Duration
3 hours - 1 day (min - max)
Materials
Metaplan-Cards, 2 ropes.
Origin of Tool
Metaplan, adapted by Gemeinschaftskompass.
Website
https://bridgedale360.org/mod/forum/view.php?id=313
Vision Bagel
Expected outcome
- To find out if the visions are shared.
- To have a list of aspects of the vision that are shared by the whole group.
Abstract
This tool is a way to use metaplan cards to come to a shared vision.It gives a good basis for further work on vision and mission.
Content
- Give an introduction: We / you are together as we / you want to (the formulated goal of the initiative). With this tool, we want to elaborate further what our shared vision and mission are.
- Ask everyone to write down 3 – 5 different points that are important for him / her related with the goal. What does it mean for you? What exactly do you want to achieve?People sit in a circle and within the circle, we have two concentric circles formed with a rope or a thread. The center of these concentric circles is the shared vision the whole group wants to commit for. In the “Bagel-part” we will place the private ideas that others accept, or maybe even like, but don’t see as essential for the project. In the outside part there are ideas that will not be part of the project.
- Everyone presents his/her cards and puts them in the concentric circle (not in the middle but in the “bagel”-part).
- The facilitator states: This is the vision of the people who are sitting here. Now, looking at different elements of the visions, we can start to differentiate:
What is the shared vision?
– Participants take cards and put them in the center, if they think that this is clearly a goal that is actively wished by everybody. At this point, communication starts: Does everyone agree that this is a common goal? Or is it rather a private goal that people don’t want to commit for? Even though the two circles give kind of a clear distinction it is also possible to put cards on the rope, or closer and further from the center.
– Participants can take cards and put them outside the circle, if they don’t want to have this idea within the project. (ex: animal-keeping, wifi, income-sharing, …). If one person does not want to accept this idea as being a part of the project, this idea remains outside the circle. - It is very important to take time to speak about the ideas that are not accepted by one or more group-members. This communication is a very important step to get a deeper insight about values, dreams and fears through exchange and dialogue. Take your time for this, and be prepared. This can be emotional and controversial and it is a very important step. Sometimes agreements can be found and sometimes at this point the awareness emerges that the group will not form a common project, as the visions differ too much. It is good to discover that before much energy is wasted in trying to create a community.
Wrap up
Don’t try to unify the group at all costs, but make it clear that both option – finding a common vision and realizing that the vision is not shared – are good outcomes at this point.
Contribute
Feel free to contact us and share your own tools!