Group Activity
The Working Session
Team performance isn’t just about skills or strategy—it’s shaped by how people engage with each other in real time. This activity invites you to step into a team discussion, navigate common challenges, and explore how inclusion, communication, and behavior impact collaboration. You’ll work through a scenario, define the team, and then continue the conversation with a twist.
Instructions
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Take a few minutes to answer the questions based on your experiences with your team.
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Be honest in your responses — this is for reflection, not evaluation.
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Capture insights, not names, to create space for a safe and open discussion.
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Appoint a spokesperson to share your group’s insights and takeaways.
Worksheets
The Working Session Worksheet
Working Session Contributor Role Instructions Cards
Step 1: Choose Your Scenario (2 mins)
Select one of the scenarios below. This will be the challenge your team is working to solve. Choose one that feels interesting or relevant to your group.
Step 2: Define Who’s In The Room (3 mins)
Create a fictional version of the team participating in this meeting. List team members by name, role, department, and (if you’d like) tenure or experience. For example: “Jordan – Senior Analyst, Finance, 5 years” or “Maria – New Hire, Marketing, 2 months.”
Step 3: Define the Goal of the Meeting (3 mins)
Based on the scenario you selected, write a short description of what your team is trying to accomplish during this meeting.
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Once you’ve completed Steps 1 – 3, open the envelope and distribute the role cards. Take a moment to read through your role card and consider how you’ll show up in the discussion before moving forward.
Step 4: Small Group Discussion (8-10 mins)
Stay in character based on your role card as you work toward your recommendations. Pay attention to how the discussion unfolds. Use the space provided to take notes on group behavior, communication, and moments of tension or clarity.
Step 5: Final Recommendations (1-2 mins)
Summarize your group’s final recommendations based on your scenario. During the debrief, you’ll be asked to share them with the full group.
Working Session Scenarios
Scenario 1: Preparing for a High-Stakes Presentation
Background
Your team has been asked to prepare a critical presentation for senior leadership (or a potential client, depending on the context). The goal is to demonstrate the team’s progress on a key project and make a strong case for additional resources or approval to move into the next phase. The meeting is in three days. Everyone is under pressure, and the stakes are high. There's confusion about who is doing what, tension over how decisions are being made, and concern that the message won’t come across clearly. Some are worried their input isn’t being heard, others think the group is over-preparing.
Your Task
The team has gathered for a prep meeting. Your goal is to get aligned, clarify responsibilities, and develop a clear, confident strategy for the presentation. Considerations include:
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What is the core message?
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Who will say what, and how will you stay on the same page?
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How can you work through the tension and move forward as a team?
Scenario 2: Preparing for a System Rollout
Background
Your team has been asked to begin preparing for a rollout of a new practice management system ahead of busy season. It's early summer, so things are relatively calm, but there’s a lot of change happening across the organization. Some team members are excited for the new system. Others are skeptical, unsure if it will be worth the effort. A few are already worried about how it will affect their day-to-day work, while others seem checked out or disengaged from the process altogether.
Your Task
You’ve gathered for a planning meeting to discuss how the team will approach this transition. Your job is to get aligned, identify risks or barriers early, and set the tone for how you’ll handle the change together. You’ll need to:
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Explore what people are feeling, both expressed and unspoken.
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Identify opportunities to build trust and shared ownership.
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Decide how to move forward in a way that works for the team.