Sharing 60-Second Life Hacks

A Distributed Work Tool

Team members share one personal hack for their life or work in 60 seconds.

In a virtual format, this experience recreates the casual connection and learning that often occurs in the office with water cooler and hallway conversations.

Basic Version

The leader begins the experience by saying, “Today we are going to share our 60-Second Life or Work Hacks,” and then individual team members each get 60 seconds to share.

The longer script to begin the game could be, “Today we are going to share our 60-Second Life or Work Hacks. Share something that is personally helping you in your life or work, big or small, recent or long term. Maybe all of us are doing it too, or maybe none of us are doing it. Maybe some of us will want to do it after you share, or maybe not. Regardless, we want to take the time to have some personal sharing and learn a new hack.”

Variations

Recently I Learned

A more relaxed version of 60-Second Life Hack is simply people sharing anything they recently learned. It can be narrowed to “related to my work” or broadened to “anything.”

Integration: Post-Mortem

At the end of a project, a leader asks everyone to give a 60-Second Work Hack about one thing they did on the project that really worked for them.

Integration: Software

Ask team members to give a 60-Second Hack for any business software you’re using. Even if nearly everyone knows most of each other’s hacks, little details can still be learned and a connecting sense of shared experience can occur through this brief activity. 

Why This Works

60-Second Life Hack is a learning tool but it also creates connection under the guise of what researchers call a “Functional Alibi.”

On the surface the activity is about the function of learning, so we allow ourselves to partake in the activity, even if what we’re often gaining is a moment of fun and connection. It might not feel right to say “everyone tell a 60-second personal story” to start a meeting, but it does feel right to say “everyone share a 60-Second Life Hack that’s currently making things better for you.”