Dialogue on Paper Activity
Dialogue on paper is a fantastic activity to understand that communication is not lines and misunderstandings can be recurring. Additionally, this exercise serves as an icebreaker to generate lots of laughter and facilitate a relaxed atmosphere among participants.
Give each team member a piece of paper. Have them draw a simple drawing on the paper, without talking to anyone else.
Each person then passes the paper to their right. Each team member looks at the drawing they now have, fold the paper in half, and write at the top what they think the picture is of.
The paper is passed to the right again. Each person reads the description, folds the paper over to hide the words, and draws a picture of that.
This continues, where each pass alternates between determining what the picture was and drawing what was described. It is important that each turn only reveals the words or picture from the previous round.
Separate sheets or pads of paper may be used if that is easier than one sheet of paper, but they should be passed together. When the paper is back to the original owner, each member reveals what was written and drawn.
The drawings and interpretations tend to provoke discussions and jokes.
Moment of Reflection
- How many different interpretations emerged from a drawing?
- How many different drawings were made based on the same concept?
- Why were the drawings and concepts on the sheet not repeated throughout the round?
- After this experience, do you consider communication to be simple or complex? Why?
- In your daily life, have you ever misinterpreted a message or been misinterpreted?
- How can misunderstandings in communication be avoided?
The topics of this publication: non-verbal communication, interactions, adaptability skills, adaptation
