One of my favorite icebreaker and team bonding activities was made famous in The Freedom Writers Diary novel and subsequent Freedom Writers film. This activity is known as the Line Game. Its origins, captured below, served to unite a group of untrusting and disjointed students by visually showing them that they are not all that different from one another. When we open our eyes, we often discover that we have more in common than we think. A strong sense of comradery and belonging emerges when individuals go from standing alone to standing together.
Workplace Application
The Line Game was born in academia. How does it translate to the workplace? It…toes the line (you knew that was coming) since the mechanics are the same even if the context is different.
Simply, tape a line on the floor and have participants line up on either side it. When they identify with one of the prompts, they step to the line. The beauty of this simple action is that solidarity is felt when standing shoulder to shoulder. Individuals can choose to look up, meeting their peers’ eyes or humbly exert their presence while staring at the line itself.
The critical element of this game is its series of prompts. These should begin with warm, friendly topics without social risk and gradually proceed to more daunting and exposing questions. The dozen or so prompts should weave in mild prompts amongst the more personal ones for the sake of balance and participant comfort. A practice round is also helpful to ensure everyone understands the flow of the game.
The facilitator’s timing is also key. Allow participants to feel the magnitude of the moment while still maintaining a flow. Be sure not to wallow in the uncomfortable and risk a lack of engagement. Strive to end on a hopeful, future-oriented prompt that serves as a call to action.
The Line Game can bring together individuals from every walk of life and every tier of the organization. Consider playing the Line Game during the kickoff of a meeting or development session and include supervisors. Leaders are not so different than those they manage. Their willingness to participate and put themselves out there may shift how their teams view them. The game humanizes and personalizes names, tiers and titles.
Ready to Step Up?
Below is a sample of prompts for the Line Game – just add tape. Customize these to your team, organization and circumstance.
How many of you…
…like Oreos (practice round)
…believe you have grown professionally over the last year
…have lost sleep over a work-related matter
…wish you had more attention or support from your supervisor
…have considered entering the job market in the last year
…enjoy what you do at work most of the time
…have the resources you need to be successful
…have kicked yourself over the way an employee relations matter played out
…enjoy the people you work with
…feel that the organization values your contributions
…have dodged providing feedback or coaching to an employee because it was
uncomfortable
…would walk through fire for your team
…feel you have a relatively healthy work-life balance
…believe our team, despite our current challenges, is meant to do great things
…are committed to putting in the hard work – the blood, sweat and tears - needed to
improve our company culture and business operations
A copy of these prompts is available here.
To the Point
With a simple strip of tape, the Line Game has the power to bring people together, acknowledge tough realities and serve as a catalyst for team-driven improvements.
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