Lifeline
Use this to help someone reflect on their life and the peak experiences that give it meaning. The activity will help the person decide what they want their future to be. The difficult times may explain why some current situations are hard to deal with.
The exercise can build a group or team when people want to build trust and mutual understanding.
Step zero.
Establish a positive learning climate by agreeing to maintain confidentiality, listen actively, and work collaboratively. Tell the participants that if they have concerns or needs, you will help them deal with them.
Step one.
Each person draws a lifeline containing at least four significant ups and downs. Just draw a line connecting the incidents.
“Ups” Family celebration. Felt happy and safe | Met my partner Felt excited and happy | Adventure in Nepal Felt challenged and fulfilled | ||
| “Downs” | Bullied at school Felt powerless and angry | Fell ill Felt scared and guilty |
Step two.
Each person describes the lifeline in detail as a facilitator or colleague listens and draws out the feeling and meaning of the experiences. If you work in a group, it should be small. Ensure everyone has an equal opportunity to speak about their “Lifeline” and what it means to them. I encourage attentive listening from everyone. Questions for clarification are OK, but people often feel vulnerable, so probing and analysis are usually unhelpful.
Step three.
Review the exercise by asking people what they have learned and if there is any way we could do it better next time. I often ask what the implications are for the organisation. One is that as people come to know each other better, they will become more understanding and trust, and co-operation will increase.