Comfort Zone - A interpersonal skills activity

Description: Participants are asked a series of questions. Each participant will place an identifying marker down on a target marked on a table. The farther the marker is away from the center, the more they are uncomfortable with that topic/question.

Educational Purpose: For participants to get to know one another more deeply, and understand how they think and where they stand on certain issues. This allows individuals to show their comfort toward different scenarios and identify positive behaviors to help the group communicate more effectively.

Needs:

For indoor processing, use pieces of paper as shown in figure A. You can use small items like monopoly pieces or dominoes to represent the individuals. These are to be placed on the paper for identification.
For outdoor or large room processing, use four ropes as shown in figure B or C. Your participants will just stand where it is appropriate.

Optimal Group Size:Four to thirty is best if facilitating and processing. If doing it as an icebreaker for people to know each other, I have ran this activity for up to 150 people at a conference. See variation notes on how to use this activity in different ways.

Time: Ten to twenty-five minutes.

Set Up Time: You need a designated area for each group. Allow enough room for everyone to feel free to move around comfortably. If indoors, use a flat surface, such as a table to identify as your zones. For outdoors, you can easily lay down rope.

Instructions:

The instructions have been written as if you were in a large venue or outdoor setting.

Set up your area as mentioned below, as you see in figure B.
Tell the group that you will be asking various questions (listed below). In response to each question they need to move to the appropriate zone. The distance from the center zone (comfort zone) represents or measures how much you are or are not comfortable.
Mention the following zones.
1. The center is known as the “Comfort Zone.”
2. Between the center and outside edge will be labeled as moderate discomfort or the “Stretch Zone.”
3. Outside edge will be labeled not comfortable to the point of high stress or the “Panic Zone.”
Give participants a few seconds to move. After each situation, be sure to give the participants a chance to explain why they chose to be in the zone they moved to.
After processing your findings to the group, take mental notes for yourself for facilitating the rest of the day keeping physical, mental and emotional safety in mind.

Safety: Be sure you let the group know that criticism in any form is not allowed. It’s too easy for people to slip into the negative zone.

Facilitation Tips: When facilitating be sure to take notes. This will help you identify personality behaviors and be able to meet the needs of the group easier.

Variations:

Working with small groups as a facilitator. Start the activity as an icebreaker. Later with processing activities, use it to ask questions. For example, “When the group was over talking each other in the planning process, which zone were you in?”
For larger groups at a conference or workshop, use figure A when sitting at tables. Have each person at the table choose from their pockets or items off the table to be their playing piece. During the questions have them places their playing pieces on the appropriate zone. Great for just doing an icebreaker to see the different types of people at each table.

The following are only example questions. Feel free to develop your own when developing a workshop or training session. This is great for DISC or Myers Briggs trainers to help see the different behaviors of the participants at the same time.

Questions to ask.
Flying in a small plane?	Being in front of a video camera?
Jumping out of a plane?	Driving long distances?
Watching horror movies?	Debating with others?
Being a follower?	Working by yourself on a project?
Being outdoors? Camping Outdoors?	Asking for help or favors?
Paying for a date?	Singing in the car?
Speaking in front of a crowd?	Taking things slow?
Breaking minor traffic laws?	Littering?
Teaching children not your own?	Interviewing for a job?
Wearing formal attire?	Wearing a super hero custom?
Confronting and correcting a coworker?	Asked to draw a picture?
Writing notes in front of your peers?	Offering solutions before researching them?
Apologizing? Admitting mistakes?	Running a 5K race?
Talking during a movie?	Answering your cell phone during a meeting?
Walking between two people in conversation?	Negotiating with a car salesperson?
Eating liver?	Cooking for others?
Meeting a celebrity?	Asking others to take your picture?
Borrowing money? $1.00? $100.00? $1,000?	Tell a child, not your own, NO?

Figure A: Three pieces of paper laid out. Working left to right. Label the first paper “The Comfort Zone.” The second, “The Stretch Zone.” The third, “The Panic Zone.”Great for small groups.

Figure B: Rope circle layout. This will take up about a thirty-by-thirty-foot area. This target can also be drawn on paper for table groups.Great for large and small groups.

Figure C: Small 10 foot ropes in straight lines.This will take up about a twenty-by-twenty-foot area.Great for large groups.

If you like this icebreaker, then be sure to get our “Fun Icebreakers for Small Groups” activity book. Found on Amazon or at our store resources at www.whenpeopleplay.com/shop.

Video Link: https://youtu.be/iVUiPddBBt4

PDF Download: Click Here