Minefield

While being in the ‘Leader’ position, participants actively work on their leadership skills. When they’re taking on the ‘Walker’ role, they can reflect being on the receiving end, and on how the leadership style affects them.

Objects to create a “minefield” (e.g. boxes, bins, books, chairs, tables, etc.)

The trainer must create a “minefield” that the participants must cross. This “minefield” should consist of objects on the floor that the participants are not allowed to touch. 

Students work in pairs. One of them, ‘the Walker’, must cross the minefield while blindfolded, while the other, “the Leader”, must guide the Walker from a distance. 

Two or more teams should compete at the same time in order to create a competitive environment. This also increases the level of difficulty by creating confusion with several people speaking at the same time. A team has won, when the “minefield” is successfully crossed. 

Afterwards, the team members switch roles.

After the activity is completed, spend some time reflecting on the exercise:  

• What did it feel like to have to follow the leader’s instructions? How did it feel to lead? 
• What was difficult? How did the communication work?  
• What did they learn?