Negotiation

Consensus-building exercise to develop group communication strategies.

Negotiation

Consensus-building exercise to develop group communication strategies.

Consensus-Building Exercise

This consensus-building exercise creates a powerful learning experience about influence, adaptation, and collective decision-making. Negotiation challenges teams to find common ground through observation rather than direct dialogue. Ideal for leadership development, conflict resolution training, or team retreats, this dynamic team-building exercise will reveal fascinating insights about your group’s behaviour.

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Step-by-Step Instructions

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Form three or four roughly even teams.
Each small team will move to a separate space to discuss and agree on a common non-verbal, physical gesture which reflects a prescribed theme, eg community.
After a few minutes, each team returns to the common space.
When ready, each team performs their gestures simultaneously, for approx 5 to 10 seconds, while observing the gestures of all other groups.
This concludes the first round.
Announce that the ultimate goal is for all teams to achieve consensus in as few rounds as possible, whereby every team eventually performs an identical gesture.
No communication is permitted between teams at any time between or during the rounds.
Allow several minutes for discussion in small teams (in secluded areas) between rounds.
Conclude the activity when all teams have adopted the same gesture, or eight rounds have been played.

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