Play Blackjack in a Group
Blackjack is a challenging group initiative that focuses on collaboration, teamwork, and inspires helpful metaphors.
Your first step is to randomly and secretly distribute a set of playing cards, one per person. Importantly, announce that as each person receives a card that they should not look at it.
Form a circle. With card in hand, Ask each person to place their card on their forehead so that it is visible to the rest of the group.
The only card an individual is not entitled to see is their own. If someone confesses to seeing your card, ask this person to do a quick card exchange with someone else.
Challenge your group to form as many ‘blackjacks’ as possible so that every person is involved.
Explain that for the purposes of this exercise, blackjacks are a hand of cards which add up to 19, 20 or 21.
Regular blackjack rules apply – Aces may be valued as 1 or 11, and all picture cards are worth 10 points.
Allow ample time for planning and discussion.
Note, it is not uncommon for many groups to involve 80% of the group in a successful blackjack grouping within the first minute or two. The hard part is absorbing everyone else.
Observe who makes it into a group, and who doesn’t. How easy was it for those who quickly formed a group to disband for the greater good of the group?
Invite group to reflect on their process at the end.
Moment of Rflection
- How easily did you form your Blackjack groups?
- What were the biggest challenges?
- What happened once you found a group?
- Did you observe anyone feeling left out? Why?
- Did you make any moves for the greater good of the group?
- Did your group successfully solve the problem? Why or why not?
The topics of this publication: interactions, strategy, collaboration, teamwork, cooperation, leadership, adaptability skills, adaptation
