Hopes and Fears
A simple opening exercise where participants write their hopes (what they want to achieve or experience) and fears (what they worry about) for the session or project ahead. Displayed publicly, the collection creates a shared contract between participants and facilitators, and sets a psychologically safe tone by normalising anxiety.
How to run it
- 1
Set up two columns on a board: 'Hopes' and 'Fears' (or 'Concerns').
- 2
Give participants two colours of sticky notes — one per column.
- 3
Ask everyone to silently write 1–3 hopes and 1–3 fears (3–5 minutes).
- 4
Participants place their notes on the board.
- 5
Briefly read out the themes without attributing them to individuals.
- 6
Acknowledge the fears explicitly: 'We hear these concerns. Here's how we plan to address them...'
- 7
Return to the hopes at the end of the session to check whether they were met.
Tips
Explicitly closing the loop at the end of the session — 'Did we address your hopes? Did your fears come true?' — is what makes this a powerful full-session frame, not just an opener.
Address fears concretely, not vaguely.
Variations
Run anonymously by collecting notes before anyone enters the room. For longer programmes, revisit hopes and fears at each module. Replace 'fears' with 'concerns' for groups that find 'fear' too charged.
Where it fits
Frequently asked questions
When should I use Hopes and Fears?â–¾
Use Hopes and Fears when you want to: Workshop openings; Project kick-offs; Change management sessions; Sensitive or high-stakes meetings.
How long does Hopes and Fears take?â–¾
Hopes and Fears typically takes 15–25 minutes.
How many participants does Hopes and Fears work for?â–¾
Hopes and Fears works best for groups of 3–30 participants.
What materials do I need for Hopes and Fears?â–¾
To run Hopes and Fears you will need: sticky notes (2 colours), markers, flip chart or wall.
How difficult is Hopes and Fears to facilitate?â–¾
Hopes and Fears is rated beginner — straightforward to facilitate even without prior experience.
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