This is part 1 of the two-part “Mirror Magic” values-driven exercise.

Host a group team-building exercise to discuss, reflect upon, and identify each person’s deeply-held ethical values.

Materials Required:

• Writing implement — pen, pencil
• Pre-printed Value Values printout document embedded below

Use up to seven minutes for introductions. If necessary, break the attendees into smaller group so 5 to 12 people can introduce themselves effectively, feeling fully heard and seen. Distribute the pre-printed Value Values workshop printout quietly while people converse.

Regroup.

“Now, we’re going to look at a series of prompts. Each participant will jot down answers to these questions on their template or notebook paper as we go along.”

1. Ask participants to write down four people they look up to, and why. (3 minutes to write; 5 minutes to discuss)
2. Ask participants to write down four people they think poorly of, and why. Facilitator’s note: In the discussion, participants do not need to name names; it is sufficient to describe the attributes of the people they regard poorly. (2 minutes to write; 2 minutes to call out the reasons for feeling this way)
3. Ask participants to write down five affirmations of purpose that give them a sense of personal worth. (2 minutes to write; 1.5 minutes to call out responses)
4. Ask participants to write down five questions they would want a highly-respected mentor to ask them, if they were struggling with an ethical problem and felt lost. (3 minutes to write; 4 minutes to call out responses.)
5. Ask participants to write down the five most important reasons they are part of this group/team/organization; why they show up consistently. (3 minutes to write; 4 minutes to call out answers.)

Conclude: Allow 4.5 minutes in total for participants to reflect and call out insights they experienced during this exercise.

Invite anyone who may have had strong, or challenging, feelings surface during this workshop to come speak with the facilitator or HR afterward to get appropriate support. Directing participants to connect with a mental health therapist may be called for, as this exercise can stir up cognitive dissonance in a person who is already acting significantly out of alignment with their own personal ethical values.

Thank all participants for engaging so thoughtfully, and for giving meaningful consideration to this exercise. Inform them that part two of this exercise, “Mirror Magic” will be the fun part. They can look forward to getting creative and expressive using some of the insights revealed during this session — so hang onto these lists!

Optional discussion bonus topics:

1. Spend time inquiring as to what having ethical values means to the people in the team.
2. Why do our values matter? How do our values affect what we do in our daily lives? How do our values contribute to making life feel meaningful to each of us?
3. Has anyone ever lost their sense of moral compass and struggled to reclaim alignment with their values? What was recovering from such an experience like? Talk about it. Appropriate vulnerability is a key component to psychological safety and trust-building.

All material subject to copyright 2024 by Brandyn Gallagher.