Intended for:
This energiser is useful to demonstrate how difficult it can be to give instructions to others and also highlight what you need to do to be clear in your message.
The energiser works particularly well in training where you want to highlight communication skills and allow people to practice getting their message across. It works well with the following training; Building Relationships, Communicating Difficult Messages, Coaching at Work, Conflict Handling, Facilitation Skills and Mentor Training.
Training course contents:
A set of instructions for the energiser, ‘Good Instructions?’ can be downloaded in Word format from the link at the bottom of this page, or you can follow the instructions below.
Instructions:
Ask for a volunteer participant and when you have one, tell them they must wait outside the room until you call them in.
Ask a second volunteer participant to tell you what their favourite board game is i.e. Monopoly, Trivial Pursuit, Cludeo etc. or alternatively, what their favourite gameshow is i.e. Deal or No Deal, Who Wants to be a Millionaire etc. If you can get someone with an obscure example then this works better.
The person that has the example game must now describe how the game should be played to another participant that until this point has been asked to stay outside the room. The person should explain the game at the front of the room to the other participant, whilst everyone else watches. However, the ‘audience’ are not allowed to provide input and help the explanation. They of course are also not allowed to tell them the name of the game or give away any other obvious clues. It must only be a description of the instructions.
The demonstration only ends when the first volunteer guesses what game is being described to them.
In Review:
Discuss how the communication of the instructions went. Use the following questions as prompts…
What worked?
What didn’t work?
How could you improve?
Was there any frustration?
What caused this?
What could be done better?
What should not be done in future?
How does this relate to other communication scenarios?
What lessons have we learnt?
Adapt questions to suit your audience and the relevant training topic and challenge the participants thinking.
Objectives:
This energiser is a great replacement for traditional energisers that highlight communication issues. It demonstrates clearly how poor communication can affect individuals and also how best to overcome communication problems.
Sign up to receive notification of our future free training updates and a chance to win a set of training materials!
