The Snow White and the Seven Dwarves Game

By Portia Tung and Pascal Van Cauwenberghe

The Snow White and the Seven Dwarves Game is a mini-adventure of self-
discovery to improve personal effectiveness. Here’s your chance to improve
the way you communicate by developing a better understanding of others and
of yourself. The mirror will show you your real ability in working with others.
Once you and your colleagues know more about yourselves, you can use the
game to create teams where everybody plays to their strengths and help one
another address each other’s weaknesses.
Overview
Through detailed consideration of what you think of
others and why, you will gain new insights into who
you are. You will also develop a clearer
understanding of who you want to be. Once you’ve
identified possible areas for self-improvement, you
can choose to change and become more effective
in the way you work, both on your own and with
others.

By knowing the strengths of different types of

people, you will be able to build well-balanced
teams that play to the strengths of everyone in the
team. And because you will recognise weaknesses,
you will know where the team can improve.

Game components
A single deck containing 10 different character cards.

A game worksheet detailing the characteristics represented by each character

card.

Preparation
The storyteller begins with a re-telling of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.

Each group is given a deck of character cards, a game worksheet and a copy
of this instruction leaflet.

The storyteller runs through the character set and the characteristics they
represent as outlined in the worksheet.
Part 1: Looking into the Mirror
1. Form groups of 2 – 3 players. You should ideally play with someone
you don’t know well.

2. Randomly select 3 characters to discuss with your pair.

3. Associate one real life person that springs to mind for each character
card you select. Note down your reason(s) for the real life person-
character mapping.

4. In pairs or groups of 3, take turns sharing your real life person-

character mapping. Explore what each person-character mapping tells
you about yourself.

5. Identify the actions you can take to improve your relationship with a
particular individual.

Part 2: Building your Fairytale Team

1. Form groups of 4 - 5 players.

2. Come up with a project that has a clear goal and a deadline.

3. Randomly select 3 characters to form the project team. Assign each

character to roles that leverage their strengths.

4. Review your team and consider which skills are missing to deliver the
project. Select 2 more characters to complete the project team.

5. Present your project and describe the way in which the team was
selected.

Part 3: Create your own Happy Ending

1. Go back to your original group of 2 or 3.

2. Share your actions for improving your understanding with a particular

individual.

3. Commit to an action.
Scoring the Game
You’re winning when you answer ‘Yes’ to the following game play acceptance
criteria:

Part 1: Looking in the Mirror

Have you learnt something new about yourself or gained a more in-
depth understanding of a particular personal response or habit?

Has your view of at least one of the people you associated with a
character changed?

Have you identified at least one way of becoming more effective in the
way you work on your own?

Have you identified at least one way of becoming more effective in the
way you work with others?

Part 2: Building your Fairytale Team

Have you identified the skills required to deliver the project?

Are you able to identify the strengths of all the characters on the team?

Are you able to identify the weaknesses of all the characters in the
team and counterbalance them with the strengths of the other
characters?

Part 3: Create your own Happy Ending

Have you committed to making one small change to improve your
personal effectiveness?

Pascal Van
Portia Tung Cauwenberghe

portia@agilefairytales.com pascal@agilefairytales.com

Enjoyed playing this game? Find out more at www.agilefairytales.com