The Line Up Sequence Challenge

The Line Up Sequence is a classic physical agility group activity to promote collaboration and strengthen communication and teamwork skills.

In advance, assess your group’s physical abilities as required for this exercise. You will need one long telephone pole placed horizontally 30cm from the ground using brackets.

Ask your group to stand and balance directly atop the telephone pole with both feet. Challenge your group to re-arrange their positions on the pole according to a particular sequence.

For example, last two digits of your mobile phone number from 00 to 99 or date of birth from 1 January to 31 December, not including year.

All movements must be made whilst on top of the pole with the physical support of others. No other part of a person’s body (eg hands or feet) are permitted to touch the ground at any time.

If a rule is broken, each person starts over from their original positions or adding one point to the tally of falls on the ground. Challenge your group to complete the task in the shortest time or with as few penalties as possible.

Allow up to 15 minutes to complete the task or other time as will challenge your group.

Moment of Reflection

• How did the group demonstrate its ability to care for self and others? What types of support were offered? Did these supports assist your group to be successful?
• Generally speaking, how did the group make decisions? Were all members involved, and if not, why not?
• What types of leadership were demonstrated during the exercise? Were they effective?
• Was adaptability a key component of the group’s success? What are some examples?
• How easy or difficult was it for the group to communicate?
• If you were to attempt this task again, what would you do differently?

The topics of this publication: teamwork, trust, integration, strategy, collaboration, leadership, role playing, cooperation, interactions, active listening, adaptability skills