SIGN NAMES*
Example of exercise to embrace what’s new and different: create a nick-name using your fingers.
A sign name* is a nick-name expressed in a visual way that captures the personality of somebody way better than a real name!
Sign names often reflect the person's character or physical appearance and are always given in a friendly and considerate way.
We like asking the group to give each other sign names because special attention is turned to the person at that very moment and people try to read him/her: what does s/he look like? What does s/he like doing?
We always experience smiles popping up on people’s faces because the group’s attention is turned to them and they feel empowered by that.
Example of exercise to fight resistance to change: stop talking and use your fingers.
The team is asked to stop talking, but to use their bodies' communication potential. A few visual thinking fundamentals and some basic sign language are introduced to make them able to communicate with each other.
The switch feels quite awkward at first but quickly they begin having fun “talking with their hands” and they will understand each other.
After that, the facilitator relates about how an organizational change can feel wrong at first, but begins to feel more natural as time goes on.
* The sign names belong to the Deaf culture and are given by a deaf person. We are using this cultural practice for educational purposes.
EMBRACE
THE CHANGE
We ask the group to describe the organization via non verbal cues
We do it in three steps:
1) The participants try to picture with their hands, face and body what the company looks like. If it were an animal or a feeling, what is the company's atmosphere, what kind of values are considered important.
2) The facilitator steps into the circle with her voice and asks the group to verbalize what they weren't able to express in a visual way and introduces the right Sign Language signs. This can inspire the group and give them a clearer picture of what they want to express.
3) The whole group brainstorms in order to come up with a sign name for the company or the team, inspired by steps 1 and 2.
This is the most exciting moment as the sign name will stick with them and will become a part of their identity as a group.