How to Change Activity Rules Mid-Game without Resistance
Here’s what people hate – being interrupted, like in the middle of an activity.
And here’s what they hate even more – being told the rules of an activity they have already started are about to change.
It breaks their focus, it feels unfair, and suddenly you’re the bad guy, even if you’re changing the rules to improve the activity.
So what do you do when you need to change the rules mid-game?
Here’s what I do…
Frame the activity from the beginning so it leaves open the possibility that something might change.
The Lazy Facilitator: Episode 15
Click play below to let me show you what I mean.
An Illustration
Create a story that makes changes to the rules feel natural.
For example, it could sound like, “… Your group started with 20 minutes to complete this task, but because of all the over-talking, your imaginary oxygen tanks are now depleted, so you’ve only got 15 minutes left.”
Or, “…Due to climate change and its impact on rising ocean levels, the island that you’re working on is getting smaller…”, and then you literally shrink the space they’re working in.
See what happened? The rule change isn’t you being arbitrary or unprofessional; it’s part of the experience, the evolving story.
And groups accept that because it makes sense within the context you created. So frame it right from the start, and you can change anything mid-game without too much pushback.
How Do You Manage Rule Changes?
I’d love to hear from you. What’s your favourite rule change strategy? Or, tell me a scenario you’re faced with, and I’ll share how I would handle it.
Drop your thoughts in the comments below.
Looking for more lazy facilitator tips & activity ideas? Check out the full library of lazy facilitator videos.
Comments (0)
expand_circle_down