Sharing Power



Objective(s) & Context

1. Broaden the understanding of power and offer a forum to explore experiences around one’s own power and that of others.

2. Practise creative listening.

 

Duration

30 minutes

 

Group Size

10–40

 

Age Group

10 +

 

Skills

Communication, listening, and conflict resolution skills, depending on the theme

 

Format(s) & Technique(s)

Reflection

 

Materials

None

 

Facilitation Tips

  • This activity is best to implement with a group that already knows each other.

  • It is also helpful to do this activity in connection with other types of activities about power and communication.

 

Popular Education Prompts

  • This workshop is a good opportunity to bring new information about communication process.

 

Leading the Activity: Steps to Take

Preparation:

  1. Arrange the seating so that there are two concentric circles of chairs: one circle facing outwards, the other around them facing inward.

  2. Ensure that there are an equal number of chairs on the inner and outer circle.

 

Workshop:

  1. Ask participants to sit in the chairs.

  2. Everyone should be facing a partner.

  3. Introduce the activity as a creative listening exercise.

  4. Tell participants that you will call out a theme. See list below for suggestions or come up with your own.

  5. The participants will have to speak with their partners about this theme.

  6. Give participants three minutes to speak to their partner on a given them.

  7. Give them another three minutes so that their partner can speak on the same theme.

  8. Begin with the first theme. Each time a theme is complete, those participants sitting in the inner circle move one chair to the right to ensure that each pair will be different every theme.

  9. Continue the process until all the themes are done.

 

Themes:

  • Describe an animal that you consider powerful and why.

  • Describe an object that looks powerful to you. What are its characteristics?

  • Describe a characteristic in your self that you find powerful.

  • Describe a characteristic you admire in someone else because you think it is positive power.

 

  1. Facilitate a group discussion by asking the following questions:

    • How did it feel to be listened to with attention?

    • How did you feel to listen to someone else with attention?

    • How often do you give others this kind of listening attention?

    • When have you used power for positive outcomes?

    • Share a time when you thought you wouldn’t have the power to do something and then you discovered a solution.

 

Debrief

  • Thank the group for attentively listening to one other

 

Success Indicators

Participants are:

  • Practising better listening

  • More confident about sharing with each other

  • More aware of their own positive personal power

 

Source: Adapted from F. Macbeth and N. Fine, Playing with Fire: Creative Conflict Resolution for Young Adults (New Society Publishers, in co-operation with The Leaveners/ Leap Confronting Conflict and the National Youth Agency, 1995, page 75).