Global Change Seminar "It's Your Move!"
Group Technique
The Talking Stick
The"Talking Stick" is a handy technique to use in a group meeting to make sure that each person gets to have--and finish--their say without being interrupted. Here's how it works.
- Pick a small item to be used as the Talking Stick. A stick, small ball, beanbag, stuffed animal. Something small that is easily tossed and caught, and won't break anything.
- Lay the item on a place in the middle of the group.
- The person who wants to talk first, picks up the Talking Stick and starts speaking.
- No-one interrupts the person who is holding the Talking Stick.
- If the speaker needs some time to think before s/he is finished, then everyone just waits until they're ready.
- When the speaker is finished s/he lays the Talking Stick back down in its place, or asks who wants it next and then tosses it to that person.
- The next person talks until they've had their say, and so on until everyone has had their turn.