Get into groups between two and four.
Within each group, there is one “coach” and the rest are “workers”
Each “worker” is given a cup of 14 sugar cubes.
Each workstation has a sheet of butcher paper down, since sugar will spill/flake.
The task is for each worker to stack the cubes any way they see fit, to make the highest tower each one can make.
The challenge/coaching comes in because the workers are blindfolded, and using their non-dominant hand.
The coach may not touch the worker, or the cubes in any way… only verbal instructions may be given.
The groups are first given 2-3 minutes to practice sighted, and then the workers are blindfolded.
The groups are then given 5 minutes to build their cubes.
Scoring is determined by any means desired: highest tower, sum of all towers in a group, sum of highest two towers in a group of three, etc. Whatever levels the playing field for teams of different sizes, if they exist.
After the time is up, workers give feedback to the coach on the effectiveness of the coach.
- How did the coach provide feedback?
- What kind of feedback was helpful, what kind was not?
- How did the number of workers impact the effectiveness of the coach to
provide feedback during the task?
Repeat the task with the same coach and workers, starting with all cubes in the cups again..
The coach is now given a chance to incorporate the feedback s/he just got.
Optionally, the time limit can be reduced from 5 to 2 or 3 minutes this time to increase pressure.