Breaking the Chain!

Breaking the Chain is a serious game that highlights the challenges of communication and interpretation. Through a ranking process without verbal communication, participants discover the importance of clarity and listening in teamwork.

Walkthrough

1. 1

   Introduction and Instructions

   10 min

   The facilitator explains the goal of the game: to rank themselves in the order of secret numbers without communicating through traditional means. They distribute post-its and ask each participant to write down a secret number. The instructions are clear: 'You cannot speak, write, or draw numbers in the air or with your fingers.'

   Tip — Ensure that participants fully understand the rules by asking questions to check their comprehension.

2. 2

   Individual Reflection Phase

   5 min

   Participants take a few minutes to think about non-verbal communication strategies. The facilitator encourages creativity and reminds them that all facial expressions and gestures are allowed, except those explicitly prohibited.

   Tip — Encourage participants by telling them that all ideas, even the most outlandish, are welcome.

3. 3

   Establishing the Ranking

   15 min

   Participants begin to try to rank themselves in the order of their numbers. They use gestures, facial expressions, and body movements to communicate their numbers. The facilitator observes and notes the different emerging strategies.

   Tip — Stay attentive to group dynamics and encourage participants who seem hesitant to actively participate.

4. 4

   Revealing the Numbers

   5 min

   Once the ranking is finalised, the facilitator asks each participant to reveal their number. Together, the group checks the accuracy of the ranking and discusses any potential errors.

   Tip — Make this step a moment of celebration, even if the ranking is not perfect.

5. 5

   Discussion on Strategies

   10 min

   The facilitator leads a discussion on the strategies used. They ask questions about which methods worked, which failed, and how participants felt about the experience.

   Tip — Encourage participants to share specific anecdotes to enrich the discussion.

Variants

• Add a time constraint to increase pressure and see how it affects communication.
• Allow participants to use only one word to communicate, but only once per person.
• Divide the group into teams and see which one can rank correctly the fastest.