Who Cards
Ever had those moments at gatherings where you left feeling like you didn't really learn anything about how people are doing? Or spent countless hours with family, yet still feel like they don't truly know you? In some social circles, it's always the same voices dominating the conversation, making it exhausting. 😓 And meeting new people? Breaking through the ice can be tough.
We've all been there. But guess what was missing? The WhoCards, of course!
WhoCards are here to be your companion in those moments. They turn gatherings into opportunities for meaningful connection and bring fresh intimacy to your relationships. 🌈 Say goodbye to the same old situations and welcome a new level of connection.
Starting with WHO Matters Most, Because You and the World Need It.
We repeatedly fall into a familiar pattern. We bring together great individuals. At events, conferences, gatherings, or around the dinner table; we meet but often overlook the power of starting with WHO.
Perhaps you've found yourself at such gatherings, where genuine interactions only take place in the coffee breaks, where attendees are loaded with information yet learn nothing about one another, or meetings where motivation is conspicuously absent.
The WHO element is the secret ingredient behind moments of creativity, deep connections, and the moments when groups make unexpected leaps forward. The question then becomes:
How do we assist people in not only focusing on their actions, aspirations, or goals but also in fostering an open and genuine moment of connection with someone else?
These are the moments that remind us of life’s universal challenges and joys, where it becomes evident that, regardless of whether one is a lawyer or a nurse, we share the same experiences of happiness and sorrow, transcending status and background.
In Switzerland today, numerous events emphasize the focus on WHO. Examples include the Changemaker Festival by step into action, the Mini.Zukunft Festival in Lichtensteig, the 2291 Festival, and the community gatherings organized by Collaboratio Helvetica, among others. At the Prix Swiss, a significant award gala, each guest found a card bearing a powerful WHO question beneath their name tag. At a designated moment, guests were encouraged to discuss these questions, transforming many superficial conversations into meaningful WHO conversations.
Six years ago, a group of friends, now the guardians of the WhoCards, began compiling powerful questions that ignite moments and conversations centered around WHO. Sometimes, that's all it takes—a deck of cards with impactful questions. The WhoCards team has made their questions accessible online for free and open-source in 14 languages at http://whocards.cc.
Engage with the WHO in your next interaction. Let's shift the focus from the superficial to the substantial, from the mundane to the meaningful. Because understanding WHO we are and WHO we're with lays the foundation for connections that not only enrich our lives but also have the power to change the world.
How to use
“The questions choose you!”. - “When we take out the WhoCards there is often that little moment of resistance. People might either not know what the Whocards are about or people are a little shy to enter into deeper conversations. So if you initiate a round of Whocards you learn to be more comfortable with bringing others a little out of their comfort zone. We suggest you just embrace that experience and try it out. Now, what also often happens is that someone gets a question he or she does not like. In this case it helps a lot to remind people that they are actually not choosing a question, but that the question chooses THEM. There is a good reason why a questions ends up in your hands, and with that in minds it is possible to spark people's curiosity and openness towards a question that might make them a bit uncomfortable. However, because it’s also a game, you may also introduce the once-in-a-liftime joker allowing people to take another card ;)
Why WhoCards?
Author:
Sidsel Andersen
Process consultant, coach
and social change-maker