hear some
of the responses to the 20 different questions.
- We need a table to start. The
spokesperson will read the 5 questions asked at their
table, and then share the table's key learnings. We will
then repeat the process at the other tables until everyone
has shared.
- A reminder - there are no good
or bad answers, just an opportunity to learn from each
other. Stay curious.
- [Note - Have each table share.]
- Any final thoughts about the connections
between The Mingle activity and today's session?
Option
#2 - This scenario is based on a group of 20
in table groups of five and has one-on-one sharing at the
tables, followed by each person sharing a comment with the
whole group.
Part One - (allot 20 minutes)
- This is what we say:
- This activity will let you hear
what others at your table think and feel about the topic
of __________ [Note: this comes from the title of the
deck, i.e., sustainability, collaboration].
- Each of you will get a card with
a different question.
- Over the next 10 minutes, your
task is to talk, one-on-one, with the others at your table.
In each conversation, you will be answering each other's
questions. One of you will ask your question and make
notes on your card about the other person's response (include
their name so you don't get confused later). Then the
other one will ask their question.
- Once everyone has answered all
the questions at the table, take the next 10 minutes to
have a discussion about what you heard. Gather the key
learnings to share with the whole group, and choose someone
as spokesperson.
- Remember, there are no right or
wrong answers, just an opportunity to share some information
we usually don't share with each other, and to explore
the topic. Again, one-on-one conversations, keep track
of the answers, and you only have 10 minutes for the first
part, and another 10 minutes for the table discussion,
so you'll need to keep moving.
- [Note - Conduct the conversations
around the room.]
Part Two - (allot another
20 minutes) - This is what we say:
- The second part of this activity
gives everyone in the room an opportunity to hear responses
to the 20 different questions.
- We need a volunteer to start.
This person will read their question to us, then share
the answer from one of the people they interviewed. The
person whose answer was just shared will then repeat the
process with another person they spoke with until everyone
at the table has shared an answer to his/her question.
- We will then repeat the process
at the other tables until everyone has shared.
- A reminder - there are no good
or bad answers, just an opportunity to learn from each
other. Stay curious.
- [Note - Have everyone share.]
- Now, let's make the connections
between The Mingle activity and today's session - what
are the key learnings about how people think and feel
about the topic (i.e., sustainability, collaboration)?
Option
#3- This scenario is very similar
to Option #1, but has one-on-one sharing from the whole room
(so it mixes people up a bit more), followed by a table conversation
and then a sharing of key learnings with the whole group.
The only changes are to Items 3 and 4.
Part One - (allot 20 minutes)
- This is what we say:
- This activity will let you hear
what others at your table think and feel about the topic
of __________ [Note: this comes from the title of the
deck, i.e., sustainability, collaboration].
- Each of you will get a card with
a different question.
- Over the next 10 minutes, your
task is to talk, one-on-one, with 4 other people in the
room. In each conversation, you will be answering each
other's questions. One of you will ask your question and
make notes on your card about the other person's response
(include their name so you don't get confused later).
Then the other one will ask their question.
- Once everyone has talked with
four other people, come back together at the table and
take the next 10 minutes to have a discussion about what
you heard. Gather the key learnings to share with the
whole group, and choose someone as spokesperson. [Note
- this will require careful time management since people
may arrive back at their tables at different times.]
- Remember, there are no right or
wrong answers, just an opportunity to share some information
we usually don't share with each other, and to explore
the topic. Again, one-on-one conversations, keep track
of the answers, and you only have 10 minutes for the first
part, and another 10 minutes for the table discussion,
so you'll need to keep moving.
- [Note - Conduct the conversations
around the room.]
Part Two - (allot another
20 minutes) - This is what we say:
- The second part of this activity
gives everyone in the room an opportunity to hear some
of the responses to the 20 different questions.
- We need a table to start. The
spokesperson will read the 5 questions asked at their
table, and then share the table's key learnings. We will
then repeat the process at the other tables until everyone
has shared.
- A reminder - there are no good
or bad answers, just an opportunity to learn from each
other. Stay curious.
- [Note - Have each table share.]
- Any final thoughts about the
connections between The Mingle activity and today's session?
Ideas
& Options
- Expanded "meet more people"
debrief - have participants talk one-one one with
more than just 4 people, or the people at their tables.
This will require additional time, and has the benefit
of people getting better acquainted with more members
of the group, which is especially helpful if the group
will continue as a group.
- Expanded "share more with
the whole group" debrief - have each participant
share an answer to their question and have the table spokesperson
share the key learnings from the table group. This will
require additional time, and has the benefit of sharing
more of the conversations with the whole group which expands
everyone's learning opportunity.
- About timing - We calculate
a total of 20 minutes for the table exercise based on
table groups of five, (10 for asking and answering the
questions and 10 for the table discussion) and then 20
minutes for whole group sharing. If you have a larger
group and can afford more time, increase the time for
the first part if you have larger table groups, and increase
the time for the second part if you have more tables.
- People don't "finish"?
- What if everyone doesn't have time to talk with everyone
else at their table, or you want them to talk with others
in the group but don't have time? This often happens,
so we encourage people to continue asking their questions
later - on the breaks, over lunch, back at work …
- Don't go too long - The
group will almost always want enough time for everyone
to talk with everyone. Stick to something close to the
original timeframe, and suggest the options in "d"
above.
- Time can get away from you
- Give the group regular time checks while they are "Asking
the Questions" and discussing their reactions and
learnings.
- Encourage connections -
As part of the debrief, encourage participants to make
connections to the overall session topic. You can use
the time to weave in the responses to where you are headed
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