Tower of Power
In this activity, participants collaborate to build a tower using wooden blocks and a crane. They must communicate effectively and plan together to accomplish the task while following specific rules, which fosters teamwork and coordination.
How to run it
- 1
Prepare a space of approximately 10m x 10m and set up 8 wooden blocks upright on the floor.
- 2
Provide each participant with one of the ropes connected to the crane.
- 3
Explain the task: use the crane to stack the blocks without touching them directly.
- 4
Ensure participants keep their lines under tension and only use their own ropes.
- 5
Set a timer for 20 minutes and start the exercise.
- 6
When time is up, stop the activity and lead a review discussion.
- 7
Ask participants to rate their collaboration and discuss what went well and what could improve.
Tips
Encourage participants to create a clear strategy before starting.
Observe the group dynamics and step in if they rush or drop blocks.
Remind participants to communicate throughout the task to maintain coordination.
Variations
You can challenge the team to build a more stable structure, like a three-storey house, to reduce the chance of the tower collapsing.
Where it fits
Related methods
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Try it freeMethod descriptions on Workshop Weaver are original content written by our team, based on established facilitation practices. This method was inspired by work from SessionLab. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.