Values Sorting
Identify and discuss personal and team values - deep activity for building understanding and alignment.
30-45 min
4-20 people
low
basic
About This Game
Values Sorting is a structured activity where participants identify their core values from a list, then share and discuss with the team. This creates deep understanding of what motivates each person and helps align team culture with shared values.
Objectives
- Uncover individual core values
- Understand what motivates teammates
- Find shared team values
- Build psychological safety through vulnerability
How to Run This Game
Facilitator Script:
"Values are what matter most to us - they guide our decisions and actions. Today we'll discover our individual values and explore our team's shared values. There are no right or wrong values."
Actions:
- Explain what values are (vs goals or behaviors)
- Share example: "I value creativity, so I seek projects that allow innovation"
- Distribute values list (60+ values like: creativity, security, adventure, family, justice, etc.)
Tips:
- • Emphasize: all values are valid
- • Provide physical cards or digital list
- • Set tone of openness
Facilitator Script:
"From this list, choose your top 5 core values - the ones that truly guide your life and decisions. This is personal reflection time. Take 10-12 minutes."
Actions:
- Give quiet time for individual selection
- Have people narrow from many to top 5
- Optional: rank the 5 in order of importance
- Encourage writing why each matters
Tips:
- • Play soft background music
- • Remind: choose what's TRUE for you, not what sounds good
- • It's okay to add values not on the list
Facilitator Script:
"Now in pairs or groups of 3, share your top values and why you chose them. Listen deeply - this is vulnerable sharing."
Actions:
- Break into pairs or triads
- Each person shares 3-5 minutes
- Encourage asking curious questions
- No judging or debating values
Tips:
- • Go first if facilitating a small group
- • Hold space for emotion
- • Time each person equally
Facilitator Script:
"Let's come back together. What did you notice? What values do we share as a team? How do our different values complement each other?"
Actions:
- Invite reflections on the process
- List shared values on whiteboard/screen
- Discuss how to honor different values
- Optional: create team values statement
Tips:
- • Highlight commonalities AND differences
- • Connect values to team behaviors
- • End on alignment note
Facilitator Tips
- Prepare values list beforehand (60+ values)
- Model vulnerability by sharing your own values first
- This works best with psychologically safe teams
- For new teams: keep sharing at surface level initially
- Follow up: reference team values in future decisions
Common Challenges & Solutions
Variations & Adaptations
Focus on professional values: innovation, excellence, collaboration, work-life balance, etc.
Share stories of when you acted on each value
teams have used this game