Matchstick discussion

Give everybody a chance to contribute to the discussion by sharing speaking time equally. With this tool you do not need to be a strict moderator, but people will notice themselves that currently it’s the other participants’ time to speak up.

Instructions

  • This tool can be used with any number of people in order to place limits on over-eager speakers.
  • It also encourages shy speakers to contribute.
  • Each person is given an equal number of matches.
  • Every time someone speaks up they give up a match.
  • When someone has used all their matches they may not speak again until everyone else’s matches are gone, too.
match

Image: Pixabay.com

Source:  Seedsforchange. A Consensus Handbook.

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