Enhancing Group and Team Leadership
David Nadolski
G.I.F.T.S. Presentation
National Communication Association Convention
Boston, MA
November 2005
Objective:
The objective in this activity is to have the students observe team
roles, dynamics, and possible differences in what signals they are
giving off vs. what others are reading the students as.
Procedure:
A. Time needed: 25 minutes (for
activity and discussion)
B. Supplies: Pre-written emotion
cards, pencils, and paper.
C. Present a lecture on effective
outline structures and their uses.
D. Explain the importance of
non-verbal communication and team building. Then give the students
the following instructions:
1. The class will divide
into groups of four where they will all be given a word
on a pre-written (by the instructor) emotion card
regarding what emotion they will attempt to display.
2. After all groups have
received their respective emotion, half of the groups
will proceed, while the other half of the groups must
observe the non-verbal communication about to take
place.
3. The proceeding
(complete) groups are to stand up without talking and form a human sculpture (with their emotion card in
mind). Each group is encouraged to explore both physical
and emotional levels. Every member of the presenting
group must be in physical contact (touching) with at
least one other member-and preferably two while forming
their "human" emotional sculpture. After forming the
final emotional sculpture, the presenting group must
freeze for the others to observe their final product.
4. Meanwhile, the other
non-presenting groups in the class are to observe and
write down their observations of the presenting group’s
dynamics, roles, and distribution leadership. After
this, they must write down the "secret emotion" they
feel the other group is presenting.
5. After everyone is done
writing their observations, the presenting group
unfreezes and the second group’s observations are then
revealed and discussed.
6. When discussion is
finished, the roles of the two groups are reversed, and
the same steps will take place again.
Discussion/Questions:
How did you feel about having to
touch each other? Was it uncomfortable? What group roles did you see
emerging from the groups you observed? How were the group’s
communication without talking? Did you guess the correct emotion the
presenting groups were trying to display? How does your reading about
leadership and group roles apply to this situation? Do you feel this
activity reflects real life? How?
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