Use this play to…
This type of Play can be especially valuable when there is a negative dynamic between two or more teams, or if there is tension but team members haven’t spoken about it yet.
But sometimes, it can be hard to gauge your team’s feelings with open-ended questions like “How are you feeling?”
That’s why many staff can find it useful to use a structured framework to talk about their emotions – particularly in a fast-paced, results-focused humanitarian operation.
Before you begin…
For remote teams, start by copying a version of the Miro template to a fresh board.
For in-person teams, find a whiteboard or large paper, and set out Post-It notes and markers in a meeting room.
Who is involved
Anyone who has been part of the collaboration directly or indirectly and will benefit from clearly the head and the air
Materials
Timer
Markers & Sticky notes
Whiteboard, or large sheet of paper
Zoom with screen share (remote)
Running the Play
Step 1: Set the scene (3 mins)
Before starting the activity, make sure all participants understand its purpose. If the collaboration being reflected on was stressful, consider addressing this openly and honestly before starting the reflection.
Ensure everyone is clear, that Instead of focusing on what happened during an event, the Mad Sad Glad Play encourages staff to explore their emotions about those events.
Assure everyone that there are no right or wrong answers. Remember, the goal of Mad Sad Glad is take stock of how everyone is feeling, not to brainstorm process or strategy.
Encourage your team to focus on emotion, not action. People who might feel uncomfortable sharing their feelings sometimes instead try to pivot to strategy. Gently encourage them to avoid that.
Step 2: Give people space and time to reflect (12 mins)
Make sure the team has about 10 to 15 minutes of uninterrupted time to take stock of how they feel. Encourage people to take copious notes.
Make sure the room is quiet and out of the way.
Note: Ask all attendees to turn off their phones/email/skype off so they can focus on the task. If people are distracted by their inbox, then they will find it harder to reflect.
Step 3: Discuss together (5 mins)
Bring everyone together to discuss.
Facilitate a quick discussion. What trends are there? What is underlying these common points? What would you like to do next?
Ensure you’ve taken stock of how everyone is feeling, did everyone have a chance to speak…
3 reasons to convince your Manager to use a Mad Sad Glad Play
Wondering how to convince your Manager to carve time out of the busy day, remind them the Mad Sad Glad Play is specifically focused on the team’s emotional journey, and this is a unique approach with different benefits from a normal retrospective.
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Build trust
By giving team members a space to discuss their feelings and emotions about the work they’ve done, you encourage honesty and forthrightness. Creating more honest, open, and positive teams ultimately helps team members trust each other.
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Improve morale
Almost everyone will struggle with certain things or get frustrated, and oftentimes workplaces don’t provide an avenue to talk about these frustrations. Giving NRC staff an opportunity to talk through their difficulties will help them feel more welcomed, and ultimately boost morale.
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Increase engagement
If team members are frustrated and don’t feel heard, they tend to check out. With a Mad Sad Glad Hot Debrief, those team members can speak up and work towards solving their problems and building a more inclusive office where people can stay engaged.
Follow-up
Save a jpg of your completed Mad, Sad, Glad Miro board and save it in your team Sharepoint folder, email/msg the jpg to your team to say thanks!
Kudos: This Play is adapted from the following <em>Miro format</em>.
