Workshop Opener: The 6 Word Memoir

 I am always looking for tools to help cut through meeting clutter and get everyone engaged. As someone who spent a  large part of my career in the Advertising Industry, I appreciate the power of brevity, I was Planning Director at M&C Saatchi, their mantra was "Brutal Simplicity of Thought", this mantra acknowledges that it's much easier to complicate than to simplify! Something advertisers constantly struggle with. Then recently, I stumbled upon Smith Magazine's "6 word memoir". I love the challenge of capturing the essence of something or someone with the limit of 6 words. I have hacked the 6 word memoir as a workshop tool, either as a Introduction exercise for participants or exercise within a workshop.

Ask participants to tell the story of anything in 6 words or less. The exercise in brevity can yield some rather creative and surprising responses.

Some I have used in my meeting facilitation:

Personal: Tell the story of your career, in 6 words or less, Tell the story of your creativity today, in 6 words or less.

Company: Tell the story of your company Innovation efforts, in 6 words or less.

Tell the story of your brand's great strength, in 6 words or less.