X Factor Energiser

Choose this exercise

Purpose: Encourage active recall of a workshop theme using musical associations and team-based retrieval.

Use it when: Use as a high-energy post-lunch wake-up or review break during a workshop on a distinct topic like leadership, sales, or communication.

Skip it when: Skip if the workshop culture strongly discourages singing or playful competition, or when participants share few common musical reference points.

Group arrangement: 2 to 5 small teams of 2 to 5 participants each

Timing: UWT structured 15-minute plan based on TrainerBubble 5-minute brainstorm plus showdown

Materials and tools

• 1 scrap sheet of paper and 1 pen per small team
• 1 whiteboard or flip chart and 1 marker for facilitator scorekeeping
• Optional: toy microphones or prop items

Before participants arrive

1. Choose one focal topic relevant to your session (such as Money, Leadership, Time, or Change).
2. Prepare a list of 4 to 6 back-up songs connected to the topic to offer as hints if teams stall.
3. Set up flip chart to track team scores.

Say this to open

We are going to play X Factor. In small teams, you will brainstorm as many songs as you can find that connect to today's topic. You will keep your list secret. Then we will go round-robin: each team must perform at least one line of a song, either sung aloud or spoken as lyrics. No duplicate songs are allowed across teams. If your song was already used, you must pick another from your list. Let us form teams and start.

How to run it

1. Form teams and announce topic 2 minutes

   Divide participants into 2 to 5 small teams. Hand each team paper and a pen. Announce the chosen workshop theme (for example, Leadership). For clarity, give one neutral example: if the topic were Money, Dire Straits' 'Money for Nothing' would count, but just shouting random words would not. Explain the round-robin rules.

2. Brainstorm song lists 5 minutes

   Start a 5-minute countdown. Teams quietly list song titles and brief lyrics that connect directly to the theme. Remind teams to keep their voices down so rival teams cannot borrow their ideas.

3. Round-robin song showdown 6 minutes

   Call time on writing. Rotate through the teams in order. On each turn, a team must deliver one unique song: at least one person sings or clearly speaks at least one recognizable lyric line. If the song has already been shared, or if the connection is rejected by the room, the team must immediately substitute another or pass. Log 1 point on the flip chart for each valid song. Continue rounds until time expires or teams run out of options. The team with the highest point total wins.

4. Review and wrap-up 2 minutes

   Tally final points and acknowledge all contributions. Ask one or two quick reflection questions connecting the musical metaphors back to the session content.

Debrief questions

• Which song or lyric from another group stood out as a clever angle on our topic?
• How did searching for musical references highlight different aspects of our subject today?

Finished output: A flip chart list of unique songs and lyrical connections related to the workshop topic.

Remote

Create breakout rooms for the 5-minute brainstorm. In the main room, use digital chat or unmuted microphones for the showdown round. The facilitator tracks unique song titles and scores on a shared virtual whiteboard.

Hybrid

Assign in-person and remote participants to separate teams or pair remote members into single virtual breakout rooms. In the showdown, alternate strictly between remote teams and room teams. Remote teams can type their lyrics in chat or speak them aloud.

Access and participation choices

• Participants may speak lyrics rhythmically or recite them as spoken poetry instead of singing.
• Anyone who prefers not to perform aloud can serve as their team scribe, lyric searcher, or score verifier.

If the session gets stuck

A team is self-conscious and refuses to sing aloud.

Remind them immediately that speaking or reading the lyric text clearly counts equally for full points.

Teams disagree over whether a song lyric truly relates to the topic.

Take a 5-second thumbs-up vote from the rest of the room. Facilitator breaks ties quickly to keep momentum.

Terms used here

• Round-robin: A turn-taking structure where each team takes one turn in rotation until all rounds finish.