Introduction
People who work together are communicating with each other. If they communicate effectively, this will enhance the performance of the group. If communication is poor, the quality of group work will suffer. The importance of a good communication is demonstrated in this “Whispering game” (also called “Message Relay”) by illustrating the breakdown of the communication. The exercise can be used as a starter for sessions on (effective) communication. Clubs will benefit if there is good communication between members.
One person has to whisper a phrase into ear’s of the person sitting next to them. The phrase is only whispered only once, pay close attention. Then that person will whisper the same thing to their next one. And this way, the game will go on till you get to the first person who started the game.
Objectives
- To illustrate the breakdown of communication.
- To demonstrate the importance of effective communication.
Duration
The game is a great game for young children and is often played in schools. There are several great examples of sentences for the Chinese Whispers Game. The first is 'I took my dog for a walk today and then I gave him some food.' The second is 'The sun has got it's hat on and is coming out to play.' Feb 13, 2014 - How to Play the Telephone Game. The game of telephone is a classic ice breaker and party game. It's easy to set up and a lot of fun to play. You and your friends will try to pick a word or phrase, 'pass it on' by whispering it to someone. Funny Chinese Whisper Phrases. We also have Funny Chinese Whisper Phrases quotes and sayings related to Funny Chinese Whisper Phrases.
- 30 minutes
Materials
- None
Methodology
- Ask all the participants to form a circle. The facilitator also takes a place in this circle.
- The facilitator then whispers a message to one neighboring person.
- The message will now be passed round the circle by whispering to the next person and the next, until it reaches the last person at the other end of the circle (just before the facilitator).
- Ask the last person to say the sentence aloud.
- Ask the first person who received the message from the facilitator if the message is correct.
- Ask several persons of the circle in order to trace the changes.
- Discuss the activity.
Some guidelines for discussion
- What did we learn from this exercise?
- Is good and clear communication an important factor in group work?
- In real life, what factors could hinder effective communication?
- How can we improve effective communication?
- How can we improve communication in a FFS or in a club?
Examples of messages that can be used in this exercise
- “If you want to get good yield in Boro rice you should use good quality seed at the rate of 40 kg per hectare and urea at 255 kg per hectare in 3 split. But in T.Aman the does of urea will be 175 kg per hectare.”
- “The cuckoo lay their eggs in the nest of the crow, but the wasps lay their eggs into the egg mass of the stemborer.”
Some of the most important lessons that we learn in life are taught to us early on.
For example, I’m sure that most of you can remember playing the game Chinese whispers, or as it is commonly called in the United States, the “Telephone” game.
In the game, a message is given to the first person in a line of people and then they are instructed to pass the message on by whispering it in the ear of the next person in line. The message goes from person to person until it reaches the end of the line, and that person announces the message to the group. In most cases, the message that is announced to the group is significantly different from the message that was originally given to the first person in the line.
While the game is amusing, it also teaches us an important lesson that people often forget.
The lesson, as you probably have already figured out, is that information that you receive via word of mouth is not always accurate. In fact, if you don’t receive information directly from the source, there is a good chance that at least part of the message is incorrect.
Telephone Game 2.0
The Telephone game illustrates how quickly a message can be altered even when passed from person to person in a relatively short line.
In the real world word, the Telephone game often goes by a different name: Gossip.
As people relay a message from one person to another, the message often gets distorted, sometimes so much so that the intent of the original message is completely lost. What is left is an inaccurate statement that could actually do harm to the reputation of the person or business that is being talked about.
The tools that are available to people today (e.g., cell phones, text messages, social networking sites, email, etc.) only complicate the issue. These tools make it even easier for a rumor to spread at an alarming rate, particularly if the person who is being talked about is a celebrity.
Telephone Whisper Game Phrases
Personal Responsibility
Deep down, we all know that the information that we hear about via word of mouth, whether it be online or offline, often contains misinformation. And, yet, people still choose to share it. In fact, for some people, gossiping is their primary form of entertainment.
What we all need to remember is that what we say can have a negative impact on the person who we are talking about.
Business Implications
People aren’t the only victims of gossip. In fact, businesses are often the subject of conversations on the Internet. If the rumors take a turn for the worse, it can have a very negative impact on the business’s reputation.
For that reason, businesses need to monitor what people are saying about their products or services online. This will allow them to highlight the positive things and address and correct the potentially damaging negative information that is being spread online.
If you are looking for specific examples of how businesses have handled these types of situations, you might want to take the time to watch Paula Berg’s (@paulaberg) presentation in the HubSpot Inbound Marketing Certification Program. In her presentation, Ms. Berg gives examples of how Southwest Airlines used the Internet to their advantage when potentially damaging rumors about the company started to spread, both online and offline.
Final Thoughts
It’s important to remember the lessons that we learned from the Telephone game early on in life.
For example, the Telephone game reminds us just how quickly a message can be changed into something completely different when it is passed between even a few people.
It is therefore important to remember that the things that we learn about via the rumor mill can, and often do, include incorrect information.
Headphone Challenge Phrases
On a personal level, we need to be mindful of what information we spread, given the fact that what we say can have a negative impact on the individual or business that we are talking about.
From a business standpoint, it is necessary for businesses to monitor what is being said about their products and services online, if for no other reason than to correct the misinformation that is being spread.
As I have mentioned in other posts, words have power. In some cases, what is being said about a business can have a negative effect on the business’s reputation and ultimately, its bottom line.
Whisper Challenge Sentences
Photo credit: Hans_van_Rijnberk on Flickr.