Purpose: To illustrate the importance of cooperation and teamwork.

 Time Required: 10 minutes.

 Size of Group: Unlimited.

 Materials Required: None.

 The Exercise in Action: Helen Molnar, consultant for the Public Service Board in Melbourne, Australia, has participants play this game to help build teamwork: Participants stand face-to-face in pairs, holding each other’s right hands as if they were going to shake hands. The aim of the game is for each individual to score as many points as possible in 30 seconds. Participants score by touching their right hip with their right hand while still holding their partner’s hand. Each touch equals one point.

When time is up, Molnar has participants stand and tell their scores, and then sit down whenever a score higher than their own is reported. At the end, the most “cooperative” team is standing. Frequently, people will try to pull their partner’s hand, scoring as few as four to six points. Working together, others score as many as 100 points.