In one exercise, the group stood in a circle, passing an imaginary ball back and forth. Some passed gently, others aggressively, sometimes with flourishes, other times with apologetic glances. The pace quickened as they got more comfortable, changing directions and pantomiming more assertively. In another exercise, a customer-focused story was created, with a word or phrase from each participant then being \u201cpassed\u201d to the next person in the group who built on the narrative, sometimes changing direction or expanding creatively.<\/p>\n
As they progressed, the group energy moved from awkward to more comfortable, and as people relaxed, they began laughing and clearly enjoying themselves. The facilitator watched, and when he stopped the exercise, offered feedback, including reflections on how people often need to come apart to come together, and the role of non-verbal cues and behaviors.<\/p>\n
This particular group was a team of engineers and scientists; they had come together because their company leaders understood that learning to communicate more effectively is as critical a skill as the many other professional tools and resources they utilized daily.<\/p>\n