The Four Corners participatory dynamic encourages dialogue, decision-making, and the exploration of perspectives. Participants gather in different corners of a space based on their response or stance on a given question or situation. This promotes the exchange of ideas and mutual understanding in a collaborative environment.
Preparation
- Define the purpose:
- Establish the objective of the dynamic:
- Explore opinions on a topic?
- Make group decisions?
- Encourage debate?
- Establish the objective of the dynamic:
- Prepare the space:
- Clearly mark the four corners of the location (this can be done with signs, colors, or numbers).
- For virtual sessions, use online tools with breakout rooms or digital boards to represent the corners.
- Define the categories:
- Assign an option or stance to each corner. Example:
- What is the best approach? A) Innovation, B) Tradition, C) Collaboration, D) Independence.
- What do you value most in leadership? A) Communication, B) Delegation, C) Innovation, D) Conflict resolution.
- Assign an option or stance to each corner. Example:
- Required materials:
- Markers, sticky notes, or whiteboards to record ideas.
- Optional: question cards to guide the discussion.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Introduce the purpose:
- Explain the objective of the dynamic and how each of the four corners represents different options or viewpoints.
- Encourage participants to choose freely based on their initial stance or preference.
- Present the question or scenario:
- Pose a clear and concise question or describe a situation that requires reflection and decision-making.
- Assign corners:
- Ask participants to move to the corner that best represents their opinion or stance.
- For virtual settings, use breakout rooms to organize participants based on their choice.
- Small group discussions:
- Within each corner, participants discuss their stance and record the main reasons behind their choice.
- They select a representative to present their group’s ideas.
- Group presentations:
- Each group presents their arguments to the rest, explaining why they chose that stance.
- Reflection and corner change (optional):
- Allow participants to change corners if a presentation or argument made them reconsider their stance.
- Facilitate a group reflection on the insights gained and the connections between different viewpoints.
- Closure:
- Summarize the main ideas discussed and how they contribute to the initial objective of the dynamic.
- Thank participants for their engagement and encourage individual reflection on the exercise.
