Verbal communication, problem solving, team work, cultural intergration, leadership, change management;
Simulation Game Overview
ColourBlind ColourBlind is a well recognised, versatile team integration exercise, designed to addresses issues of establishing common language. Colourblind is used as a really effective ice-breaker, as an integrated element of an Assessment and Development Centre, or as part of any workshop focusing on communication, problem solving, influencing, selling and negotiating. Colourblind never fails to create discussion and debate within the team. ColourBlind is a team-based communication and problem-solving exercise in which the objective is to use verbal communication only to ensure that all team members reach a common understanding of meaning. Individuals draw on their experience and descriptive skills to explain to each other the complexities of abstract shapes. They use feedback and the skills of clarification to ensure that their understanding is accurate.
Learning Outcomes of ColourBlind
This is a versatile team development exercise and there are a wide range of areas which can be covered depending on your learning objectives. Some of the skills and learning outcomes include;
- Developing good verbal communication skills
- Developing good telephone/radio techniques
- Developing good coaching/instructional skills
- Delegating tasks and responsibilities
- Raising awareness of cultural differences
- Evaluating processes in which standards of quality and competence must be agreed
The facilitators guide within this exercise pack gives a detailed debrief guide for four main areas of communication;
1. Managing information; establishing and retaining the information we need
2. Group Communication; Charing Skills
3. Speaking the same language; establishing a common meaning
4. Valuing Diversity; recognising and working with different individual communication strategies
How ColourBlind Works
The objective of the exercise is for the group to establish the shape, colour and number of missing ColourBlind items. Group members are blindfolded and then issued with the ColourBlind items of which a number have been removed from the full set.
ColourBlind is a practical exercise in verbal communication, which demonstrates effectively the enormous and fascinating variety of strategies which individuals use to make sense of their worlds. It explores how perceptions are presented, how meaning comes to be shared between individuals and groups and how organisational strategies are developed to account for the wide range of individual thinking and learning styles.
Individuals are then faced with the issues of:
- concentrating, listening, understanding and remembering
- communicating so that everyone understands them
- establishing workable control and checking procedures
- challenging and clarifying misunderstandings
- taking responsibility for progress
- helping and enabling colleagues
The exercise itself is simple: pool knowledge to identify the coloured shapes that are missing from a complete set. The communication processes involved are much more complex and take participants through increasingly sophisticated patterns of communication until the task is achieved
Contents of ColourBlind
Four sheets of high quality, coloured plastic shapes. Extensive facilitators guide with a range of debrief ideas.
Trainer Helpline
We know that games and simulations can bring fun, learning and challenge to the programmes you deliver. Therefore, we would welcome the opportunity to talk you through any of our wide range of activities to ensure that you obtain the maximum benefit from your purchase. Please
contact us or call us on
+44 (0) 1202 729823.
Who is it for: All levels of staff
Duration: 1 hour
Number of Participants: 6 - 17
