Intended for:
This energiser works well in a communications programme involving influencing, persuasion or negotiation skills.
Training course contents:
The instructions you will need to run a simple, short but fun energiser can be downloaded as a Word document from the link at the bottom of this page, or you can use the instructions below.
Resources Needed:
Masking tape or string or chalk to mark lines on the floor – whatever is most appropriate for the training room you are working in.
Instructions:
Set up the activity by marking a line or series of lines on the training room floor. Organise participants into pair.
Arrange for participants to face each other standing on opposite sides of the marked line. They should be no more than arms length apart.
Tell them that when you say ‘go’ they have 30 seconds to persuade their partner to cross to their side of the line.
At 30 seconds call a halt (30 seconds really is ample time). Even in this short time many participants will be persuaded to cross the line.
Ask: What strategies did you use to persuade your partner to cross? Listen to answers given
Ask: Why were these strategies effective/ineffective? Listen to answers given.
Make the point that most effective strategies are when both parties win. For example – ‘Let’s both cross the line. That way we both achieve our objective.’
If you are using this activity during a programme involving communication it will usually be possible to link this to your next topic.
This works particularly well in as part of a programme involving influencing, persuading and/or negotiating.
Objectives:
To energise participants during a training programme containing a communication theme.
and/or
To initiate a discussion about how we might influence people to do what we want.
