Ice Breaker Name: Chinese Whispers
Application:
Training Ice Breaker for 5+ participants.
Meeting Ice Breaker or Conference Ice Breaker - duration ½ day+
Approximate time required:
20-30 minutes
Aim of Icebreaker Game:
To highlight communication skills used by different people and to drive home the importance of the three parts of communication: the sender, the message and the receiver. This game also examines non-verbal communication.
Benefits of Group Icebreakers and Team Icebreakers: improve motivation, staff retention, increase sales, increase productivity, improve staff retention, boost daily motivation, share knowledge, skills and competency
Materials required:
- Paper
- pens
- Flip Chart/Whiteboard
- Whistle or Hooter
Running Process of Icebreaker Game
Pre-Course Organisation
Prepare a list of topics on the flip chart that is relevant to the participants and to the course that will act as a start point for information gathering, for example:
First name
Nickname (and why they have it)
What their last name means
Worst customer/colleague they ever dealt with
Something no-one on this course knows about you
Hide the list until you are ready to use it.
In-Course Ice Breaker Game Organisation
1. Say “For this exercise I will give you each a number, please remember your number” then go round the room, counting “1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2 …” (It does not matter if there is an odd number, just use the pattern)
2. Round 1
Say “Now I want the ‘one’s’ to find another ‘one’ and the ‘two’s’ to find another ‘two’ then get together with them somewhere in the room.
3. Once they have settled with their partners (there will be one threesome if there is an odd number) say “Now I want you to collect some information, verbally, from each other without taking notes.” Reveal the list of topics on the flipchart and say “You will have 3 minutes each way to do this. Any Questions?”
4. Deal with questions. The threesome will obviously have extra time to complete and A will collect info from B, B will collect information from C and C from A.
5. Say “Your time starts NOW”
6. After 6 minutes sound the whistle and say “Now the ‘ones’ should find a ‘two’ and get together somewhere in the room. (Ensure that the threesome have one partner this time)
7. Round 2
Provide the pairs with paper and pens and say “Now I want you to explain what you can remember about your first partner to your new partner. Your new partner will write the details down. You have three minutes each way.”
8. After 6 minutes sound the whistle and say “STOP what you are doing and come back together. Now swap your paper with someone you have not spoken to in this game”
9. Have everyone sit down and choose one person to start reading out the description they have been given. Observe the originator of the written notes and the person being described. They will exhibit different types of body language.
10. Once the reader has finished, describe the non-verbal communication that you observed (defensive, awkward, embarrassed, aggressive) and ask the others to do the same as you quickly go round the room asking for all descriptions to be read out.
Solution to the Icebreaker Game
Not so much of a solution, more of a moral. Chinese whispers exist in all walks of life. It will be surprising if any of the written descriptions reflect what was originally said (if the handwriting can be deciphered).
Discussion Points
Start a discussion on communication using these topics:
How important are communication skills in your job?
What happens if communication is not clear and quick?
How easy is it to understand someone’s mood through non verbal communication?
Is near enough to the truth close enough?
How can you improve your communication skill?
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