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Exercises/Reflection and Learning/Fun, Energetic Strategy Game for Large Groups - Nerves Of Steel
Team Reflection ยท Reflection and Learning

Fun, Energetic Strategy Game for Large Groups - Nerves Of Steel

Fun, Energetic Strategy Game for Large Groups - Nerves Of Steel is a team reflection exercise for reflection and learning: it helps participants reflect on experience and turn observations into learning.

5 to 15 minutesTIME
Small group (4-8)GROUP SIZE
ActiveENERGY
In person, RemoteSETTING
High cognitive loadCOGNITIVE LOAD
Strengthens Learning Transfer This reflection and learning exercise strengthens Learning Transfer, one of the eight Gathering Effectiveness pillars.

How to run it

  1. Position four chairs, one each in the corners of an imaginary square, facing inwards approx 5 to 10 metres apart.
  2. Invite four people to sit on the chairs and a fifth person to stand in the middle of the space.
  3. Challenge the four people sitting on chairs to move off their own in an effort to sit on and occupy all other chairs as quickly as possible.
  4. Only one person can sit on a chair at any point in time, ie they will be required to swap seats frequently.
  5. Instruct the person standing in the centre to steal (sit) any seat that is vacated by the other four people at any time.
  6. When the person who is standing successfully claims a vacant seat, a new person (ie the one without a seat) will become the next person standing in the middle.
  7. The first person to visit all four chairs and return to the one they started from is the winner.
  8. Start a new round with a new team of five people, or swap the person who won with a new person waiting their turn to play.
  9. Nerves of Steel Energetic strategy game to challenge quick thinking & decision-making.
Live facilitator

Run this exercise live

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Prompts to use +

Invite four people to sit on the chairs and a fifth person to stand in the middle of the space.

Challenge the four people sitting on chairs to move off their own in an effort to sit on and occupy all other chairs as quickly as possible.

Only one person can sit on a chair at any point in time, ie they will be required to swap seats frequently.

Instruct the person standing in the centre to steal (sit) any seat that is vacated by the other four people at any time.

Start a new round with a new team of five people, or swap the person who won with a new person waiting their turn to play.

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: Fun, Energetic Strategy Game for Large Groups - Nerves Of Steel. Readiness: Publishable Draft. Core moves: Invite four people to sit on the chairs and a fifth person to stand in the middle of the space.; Challenge the four people sitting on chairs to move off their own in an effort to sit on and occupy all other chairs as quickly as possible.; Only one person can sit on a chair at any point in time, ie they will be required to swap seats frequently.; Instruct the person standing in the centre to steal (sit) any seat that is vacated by the other four people at any time.. 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 Playmeo; aggregators are listed as additional observations, not origin proof. (1 source observed, including Playmeo.)
  • 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