Thankfulness Tree

Choose this exercise

Purpose: Create a shared visual record of participant appreciations and learning points at the close of a session.

Use it when: Use at the end of a workshop, project milestone, or retrospective when the group needs an explicit way to acknowledge contributions and highlights.

Skip it when: Skip during unresolved conflict or performance crises where forced gratitude feels dismissive or insincere.

Group arrangement: Individual drafting, whole-room display, pairs or small groups of 3 to 4 for sharing

Timing: Source records suggest 5 to 15 minutes; UWT structures 15 minutes to allow cutting, writing, posting, and small-group sharing for up to 24 participants.

Materials and tools

• Sheets of colored paper (at least 2 per person)
• Roll of painter tape or masking tape
• Pairs of scissors (at least 1 pair per 2 participants)
• Writing markers or pens (1 per person)
• Large butcher paper or poster board pre-cut into a tree trunk and branches, taped to a wall

Before participants arrive

1. Substantial setup required.
2. Tape the paper tree trunk and branches to a visible wall, whiteboard, or door.
3. Distribute colored paper, scissors, and markers across tables so all participants have easy reach.

Say this to open

We are going to close our time together by creating a visual record of what we appreciate from this work. Take a piece of colored paper, trace your hand or cut out a leaf shape, and write one or two specific things you are grateful for from this project or workshop. You can choose whether to read yours aloud later.

How to run it

1. Introduce prompt and prepare shapes 3 minutes

   Explain the goal and state the opening script. Direct participants to trace one of their hands or cut out a simple leaf shape from the colored paper. Provide pre-cut leaf shapes for anyone who prefers not to trace or cut.

2. Write appreciations 4 minutes

   Participants write one or two specific points of gratitude on their paper shape. Give a neutral example: 'Grateful to Sam for organizing our daily check-in notes.' Anyone who prefers to keep their note private may fold the paper or write a general session takeaway instead.

3. Attach to tree and small-group sharing 5 minutes

   Invite participants to tape their paper shapes onto the tree branches using small loops of tape. Once posted, have participants turn to 1 or 2 neighbors and briefly share what they wrote, or share what they notice about the overall display if they passed on personal notes.

4. Whole-room debrief 3 minutes

   Gather the full room facing the tree. Invite 2 or 3 volunteers to read one item that stands out to them on the tree. Close the session on time.

Debrief questions

• Looking at the tree as a whole, what patterns or shared themes stand out?
• What was an accomplishment or support that might have gone unnoticed without this display?

Finished output: A collaborative wall display of paper hands or leaves detailing specific team appreciations.

Remote

Set up an online whiteboard with an illustration of a bare tree trunk and branches. Give each participant a digital hand- or leaf-shaped sticky note. Give participants 4 minutes to type their appreciation onto their note and position it on a branch. Break the room into breakout rooms of 3 people for 4 minutes to discuss what they wrote, then return to the main room for 3 minutes of debrief.

Hybrid

Prepare both the physical wall tree and the digital whiteboard tree. Pair each remote participant with an in-person buddy. When the remote participant adds a digital note, the in-person buddy writes the text on a paper shape and tapes it to the physical tree. During small-group sharing, run dedicated remote breakout rooms and local table pairs in parallel.

Access and participation choices

• Provide pre-cut leaf and hand shapes so no one is required to trace their body or handle scissors.
• Participants may write session insights, practical resources, or leave their paper blank without explaining their choice.

If the session gets stuck

Participants write broad platitudes like 'teamwork' that do not offer clear meaning.

Remind participants to name a specific action, person, tool, or moment from the shared work.

A queue forms at the wall, causing a time delay.

Place rolls of tape at individual tables so participants apply tape before walking up to attach their shape.