COM502- Blog Post 2: Team Bonding Activities

For this activity, the task was to form a group and complete a few tasks. The aim of this activity is to create a bond within the team and help us to improve the relationship with each other so that we can overcome difficult situations by helping each other and completing the task together. So, I formed a group with Asti, Mitchell, and Muaz, and we decided to do 3 out of 4 tasks which are mentioned below:

Task 1: The Bamboo Stick

For this task, the aim was to bring the bamboo stick close to the ground from a high position where all the members of the team have to hold the stick with the back of their fingers and fingers should be in contact with the stick all the time from the start till the end.

At the start it seemed easy for me, but when working as a group it gets quite tricky because everyone had a different pace of dropping their hands which made us lose contact with the stick. There were a few things that did not help us to complete the task. One of us tried to apply pressure from the top using the backside of their fingers. At first, we thought that it could work because everyone will be in contact with the stick, and this way we don’t have to drop down at a different pace. But it didn’t work because there was still the issue of being in contact with the stick. Then we decided to go for the edges of the stick, but as we were getting lower someone would lose contact with the stick. In the end, we can say that because everyone was going either too fast or slow, we could not finish the task and it could be because of the method that we choose to follow that was not suitable.

What let us to successfully complete this task was, we all shared our ideas of what methods should be used. Then we decided to go with the option- “one person has to count till 3 and after that, all of our hands should be lowered like an inch from its initial position”. After repeating the steps a few times, we were able to successfully bring the stick to the ground. So, we can say that communicating with each other and getting everyone agreeing with the plan helped us to complete the task.

Task 2: The Blindfold

For this task, the aim was to get one person blindfolded and the other person to instruct and guide the blindfolded person. I decided to go with the role of the instructor, whereas Asti and Muaz decided to get blindfolded. I know the task was to get one person blindfolded but I decided to go with 2 to make it more interesting. At the start both my team members were cautious as I was guiding them down the building. I do understand their actions because if I were in their shoes, I would have done the same thing as it is hard to trust someone so easily where your life could potentially be at risk.

As they were walking a few steps forward to the direction, I was guiding them, they slowly started to trust my instructions. I was instructing them in such a manner that I would tell them how steps they need to walk forward and whenever they need to make a turn, I would first bring them to a position where they can stop and stay still. Aside from that, I was informing them when the stairs would begin, whether they have to take full step forward or half a step by giving them an approximate length they need to step forward, informing them that someone is passing by so they don’t have to be alert when someone gets in contact with them, etc. These things helped me and my teammates to complete the task. I did not encounter any issues because I used to play this game, so I am used to guiding people around safely. Therefore, for this task I believe trusting the instructor, guiding the blindfolded person in an appropriate way to make them comfortable while they are being guided, providing information about the external surrounding so they are aware of it, etc., helps in completing this task easily.