Build the team
Personal maps
Each person draws a mind map of themselves (home, work, hobbies, values) so a team learns who it is working with.
- Time20 to 40 minutes
- People2 to 10 people
- Steps3
What it's for
Teams often know what each person does and very little about who they are. A personal map is a quick, self-chosen picture of someone: where they live, what they care about, what they do outside work. People share only what they want to.
It is especially useful for remote teams, where the conversations before and after meetings don't happen by themselves.
How to run it
Make your map10 min
Put your name in the centre and add a few notes to the branches that matter to you.
Walk through it15 min
Each person explains their map in two minutes. Others listen for something in common.
Note the connections5 min
Draw arrows between things people have in common.
Tips
- Make it clear that every branch is optional.
- Keep the maps and revisit them when someone new joins.
Where it comes from
One of the Management 3.0 practices developed by Jurgen Appelo for helping managers and teams understand each other.
Pairs well with
Two truths and a lie
Each person shares three things about themselves, one of them false, and the group votes on which is the lie.
Working agreements
A team agrees, in its own words, how it will communicate, meet, decide and handle problems, and writes it down.
Mind map
Start with one topic in the middle and branch outwards, so related ideas sit together and gaps become visible.