4 December 2023
4 min.
Competence
14 March 2023
4 min.
Boostalab assists organizations in developing the soft skills of their teams. Developing soft skills is not easy. But one step at a time, you get there and when you put it all together, it makes a magnificent WOW board, which creates surprise and wonder and makes you want to continue. What is a WOW board?
It is an exercise that we do with the learners to give feedback on the development of their soft skills. It is a way to close the loop of learning as a team and to name together what they have learned and what they are leaving with. Why do we call this the “WOW board“? Because it is often the reaction that it triggers when they see all the great things they have done!
If you are in person, you will use a whiteboard with colored post-its preferably to make the process even more joyful. In virtual, you will use whiteboard solutions or use those available in video conferencing platforms.
To create this WOW board, participants are then asked to use post-it notes on a virtual whiteboard, and to name what they have learned and achieved.
You can help them with their reflections, asking them questions to propel the conversation:
The use of the post-it notes makes the whole thing more dynamic and spontaneous, you kind of escape from the formal meeting, so you have more chances to capture key elements to bring out.
It is also an opportunity for people to share what they have learned and to discuss the topic they have been working on. We can see, for example, from the WOW boards of people who have worked on the theme of constructive feedback, that many of them have adjusted their posture towards this subject:
I learned that I wasn't the only one who was uncomfortable with feedback. It helped me accept my discomfort and tame it better.
Regardless of the chosen theme (be it change management, recognition, delegation, stress management or time and priority management), learners all agree that knowing that they are all in this together is a great help in their learning journey. They also feel better equipped, particularly thanks to their access to Teamtonic’s micro-contents, but also thanks to the quality of the exchanges they have had with each other.
Here are some examples taken from different WOW boards:
During this exercise, people tend to open up a bit more and show vulnerability. These moments are always very engaging and wonderful moments to witness. Indeed, when someone expresses discomfort or challenge with a topic, it also allows others who may have had similar experiences to feel less alone and gives permission for others to express themselves as well. And there is nothing more empowering to move forward than to feel that you have the support of a whole group!
If you like the idea of using the WOW board technique and decide to take action in your organization, let us know! We would be delighted to hear about the results of this enriching practice in your organization.
At Boostalab, we believe that it is important to look back and celebrate success as a team at the end of a learning experience. This encourages future learning, but more importantly, it provides a special moment that has a WOW effect on our participants.