In the world of team dynamics, hidden concerns can often be like the "stinky fish" sitting in the corner of the room, everyone knows it’s there, but no one wants to deal with it.
The “Stinky Fish” exercise is a creative and impactful workshop activity designed to help teams bring these underlying issues to the surface, address them, and foster open communication.
What is the Stinky Fish exercise?
The Stinky Fish exercise is a metaphorical activity where participants are encouraged to share the unspoken worries, fears, or concerns they carry with them in the workplace.
The term "stinky fish" refers to the issues that, if left unaddressed, will "stink up" the workplace, affecting team morale, trust, and productivity.
Much like how a physical stinky fish would be hard to ignore, unresolved issues in teams can become bigger problems over time.
Objectives of the Stinky Fish Exercise
The Stinky Fish exercise aims to:
Identify and air hidden concerns that team members may have but are hesitant to share openly.
Foster transparency by encouraging honest and open communication.
Build trust within the team by creating a safe space for vulnerability.
Encourage problem-solving by addressing concerns early before they fester into larger issues
How to Run the Stinky Fish Exercise
1. Setting the Stage: To kick off the exercise, a facilitator explains the purpose of the activity and introduces the metaphor of the stinky fish.
The facilitator emphasizes that everyone carries some hidden worries or concerns, and this exercise is a safe and non-judgmental way to express them.
2. Drawing the Fish: Each participant receives a piece of paper and is asked to draw a fish.
This doesn’t have to be a masterpiece; it’s just a fun, visual element to represent the metaphor. Inside the fish, participants are instructed to write down their "stinky fish"—the concerns or worries they’ve been carrying but haven't yet voiced to the group.
These could range from fear of failure, unclear project expectations, workplace frustrations, or interpersonal tensions.
3. Sharing the Stinky Fish: Participants are invited to share their fish with the group.
This is a crucial part of the exercise, as it fosters openness and builds trust. It’s important that the facilitator creates a safe environment where team members feel comfortable sharing their vulnerabilities.
4. Group Discussion: After each person has shared their stinky fish, the facilitator leads a group discussion.
The goal here is not to immediately solve every problem but to acknowledge them and validate the feelings behind them.
The facilitator may guide the team to explore patterns in the concerns shared and identify areas where the team can work together to address these issues moving forward.
5. Action Plan: Once all concerns have been shared, the team can work together to create a plan of action.
This can involve setting up processes to ensure better communication, clarifying project goals, or scheduling regular check-ins to prevent concerns from festering in the future.
Benefits of the Stinky Fish Exercise
Improves Communication: By encouraging team members to share their concerns, the Stinky Fish exercise opens up lines of communication. It helps individuals feel heard and gives them the space to express feelings they may have been bottling up.
Builds Trust: When team members are vulnerable and open about their worries, it helps build trust. The exercise demonstrates that the team is a safe space where honesty is valued, and addressing issues head-on is encouraged.
Prevents Future Conflicts: By addressing concerns early, the exercise helps teams avoid potential conflicts that could arise if issues are left unresolved. Acknowledging concerns as they come up ensures that they don't grow into larger problems.
Fosters Problem-Solving: While the goal of the Stinky Fish exercise isn’t to fix every problem immediately, it sets the stage for collaborative problem-solving. Once concerns are aired, the team can come together to develop strategies for addressing them constructively.
The Stinky Fish exercise is a simple yet powerful way to address the hidden concerns that often lurk beneath the surface of team dynamics.
By creating an environment where team members can be open about their fears and frustrations, it fosters transparency, trust, and collaboration.
Teams that regularly engage in this type of reflective practice are better equipped to handle challenges and maintain a positive, supportive work environment.
So, the next time you sense some unspoken worries or tensions within your team, why not take a moment to pull out the metaphorical stinky fish and let the team breathe fresh air into those concerns?
Stinky Fish template from Miroverse: https://miro.com/miroverse/stinky-fish/