The Writing Behind Your Back Activity

Writing Behind Your Back is a fun, interactive and affirming trust-building energiser exercise and strengthen relationships.

Distribute a large index card and a pen to each person in your group and ask them to write their name on the top of the card. Using a slip of sticky-tape, affix the card to its owner’s back.

Distribute a pen or marker to each person. Next, instruct your group to mingle about the area armed with pens.

Their mission is to approach as many people as possible in the time allotted and write a short remark or comment on their cards, ie effectively writing on their backs. Instruct everyone to write a short, affirming comment about that person on their index card.

If you choose, instruct people to write their comments anonymously.

Allow ample time for people to mingle and write their comments. When ready, invite each person to remove the card from their backs and enjoy the comments.

Moment of Reflection

• How do we often feel when we know people are talking behind your back?
• What feelings did you experience as people were writing on your back?
• How did you feel as you were writing comments on the cards of others?
• Was it possible to detect the attitude of those who were writing on your back?
• Describe how it felt to read the comments on your card?
• Were you able to accept what people wrote?
• Would it have been more or less difficult to have expressed these sentiments face to face with the person? Why?
• What difference would it make to our group if we shared these types of comments more often?

The topics of this publication: reflection, trust, honesty, integration, foster relationships, empathy, feedback