It may take its name from Schwarzneggar’s 1994 action-comedy, but this simple game is no laughing matter. It’s particularly effective for breaking the ice in new teams.
The game is easy enough – people gather around and tell three truths and one lie about each other. Others have to guess which of these are truths, which are lies.
First impressions and unfounded misconceptions all get changed along the way.
Number of participants: 2-20
Duration: 30 minutes
Objective: Build relationships, break the ice in new teams
How to play:
1. Bring all the participants into a video conference.
2. Ask each participant to think up three truths and one lie about themselves. If you’re short on time, cut this down to just one truth and one lie. Participants should make sure that the lies aren’t easy to guess (think “I was on the highschool football team”, not “I’m from Mars!”).
3. One participant then says these truths and lies out loud (go by alphabetical order to make things easier).
4. All other team members have to guess which of the four statements is the truth. You can ask team members to hold up a sheet of paper with their guess for everyone to see.
5. Once everyone has guessed, the participant shares the truth. All correct guesses earn 1 point each.
6. The exercise continues with other participants. At the end of the exercise, the team member with the highest number of points wins.
Strategy
Remote teams can often work for long periods together without ever really knowing each other. This exercise is meant to help team members understand each other’s histories and backgrounds. It’s particularly helpful for new teams.
source:workamajig
