Delegating Exercise
Materials: Prepared index cards with more information for the groups
Exercise description
Split into three groups: “Drama”, “Music” and “Computers/English”.
Story: “The youth centre in a small Bosnian town has just one all-purpose room that is alternately used twice a week by three groups: Drama, Music and Computers/English. All three groups also need to use this room on Saturdays, which is the only remaining available day.”
In addition, each group receives a card with the following information:
- The Drama Group thinks that the musicians are rude and rough. They have already announced a performance for next Saturday and they want to rehearse during the day before they put on the play that night.
- The Computers/English group think that the Drama Group are messy and silly, but agree with them about the Music group. They want to use the room on Saturday afternoon.
- The Music Group think that the Drama Group is stuck-up, but they don’t have a negative attitude about the Computer Group. They have already put up posters announcing concerts for the next three Saturdays and they need Saturday afternoons to practice and evenings for the concerts.
The groups have 10 minutes to choose their representatives and to work out a negotiating strategy.
Negotiations:
- Group representatives have 10 minutes to negotiate with each other.
- For the next five minutes, the representatives consult with their groups.
- Five minutes for negotiations between representatives.
- Five minutes for the representatives consult with their groups again.
- 10 minutes for final negotiations.
Evaluation
Suggested questions to evaluate the exercise:
What happened? Did you reach an agreement with the other groups?
How did you choose your representative? How satisfied are with how you were represented? How did the representatives feel in their role?
How satisfied are you with the process?
Notice:
Possible difficulties:
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Workshop example: