“Chinese Whispers” is a popular team activity played in various forms for centuries.
It is a game of miscommunication, interpretation, and role-playing in which a message is passed along a line of people and often significantly changes by the time it reaches the end.
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Why a Chinese Whispers Team Activity Matters in the Workplace
Clear and effective communication is crucial in the workplace. Misunderstandings can lead to mistakes, conflicts, and inefficiency.
A game like Chinese Whispers can highlight the importance of clear communication, building rapport within teams, listening skills, and the potential for misunderstandings in a fun and engaging way. We hear this from customers who have ordered our full set of courses.
The Chinese Whispers Team Activity
Chinese Whispers is a game that can be played by any group, making it ideal for diverse teams. To start the game, you need a group of people and a phrase or sentence.
How to Play
The game begins with one person whispering a phrase or sentence to the person next to them.
This message is then passed along the line, with each person whispering what they heard to the next person.
The last person in the line then says the message out loud, and the group can compare it to the original message.
Eight Rules of the Game
- Whisper only once: Each person can only whisper the message once to the next person.
- No repeating: Players cannot ask for the message to be repeated.
- No non-verbal communication: Players should not use gestures or other non-verbal cues to communicate the message.
- Keep it quiet: The message should be whispered quietly enough that only the intended recipient can hear it.
- No skipping: Players cannot skip anyone in the line.
- No correcting: Players cannot correct the message if they think it has been misheard.
- Stay in order: The message must be passed in the order of the line.
- No long pauses: The game should flow smoothly without long pauses between players.
Individual Tips on How to Play
Listening carefully is key in Chinese Whispers. Try to focus on each word of the message as it’s whispered to you. Remember, the goal of the game is not necessarily to maintain the original message, but to highlight how easily communication can become distorted.
Seven Variations of the Game
- Drawing Whispers: Instead of whispering a phrase, the first person draws a picture, and each subsequent person attempts to replicate the drawing.
- Action Whispers: The first person performs an action, and each subsequent person attempts to replicate the action.
- Word Whispers: The game starts with a single word, and each person adds a word to create a story.
- Musical Whispers: The first person hums a tune, and each subsequent person attempts to replicate the tune.
- Foreign Language Whispers: The game is played in a language that only some of the participants speak.
- Telephone Whispers: The game is played over a series of phone calls.
- Email Whispers: The game is played over email, with each person typing what they understood from the previous email.
Conclusion
Chinese Whispers is a fun and engaging team activity that can highlight the importance of clear communication and listening skills in the workplace.
While the game can result in some amusing outcomes, it also serves as a reminder of how easily messages can become distorted when passed along a chain of communication.
By playing this game, teams can learn valuable lessons about communication that can be applied in their daily work.
With 30+ years of training experience, Catherine Fitzgerald, B.A., M.A., PGDip, founded Oak Innovation (oakinnovation.com) in 1995. Catherine received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from University College Cork. She holds qualifications in Professional Development And Training from University College Galway. Since 1995, clients include Apple, Time Warner, and Harvard University.
