What is Worth How Much to Whom?

Field of application

Dealing with diversity

Resume / Brief description

From a list of values and characteristics that are important in their group, the participants identify those with the highest priority by comparing two values.

Target group

Students

Lecturers

Entrepreneurs

Colleagues of the same company or work team

Colleagues working in intercultural contexts

Professionals of different area

Group size

There is a minimum of 10 participants for this exercise. The ideal size is 20-30 participants.

Objectives

The activity has the objective

• To determine the relative importance of different values that are important in teamwork

Requirements

Materials

• List “Values at work in intercultural teams”
• Index cards
• Stopwatch
• Signal

Room arrangement

• Furnishing the mediators' corner with chairs

Time

• 30-60 minutes (depending on the number of participants and number of values)

Implementation - Guidelines

1.       Preparation

• Take the list and select one value less than you have participants.
• Write each of the selected values on a separate index card.

2.       Process

• Choose a mediator to take a seat in the meditator's seat.
• Distribute the value cards. Each participant except the mediator receives a card.
• Explain that each card contains a value that is important for cooperation.
• Determine the value with the highest priority (15 minutes).
• Participants form pairs and prioritise the values on their cards.
• The participant with the card that was not chosen gives it to the leader and goes to the mediator's corner. New couples are formed and a new selection process starts.
• If the couples cannot decide, the mediator will do it.
• After the mediation, the couple sits down on the mediator chairs and the mediator goes to the playing area with the more important values card.
• The activity ends when there is only one participant that has a value card.

3.       Debriefing

To debrief, you can reflect on the following questions:

• What are the benefits of putting this value into practice?
• How strongly is this value lived by the team members at the present time, and how does it show?
• What would happen if this value was disregarded?
• How can this value be lived in the collaboration?
• How can the awareness and acceptance of this value be promoted among the team members?

Additional format/references

Thiagarajan, S. (2016). Interaktive Trainingsmethoden: Thiagis Aktivitäten für berufliches, interkulturelles und politisches Lernen in Gruppen (3. Auflage.). Schwalbach: Wochenschau Verlag.