Activity (#): Barnga – A game about inter-cultural awareness



Activity 5: Practice #4 Manage Across Differences

Purpose: The supervisor will understand the impact of his/her own personality, supervisory style, personal biases or perceptions of and reactions to others. The supervisor will be able to apply these learned strategies to achieve open, honest, respectful interactions with staff across personality, style and cultural differences. The supervisors will experience “…the shock of realizing that despite many similarities, people of differing cultures perceive things differently or play by different rules. Barnga entraps participants into assuming that everyone abides by the same rules of acceptable behavior. Participants learn that they must understand and reconcile these differences if they want to function effectively in a cross-cultural group.”

Time: 180 minutes (over 2 days)

Objectives: Through this activity, the supervisor will:

• Describe impact of style on interpersonal interactions.

• Assess worker styles

• Match appropriate supervisory style to different worker styles

• Assess personality and/or supervisory style using a standardized tool.

• Devise strategies for identifying and preventing misperceptions grounded in personal biases.

• Describe communication behaviors that demonstrate being receptive to other viewpoints.

Materials:

• Flip chart and markers

• Personality Profile Assessment tool – Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)

• Computer

• Light box

• (6) set of playing cards; one set for each table of four players

• 1 set of handouts for each group of four players

• Watch or clock or timer

• Papers and pencil for each table

• Whistle / bell / siren or buzzer – an attention-getting device

• Appendix page with instructions to play Barnga

|Sequence: (of topics/exercises) |Time |

|Defining Differences – |15 Minutes |

|Small group activity | |

|Influence of “Differences” on Perception – | 25 Minutes |

|Power Point Presentation | |

|Large group discussion | |

|Personality Preference Profile – |50 Minutes |

|Individual and large group discussion | |

|Barnga – Small group activity |90 Minutes |

|Method |Script |Tips/Notes |

| Defining “Differences” (15 minutes) |

|Say: |“When working with people we find they have many differences. If we were to |Give an example: i.e., Gender |

|[pic] |define some ways in which people vary what would you come up with?” | |

| |“How do we vary? At your tables come up with a list be as broad as possible.” |(Small group activity) |

| |“You have five minutes to conduct this activity.” | |

| |“In Learner’s Guide on page 39 – list differences. | |

|Ask: | |Large group activity |

|[pic] |“Ask each small group to share two answers and record them on a flip chart”. | |

| | |1) Hang the newsprints on the|

| |“Ask if there are any more that should be mentioned and record them on the chart.”|walls so they can be seen. |

| | |2) Thank them for creating |

| | |the list by giving positive |

| | |comments. |

|Say: | |As supervisors we need to be |

| |“You have created a good list, but why focus on differences?” |aware of how we are influenced |

| | |by “differences.” |

| Influence of “Differences” on Perception (25 Minutes) |

|Ask: | |Chose one or two items from the|

| |From the list you’ve all created,” how do these perceived “differences” influence |list and ask a participant to |

| |perception of an individual or groups of individuals?” |explain how this may influence |

| | |their perception. |

|Do | |Power point presentation: |

|[pic] |Have someone read the two statements and ask for their thoughts. |We all have different |

| | |perceptive depending on our |

| |[pic] |experiences. |

|Do |Explain the four layers of Diversity |Lecture |

|[pic] | | |

| |Organizational Dimensions |Explain: There is more to |

|Slides 3-18 |External Dimensions |diversity than what is listed, |

| |Internal Dimensions |we will review some additional |

| |Personality |examples for them in this power|

| | |point presentation. |

| |[pic] | |

|[pic] | |After the presentation, Are |

|Key Points |Doing some regular introspection is helpful. |there any comments? |

| |Consider your attitude about “differences” and the dimensions you find the | |

| |greatest discomfort. |Share the statements to the |

| |Think about how these reactions influence your interaction with co-workers. |left of things they should do |

| |What can you do to change your discomfort by increasing feelings of ease? |to create positive outcome in |

| | |their work space. |

| | | |

| | |Statement is in the Learner’s |

| | |Guide page 41. |

|Transition Statement |“We are going to stop here for today and tomorrow we will continue looking at the | |

| |preference profile.” | |

| | | |

| |Review and summary of take-home points. | |

|Source: Adapted from “Managing Diversity in Health Care” by Lee Gardenswartz and Anita Rowe |

| |

|End of Day One. Practice #4 continues after opening exercise on Day Two |

DAY TWO

|Method |Script |Tips/Notes |

|Personality Profile Assessment Tool – MBTI – (50 Minutes) |

|Say: |“Please take out the Personality Profile Assessment tool you, and your staff, have |Ask for MBTI tools. |

| |completed.” | |

|Say | |Were the directions clear? How |

| |“Would anyone like to share his or her experience completing the Personality |time consuming was it? |

| |Profile? | |

| |There were some questions you had to answer to determine your individual preference| |

| |profile, let’s go over those questions now.” | |

| | | |

| |“Questions are on page 44 in the Learner’s guide.” | |

|Ask: | | |

| |“Are you surprised by the outcome of the test?” |Review the MBTI with |

| |“Do you agree or disagree with its outcome, and if you disagree why?” |participants, have them answer |

