Recently I had the opportunity to facilitate one outbound team activity. The very objective of this team outing was to have fun and help the team to bond.

To break the initial ice, I had chosen this very simple game called Electric Fence and this game can be played under shoe string budget.

The objective of this game is :–

• Participants need to brainstorm and make strategies to cross the fence holding the life line throughout the game.

• Participants need to help each other selflessly to support team members to cross the fence.

• Leverage on team communication skills to develop solutions to cross the fence.

Acceptable Group Size: 5 to 15

Ideally it should be played in any surface where participants get minimal injuries. I suggest  any garden area with lush green grass or near to any volleyball court with dry loose mud. If required, you can use cushion pads under the fence to negate the after effects of the fall.

Challenge:

The group challenge to the team is to cross the fence without touching the rope and without letting go the lifeline rope.

Safety instructions to be given to all the participants before the start of the game.

This game requires a lot of trust and caring attributes among team members and team participants should consider the safety of others in the team.

Activity Instructions:

• Group must cross the electric fence without touching the rope and without letting go of the lifeline rope.
• Group can’t use the space below the rope.
• All team members must hold on to the lifeline rope throughout the game. i.e. all members must hold the rope (lifeline) in one hand.
• No one is allowed to touch the fence/ rope
• Team members crossing the fence must be in touch with at least one team member all the time.
• If any instruction is ignored by the group then they have to start from the beginning.

Questions to be asked to team during debriefing session

•  What are your thoughts when you saw the fence?
•  What was one challenge while crossing the fence?
•  What is that the group has to believe in to be successful in this game ?
•  What is the positive outcome from this event?
•  Which fellow team member was really helpful and why ?
•  If asked, to play this game again what thing would you do differently?
•  How can you apply things learned in this game to your actual work environment
• If the group is unable to complete the task in the given time,  Ask them why they failed and what could have done so that they could have completed the task in time.

Closing Note :

Sum up the ideas and experiences, different versions  which team members had expressed and restate their ideas and learning derived for this activity and also discuss before beginning of the game and after the game what was were their thoughts.