Page 149 - UPthEM_Program_Final_December 2020

UPthEM – Upskilling Pathways for Employability
№ 2019-1-BG01-KA204-062299

Tool two; Back to back communication
This is a classic communication skills activity that highlights the importance of asking
questions for effective communication. The objectives of the exercise is to show effective
communication:
1. Asking the right questions.
2. Get clarification.
3. Confirm common understanding.

1- Split the whole group into teams of two.
2- Have each pair adjust their chairs and sit back to back.
3- Issue a copy of the diagram in the figure below to one of each pair of participants.
4- The person holding the diagram is tasked to explain the shape to his/her partner
and the listener must not see the diagram and should draw it based on his partner’s
description and directions.
5- After 10 minutes call the activity to a stop and ask each pair to compare the
outcome and how close is the listener’s drawing to the original diagram.

- You can run the activity more than once and on the first time do not allow the listeners to
ask any question but on the second time to allow questions and clarification to be asked by
the listener then compare the outcome on both cases and stress the importance of asking
questions to confirm understanding and ensure the accuracy of communication.

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