They Call It Like They See It

Choose this exercise

Purpose: Practice making quick, heightened commitments to a point of view while coordinating rapid call-and-response vocal support across a team.

Use it when: Use as an energetic vocal warmup before collaborative ideation or improv to get people supporting each other immediately.

Skip it when: Skip when the session calls for quiet analytical focus or when participants need low-stimulus, low-vocal interaction.

Group arrangement: Whole group standing or seated in a circle, taking sequential individual turns.

Timing: UWT suggested duration of 15 minutes to allow up to 12 participants to complete turns without rushing.

Materials and tools

• Omnidirectional room microphone (required for hybrid setups)
• Digital chat tool or video platform (for remote or hybrid setups)

Before participants arrive

1. Arrange chairs or clear floor space in an open circle so everyone can see and hear each other.

Say this to open

We are going to do a rapid call-and-response warmup called They Call It Like They See It. One person receives an everyday topic from their neighbor and takes an exaggerated stance on it across two or three escalating statements. After each statement, the rest of us jump in as a supportive chorus with short vocal affirmations. When the rant peaks, the whole circle closes the turn with a rhythmic chant and clap. Let us demonstrate how it sounds.

How to run it

1. Demonstrate the call and response 3 minutes

   Ask for one volunteer. Facilitator asks, 'Taylor, what do you think about ballpoint pens?' The volunteer makes an exaggerated claim: 'Ballpoint pens are the greatest human invention.' Facilitator models short affirmations ('Uh-huh!', 'Tell it!') and signals the circle to join in immediately with vocal affirmations. The speaker adds two escalating statements with the circle affirming each. The facilitator then leads the circle in the rhythmic exit chant twice: 'They [clap] call it like they [clap] see it!'

2. Explain the turn rules 2 minutes

   Explain the circle flow. Player One asks the neighbor on their right, '[Name], how do you feel about [topic]?' Prompts must be neutral everyday items such as socks, paper clips, or toast. Player Two delivers two or three escalating statements, supported after each line by brief group affirmations. The group performs the double chant, and Player Two then prompts Player Three. Anyone who prefers not to speak may say 'Pass' to hand the prompt to the next person.

3. Run sequential turns 8 minutes

   Run turns sequentially around the circle. Each active turn takes about 35 to 40 seconds including the final double chant. Coach the chorus to keep affirmations tight ('Yep', 'Amen', 'You know that is right') so they punctuate rather than drown out the speaker. If a participant passes, the prompt transfers immediately to the next person while the passer remains in the chorus. Continue until everyone has had a chance to speak or pass.

4. Debrief vocal support and pacing 2 minutes

   Gather the group. Ask one or two reflection questions focused on how the chorus affected the speaker's momentum and how the group managed the pacing between solo lines and group responses. Take two or three volunteer observations to close.

Debrief questions

• What helped you pick an immediate stance on a neutral topic?
• How did the chorus affirmations affect your momentum when you were speaking?
• What did you notice about balancing speaking turns with group agreement?

Finished output: A completed circle round where every participant has had the opportunity to take a turn as the featured speaker or pass, accompanied by group affirmations and rhythmic closing chants.

Remote

Run in an open video meeting with microphones unmuted where audio allows. Post the speaking order in chat before starting. When Player Two speaks, the group gives short vocal affirmations or rapid chat affirmations. To close the turn, the speaker raises both hands, prompting everyone to clap rhythmically on camera and chant 'They [clap] call it like they [clap] see it!' twice. Participants may also type the chant and clap emoji in chat.

Hybrid

Establish a single speaking order displayed on a shared screen that alternates between in-person and remote participants. Use an omnidirectional microphone so remote members hear room affirmations. Remote participants unmute for short affirmations and join the rhythmic clap on camera. In-person participants face the shared screen and room mic during their turns.

Access and participation choices

• Participants may sit or stand during circle work.
• Any participant may pass on taking the solo speaker turn by saying 'Pass'; the prompt immediately passes to the next person, and the passer remains in the chorus.
• Non-verbal chorus participation is supported via rhythmic clapping, desk tapping, or nodding.

If the session gets stuck

The chorus talks over the speaker, drowning out the escalating statements.

Remind the group that affirmations are quick punctuation marks like 'Yep' or 'Tell it' that leave clear space for the speaker's next sentence.

A speaker stalls trying to find an authentic or realistic opinion.

Remind the room that this is playful improv. Any absurd, extreme love or dislike for a mundane object works.

Terms used here

• Heightening: Taking an initial emotional stance and amplifying its intensity, scale, or absurdity across subsequent statements.
• Chorus: The rest of the group acting together to provide brief, supportive vocal affirmations after each of the speaker's statements.
• Chant: The unison rhythmic closing phrase ('They [clap] call it like they [clap] see it!') performed with claps to mark the end of an individual turn.