Works with Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, or your own local model: paste this prompt and your AI will co-facilitate this exercise with you.

Help me prepare and run the exercise below. First ask for my participant count, time, setting, access needs and intended result. Check these against the stated limits. Use the supplied rules and materials. Explain any proposed changes before using them, and label them as adaptations. Do not invent source claims or require personal disclosure. Give me one step at a time when I say start. I manage the people, physical activity and clock; do not claim to observe the room. Ask me what happened before choosing a next step.

Reference revision: 88312a0480f530937f9858295ddd8f4b0daeb5f614364fbab9b8ad33f16119c3

# The Clock

Participants form a connected circle, stand up, rotate 360 degrees in one direction, reverse direction, and sit down again while maintaining continuous connection. Teams plan and execute repeated attempts to refine their coordination and speed.

**Time:** 15 minutes. UWT suggested duration allocating time for multiple timed iterations and debrief
**People:** 6 to 24. Single circle for 6 to 12 participants; for 13 to 24 participants, split into two roughly equal parallel circles of at least 6 people each (for example, 13 splits into 7 and 6).

## Choose this exercise

**Purpose:** Coordinate collective movement through iterative strategy, shared timing, and synchronized execution.
**Use it when:** Use during a team retreat or project kickoff when a group needs to practice rapid problem-solving, iterative improvement, and clear communication under time constraints.
**Skip it when:** Skip when participants cannot sit on the floor and stand repeatedly, when physical proximity causes distress, or in spaces lacking ample open, level floor area.

## Materials and tools

- 1 stopwatch or digital timer per circle (or facilitator smartphone)
- 1 whiteboard or flip chart with dry-erase marker to track attempt times visibly
- Optional: 1 short piece of rope or webbing (18 to 24 inches) per pair for indirect connection

## Before participants arrive

1. Clear an open floor space free of tripping hazards, chairs, and tables.
2. Ensure the surface is non-slip and clean enough for floor sitting.
3. Place the timing device and the whiteboard or flip chart where all participants can easily see recorded times.

## Say this to open

Welcome to The Clock. Our circle acts as a single mechanism. We will start seated on the floor with connected hands. When the timer begins, everyone stands up, rotates the whole circle a full 360 degrees clockwise, reverses direction for 360 degrees counter-clockwise, and returns to seated positions in the exact spot you started. An official attempt requires continuous connection, so if hands disconnect, that attempt resets. However, personal safety and comfort always come first: release grip immediately if you lose balance or feel discomfort, and we will simply pause and reset without penalty. Let's run multiple attempts to improve our shared rhythm.

## How to run it

### 1. Explain rules and form circle (3 minutes)

Speak the opening script. Invite participants to form a circle seated on the floor, holding hands or short rope tethers. Reiterate the sequence: seated start, stand, rotate 360 degrees one way, rotate 360 degrees back, and return to seated. If hands disconnect, the run resets, but safety comes first: release immediately if balance feels insecure. Anyone who prefers not to sit or hold hands may opt to serve as the group timer and chart recorder.

### 2. Initial attempt and strategy pause (4 minutes)

Run attempt one. Start the timer when the group begins to stand. Stop the timer when the entire group is seated back in original positions with connection intact. Write the completion time visibly on the whiteboard or flip chart. Give the group 2 minutes to evaluate friction points, identify coordination breakdowns, and agree on specific pacing adjustments for attempt two.

### 3. Iterative timed trials (5 minutes)

Facilitate two to three additional timed trials. Allow 30 to 45 seconds of strategy discussion between runs. Record each trial time on the whiteboard so the group sees measurable progress. Remind groups that smooth, shared verbal cues prevent sudden jerking or broken grips. If a grip breaks for safety, stop the timer, pause briefly, and let the group reset from the start.

### 4. Debrief and reflection (3 minutes)

Gather participants while standing or comfortably seated. Ask two focused questions about communication and coordination from the debrief list. Limit whole-room reflections to 3 or 4 brief shares so the session finishes on time.


## Debrief questions

- What specific communication or pacing signal made the biggest difference in your group rotation?
- How did your strategy change between your first attempt and your fastest attempt?
- Where in our day-to-day work does moving together require slowing down to synchronize before speeding up?

**Finished output:** A visibly recorded sequence of timed attempts on a whiteboard or flip chart showing group process improvement over repeated trials.

## Remote

This physical coordination challenge requires shared physical space and cannot be run online as designed. For remote teams seeking a synchronized group challenge, run the distinct alternative activity 'Counting to 20': the group attempts to count aloud from 1 to 20 in random order without prearranged turns, restarting at 1 whenever two people speak at once.

## Hybrid

Not recommended for a split hybrid format. If running with remote members, place a wide-angle camera showing the full floor circle. Remote participants join the video meeting and serve as official timekeepers and strategy coaches. During the planning intervals, the in-person facilitator unmutes the room microphone so remote participants can report elapsed split times and deliver observations on circle symmetry directly over the room speakers.

## Access and participation choices

- Participants may hold short rope segments instead of bare hands if skin contact is uncomfortable.
- Participants who prefer not to sit on the floor or make sudden physical movements can serve as the group timer, cadence caller, or chart recorder without needing to give reasons.
- Anyone may release their grip or pause movement instantly if balance or safety is compromised; the facilitator pauses the clock and resets the run without judgment.

## If the session gets stuck

**Participants pull on each other's arms or risk falling during rapid rotation.**

Pause the attempt immediately. Remind the group that safety precedes speed. Encourage a steady, rhythmic side-step and explicit vocal calling (such as 'step, step, step') rather than pulling neighbours.

**The group gets confused about whether they completed a full 360-degree rotation.**

Designate one specific focal landmark in the room (such as a whiteboard or doorway) for one designated member to track as the 12 o'clock reference point before reversing direction.


## Terms used here

- 360-degree rotation: A complete circle turn that returns every participant back to face their original starting orientation.

## Sources and adaptation

Observed in Playmeo activity collection, where it is attributed to Mark Collard.

Retains the core mechanic from Playmeo (sitting in a circle, standing, rotating 360 degrees, reversing, and returning to a sit while maintaining connection). UWT clarified group arithmetic for odd counts up to 24, clarified that releasing grip for safety resets the trial rather than penalizing participants, added visible time tracking on a whiteboard, specified tether access options, and noted explicit boundaries for hybrid and remote contexts.

[Playmeo](https://www.playmeo.com/activities/team-building-problem-solving-activities/the-clock)

[Playmeo](https://www.playmeo.com/activities/team-building-problem-solving-activities/the-clock/)

Current run sheet: https://unitedwetransform.com/exercises/team-coordination-activity-builds-timing-and-teamwork-the-clock/