# Participation Line-Up Debrief Participants arrange themselves in a line based on how frequently they contributed during a session, receive balanced appreciation, and conduct a discussion giving initial speaking turns to less frequent contributors. **Time:** 15 minutes. UWT suggested duration based on Greenaway's facilitation sequence in Play for Performance. **People:** 6 to 20. Whole group in a single continuum line, then seated in that order for discussion. ## Choose this exercise **Purpose:** Rebalance speaking airtime and reflect on participation patterns without assigning blame. **Use it when:** Use when a debrief is dominated by a few voices and quieter members have not had space to speak. **Skip it when:** Skip when group trust is fragile, when ranking behavior causes active distress, or during high-stakes conflict resolution. ## Materials and tools - Floor space clear enough for participants to stand in a single line - Chairs arranged in a circle or row matching the line order - Shared digital whiteboard or collaborative document (remote/hybrid) - Projector and display screen (hybrid) ## Before participants arrive 1. Clear a walking lane across the room so all participants can stand side by side along an imaginary spectrum. 2. Set up a shared digital continuum board if hosting remote or hybrid participants. ## Say this to open I believe everyone in this group gets more value when quieter members participate more. Do you share this belief? We are going to test a quick technique to balance our airtime. We will line up by how much we spoke today, say thanks to every style, and reseat ourselves to run our debrief with fresh airtime rules. ## How to run it ### 1. Check consensus and set ground rules (3 minutes) Read the opening script. Invite a quick head nod or verbal check. Explain that no participation style is flawed. Outline that the goal is simply noticing airtime patterns together. ### 2. Form the participation continuum (3 minutes) Designate one end of the room for frequent contributors and the opposite end for infrequent contributors. Ask participants to self-sort into a single line based on their vocal participation today. Those who prefer not to stand may name their spot and stay seated. ### 3. Affirm all contributions (3 minutes) Walk the line and offer appreciation to each segment. To the frequent contributors, say: 'We thank you for giving so much.' To the middle group, say: 'We thank you for getting it just right.' To the infrequent contributors, say: 'We thank you for your consideration in thinking carefully before speaking up.' ### 4. Reseat and debrief in sequence (6 minutes) Have the group sit in their line order. Pose a single reflection question about the previous session. Invite initial comments from the quieter end of the line, keeping turns to about 30 seconds each. Reassure participants that passing is completely fine. Hear from four to six volunteers across the line as time permits. ## Debrief questions - What did you notice about where you placed yourself on the continuum? - How did shifting the speaking order affect what points were raised during our discussion? - What can we do as a group to share speaking airtime more evenly in future discussions? **Finished output:** A reordered discussion circle where quieter voices have had first choice to speak and the group has reflected on its airtime balance. ## Remote Use an online whiteboard or shared document displaying a horizontal continuum labeled 'High Vocal Contribution' on the left and 'Low Vocal Contribution' on the right. Ask participants to place a digital card or type their name along the line. Read the three affirmations aloud. When debriefing, invite comments starting from the quiet end of the continuum, clearly permitting a pass via voice or chat. ## Hybrid Remote participants place their names along a shared digital continuum while in-person participants form their physical line. Project the digital board in the room so all see both spreads. For the debrief, merge into a single turn order by alternating: call the least frequent remote participant, then the least frequent in-person participant, moving inward step by step toward the vocal end. ## Access and participation choices - Participants with mobility restrictions can point to their chosen spot on the spectrum or name it verbally while remaining seated. - Any participant may pass on speaking during the debrief by stating 'pass' or using a silent hand gesture without explanation. ## If the session gets stuck **Someone feels singled out or shamed for being at either extreme of the continuum.** Reiterate the source scripts that honor both careful deliberation and abundant sharing, emphasizing that both styles provide value. **A participant at the quiet end feels pressured when offered the first turn to speak.** Immediately normalize passing by saying 'Thank you, pass accepted', and smoothly move to the next person. ## Terms used here - Continuum line: A physical or digital line where participants position themselves along a spectrum between two defined endpoints. ## Sources and adaptation Observed in The Thiagi Group's newsletter 'Play for Performance' (February 2005), which attributes the 'Change: Silence the louder group members' debriefing technique to Roger Greenaway. Retained Roger Greenaway's exact framing scripts, compliments for the three line segments, and the rule prioritizing quiet contributors from the Play for Performance article. UWT added concrete step timings, remote and hybrid configurations, explicit pass options, and equipment requirements. [The Thiagi Group](https://thiagi.net/archive/www/pfp/IE4H/february2005.html) [The Thiagi Group](http://thiagi.net/archive/www/pfp/IE4H/february2005.html) Current run sheet: https://unitedwetransform.com/exercises/pfp-february-2005/