Colourblind®

30- 40 min

5 - 16 people

Colourblind® is suitable as an introduction into the subject of cultural awareness. The excercise itself is very simple: the aim is for all players to identify the missing elements of the puzzle. However, the communication process is quite complex - in order to complete the task, participants get to know and use advanced communication techniques. 

Story description:

The participants' task is to identify the missing elements of the puzzle. They only use verbal communication (wearing blindfolds), they practice active listening and information management in the team. Players confront different styles of communication, they use feedback and explanation skills to see if they understand everything correctly.

During the excercise, teams have to:

• establish and manage an efficient communication process which will be understood and effectively used by everyone,
• develop a dialogue enabling them to understand abstract concepts,
• find a problem solution.
  
  

Application:

This is a classic and well known excercise used for improving communication skills in the team, especially for people cooperating remotely. Colourblind® is perfect as an introduction into the subject of cultural awareness. The excercise itself is very simple: the aim is for all players to identify the missing elements of the puzzle. However, the communication process is quite complex - in order to complete the task, participants get to know and use advanced communication techniques.   

Since 1991 when Colourblind® was developed by Geoff Cox, the excercise has been used worldwide across languages, cultures and business backgrounds, to focus on the fundamental skills of great communication.

 Benefits for the players:

• understanding that effective communication is a bilateral process where sent and received statement has the same meaning as the sender's intention was,
• thinking about how to improve communication systems and quality of the statement that's being supported by those systems,
• practical use of effective listening skills and improvement of ability to ask questions,
• introduction to communication flexibility and language changes and modifications that meet the listener's needs, 
• understanding that communication has a close relationship with a specific culture and that's why common reference points are needed to achieve a mutual understanding.
  
  

 Contents:

• guide for the game host,
• 16 blindfolds,
• set of 30 colourful pieces.

effective communication	collaboration	customer focus
responsibility	motivation	goal focus
problem solving