Session 1 2015 (Facilitator Packet).docx - Harvard University



Description: Students will work together in groups based on personality type to complete a “How to Bake A Cake Activity” and present their results. Students will then engage in discussion to analyze their personality test results to identify their strengths and weaknesses and how they manifest in a group setting. Students will discuss how they see themselves vs. how others might see them, and explore the importance of diverse personalities in a group setting.

Objective: By the end of this session, participants will be able to identify their strengths and weaknesses and how they manifest in a group setting.

Session Outline:

|Time Required |Description |

|20 minutes (ALL) |Dinner (eat and mingle) |

| |Opening remarks – program introduction (Austin) |

| |What do you intend on getting out of this program? And how will you hold yourself accountable? |

| |What is said here stays here, what is learned here leaves here. Make sure it’s clear that all discussions are|

| |confidential. |

|5 minutes |Introduction to activity and instructions: Participants divide into four groups based on the results of their|

| |True Colors inventory. Facilitators should divide up based on their own personality colors to observe groups.|

| |Each group will be given a large piece of chart paper and a marker, and the simple instructions to "explain |

| |how to bake a cake." No further instructions should be given -- the groups can interpret that in whatever |

| |way they'd like. |

| |After instructions given, transition to different areas of the room for group work |

|15 minutes |Participants carry out activity |

| |While the groups are working on this, facilitators should observe behaviors and pull relevant snippets of the|

| |participants’ conversations. Chances are, they each say something that is typical to their personality |

| |styles that can be pointed out later (See “Common Themes” below for reference) |

|15 minutes |Each group presents their “How to Bake a Cake” instructions (a few minutes for each group) |

| |Facilitators from each group share general traits of each color and behaviors/ conversations they noticed |

| |that fit into the common themes of the different personality tests |

| |(Common Themes): |

| |BLUE: |

| |It's all about the process...they like to get everyone's input and spend more time talking than doing |

| |They often have a "theme" for their cake (e.g. "we made a birthday cake!") --> this makes it more personal |

| |If given an option to choose a marker color, they get very excited but have a hard time making a decision |

| |This group is often the loudest, laughs the most, and often doesn't actually finish the task |

| |No one's input is wrong or incorrect --> they value relationships and don't want to tell anyone that they're |

| |wrong |

| |GREEN: |

| |Cake steps will be most detail oriented. Will often include things like the types and sizes of utensils to |

| |use in the process, amount of time to bake for, etc. |

| |Steps are often numbered, and sometimes sub-numbered: (example below) --> very analytic and logical thought |

| |process (Add ingredients to bowl - flour, egg, water) |

| |Process of activity will often take a long time because they are perfectionists and don't want to miss |

| |anything. |

| |Will sometimes add steps afterwards and use arrows to insert them into the list (they always have a list) |

| |Quick to correct each other during discussion --> often think their ideas are the best |

| |GOLD: |

| |Often makes references to recipes and family member's specialties (e.g. "grandma's bundt cake") --> |

| |immediately looks to the past and how things have been done before (stability, dependability) |

| |Usually has best handwriting --> organized, orderly, neat |

| |"Wash dishes" is often included as a step. |

| |Will plan what to do for their "presentation" (who says what, etc.) --> always prepared |

| |Will follow instructions literally and stay on task --> they like rules and always follow them |

| |ORANGE: |

| |Will often say things like "go to store and buy cake" or "follow directions on box" as entire process --> |

| |creative thinkers, like to solve problems quickly and then move on |

| |Rarely spends much time on task...other conversations often emphasize characteristics such as witty, bold, |

| |competitive, etc. |

| |Won't take task seriously because they don't like being told what to do. Don't like following rules either. |

| |Once chart paper part of activity is done (they always finish first), they will sometimes physically stand up|

| |and start goofing around --> fun-loving, spontaneous, physical, impulsive |

|5 minutes |Analysis of personality tests and disclaimer: |

| |True Colors is an inventory designed to help you better understand individual differences - like any |

| |personality test (and especially one this short), it is limited and we acknowledge that. You have a primary |

| |and a secondary color according to this test, which signify your preferred styles. The colors you do not |

| |choose will have some characteristics that are representative of you, too: much of this is context-dependent.|

| |Also, one color is not better than another color, and the goal of this activity is to promote understanding |

| |of difference, not to separate ourselves. Personality tests can be reductive but are a good segue into |

| |self-reflection. |

|5 minutes |Transition to small pre-chosen groups (of mixed True Colors results) for discussion, each with 2 facilitators|

|10 minutes |Learn names |

| |Quick Icebreaker (up to facilitators!) |

| |Create group constitution (parameters of discussion that will make everyone feel safe/respected) |

|35 minutes (in small |Discussion (feel free to add your own questions and to choose among these) |

|groups) |Follow up from cake activity: |

| |Initial reactions? Did anything surprise you? |

| |How did it feel to work in a group of people with similar personalities to you? |

| |What is the value of identifying “personality types” in this way? How do these types help us make sense of |

| |situations and interactions? Evaluate the usefulness and limitations of personality typing. |

| |Perception vs. Self-perception |

| |What was a strength or weakness of your personality type that resonated with you? Give an example of a time |

| |when this trait affected an interaction. |

| |Think of a time when you had a conflict or misunderstanding with someone, does conceptualizing personality |

| |through this framework provide any insight into that experience? |

| |What have we learned about how others might interpret our attitudes or behavior? |

| |How did you see yourself in high school? How do you want people to see you at Dartmouth? |

| |Do others see you how you see yourself? Why or why not? |

| |What is the value of having diverse personalities types in a group? |

|10 minutes |Rejoin as a large group for conclusion and recap |

| |Introduce Bridge Activity 1.5: |

| |Question: From the list of 40+ possible values, please select 10 that are the MOST important to you, and ten |

| |that are LEAST important to you. Consider why you prioritize some over others. |

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