This activity is a good one to examine the role of inter-team communication and silos, although it’s also a great activity when done just for fun. It works best for larger groups of ten or more.
Divide your team up into three or four groups (preferably with three or more people in each group.)
Each group needs to huddle together and come up with a noise and an action to perform for the rest of the groups. This can be anything, encourage them to be creative!
Ask each group in turn to demonstrate their chosen noise and action.
The object of the game is for all of the groups to end up doing the same noise and action at the same time, without having consulted each other.
Give them a few seconds to huddle and decide what noise/action to make. Then, count down from five, and on go, all teams need to make their chosen noise/action.
Repeat the process until all groups are doing the same noise/action. If by chance the groups succeed on the first or second try, break them up into smaller groups and repeat the activity.
Reassemble the team and ask them a few questions:
- How did that activity feel?
- Why was reaching consensus so difficult?
- How did you make decisions, as a group?
- How did it feel not being able to communicate with the other groups?
