The prep for this awesome group initiative is not difficult, but really important to get right.
Ideally, you want to find or purchase 6 lengths of cord or rope that are all different colours. Think 3mm cord or something similar. See the sample photo below. Their lengths can vary but it is best if they are all similar, eg approx 60 to 80cm long.
Your first step is to take five of these rope lengths and form five little rope circles by tying their ends together. A simple overhand knot will suffice.
Then, taking your sixth rope length, thread it through the loop inside each of these five rope circles and then – with all five rope circles hanging from it – tie the ends of this sixth rope together as well, ie effectively locking these 5 rope circles onto the sixth.
If it helps, think of this sixth rope circle a bit like a key ring, with 5 keys (rope circles) hanging off it.
Now, you want to lay this bunch of ropes onto a flat surface such as a table. It’s best if it is laying on something that is off the ground because you want your group to be able to look closely at it.
Finally, and most importantly, you want to purposefully twist and turn some of the sections of rope so that it looks a bit jumbled. Not too jumbled that it would be impossible to untangle, just a little confused (if this was possible for rope.)
What you’re hoping to achieve is the presence of a bunch of ropes that are somewhat tangled in and out of each other so that it is not obvious (emphasis on obvious) that any two ropes are interlocked.
When ready, here’s the challenge (if you haven’t already guessed it.)
Ask your group to look at the six jumbled rope circles and agree on which one of the six ropes is threaded through the other five. Ideally, you would like your group to arrive at this decision by consensus because this will present many more teachable moments for your group, but of course, it all depends on your objectives.
Importantly, it is crucial that the ropes – none of them – are ever touched. People may point, describe and look closer, but they are never permitted to touch or hold any part of the ropes.
Having stepped back, observe the ways in which your group seeks to make a decision. Take particular note of the different roles people play, how diverse views are managed and the manner in which decisions are made.
Once your group achieves consensus (or gets very close,) ask them to nominate which one (coloured) rope is the one they believe to be threaded through all other rope rings.
It’s now time to test their theory.
Pick up the nominated rope ring, and shake out the other rings to achieve a little untangling. If the nominated rope has all other rope circles hanging off it, voila – your group succeeded. However, if it has only one other ring hanging off it, they have got it wrong.
Either way, there is always a lot to chat about. Refer to the Reflection Tips tab for some useful conversation points.
Small groups of say 5 to 10 people work best for this exercise., otherwise, it is difficult for most people to lean in and look closely at the tangle.
If you have a large group, divide them into smaller teams and then either set up multiple spaghetti junctions for each team to solve, or permit one person (from each team) at a time to inspect your solitary rope tangle.
The best place to get a bunch of different coloured cords or thin ropes is your local hardware, outdoors or climbing retailer. You can often buy it in short lengths off the reel.
Don’t be tempted to use very thick rope, eg 12mm kernmantle. First of all, it will be very heavy and harder to manage and carry. Also, thicker rope tends to be easier to trace in and out of a tangle because, well, it’s bigger and easier to see.
Spaghetti Junction, get it? At first glance, the jumbled ropes look akin to a bowl of pasta.
We all know how hard it is to convince another person of your point of view, you know, how you see the world. Our perspective seems so obvious to us, often we cannot understand why other people can’t see it the same way as we do. This next exercise will provide you with a wonderful opportunity to hone your communications skills to articulate exactly what you are thinking to someone who has a different point of view…
To achieve true consensus requires each person in a group to willingly agree to vote the same way as everyone else. That is, it should not be necessary for some people to have to ‘give in’ or compromise on some issue just to make the rest of the group happy. But how often does this truly happen? Have you ever been in this situation? If not, then you soon maybe…
What type of ropes are these? can anyone recommend what you used? Can I find on amazon?
Good question Chelsea. The cords used in the photo were 3mm cords purchased from an outdoor gear shop, but you do not need to go to that much expense. Any rope or cord that comes in different colours will work fine. Try your local hardware depot or art & craft outlet for options.
I played this with 8 ropes and all were the same color. My clients loved the challenge. They still were able to pick out the correct one surprisingly often and quickly. I used it as my ice breaker and it when well.
Brad, yes, multiple ropes of the same colour would certainly be more of a challenge – perfect for those groups that are up for it. Well played 🙂