Claim to Fame Turnaround

Choose this exercise

Purpose: Exchange personal goals and practice peer advocacy by connecting partners to potential helpers in the room.

Use it when: Kickoffs, onboarding sessions, or networking events where participants benefit from low-stakes peer introductions.

Skip it when: When the group already knows each other well, or when immediate work requires strict technical focus.

Group arrangement: Initial pairs (or one trio if odd), then merged clusters of four to six, or an intact trio if remaining odd.

Timing: Source suggests 5 to 15 minutes. UWT standardizes on 15 minutes to allow balanced turns and a plenary debrief.

Materials and tools

• Timer or bell

Before participants arrive

1. Clear sufficient floor space for participants to stand, walk, and speak comfortably in small groups.

Say this to open

Find a partner you do not know well. If we have an odd count, I will set up one trio. You will share your answers to this prompt: 'What would you love your claim to fame to be?' Listen closely to your partner. In the next step, you will introduce them to others who might help them get there, unless they prefer to keep it private.

How to run it

1. Pair up and frame prompt 2 minutes

   Say the opening script. Direct participants to pair up with someone they do not know well. If the total head count is odd, form one group of three. Confirm that everyone has a partner or trio before starting the clock.

2. Share claims to fame 4 minutes

   Partners answer what they would love their claim to fame to be. Signal at 2 minutes to switch speakers. Trios divide the 4 minutes evenly, giving each person 80 seconds. Example: 'I want to write a field guide for wild mushrooms' or 'I want to design a clean onboarding checklist.' Modest, lighthearted, or ambitious topics are welcome. Remind participants to confirm if their partner consents to being introduced in the next step.

3. Merge groups and introduce partners 6 minutes

   Merge pairs and trios into clusters of four to six. If a trio cannot combine with another group without exceeding six, the trio stays intact. In each cluster, take roughly 60 seconds per person to introduce their partner. In an intact trio, each person introduces one partner in a circle. Group members offer contacts, ideas, and advice. If a partner prefers not to be introduced, their counterpart may introduce themselves, share a general reflection with their small group, or pass.

4. Debrief connections and wrap up 3 minutes

   Gather the full group. Ask two or three volunteers to share a useful contact, tip, or unexpected common interest that surfaced during their introductions. In hybrid setups, ensure balanced representation by taking one share from the room and one from the online cohort. Thank everyone and conclude.

Debrief questions

• What was it like advocating for your partner's aspiration rather than speaking about your own?
• Did anyone discover an unexpected resource, skill, or shared interest during the introduction?

Finished output: Participants have shared an aspiration or chosen to pass, and consenting members have been introduced to potential resources across the room.

Remote

Set breakout rooms of two people (or one room of three for an odd count) for 4 minutes with a single countdown timer. Broadcast a prompt at 1 minute 20 seconds for trios to switch to their second speaker, at 2 minutes for pairs to switch speakers, and at 2 minutes 40 seconds for trios to switch to their third speaker. Next, merge breakout rooms into clusters of four to six for 6 minutes to make partner introductions. Rejoin plenary for debrief.

Hybrid

Run the pairing and group merger phases in two separate cohorts: in-person pairs merge with in-person peers, while remote pairs merge in digital breakout rooms. Both cohorts rejoin a combined screen and audio link for the debrief. Take exactly one volunteer share from the room and one volunteer share from the online cohort to ensure balanced representation within the 3 minutes.

Access and participation choices

• Participants may share a lighthearted hobby, a professional ambition, or a modest skill they enjoy.
• Anyone may decline being introduced across the room and participate purely as an active listener.
• If your partner chooses not to be introduced, you may introduce yourself, share a general reflection with your small group, or simply pass your turn.

If the session gets stuck

A participant cannot think of a future claim to fame or feels awkward about fame.

Invite them to share a current everyday skill or modest hobby they enjoy doing well, such as baking bread or organizing files.

A participant cannot see how another person in the room could help their partner's claim.

Remind participants that helpfulness includes asking curious follow-up questions, offering encouragement, or suggesting outside communities.

Terms used here

• Claim to fame: An achievement, skill, or reputation a person hopes to be known for.