This activity embodies visual imagery and encourages the leadership activity participants to use a symbol to represent their leadership program.

Objective

• To create a symbol for everything participants learn and to understand how it all fits together.
• To show how ritual and memory joggers can be used to fortify what has been learned and help make learning a continuous process.
• To apply what has been learned in the activity.

Activity training methods 

• Visual imagery
• Use of rituals

Materials Required

Select one visual image that represents the leadership activity, the organization, or an industry. Suggestions include:

• A visual representation of the company’s logo or headquarters in the background, and the words representing the modules in your program in the foreground.
• An illustration or photograph of leaders (women and men), across which are printed the titles of the program modules.

The chosen visual image should be enlarged to approximately the size of a placemat. Then, mount it on cardboard and cut it into fairly large “puzzle” pieces.

Room setup

• Flexible, as long as the puzzle frame can remain in a fixed place throughout the workshop

This idea works well if your leadership program is organized into several modules or will extend over a period of days. Each piece of the puzzle can represent one module or one day.

Step-by-Step Instructions 

1. Step 1: Introduce the puzzle to participants at the beginning of the leadership program. Show it first as an assembled whole, and then place the pieces in a bag. Keep the puzzle frame on display in the room throughout the workshop or program, so each added piece is visible to all.
2. At the end of each module or training day, one piece will be added to the puzzle. Select one of these two ways to do this. Ask for a volunteer to select the piece that will be added and to
   explain why she/he selected that one.  As the facilitator, select the piece that represents the module just completed, and add it to the puzzle.
3. At the end of your leadership program, give each participant a smaller version of the puzzle (or a plaque with the picture of the puzzle on it) as a way of reminding them of what they learned about leadership.

Activity Review

Take time shortly after conducting this activity to reflect on how it went, how engaged the participants were, and what questions they raised. Then, make notes that include how much time you actually spent on the activity.