| |“Do you see room for expansion in terms of your self-awareness and changing some of|the questions. |

| |your points of view?” | |

| |4. “How do these results coincide with your career choice or how do you take your |Have three or four participants |

| |career choice and enhance your behavior to better fit your role as a supervisor?” |answer these questions. |

| | | |

| | |Have them expand their answer. |

|Say: |“You were asked to select two individuals you supervise and have them complete the |Say statement to the left. |

| |MBTI tool. Then you were asked to compare the results of your profile with theirs,| |

| |and for homework you were asked to design a strategy to more effectively work with | |

| |that supervisee now that you have more information about them.” | |

|Say: |“Write down one strategy for one participant you now employ to develop a more |Exercise; on page 45 of |

| |effective working relationship between you and the person you supervise.” |Learner’s guide |

| |“You have 5 minutes to record your answers on newsprint.” |Instruction: |

| |“Identify your MBTI style and your supervisee’s MBTI style, and then write the |Divide the sheets into thirds. |

| |strategy.” |In the first column write |

| |“Instructions in Learner’s Guide page 45.” |“Supervisor MBTI style,” the |

| | |second column write “Supervisee |

| | |MBTI style” and in the last |

| | |column write |

| | |“Strategy” |

| | |Give each person one sheet of |

| | |newsprint. |

|Ask |“Are there any differences in your preference type compared to theirs?” |Give the participants 5 minutes |

| |“If yes, describe the difference(s) and any impact it had on your expectation and |to complete task. |

| |interpersonal interaction with them, and with their respective roles.” |Hang results on the walls. |

| |“What strategies would you now employ to develop a more effective working |Questions on page 46 in |

| |relationship between you and them?” |Learner’s Guide. |

| |Questions on page 46 in Learner’s Guide. |Open discussion: |

| | |Ask participants the questions |

| | |on the left. For the last |

| | |question refer to the newsprints|

| | |results posted on the walls. |

| | |Ask participants to share their |

| | |response. |

|Do |“These slides summarize some additional supervisory tips for working with the | |

|[pic] |different preference types. |Share additional supervisory |

|Slides 19-22 |[pic] |tips on slides # 19-22. |

| | | |

| | | |

| |[pic] | |

| | | |

| | | |

| |[pic] | |

| | | |

| |[pic] | |

|Debrief |“As supervisors it may be difficult to identity what your strengths and needs are, | |

| |or the strengths and needs of the individuals you supervise. Using this tool has | |

| |given you some insight. As well as strategies to create a more harmonious and | |

| |effective work environment.” | |

|Transition Statement |“We are going to learn a new game today. It is a card game called Five Tricks. | |

| |When you come back.” | |

| |

|BREAK 15 MINUTES |

|Activity: Barnga – 90 minutes |

| |Place cards and handout on each table. |Separate package with instructions |

|Do: | |attached. |

|Do: |Organize participants into groups of four. Each table should have a set |Divide participants into groups. If |

| |of playing cards and handouts. ( 3 minutes) |there are extra people ask them to |

| |Distribute handouts to each participant. |become Game Wardens. (They are to make |

| |Ask participants to learn the card game from the handout and play a few |sure the instructions are correctly |

| |practice games. (4 minutes) |carried out) |

| | |Learn the game FIVE TRICKS |

| | |Have a timer. |

| | |Announce a “correction” ...Face down… |

| | |Take away the handouts after a few |

| | |practice plays. |

|Do: |Ask groups at each table to silently play FIVE TRICKS for 5 minutes and |Conduct the First round |

| |to keep score. | |

|Do: |Send the winning partners at each table to the next table |Coordinate the First Transition |

|Do: |Ask the groups to silently play FIVE TRICKS for 5 minutes. |Conduct the Second Round |

| |When problems arise because of different rules, ask participants to | |

| |negotiate nonverbally | |

|Say: |“You can only communicate through gestures or pictures. You can not use |Enforce the gag order by firmly asking |

| |words.” |any outlaws to stop talking. |

|Do: |Send the winning partners at each table to the next table. |Coordinate the Second Transition. |

| |The winning partners will be sent to a different table. |Instructions are to be clear, use power |

| |The newcomer to the table will be paired with an old-timer at the table. |point or overhead to display |

| | |instructions. Help the group make the |

| | |switch. |

|Do: |Ask the groups to silently play FIVE TRICKS for 5 minutes |Conduct the Third Round |

| |When problems arise because of different rules, ask participants to | |

| |negotiate nonverbally. | |

|Say: |“You can only communicate through gestures or pictures. You can not use |Enforce the gag order by firmly asking |

| |words.” |any outlaws to stop talking. |

|Do: |Bring the activity to a close and get ready for a debriefing discussion |Conclude the Session |

|Debriefing |How do you feel? |Ask the following questions to the left |

| |What happened? |using the Appendix guide, for follow-up |

| |What did you learn? |questions |

| |How does this relate? | |

| |What if…? | |

| |What next….? | |

|Source:*Barnga – A simulation Game on Cultural Clashes – Sivasailam “Thiagi” Thiagarajan with Raja Thiagarajan |

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