The leadership labyrinth

20. Name of activity: 

                                                                  The leadership labyrinth

Organization presenting this method:                                                                       Kamaleonte
A Number of

people reflecting:

x  Solo (1 person) x  Small group

(< 20 people)

 

 Large group

(> 20 people)

 

B The way(s) of sharing:
Verbal:

 

Non-verbal:   Pictures /

 drawings

  Text   Em­bodied  sculpture

 

 Other forms of expression

 

Digital:   Padlet

 

  Social media   Digital diary

 

C Place of reflection (where)   Indoors

 

  Out of doors   On-line

 

D The connection with guidelines:

What guidelines are you taking into consideration, while organizing your reflection?

 

X

 

 

Don´t direct content, direct process in order to co-create the reflective process.

 

Develop relationships based on trust, openness, empathy, honesty, dialogue and feed-back
 

X

 

Facilitate growth in awareness in learners, help them to “own” their learning,

In a personal and meaningful way.

 

Try to manage the paradox, involved in steering of an intrinsic learning process, ie to create a hightened reflective attention of learners.
 

X

 

Slow down and value moments of not-knowing, while progressively deepening your reflection questions.

 

Recall that reflection can never be imposed, only kindly invited.

 

 

Be careful of how you assess reflection – if you assess it at all.
 

X

 

Always consider reflection as a broad and deepening process, that should be holistic.

 

 

 

Goal of activity:

The goal is to reflect on one owns’ leadership style

 

 

Context:

and

Aims:

The method has been used during the testing phase of an Grundtvig learning partnership on how multiple intelligences can support leadership development. The activity is at the same time a common and individual experience that everybody does at his/her own pace. The method can be used at any stage of group development and takes into account the experiences that the group members have in their daily life.

 

The group members are asked to walk through a labyrinth focusing on what it’s not clear in their leadership or in them in their personal or working life. Participants are invited to match their walking speed/style with the movement of their thoughts and to stop and stay as they like in the middle of the labyrinth, pondering the question and the possible answers.

 

The activity can take place indoors or outdoors in a place where participants don’t get any disturbance for the entire duration of the process. After going through the labyrinth group members are invited to sit in a circle for sharing their insights. This activity has been carried out with a group of 10 pax.

 

 

 

 

Story from practice:

  1. Group makes labyrinth inside or outside – in the ground or sand or with string, newspapers or other material.
  2. When the labyrinth is ready, the facilitator poses the question: What is not clear in your leadership? Or in you, or with your style with something/someone in your personal/work life.
  3. Group members are invited to frame the question before they enter the labyrinth and stick to it during the whole walk.
  4. Participants are invited to match their walking speed/style with the movement of their thoughts and to stop in the middle or centre of the labyrinth where they can stay as they want and ponder the question and possible answers.
  5. When group members have finished their exploration, the facilitator can ask participants the following questions (the list of questions is indicative):

 

General debriefing of the exploration:

• what happened during the exercise – what happened from my point of view?

• Explore in a very general way – describe how it was for you?

 

Reflection on one owns’ leadership style with particular focus on kinesthetic intelligence • What kind of leadership does it show?

• Was the activity reasonable for me?

• Where did I take the lead?

• What made it a success or failure for me?

• Was I challenged in a positive way?

• Did I try to support others in the group?

• Do I have a strong kinesthetic intelligence?

• If not how did I compensate for this?

• What are the challenges for the kinesthetic learner

• What sort of leadership skills does a kinesthetic learner have?

• If I have a strong kinesthetic intelligence how does this impact on my leadership development?

• Did the activities facilitate you entering into the discussion of the intelligence?

 

 

 

Timeframe: 2 hours