# Triple H

Participants reflect on and share three brief stories covering a hero who inspires them, a past hardship, and a personal or professional highlight.

**Time:** 25 minutes. UWT suggested duration. The source outlines a 5 to 15 minute exercise, but sharing three stories per person across groups of 4 requires 25 minutes.
**People:** 4 to 24. Small groups of 3 to 4 participants

## Choose this exercise

**Purpose:** Exchange background stories across three structured prompts to build mutual familiarity within a team.
**Use it when:** Use during a team retreat or project kickoff when colleagues need to learn more about each other beyond daily task assignments.
**Skip it when:** Skip with brand-new groups that lack basic rapport, in evaluative job interviews, or when participants prefer strictly task-focused meetings.

## Materials and tools

- One printed Triple H Prompt Card per person
- One pen or pencil per person
- A shared display, whiteboard, or slide showing the three H prompts
- Visible countdown timer

## Before participants arrive

1. Arrange seating into clusters of 3 or 4 chairs.
2. Display the three prompts clearly on a slide or whiteboard: Hero, Hardship, Highlight.
3. Place one Triple H Prompt Card and one pen at each seat.

## Say this to open

We will share three short stories that give context to who we are. They all start with H: Hero, Hardship, and Highlight. Take three minutes to jot down quick notes for yourself on your card before we talk. You decide what level of detail you want to share, and you can keep anything private. The specific personal stories you tell stay in your small group, while our final debrief will focus only on general reflections about what you learned from the process.

## How to run it

### 1. Introduce prompts and model (4 minutes)

Explain the three prompts: Hero (someone who inspires you and what they do), Hardship (a professional or personal challenge you navigated), and Highlight (a major milestone or achievement). Direct attention to the prompt cards. Facilitator shares their own concise 90 second Triple H example to establish tone and practical boundaries.

### 2. Silent reflection (3 minutes)

Participants write private notes on their Triple H Prompt Card for each prompt. Facilitator gives a one minute warning before small group conversation begins.

### 3. Small group sharing (14 minutes)

In groups of 3 or 4, each person takes a strict 3 minutes total to share their three stories. Groups rotate speakers clockwise, switching every 3 minutes guided by facilitator chimes and the room timer. Anyone may pass on any prompt or choose a purely professional example.

### 4. Whole room debrief (4 minutes)

Reconvene the full room. Invite 2 or 3 volunteers to answer the reflection questions about general process learnings. Remind the room not to disclose specific personal stories told by peers.


## Debrief questions

- What important or valuable themes did you take away from this activity?
- How does understanding someone's broader context change how you collaborate day to day?

**Finished output:** Completed prompt cards kept by participants and shared verbal stories within each small group.

## Remote

Display the three prompts on a shared slide. Place participants into breakout rooms of 3 or 4 for 14 minutes. Send broadcast announcements every 3 minutes prompting groups to switch to the next speaker. Return to the main room for debrief via voice or chat.

## Hybrid

Keep in person attendees in seated room pods of 3 to 4, and group remote attendees into virtual breakout rooms of 3 to 4. Conduct opening modeling and final debrief together across the main room screen and microphone. This avoids mixed audio feedback.

## Access and participation choices

- Participants may frame all three prompts around public professional work rather than personal life.
- Participants may pass on any prompt without explanation or remain as a listener.

## If the session gets stuck

**One participant talks too long on their first prompt, eating group time.**

Ring a gentle chime every 3 minutes and instruct small groups to transition immediately to the next speaker.

**A participant shares an intensely emotional hardship that makes the group uncomfortable.**

Acknowledge the courage to share, remind the group that confidentiality applies, and pivot gently to the Highlight prompt.


## Terms used here

- Triple H: A storytelling framework covering Hero, Hardship, and Highlight.

## Participant material: Triple H Prompt Card

TRIPLE H REFLECTION

1. HERO: Who is someone who inspires you? What do they do and why do you look up to them?

2. HARDSHIP: What is a challenge, obstacle, or setback you navigated in the past?

3. HIGHLIGHT: What is a personal or professional milestone, achievement, or proud moment?

Note: You choose what you share. You may focus strictly on professional experiences.

## Sources and adaptation

Observed in TrainerBubble training materials under the title 'Triple H - Free Team Building Game'.

Retained the three core prompts (Hero, Hardship, Highlight), facilitator modeling, and closing reflection topic from TrainerBubble. UWT arranged the format into small groups of 3 to 4, added a three minute silent prep step, provided a prompt card, removed em dashes, clarified speaker rotation pacing with audible cues, and aligned debrief prompts with stated confidentiality rules.

[TrainerBubble](https://www.trainerbubble.com/downloads/triple-h-free-team-building-game)

[TrainerBubble](https://www.trainerbubble.com/downloads/triple-h-free-team-building-game/?currency=USD)

[TrainerBubble](https://www.trainerbubble.com/downloads/triple-h-free-team-building-game/?currency=USD#)

Current run sheet: https://unitedwetransform.com/exercises/triple-h-free-team-building-game/