Rapid Tactic Creation: the Action Accordion

Here’s a chance to practice creating new actions or tactics for your group. It supports creativity and can be a chance to apply strategy lessons taught in earlier activities. It’s quick and guaranteed to get a few new tactics.

How to lead the activity:

Hand out blank paper to everyone. Begin by telling people to: “At the top of the paper, write down a brief description of the current situation for the group, such as important goals and potential allies. Write enough details so that the situation is clear to someone who doesn’t know it. Because next, we’ll pass around the paper and each person will write down an action they might do. Write that description at the top, with space at the bottom of the paper.”

(If the group all works on the same issue, instead ask people to write a description on the top of core values that they want expressed by the next action, or something personal that drives them to stay involved in this movement.)

Next, each person will trade that paper with someone else.

Everyone will read the top description and write one tactic/action that could fit that description. The tactic does not have to be totally figured out or totally viable—but some idea may spark other good ideas.

Lastly, each person will fold up the bottom so their action isn’t visible, but the description still is (like an accordion) — and then pass to someone else in the group.

That person reads the description, writes another tactic, and folds up. Continue at least six or seven rounds –– enough so that each paper is filled with several actions.

Afterwards, have people return the papers to the original author. Have people share in small groups: Any great ideas? An action or two you want to do?

You can debrief about strategic actions, creativity, or anything, or you can skip the debrief and just enjoy the list of creative actions!