Debating Exercises – For or Against #56

During the exercise the participants will sit on chairs in a half circle on one side of the room. You tell the team that each participant has to come up with a subject which he is either for or against. This can be anything. From big issues like immigration or world peace to smaller themes like people throwing bubble gum on the sidewalk. Everyone thinks for himself a few minutes about a few arguments and the first person will come in front of the group to present his argument. In this case a presentation against animal testing. He tells the group he thinks it’s ridiculous that animal testing is still happening in 2017 and comes up with arguments for a few minutes. After the participant finished his presentation the listeners can ask critical questions regarding an opposite opinion. In this case the participants in the audience pretend they are people who are for animal testing. In this case one person asks: If you have a headache you use painkillers yourself right? This medicine is also developed by animal testing! The one in front of the audience anwsers. Yes, that used to be the case, but there are technical inventions now that makes animal testing unnecessary. Tell the one speaking to not give the answer only to the one asking the question but to give the answer to everyone. After everyone has asked a critical question and the one in front of the audience gave his answer the speaker now gives a presentation about the same subject only this time with an opposite opinion. In this case why he is thinks animal testing is a good thing. He can use the earlier critical questions from the audience as an inspiration for new arguments. In this case he starts with: Animal testing is important for the wellbeing of the human race. Also this presentation will last for a few minutes. When he has finished this argument it’s a next persons turn. Keep doing this untill each participant has given a presentation in front of the group anwsered the critical questions and gave the opposite presentation. Everyone now sits in a circle and evaluates the exercise. Was it difficult to present the opposite presentation while you actually didn’t agree with it? Or maybe it was easier, because it wasnt real and vulnerable? Did the participants felt the critical questions as a personal attack or did they saw it only as an attack on the subject itself? The trainer guides the team and applies variations to the exercise. What kind of variations you can read below this video on Youtube. And haven’t you subscribed yet? Hit the subscribe button below this video to stay tunes for a new team exercise each Sunday on youtube.com/teamexercises to improve cooperation and communication.

Written by Raul Dinwiddie