Preparation
Define the purpose of the activity
- Strengthen group connections through unexpected commonalities.
- Encourage creativity and curiosity about others.
- Develop communication and teamwork skills.
Materials
Sheets of paper and pens for teams to write down their findings.
Whiteboard or flip chart to share responses at the end.
Optional: Cards with guiding questions or suggested topics.
To conduct the activity virtually:
- Use collaborative platforms to record and share responses.
- Allow interaction through video calls and group chats.
- Use tools such as polls or digital whiteboards to collect responses.
Step-by-step instructions
1
Introduction
- Explain that the goal is to find unusual commonalities among team members.
- Give examples of common traits (e.g., "we all like chocolate") and contrast them with more unexpected ones ("we all organize our books by color").
2
Forming teams
- Divide participants into small groups (3-5 people).
- Each group receives a sheet of paper or access to a digital board to record their findings.
3
Finding commonalities
- For 10-15 minutes, teams must identify as many commonalities as possible, eliminating the obvious ones.
- Guiding questions can be used to facilitate the search.
4
Sharing and reflection
- Each team presents their most surprising commonalities to the rest of the group.
- The most unexpected or creative commonalities can be highlighted or rewarded.
- Group discussion on what they learned about each other and how diversity leads to unexpected connections.
Materials
Sheets of paper and pens to record commonalities.
Whiteboard or flip chart to share responses.
Optional: Cards with guiding questions or categories to assist in the process.
Digital tools
Practical recommendations
Avoid overly general responses
Encourage teams to find truly unique commonalities.
Use guiding questions
If participants struggle, suggest categories like "habits," "quirks," "preferences," and "experiences."
Facilitate discussion
Allow conversations to flow naturally instead of forcing commonalities.
Encourage spontaneity
The most interesting responses often come unexpectedly.
Reward creativity
Consider highlighting the most original team findings.
Inspiration
How to make the activity more meaningful in different contexts
- In education: Find commonalities related to study habits or learning experiences.
- In community development: Identify shared values or community-related experiences.
- In work teams: Focus on professional habits or workplace experiences.
- In urban and rural planning: Explore common experiences related to participants' cities or environments.
- In health and social well-being: Discover shared wellness habits or lifestyle choices.
- In arts, culture, and creativity: Find connections in artistic influences or creative inspirations.
- In citizen and social participation: Identify shared values on public interest topics.
