Personal Maps

Personal Maps is a Management 3.0 practice proposed by Jurgen Appelo to help colleagues get to know each other better. Each person creates a mind map with their name at the centre and personal branches such as home, education, work, hobbies, family, friends, goals, or values. The game brings out commonalities, surprises, and conversation topics that reduce the distance between individuals. It is particularly useful for strengthening team cohesion, welcoming new members, or facilitating collaboration.

Walkthrough

1. 1

   Set the framework and intention

   5 min

   The facilitator welcomes the group and announces the objective: "We are going to get to know each other better, beyond roles and job titles, to facilitate collaboration." They clarify that everyone can freely choose what to share and can remain at a comfortable level. They remind participants that listening, curiosity, and confidentiality are expected. Participants understand that the exercise is neither an evaluation nor therapy, but a conversation support.

   Tip — Explicitly state that personal information is not mandatory: this relaxes reserved individuals and improves the quality of sharing.

2. 2

   Explain the principle of the personal map

   5 min

   The facilitator shows the expected format without imposing an aesthetic model: the name in the centre, then branches around it. They provide examples of possible branches: home, education, work, hobbies, family, friends, goals, and values. They add: "You can take these themes, remove some, or add others; the important thing is that the map speaks about you." Participants can ask clarification questions before starting.

   Tip — Avoid showing a too-perfect map: this can block individuals who think they cannot draw.

3. 3

   Draw your Personal Map

   10 to 15 min

   Each participant draws their mind map individually, with their name at the centre. The facilitator invites them to note keywords, places, passions, important people, experiences, or goals. They specify: "Don’t try to say everything; choose what helps others understand you better." Meanwhile, they circulate, answer questions, and encourage simple and readable maps.

   Tip — Announce the remaining time halfway through and then two minutes before the end: this helps shift from perfectionism to sharing.

4. 4

   Form pairs for cross-presentation

   3 to 5 min

   The facilitator forms pairs or asks participants to pair up with someone they know little. Each person shares their map with their partner for a short period of silent reading. They give the instruction: "You will present your colleague's map by explaining what you understand from it, without inventing or judging." The owner of the map listens first, then will complete or correct afterwards.

   Tip — If the team already knows each other well, impose unusual pairs to avoid automatic responses and create real discoveries.

5. 5

   Present your colleague's map

   10 to 20 min

   In turn, each participant presents their partner's map to the group. They articulate what they understand: "I see that...", "I imagine this is important to you...", "What I take away from your map..." The owner adds, nuances, or corrects after the presentation, then others ask a few open questions. The facilitator ensures the pace and protects individuals if a question becomes too intrusive.

   Tip — Encourage presenters to speak cautiously: replacing statements with hypotheses makes the exercise more respectful.

6. 6

   Elicit connections within the group

   5 to 10 min

   After several presentations, the facilitator asks the group to identify common points, useful differences, and surprises. They might say: "What have you discovered that could facilitate your way of working together?" Participants share links: common passions, similar values, shared experiences, or complementarities. This step transforms personal information into concrete resources for collaboration.

   Tip — Only note positive or useful connections on the board, never sensitive elements associated with a person without their consent.

7. 7

   Conclude and decide on the use of the maps

   5 min

   The facilitator offers to keep the displayed maps if the group wishes. They clarify that everyone retains control of their map: it can remain visible, be taken back, modified, or removed. They conclude: "These maps are not fixed; they can evolve with you and the team." Participants leave with a better mutual understanding and conversation topics for the future.

   Tip — Ask for explicit agreement before displaying or photographing the maps, especially if the workshop brings together people who do not always work together.

Variants

• Short version: each person draws their map and then shares only three branches of their choice. This variant fits better within a 30-minute slot or with a group close to 15 participants.
• In-depth version: after each presentation, the group asks a question about the person's goals or values. This variant places more emphasis on future collaboration.
• Remote version: each participant creates their map on a collaborative whiteboard or a sheet shown to the camera. Pairs then present the maps via video conference, and the maps can remain visible in the team's digital space.
• Onboarding version: a new member presents their map and then discovers those of several colleagues. This accelerates the creation of relational markers without solely going through roles and responsibilities.