Scaling Ups Love-Loathe Exercise is a terrific tool for better understanding teams. High-performing teams have excellent alignment between what is asked of them and what they naturally do well. With this exercise, your team can begin to discuss what responsibilities need to come off who's plates. Here is how it works:
- Gather the team and print out one copy per person.
- Give each team member 2 minutes to write out all the tasks they love. Or, as I say, "what gives you energy?" Be sure to instruct them to list those tasks in priority.
- Give them another 2 minutes to write out all the tasks that detract from their energy or tasks they avoid. These get prioritized in the Loathe column.
- Ask them to circle the tasks that are core to their role and unable to be delegated or improved.
- Now ask the team to take 4 minutes to write out what they plan to do to delegate or improve the tasks not circled in their loathe list.
- Go around the room and have them each share what they want to remove from their loathe list and how that will be accomplished.
Bonus, it's common for someone in the room to be excited to take on a task that another member loathes.
