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Creatively connecting, 5 minutes at a time
Bahaa Chmait, founder of JOYMOB Events, had just ordered 200 clipboards and a few reams of paper for the networking event he was facilitating.
The need: reduce the loneliness and anxiety that people feel at events, especially when they don't know anybody.
The idea - to create a fun atmosphere where people were making new connections, he would give everyone a clipboard, some markers, and have them draw their new partner without lifting up the pen, and no looking down.
Drawing was the tool to get people mingling.
Inviting a friend over for the task of setting up all the materials, they hadn't even got through unwrapping 10 of the clipboards, stuffing them with 6-7 sheets of paper, before he thought there might be a better way to do this - both for them and the environment.
That's when he thought of Piccles from a workshop he attended online.
Would this work in-person?
Not afraid experimentation and trying new ideas, Bahaa went for it. And people LOVED IT.
With a simple format - 3 minutes to draw, and 4 minutes to get to know the person, connections flourished.
This lightened the mood, and let people play and have fun together in an easy and accessible way.
The only thing left to do after the successful networking event was to return the 200 clipboards!