35–40 minutes (20 minutes for playing, 15–20 minutes for debriefing)
General M P, T, D, M
1. To discover similarities and differences between and among people
2. To identify those differences that require little effort to discover and those that require extra effort
3. To identify how assumed similarities or differences can restrict our use of the resources and/or opportunities other people can provide us
None
1. Ask participants to form groups with others who have some visible similarities with themselves. Ask the groups to identify one thing they value about the similarity or similarities around which they have formed. Allow 3 minutes for forming the groups and identifying the trait or attribute they value and why they value that trait; that is, what the similarity represents for them. Ask each group to quickly call out the similarity or similarities around which they have formed and the one thing they value about that similarity (or those similarities).
2. Ask participants to form groups with others who are visibly different from them. Ask the groups to identify one thing they value about the difference(s) around which they have formed. Allow 3 minutes for forming the groups and identifying the difference(s) they value. Ask each group to quickly call out the differences around which they have formed and the one thing they value about that difference.
3. Ask participants to form groups with others who are similar to them in some invisible way, for example, educational background, religion, or occupation. Ask the groups to identify one thing they value about the similarity or similarities around which they have formed. Allow 5 minutes for forming the group and identifying the value. Ask each group to quickly call out the similarity or similarities around which they have formed and the one thing they value about that similarity.
4. Ask participants to form groups with others who are different from them in some invisible way, for example, educational background, religion, or occupation. Ask the groups to identify one thing they value about the difference(s) around which they have formed. Allow 5 minutes for forming the group and identifying the value. Ask each group to quickly call out the difference(s) around which they have formed and the one thing they value about that difference.
1. What happened? Which groups were easier to form? Why? Which groups were harder to form? Why?
2. How did you feel during this process? Why?
3. What values might have contributed to the groups you formed?
4. What have you learned?
5. How can you apply this information to your everyday life?
1. First impressions are often based on visible similarities or differences.
2. Invisible similarities or differences are often more important than those that are visible.
3. We have many similarities with people who look different from us and many differences from people who look similar to us.
4. If we form impressions based only on what is visible, we may miss important skills, characteristics, or perspectives another person could offer us.
5. Those things we feel are important about ourselves—both visible and invisible—are often based on values we hold.
© Executive Diversity Services, Inc., Seattle, Washington, 1999.