Blind Square - Rope game

This is an activity that I use in almost every teambuilding session I run--because it delivers results every time. I can take no credit for its invention since it has existed from long before my time, in various forms and with a variety of names (such as Blind Polygon). The activity can be frontloaded to focus on particular issues by changing a few parameters or altering the instructions.
Duration: 40m - 45m
Participants: 4 - 20
Difficulty:  Low
Thiagi Groupby 

Goal

Explore overall team building issues to see how the participants get on.

Materials

    Instructions

    Preparation

    Before the exercise begins, tie a length of rope (about 20m) into a circle. Also, provide blindfolds for everyone.

    Instructions to Participants

    To complete this activity, all the team has to do is to form the rope into the shape of a perfect square.

    You will have 15 minutes planning time, during which no one may touch the rope.

    At the end of this time, everyone will be blindfolded and the rope will be placed in your hands.

    You will have 10 minutes to form the square.

    All the team members must be holding the rope.

    Once you think that the square is complete, lay the rope on the floor.

    Debriefing

    Ask questions to draw out responses that focus on any of these types of topics:

    • Attention to detail
    • Collaboration
    • Communication
    • Creating a square
    • Evaluation
    • Planning
    • Problem solving

    Variations

    Don't tie the rope into a circle at the start.

    Attachments

    • noun_94896_F38F19.png

    Background

    Source: Thiagi Group - Nick Smith

    Author

    Thiagi Group
    Thiagi Group
    Improving Performance Playfully
    thiagi.com/
    More about author

    4 Ratings 

    This method has been rated 4 time(s), with an average rating of 4.0.

    7 Comments

  • Hi Nick, I'm curious to try this and interested to know what usually happens? What are the themes it helps to illustrate? You talk about it 'delivering results' - what results do you mean? You also say you can 'frontload the activity to focus on particular issues by changing a few parameters or altering the instructions' - can you explain that more?
    over 7 years ago
  • I use it to demonstrate leadership styles. It is common for team leaders to micromanage this activity. Other isues such as engagement, communicating goals also are clearly portrayed.
    about 7 years ago
  • it helps to identify the budding leaders . It also reflects the approaches to problem solving by each member i.e. his contribution and how the dynamics of the group accepts or rejects his suggestions . Team spirit and willingness of the member to listen to a positive idea to see that group aim is higher than his own
    over 4 years ago
  • This is so creative.
    over 2 years ago

  • Great. Another variation I do is shapes of Alphabets eg. C, D, B, T, Z, X etc.

    over 1 year ago

  • Games that require participants to be blindfolded are not inclusive and not accessible for all members of the group. People with anxiety, trauma, neurodivergence, those who are Deaf of Hard of Hearing, people with low vision, people with balance or movement disorders..the list goes on. The use of blindfolds might put some of your team members in an uncomfortable or unsafe situation for them. Please consider that designing activities that won't work for everyone on the team is the opposite of teambuilding. And if you think your team doesn't include anyone that may be affected by an activity like this, ask yourself if you know your team well, or ask why your team doesn't have more diversity.

    9 months ago

  • My facilitator colleagues and I also use this activity to help people know more about themselves and to understand what it takes, individually, and as a team, to reach a measurable goal (you can see right away if you got the square or not).

    On the team-management cluster of debrief questions, focusing on achieving goals once the square is on the floor, some questions can be asked before removing the blindfold about confidence. Then, once everyone can see what's on the floor, was the goal achieved? yes? What made it possible? What steps were taken to get the square? How are these steps related to specific skills? Can we transfer from the square to the real project? And if it is not a square what is lying on the floor, what would have helped?

    On the GTK more about themselves, a lot of reflections can be suggested in regards to how the conditioning (blindfolds) impacted their individual performance. Or, for example, if anyone noticed herself/himself needed help, whether they asked for it or not. Without being able to see, what/who they relied on to be able to stay, participate, or add to the activity? What has this activity told them about themselves, about what makes them more uncomfortable? Are there any habitual skills that anyone has not been able to use because of the conditioning?


    13 days ago
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