Fear in a Hat

Description of a Group Interpersonal Understanding Exercise

James Neill
Last updated:
Fear in a Hat
Set an appropriate tone,
e.g., settled, attentive,
caring and serious.
!e tone could "e set "#
introducing t!e topic of
fear and explaining !o$
it is normal and natural
at t!is stage of program
t!at people are experiencing all sorts of anxieties,
$orries and fears a"out $!at mig!t !appen. %
good $a# of starting to deal $it! t!ese fears is
!ave t!em openl# acn&o$ledged ' la# t!em on t!e
ta"le, $it!out "eing su"(ect to ridicule. )aving
one*s fears expressed and !eard almost
immediatel# cuts t!em in !alf.
+an "e done as t!e first activit# in a program,
during t!e initial stages or $ell into t!e program.
,!en used earl# on in particular, it can !elp to
foster group support and "e !elpful for alerting t!e
group to issues t!e# ma# $ant to respect in a -ull
.alue +ontract.
%s& ever#one, including t!e group leaders, to
complete t!is sentence on a piece of paper
/anon#mousl#0:
1In t!is trip2group2program, I am 3most4 afraid
t!at...1 or 1In t!is trip2group2program, t!e $orst
t!ing t!at could !appen to me $ould "e...1
+ollect t!e pieces of paper, mix t!em around, t!en
invite eac! person to a piece of paper and read
a"out someone*s fear.
5ne "# one, eac! group mem"er reads out t!e
fear of anot!er group mem"er and ela"orates and
$!at !e2s!e feels t!at person is most afraid of in
t!is group2situation. No one is to comment on
$!at t!e person sa#s, (ust listen and move on to
t!e next person.
If t!e reader doesn*t ela"orate muc! on t!e fear,
t!en as& t!em one or t$o 6uestions. %void
impl#ing or s!o$ing #our opinion as to t!e fear
"eing expressed, unless t!e person is disrepecting
or completel# misunderstanding someone*s fear.
If t!e person doesn*t ela"orate after one or t$o
6uestions, leave it and move on.




Equipment:
7aper and pen2pencil per
participant8 )at, tin or "ag.
Time:
9: minutes ; <'= minutes per
participant, e.g., <:'=> minutes
for a group of <>.
Brief description:
7eople $rite personal fears
anon#mousl# on pieces of paper
$!ic! are collected. !en eac!
person reads someone else*s fear
to group and explains !o$ t!e
person mig!t feel.
Links to other versions:
-ear in a )at
/$$$.(afi.org.ilm0
-ear in a )at
/$$$.nurturingpotential.net0

,!en all t!e fears !ave "een read out and
ela"orated on, t!en discuss $!at people felt and
noticed.
+an lead into ot!er activities, suc! as developing a
-ull Group +ontract, personal or team goal
settings, course "riefings $!ic! specificall# tac&le
some of t!e issues raised, or into ot!er activities in
$!ic! participants explore t!eir feelings and fears
/e.g., see t!e -ear in a )at description at
$$$.nurturingpotential.net0
Variations
Li&es and disli&es ' in t$o separate !ats
,orries
+omplaints2gripes
,is!es
-avorite moments