[Ailist] Paper Plate Activity

[Ron Smith]

Resurfacing after traveling and finally have that simple Paper Plate description below. Feel free to contact me with questions. Thanks for your patience.


Ron Smith
http://cel.ula.edu.mx
Director, CEL.ULA
Centro Experiencial de Liderazgo
Universididad Latinoamericana
011 52 558 500 8100 ext. 8235
Personal Cell: 55 4143 8766 (usa add: 011 52 1)
Gabriel Mancera 1402 Col. Del Valle
Mexico DF, Mexico CP 03100
Gabriel Mancera 1402 
D.F. Mexico

Paper Plate (AI option) 

 

Time Plan (1 hour version with options)

 

Set up, introductions, form pairs, questions                                                   5   minutes (or more and include AI                                                                                                                                intro)

Interviews: handout inquiry protocol if any                                                  20 minutes (or more)

Briefing/Frontloading Paper Plate                                                                    5  minutes

Paper Plate activity                                                                                             20 minutes

Debrief                                                                                                                   10 minutes

 

Total Time:                                                                                                           60 minutes (minimum)

 

Venue

 

·         Flat open area with a path long enough to set up start and finish lines. Enough space and chairs for participants to sit face to face and conduct interviews. No sharp objects or obstacles in the path.  Path can go around a corner and down a hallway. 

 

Equipment/Props

 

·         Thick paper plate (heavy duty type) for each participant

·         Pen or marker for each particpant

·         Cord, rope or tape to mark start and finish lines

 

Space Preparation

 

Pace off one long step per participant (total per team) plus 3 or 4 steps extra. Two groups of 9 is around 12 paces. One team of 15 is around 19 or 20 paces (I keep groups less than 20).  Put a line down at each end (rope, cord or tape) representing the start and finish lines. Check area for sharp objects etc. Sometimes participants fall or sit on the ground.

 

Interview Option

 

In pairs conduct appreciative interviews and have interviewer write the name of their partner and  notes, key points and positive themes of the story on one side of the plate which represents strengths, values and key learnings from the inquiry. (Option: On the other side write a wish or gift you would give to your interview partner based on the information you now have about them).  Allow 10 minutes for each person to share/story tell with their partners giving a 2 or 3 minute warning before announcing its time to switch (interviewer/story teller).If time permits, circle up and have individuals share a story or two and some key learning points or strengths of their partner (10-15 minutes minimum extra).

 

If there are over 20 participants, consider sending the two teams of 10+  towards each other and see if they share their paths and plates. In this case you can hand out less plates. An option is to have them not share paths but they can support each other by touching members of the other group for balance as they proceed in the same direction or towards each other.

 

Task

 

Get the entire team from behind the start line ("current reality", see Peter Senge, Fifth Discipline) to the other side of the finish line (vision of the future) within the 20 minute time limit. (can also use a metaphor if applicable based on inquiry theme, eg: the team's "current leadership ability" is the start line and the finish line represents the "future vision of leadership".)

 

 

Framing  the Experience

 

This activity is about working together and using each others strengths to succeed as a team. Planning, cooperation and good leadership will insure success.  In this activity, behind one line is your life and your ability to lead (or other theme for your group) as you know it today. Your "current reality" (introduce creative tension briefly (Peter Senge) and motivational theory from Mouton to modern theorists (for corporate groups) if time permits). At the other end is a line which represents an improved life with some of the leadership qualities that you would like to have  (or realized vision/goals etc).  

 

Leadership Option: On one side of the plate write down your effective leadership qualities, on the other side write down the resources needed to achieve leadership. Resources are things like money, education, a mentor,  a job that allows you to lead, personal awareness, good health, ability to learn, teachers and a supportive family. 

 

Give a plate to each particpant and tell them to protect their valuable resources (plates): Explain the rules of the activity and the use of the plates.  The facilitators  can take the plates if left unattended even for a second. (At this point I sometimes ask for a plate from a participant and if they give it to me, I tell them next time I am going to keep it.) Using the plates and each other as your only resources, the goal is to get your entire team from behind the "current reality" line to the desired future without touching anything but the paper plates and each other (no touching walls, doorways, chairs etc if indoors and no touching plants, tree trunks, railings etc if outdoors).  You may receive a consequence if you touch the ground, the wall, a chair or break the rules. Consequences include: blindfolds (who is blind to the needs of others), return to the start line, time penalty etc. I suggest not being strongly punitive or strict. Remain flexible and encourage fun.

