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Exercises/Relationship Mapping/Crazy Handshakes
Circle Dialogue ยท Relationship Mapping

Crazy Handshakes

Crazy Handshakes is a circle dialogue exercise for relationship mapping: it helps participants build useful connections and understand how people, roles, or ideas relate.

5 to 15 minutesTIME
Pairs, Small group (4-8)GROUP SIZE
BalancedENERGY
In person, RemoteSETTING
No materialsMATERIALS
Medium cognitive loadCOGNITIVE LOAD
Strengthens Network Design This relationship mapping exercise strengthens Network Design, one of the eight Gathering Effectiveness pillars.

How to run it

  1. Crazy Handshakes From Teampedia Jump to: navigation, search Contents 1 Objectives 2 Group Size 3 Materials 4 Set Up 5 Directions Objectives Icebreakers/Warmups Group Size Small Materials No Materials Necessary Set Up None Directions Split the group into pairs.
  2. Each pair is directed to develop and practice a creative handshake.
  3. Once each pair has a handshake, the pair splits and each individual partners with another group member.
  4. The newly formed pair then teaches each other the original handshakes and together creates a new handshake.
  5. When each pair comes together, ask them to introduce themselves.
  6. Repeat a third time asking partners to share all of the handshakes previously learned and then recall the group into a circle.
  7. Ask for volunteers to share all of the handshakes learned.
  8. 1 Objectives 2 Group Size 3 Materials 4 Set Up 5 Directions
Live facilitator

Run this exercise live

The facilitator console stays in this browser. Its QR handoff is a short-lived participant snapshot containing only public exercise instructions, phase, prompt, and timer state.

Prompts to use +

Crazy Handshakes From Teampedia Jump to: navigation, search Contents 1 Objectives 2 Group Size 3 Materials 4 Set Up 5 Directions Objectives Icebreakers/Warmups Group Size Small Materials No Materials Necessary Set Up None Directions Split the group into pairs.

Each pair is directed to develop and practice a creative handshake.

Once each pair has a handshake, the pair splits and each individual partners with another group member.

The newly formed pair then teaches each other the original handshakes and together creates a new handshake.

When each pair comes together, ask them to introduce themselves.

Repeat a third time asking partners to share all of the handshakes previously learned and then recall the group into a circle.

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: Crazy Handshakes. Readiness: Publishable Draft. Core moves: Crazy Handshakes From Teampedia Jump to: navigation, search Contents 1 Objectives 2 Group Size 3 Materials 4 Set Up 5 Directions Objectives Icebreakers/Warmups Group Size Small Materials No Materials Necessary Set Up None Directions Split the group into pairs.; Each pair is directed to develop and practice a creative handshake.; Once each pair has a handshake, the pair splits and each individual partners with another group member.; The newly formed pair then teaches each other the original handshakes and together creates a new handshake.. Return a concise facilitator script with timing, wording, safety notes, and remote/in-person adjustments.

Origin unverified

  • Where we observed it: The current corpus has one observed source organization: Teampedia. (1 source observed, including Teampedia.)
  • 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.

Pairs well with