The annual 1997, Volume 1: Training, by Jossey Bass Pfeiffer.

The annual 1997, Volume 1: Training, by Jossey Bass Pfeiffer.

The annual 1997, Volume 1: Training is a very interesting and useful book. It offers vast knowledge on teamwork, learning strategies, working with groups and synergizing with the same. It contains a handful of activities oriented towards the aspects mentioned above, so we can practice the attained knowledge.

As the our teacher suggested, we will focus on one single activity since all are the same, and we will arrive at a conclusion based on the analysis of said activity, so we can acquire all the skills this book offers.

The activity we chose to analyze is called: “Rope Trick: Experiencing how groups function”. By the title alone, we can tell this activity is all about teamwork and working with others.

The activity tells us to make 3 teams with different people. Each team will be handed a rope and will be blindfolded. Then, they must create a specific geometric shape, team A must make a square, team B will make a triangle and team C will make a circle.

The teamwork required to make the shape whilst everyone is blindfolded is extremely high, one must communicate, listen and synergize with the rest of the team to make the shape.

Once everyone has made their corresponding jobs and each team has successfully finished their shape, then the true test begins, teams must now unite their shapes to make a “house” figure, square for walls, triangle for roof and circle for window, while still being blindfolded under a time limit.

What does this activity have to offer?

It offers the opportunity to experience how group members organize themselves to accomplish tasks. It also offers the opportunity to learn and experience how group members communicate in planning and completing a task.

All this information is very useful to us, engineering students, as we will encounter obstacles that we will only beat as a team, we must learn how to communicate efficiently and plan ahead so we can complete any given tasks successfully.

This is only one of many activities the book offers so we can learn group work, communication, effort, planning and teamwork to complete objectives and be better engineers in the near future.