 

Frontloading and Framing

 

For large groups, divide/define teams (groups of 8-15)  and get each team in a circle(s) face each other for a brief discussion on: what strengths improve your ability to succeed? What can take away your resources? (this often leads to discussion of loss of health, use of drugs, loss of moral direction, too much focus on money or not enough focus, loss of family support, external environment/competition etc). Allow 5-10 minutes for this. 

 

During the activity ask them to notice who in your group takes a leadership role. Will you support them? Compete with them? Will you try to break the rules in order to reach your goal (Integrity) Will you try creative ways to reach your goals that are new or unusual (innovation)?  Notice your own level of participation. Notice your thoughts about the group and yourself. Are you a "team player" or more of a solo performer?

 

Setup (read this to the team)

  

Conditions

·         Part of your body must be in contact with the paper plate at all times (abandoned plates will be taken) Facilitator(s) will not yank them out of your hand or out from under your foot.

·         When you leave the start line, part of both feet must be on one or more plates . Losing your balance and stepping on the ground without a plate under part of your foot requires you to return to the start point (or other consequence).

·         Your toe or heel can be off the paper plate as long as some part of that foot or hand is in contact with the plate. Otherwise you will receive a consequence (sent back to the beginning, arm tied, blindfold, loss of voice, or a positve consequence like getting a plate back etc).

·         You can only use each other and yourselves and the plates, you may not touch anything else. 

·         You may not slide or scrape along the ground with your plate, you must use normal steps (no jumping).

·         If any part of your body is touching the plate/resource it cannot be taken or stolen by the facilitators.

·         You may not tear or modify the plates in any way. (they get crunched or "pancaked" but that's okay).

·         Option: Put the team in charge of policing: explain the job of the "resource stealer" and "consequence giver".

 

 

Time

·         15-25 minutes for entire action part of the activity (you can give them the shorter time and ask if they want more time at the end if they have not completed). Do not let this activity go on too long, they can learn a lot without getting to the finish line. 

 

Questions

·          Only take one or two questions about the rules or how it works, let them know they can start the activity and be advised as they go. Have them ask each other about the rules if you think you have already told them the rule and not forgotten something (use their communal "big brain" (concept from Tom Leahy)).

 

Celebrate Option

 

·         If time, give them a celebration technique and ask why is it important to celebrate.

 

Debrief (use "funneling technique" Simon Priest, you may have only 2-3 minutes for this, ask more questions if more time is available)

 

·         Ask them for general observations about what happened in the activity.

·         Ask them what they did to succeed or get as far as they did and/or,

·         Use debrief cards (Michelle Cummings, Training Wheels) for this activity:

·         Cover leadership, personal responsibility, ethics/integrity, planning, team work all in relationship to this specific activity as it relates to their particular theme/inquiry. Prepare you questions ahead of time and or,

·         Ask how this activity is like their life, any similarities, highlight the metaphors, ("transfer") and or,

·         Use "anchoring" technique: How can you use what you learned in this activity to improve your performance in life, school, work etc?

 

Metaphor possibilities (don't use too many, let them define it by asking "If this was a real life/school/work situation, what might the following represent?

 

·          Paper Plates,

·          Lines defined by the ropes,

·         The ground, 

·         Each person, 

·         The "enforcers"/facilitators

·         Facilitators taking away resources represent drugs, poor economy, family discord, poor leadership, poor health..the things that put your resources in jeopardy. 

 

Facilitator Role

 

I recommend making it easy for them to succeed. I do take plates when left unattended, I often give them back. I sometimes ask for a plate and often they often give it to me. This can lead to interesting discussions about giving away whats valuable or giving away your strength to "authorities" or experts. 

 

Have Fun

 

Adapted and written by: Ron Smith

Created by: Can't remember who I learned the original activity from, I may have changed it considerably. Thanks to all of "them".