The Find The Nail Game
Find The Nail is an extremely simple, yet powerful activity to reflect about integrity, assumptions and listening.
In advance, identify a flat, wide-open space in which your group can gather with ample room to move around. An area of about one square metre or more per person is about right.
Explain that you will soon place a large nail inside the perimeter while everyone has their eyes closed. The challenge is for each person to locate the nail as quickly as possible once you ask them to re-open their eyes.
Instruct all those who find the nail to depart the space without alerting anyone else where the nail is located, ie no pointing, no sudden intakes of breath, etc. When everyone is standing outside the perimeter, invite the group to reflect briefly on their experience.
In your first round, place the nail in a relatively easy-to-spot location, eg the centre of the space. Naturally, there will be those who spot it immediately and those who will take a little longer.
Next, announce a second round. Repeat the set-up, this time placing the nail in a less conspicuous location, resting alongside the perimeter.
Once again, invite your group to reflect on their experience. What made it more difficult this time? How did it feel to be one of the last few to see the nail, etc?
Repeat for a third and final round, this time placing the nail behind your ear and stand inside the perimeter. Process your group’s experience, especially in this third round to discuss issues of accountability, integrity, assumptions and listening.
Moment of Reflection
- How did it feel to be one of the last people to locate the nail? Why?
- If you felt any pressure, where did it come from? You, others or both?
- Were you tempted to depart the space without finding the nail? What stopped you?
- Is anyone willing to admit that they stepped outside of the space without seeing the nail? Why?
- If you struggled in one round to see the nail, how did you manage your emotions in the next round(s)?
- Why did (most of) you immediately focus on the ground in the final round?
- Did you consider that I was tricking you, ie the nail was not inside the space?
- Where else does ‘social proof’ pack a powerful impact in our lives, for good and for bad?
The topics of this publication: integration, self, reflection, critical thinking, adaptability skills, interactions, observation skills, emotions
