The Flow Game
A playful way to talk about & work with what matters
Often we can get stuck on our most important questions because we can't seem to think about them in a new way
The Flow Game is a powerful tool for creating an interactive reflection, dialogue and action space for groups, teams and individuals. Everyone loves playing a game and The Flow Game is deceptively simple, creating a supportive, challenging, and unique opportunity to explore the present or future in an intuitive and insightful way. You bring a question that matters to you and the game -- and your fellow players -- open up new perspectives.
How does it work?
A question that matters
The core element of the Flow Game is a question for each player or the team playing together. Coming with a draft question is fine -- sharpening our questions together is a great way to get clear about what really matters.
The power of serendipity
What will the game offer you? Here's where the element of chance comes in. You won't know until you roll the dice. Then you'll find out the direction from which you are invited to choose a card. You immediately get new inspiration.
Wisdom Council
During each player's turn, the other players are invited to act as Wisdom Council, offering their intuitive guidance. Such contribution acts as a powerful support for wiser action. It also tunes us into our human superpower -- intuition.
How can a game help? Have a look...
Why is the Flow Game so effective?
The Flow Game works so well because a game moves easily around all the boundaries and brings curiosity to the most challenging situations.
The Flow Game can act as the centerpiece to a longer team building or organisational strategy session. Elements of the Flow Game can also be offered during longer meetings or events.
Where can the Flow Game make a difference?
Giving a solid frame to a community initiative
In Queensland, Australia, a statewide initiative supporting children from separated families needed help. A Collective Story Harvest identified the disconnect between how the initiative was perceived and the new way of working they wanted to establish. We used the Flow Game to craft and test a powerful calling question, establish a set of clear working principles and connect the volunteer team.
Bringing collaboration into working on key issues
A cross faculty team at a Technical University in Hamburg, Germany were stuck. They had uncovered plenty of issues, but how to move forward with clarity and connection? We brainstormed all the issues and then prioritised them, dividing into teams. Each team drew cards for their specific issues and gathered as wisdom councils. The combined harvest created a plan to move forward.
An effective practice at the heart of business
Percolab, an innovative cooperative in Montreal, Canada uses the Flow Game as one of the key tools of their business. Instead of a long interview process for new team members, they play a Flow Game to access the match in values. Team members play Flow Games to expand their thinking on work issues. They use the game in innovative ways with clients. One example: as a reflection tool at the end of a project.
There are endless ways to use the power of the Flow Game:
- Bring your personal question to the game and receive Wisdom Council from the other players. Gain a new perspective and increased energy to move forward.
- Play the game with your team to innovate the way forward together or work on your principles, practices and vision.
- Bring an organisational question to the game and play as interactive work teams.
- Enhance your onboarding and get to know more about a new team member by playing the game.
- Set up or debrief an initiative. Bust up a log jam.
- Step in as a leadership team to make a break through on strategy.
- Unite a geographically dispersed team to learn more about each other or deepen their work practices.
- Use the game as part of a meeting, retreat or longer inquiry.
- Call in a mastermind group to work on a specific topic.
- Enhance your relationships and connections.
The Flow Game has specific card decks for individuals, teams and families.
Want to become a Flow Game Host?
Here are the upcoming trainings:
- Our next Flow Game Host onsite training takes place in Denmark, October 18 - 20. I will be co-hosting the training with Flow Game creator Toke Paludan Møller.
- I'm also co-hosting an online Flow Game Host training in November with Rowan Simonsen.
- A Flow Game host training is planned for Japan 24 - 26 January.
- Toke and I will again be co-leading in Berlin 11 - 13 April.
Interested? Contact me for further details.
What people say about the Flow Game
"It is not just a game, and not just a set of questions in a deck of cards. The result is amazing when you go deep into your most important questions in life, work and the future. You leave with a sense of direction, purpose and commitment."
"When diverse individuals come together for the first time they leave with a feeling of belonging, of finding the path and of growth. The outcome is a mutual learning and understanding of each other and the next step.”
"Truly magical, and we succeeded in deepening our team’s connections and shared understandings. So much more was revealed than we could possibly have imagined.”
Scroll down to hear the voices of individual players...
What question, if you asked it now, could change everything?
Playing the Flow Game...
Then the game was rich, gently provocative, not to mention engaging and fun, and so well held by Mary Alice. I heartily recommend the process.
