77. Rolestorming
Background
We all play various roles in our lives: butcher, baker, candlestick maker, mother, father,
brother, teacher, friend, and so on. In one sense, we all are actors strutting on the stage of
life (with apologies to The Bard). Life requires that we wear many different hats to inter-
act with various people. We act our way through most interpersonal situations.
Most of our “acting” is genuine in that we aren’t intentionally trying to become some-
one else. Rather, we may act out little scenarios to add spice to our interactions. Thus, we
might sometimes put a little twist in our behavior and temporarily pretend we’re some-
one else or act slightly out of character. Such role-playing behavior helps emphasize a
point and simply makes life more interesting.
Role playing also provides new perspectives. Marriage counselors often ask spouses
to role play a dialog from the other spouse’s point of view. This allows both spouses to
see things differently and increases their understanding of the other. As a result, they may
think of new ways to interact.
Griggs (1985) devised the Rolestorming activity to capitalize on the advantages of role
playing. Griggs believes that many brainstorming sessions are unproductive because peo-
ple feel inhibited. We take a risk every time we suggest something new. If our ideas are
not received well, we stand to lose face.
To help prevent inhibition, Griggs suggested that group members generate ideas from
someone else’s perspective, which is the premise of this exercise.Objectives
- To help participants generate as many creative ideas as possible
- To help participants learn how to use the activities to generate ideas
Participants
Small groups of four to seven people eachMaterials, Supplies, and Equipment
- For each group: markers, two flip charts, and masking tape for posting flip-chart
sheets
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