valley Crossing exercise

The Valley crossing exercise

This was the exercise that we carried out in the class. I will give a a brief about this activity and what I learnt from it

The Activity

The task is to cross a deep valley. Well it may seem like a difficult and dangerous task to begin with. We have three main protagonists who have a bamboo strong enough to take the weight of each of them at a time. The three Protagonists devise a plan. They stand in a straight line, resting the bamboo on their shoulders. Step by step they negotiate the hurdles coming their way. helping each other out in the times of need and finally conquering the valley. The pictorial representation of the entire task can be shown a
follows:

And this is how the class activity was carried out

Though it seems like a simple task there are a few things that are very essential to the successful completion of the task. Below are few nitty-gritty’s of the activity.

Gap :

The gap between the three members should be equal and uniform.  The gap between any two members should be half of the width of the valley. Also the gap should remain the same all the time.

Synchronization:

By far the most important aspect of this task is the synchronisation.The speed of all the three members should be the same. Their steps should be in sync with each other. The three members should work in unison. This would not only take care of the gap between them but also give each one of them an idea as to where the other two members are and what is their position vis-a-vis the others.

Real time Communication

There is always communication between the members during the task albeit non-verbally. Also the bamboo can act as a communicating device since it is the common object of contact between the three people.

Close feedback loop:

For the activity to be successful there has to be a close feedback loop. The bamboo can be an effective means of communication as the tilt/positon of the bamboo gives the member an idea where the other member is positioned. This acts like a feedback signal. The other member can take the necessary step.

There are a lot of things that can be taken away from this exercise. I would mention a few of them.

Innovation:

The solution to the problem is very unique and also effective. It simply makes use of a bamboo and viola the solution is as simple as it gets. It is very intriguing that a problem can have such a simple solution.

Team work:

Team work is the main cornerstone on which this exercise stands. Each and every team member is in a position of danger when he/she is in the middle of the valley. That is when the other member shows confidence in you and takes you to safety.  This is how the organisation works in a nutshell. They cooperate with each other in order to achieve the desired goal.

Interdependent roles:

Here it can be seen that the each of the three members have a different role to play. The person at the front acts like a leader. He shows the way to the others.  The middle person acts like a co-ordinator. He follows the instruction of the person in front and communicates it to the last member albeit non-verbally. The third person then follows on the path of the second person. But he plays an equally important role to drive the team to their destination.

Simplicity:

The solution in itself is so wholesome and easy that any 3 people can carry out the task.  The solution tames the problem to such an extent that the problem seems like a cakewalk. 

It was a great experience watching and learning from this activity.

                                                                                                                                            

I find this exercise very similar to the flight of geese. Have a look at the picture below

There is a great lesson of teamwork in this V formation of geese. It has been proved scientifically that as each bird flaps its wing, it creates an uplift for the bird immediately following it. By flying in this formation each bird increases its flight range by 71%. Quite similar to the people who are a part  of the team who share a common goal attain it quicker and easier.

It is indeed a reward, a challenge and a privilege to be a part of the team.