Here's an activity that dramatically demonstrates the power of cooperation. It encourages the participants to use collaborative strategies to resolve conflicts in meetings.

Synopsis

Organize the participants into triads. Ask the referee in each triad to announce that if one of the players makes the other player touch the paper, that person wins the game. During the debriefing, explain a cooperative strategy that enables both players to win.

Purpose

To experience collaborative strategies that enable two conflicting participants to win

Participants

Minimum: 3

Maximum: Any number

Best: 6–21

Time

10–15 minutes

Supplies and Equipment

• Blank sheets of paper
• Timer
• Whistle

Room Setup

Leave enough space to permit three participant groups to work separately. Conduct this as a stand-up activity by removing chairs from the room.

Flow

Form groups. Ask the participants to organize themselves into groups of three. Appoint one person in each group as the referee. Give this person a sheet of paper.

Get ready to play. Ask the referee to place the blank sheet of paper in the middle of the table. Ask the other two players to extend their right index fingers and hold those fingers approximately six inches above the blank sheet of paper, pointing down.

Announce the rule. Make this statement: You win if you make the other player's index finger touch the blank sheet of paper first.

Conduct the game. Say, “Let the game begin!” Ask the referee to watch the two players and determine who won.

Conclude the game. After about two minutes, announce the end of the activity. Identify the winners in each group and congratulate them.

Explain a cooperative strategy. Repeat the rule of the game: You win if you get the other player's right index finger to touch the blank sheet first. Point out that both players could have won if they cooperated to touch the blank sheet at the same time.

Conduct a debriefing discussion. Use these questions:

• Did you assume that if you win, the other player has to lose?
• Did you think of the strategy of both of you touching the blank piece of paper at the same time?

Link to the Meeting

Encourage win-win thinking. Point out that conflicts frequently arise among the participants in a meeting. Remind the participants that cooperative strategies may enable everyone to win. Encourage people to compromise during conflicts in the meeting.