Snowballing your way to consensus

Hey there, team leaders and facilitators! Ever find yourself in a meeting with a ton of great ideas but no clear path on which ones to prioritize? Or maybe you're struggling to get everyone on the same page? That's where the Snowball/Consensus-Making Activity can be helpful.

What is it?

Its a fun, interactive way to sift through a mountain of ideas and land on the ones that truly matter to your group. Think of it like a friendly snowball fight, except instead of icy projectiles, youre tossing around ideas until the most important ones stick.

How do you pull it off?

Individual Brainstorming: Give everyone a few minutes to jot down their top 3-4 ideas. This ensures everyone has a voice, even the quieter folks.

Partner Up: Have people pair up and share their ideas. The goal is for each pair to agree on their top 3. This step encourages discussion and starts the consensus-building process.

Snowball Time: Now, have each pair join another pair to form a group of four. Again, they discuss and whittle down the list to their top 3. As the groups get bigger, the snowball grows, and the ideas become more refined.

Group Huddle: Get everyone back together. Compare the lists from each group and see if any ideas appear on every single one. If so, those are your golden nuggets! Write them down on a fresh sheet.

Final Check: Look at the ideas that didnt make it onto every list. Discuss as a group whether any of them are still important enough to include. If so, add them to your master list.

Why is this method useful?

Its inclusive. Everyone gets a chance to contribute, regardless of their personality or communication style. Its efficient. You can quickly narrow down a large number of ideas without getting bogged down in endless debate. It builds consensus. By working together and compromising, people feel more invested in the final decision.

Give the Snowball/Consensus-Making Activity a try in your next meeting. Its a great way to spark collaboration, generate buy-in, and make decisions that everyone feels good about.

Bonus Tip: Keep the energy up! Play some music during the brainstorming phases, and provide snacks to keep those creative juices flowing.