EXERCISE 4.3

Emotional Expression

Tell a Story

Purpose

To practice recognizing and talking about emotions and listening to those of others.

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25 minutes (plus 3 more minutes for each person in the team or group)

Each person tells a story about the selected topic including commenting about how he or she felt during the event being described. The group or team discusses the value and challenges with expressing emotions and the value of storytelling.

Outcomes

• Increase comfort in expressing emotions
• Invite willingness and commitment to express emotions
• Become aware of the value of telling stories and how that can reconnect the team or group with their passion

Audience

• Intact teams
• Unaffiliated group
• Individual working with a coach

Facilitator Competencies

Easy

Materials

• None needed

Time Matrix

Activity	Estimated Time
Select topic in advance	5 minutes
Each person tells a story	5 minutes per person
Discuss	15 minutes
Total Time	25 minutes (plus 3 more minutes for each person in the team or group)

Instructions

1. In advance, select the type of subject for the story you will ask your team, group, or coachee to tell. The subject could be a current project at work; a key event or relationship at work, such as working with a mentor; a meaningful personal event; or any other appropriate possibility.

2. Ask each person to take a few minutes and think about a story he or she will tell regarding the topic you have selected. They will have three minutes to tell their stories to the team or group or to you as the coach. Ask them to start telling their stories. The ground rules are

• Each person speaks without interruption; this is not a time for questions or corrections. It is the speaker’s story.
• The person must include at least two descriptions of how he or she felt and why regarding events in the story.

3. If you have a large team or group and are time-constrained, have them tell their stories in groups of three or four.

4. Invite discussion on what they are noticing and feeling having heard one another’s stories. Guide them to discuss:

• Becoming aware of their own feelings as they tell their stories and as they listen to those of others.
• Their level of comfort in expressing their emotions and their comfort in hearing others discuss their emotions.
• What they could do to invite increased emotional expression and why they would want to do so.
• Their feelings now that they have told their stories and heard the stories of others. Do they feel more connected to one another (and to their work or project if that was a subject of the stories)?
• Ask what else they would like to comment on or ask others about.