Two teams are challenged with building a single 13-foot bridge using only 28 sticks. No tools other than their own creativity may be used, and they must collaborate to devise a way to build the bridge over an imaginary 6-foot moat that separates them. They cannot cross the moat, which is marked with ropes.
The teams brainstorm alone at first but eventually join forces to create the span together. Some teams will build their halves independently, then meet in the middle, while others will construct the bridge in its entirety. Either way, the stable, self-supporting structure is a visible metaphor for creating team stability, finding a way to cross a cultural divide, or overcoming fear of failure.
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Use it to coordinate actions, improve teamwork to achieve a goal, and build team spirit
Use it for coordinating action, cooperating to achieve a shared goal, and exchanging information
Use it to plan and optimize work processes, and assign roles
Use it to practice delegation and facilitation, and decision making in uncertain situations
Use it for experiencing interdependencies, and synchronizing the actions of parts to achieve system goals
Participants (min / optimal / max) | Time needed (activity only) |
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6 / 10 / 14 | 45-60 mins |
Contents | Space needed |
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28 red wooden sticks, 28 small sticks for planning, 4 x 12-foot ropes, 1 detailed instructions manual | 600 sq. ft (55 sq. m) |
Dimensions (boxed) | Weight |
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38 x 6 x 6 in (96.5 x 15.2 x 15.2 cm) | 14.6 lb (6.6 kg) |
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