All Winners

Choose this exercise

Purpose: Coordinate group pacing and physical alignment so that every participant completes a shared course in unison.

Use it when: Use during an active workshop or offsite when a group needs to shift from individual competition to mutual coordination.

Skip it when: Skip if participants have mobility limitations that make rapid walking or running uncomfortable, or when open physical space is unavailable.

Group arrangement: Single whole group lined up along a common starting mark

Timing: UWT suggested schedule based on a standard 10 to 15 minute exercise window.

Materials and tools

• 2 long ropes, marking tape, or chalk lines (one for start, one for finish)
• 1 whistle or loud audio signal (hand claps work as a substitute)
• 1 stopwatch or visible timer

Before participants arrive

1. Substantial setup required: Measure a clear, flat walking or running area 25 to 50 meters long.
2. Lay one rope down as the start line and the second rope parallel to it as the finish line.
3. Ensure the finish line is wide enough to accommodate all participants standing abreast.

Say this to open

We are going to run a race, but with one condition: nobody wins unless everybody crosses the finish line at the exact same instant. If even one heel or toe crosses ahead of or behind the rest of the group, the attempt does not count and we restart. Your goal is to get the entire team across together.

How to run it

1. Explain rules and set boundaries 2 minutes

   Gather participants at the starting line. Explain the goal: cross the finish line in unison. Clarify the success standard: the facilitator will stand directly on the finish line to watch for simultaneous crossing. Point out that anyone who prefers not to run or walk can act as an impartial finish-line judge or timekeeper alongside the facilitator.

2. Initial planning and first attempt 3 minutes

   Give the group 90 seconds to agree on a strategy (such as walking in a linked line, counting cadence, or matching speed to the slowest runner). Signal the start with the whistle. Observe the finish line closely. If the crossing is not simultaneous, blow the whistle again to call a fault.

3. Iterate and refine attempts 7 minutes

   Send the group back to the start line after any missed attempt. Invite them to adjust pacing, spacing, or signaling. Allow repeated attempts within the allotted time. Once the group achieves a simultaneous crossing, note their time and challenge them to repeat it smoothly or beat their previous clock time.

4. Whole-room debrief 3 minutes

   Gather the group at the finish area. Facilitate a brief reflection on how individual pacing had to adjust for team success. Take 2 to 3 comments from the group.

Debrief questions

• What individual adjustments did you have to make so that the team crossed together?
• What communication method proved most reliable while moving?
• Where in our regular work does racing ahead individually cause problems for the team?

Finished output: A successful group crossing where all participants cross the finish line in unison.

Remote

This physical coordination mechanic cannot run effectively online in its original form. As a labeled virtual alternative, run 'Simultaneous Countdown': the team must count down from 20 to 1 in a live video call without overlapping voices and without an assigned speaking order, restarting if two people speak at once.

Hybrid

Not recommended for hybrid delivery. If attempted, all moving participants must be in-person while remote attendees serve as visual finish-line judges using shared high-frame-rate video feeds.

Access and participation choices

• Participants choose their pace; the team must adapt to the most comfortable pace of all members rather than forcing running.
• Participants may opt out of physical locomotion at any time to serve as official line judges or timers without penalty or disclosure.

If the session gets stuck

Participants run at different speeds and argue about who was early or late.

Stand directly on the finish line axis and make final calls decisively. Remind the group that the objective requires adapting to the group pace, not sprinting.

The group tries to link arms tightly, creating a trip or fall hazard.

Intervene immediately. Remind participants that physical linkage is optional and that maintaining safe personal balance and foot clearance comes first.

Terms used here

• Simultaneous crossing: All participants having part of their body break the vertical plane of the finish line at the identical fraction of a second.