1. WeGrow 2008 in Malta, session handout
Water in the desert
Location No idea yet
Material needed Object; plastic cup; bottle; 2 ropes of 4 m; rope of 10 m for the circle
Time schedule 5 min briefing + 20 min action + 25 min debriefing
Preparation
Objective • Let delegates experience intensely both leading and being lead
• Let group members feel the challenge of cooperation
This exercise
contributes to the
overall goal of EuroCo
by …
• …bringing up the importance of “how to lead”: participation vs.
instruction
• …picturing the “pulling on different ropes” – which in cooperation
may lead to success, in egocentric use leads to failure
Remarks for facilitator • Wait out of sight of the exercise!
• If they drop the object put it back to the starting point.
Security Instructions
Exercise
Instructions to read out
– repeat as often as
required!
Read out loud:
“You are a group of scientists in the hot and waterless desert, and
suddenly you see an oasis… But you recognise quickly that it is a
holly oasis, and that you are not allowed to step in it (the circle).
Because of this fact you have to fill the cup with the water and to get it
out of the circle without stepping inside. It is also forbidden to touch
the cup and the bottle with your hands due to religious traditions.
The only tools you have are the two ropes, and you have 20 minutes
from now on to get the cup with water otherwise you will die :-(
The cup needs to be at least half full!”

2. WeGrow 2008 in Malta, session handout
Debriefing
Focus 1: strategy
and communication
• How did the strategy evolve? Who was involved developing it?
How was the planning process in the group?
• Did the strategy change during the process? Why, why not? What
helped/prevented the implementation off the new strategy?
• How content are you with the result? What kept you from doing it
better?
• Which roles were established? Which communication rules came
up in this special setting?
• How was communication? Was everybody heard? How much
attention was spent on alternative strategies?
• Communication between both groups: was it established? How?
Was it just to inform the other?
• How were successes shared?
• What would be a situation in reality where the same problems
occur – e.g. the communication between two operating groups?
• How would you improve then now? After the exercise?
Focus 2: roles in
the groups
• Has someone taken the lead? How? How was the group involved
in this?
• What were the functions of this person (or these persons)? Which
different roles came up?
• Were the roles chosen? Were they consensus? What was their
legitimacy?
• Did roles change? Why? And how? Were they questioned?
Because of what – did the person fail, or was the strategy wrong?
• How was the relationship between followers and leaders? In what
did “following” consist – did it exist? How did followers behave?
• How important are these roles in reality? How do they look like in
an example?
• What would make the work improve concerning roles? How should
they be taken, how should they be treated?