One Foot Out

The Power of Confession: Fostering Safe Spaces for Team Sharing

team building exercise idea. the confessional

Believe it or not, despite the wealth of data and AI-search capabilities at our fingertips, many individuals and, consequently, teams find themselves lost in conflicting subjectivity.

Fostering safe places at work for team sharing is more important than ever. People are craving a safe way to ask tough questions.

Is it time for confessionals?

Research shows that “we’re all seeking support and consensus to help us navigate what’s right and true.” And while this research is general, the reality is not different at work. Enter the confessional. A team-building exercise idea worth trying for these trying times.

How do we know that this is what people are looking for? It’s in the data.

One example, highlighted in the research, is the rise of the Reddit thread r/TrueOffMyChest. This thread has grown by +345% YoY, and became one of the Top 30 most viewed subreddits. People crave a safe place to come clean!

In today’s highly competitive and occasionally unforgiving workplace, there are limited opportunities for safe social sharing.

How to use this team-building exercise idea: 

The Power of Confession offers an opportunity to address minor yet culturally harmful behaviors that may cause systematic unrest, such as expressing discomfort with a colleague bringing their dog to work, tough work relationships, and similar issues*.

The confessional serves as an act of radical candor, allowing the air to be cleared. However, this particular team-building exercise idea MUST be guided and approached with care. But the effort is worth it.

Allowing your team to speak the unspoken and providing a platform for feelings to be heard can have tremendous value.

Find an anonymous way to draw out minor complaints with your team. Frustrated, speak freely and without reprimand.

One note: This is not the time for offering solutions, but an opportunity to safely share feelings, enabling teams and management to gain the necessary knowledge to address ongoing issues more effectively.

Now, it’s your turn. Anything you need to confess?

Looking for non-traditional team-building exercise ideas that grow your team skills? Let’s chat.

*This exercise should not be used to forgive corporate misdeeds or tolerate sexual harassment—there is no space for that, ever.