Back Scratching Research
Reciprocity is a natural part of human behavior. I"ll scratch your back if you scratch mine! Get your team to help each other out!
How to run it
- With a big smile, a fun disposition, have players pair up, do a little stretch, then have one person scratch the other person"s back
- When they are done scratching, tell the scratchers, that it is their turn
- Folks will naturally begin to reciprocate the scratching
- Starting with the basic model of reciprocity such as "I scratch your back if you scratch mine
- Moral of the story if you start the scratching, you get the benefits
- Have the pairs discuss how else they can 'scratch the team"s back" In other words, how can they help each other help the team/their project, their gathering experience?
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Prompts to use +
With a big smile, a fun disposition, have players pair up, do a little stretch, then have one person scratch the other person"s back
When they are done scratching, tell the scratchers, that it is their turn
Folks will naturally begin to reciprocate the scratching
Starting with the basic model of reciprocity such as "I scratch your back if you scratch mine
Moral of the story if you start the scratching, you get the benefits
Have the pairs discuss how else they can 'scratch the team"s back" In other words, how can they help each other help the team/their project, their gathering experience?
Run this with your AI assistant +
Works with Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, or your own local model: paste this prompt and your AI will co-facilitate this exercise with you.
Adapt this exercise for my exact room. Exercise: Back Scratching Research. Readiness: Publishable Draft. Core moves: With a big smile, a fun disposition, have players pair up, do a little stretch, then have one person scratch the other person"s back; When they are done scratching, tell the scratchers, that it is their turn; Folks will naturally begin to reciprocate the scratching; Starting with the basic model of reciprocity such as "I scratch your back if you scratch mine. Return a concise facilitator script with timing, wording, safety notes, and remote/in-person adjustments.
Origin unverified
- Where we observed it: The strongest current observations come from Relationship Makers Handbook; aggregators are listed as additional observations, not origin proof. (1 source observed, including Relationship Makers Handbook.)
- What that means: we track where an exercise has been observed in public sources. We do not claim to know who created it, or how popular it is.
- No efficacy claims: appearing in this library is not a claim that the exercise is proven effective. Facilitator judgment and context decide whether it works for a given room.
- Corrections: if you have evidence of an earlier or more accurate source, read our methodology and trust boundary and tell us.