Folding Paper

The goal: To show your team how easily clear communication results in different outcomes
Time needed: Ten to fifteen minutes
Team: Could be done with as few as four and as many as four hundred (although the discussion may be harder)

Process
1. Give each team member an 8½ x 11 sheet of paper.
2. Ask all of them to close their eyes and follow directions.
3. Tell them that they may not ask any questions or make any comments from that point on.
4. Give the following directions.

a. Fold the sheet in half.
b. Fold it in half again.
c. Tear the right-hand corner off.
d. Turn the sheet over and tear the left-hand corner off.
e. Poke a hole in the middle.

5. After everyone has accomplished these five simple tasks, have them open their eyes and compare their handiwork. It will be obvious that despite the simple directions, they have many different looking papers.

Discussion Points
1. How was communication hampered?
2. How important are questions on our team?
3. Did you purposely work to make yours different? How does individualism impact our team?
4. Were the directions the model of good communication? Why or why not?
5. If each paper is different, is someone right and someone wrong? How does this concept happen in our team?