Capture the Flag!™ | Communication Training Activity

Participants work in pairs of teams - from separate breakout rooms. The task for each pair is to achieve a common objective.

One team, the BLUE team, is on an outdoor training course. At the start of the activity they are in a dinghy just off the coast. They are about to land in the territory of the Red team. Blue team's mission: to capture Red team's flag and escape.

The other team, the LOCAL RESISTANCE team represent villagers living in Red team territory, but who resent the Red team and are willing to help Blue team. They also want to be evacuated from the area.

At the start, each team has some information but it is sketchy and not always reliable. But at set intervals there are opportunities for inter-team communication. Representatives from each team can meet in a separate 'meetings' room.

Can the teams communicate effectively to achieve their objective? There are potential barriers. First, dividing groups into teams often serves to create competition and rivalry. Communications are limited so what can they do to make the most of them? How well do teams plan for their meetings? Do they collaborate well and exchange information freely? Is there clarity and order - or confusion - to their conversations? Do they make assumptions - for example the maps and their different orientations? Can they trust each other? Will they capture the flag - and all escape?!

• A chance to practise communication between teams
• Highlights potential pitfalls
• Stresses the importance of establishing common ground
• Dangers of making assumptions
• Understanding the need to give as well as take
• Stresses the crucial skill of listening

1. Briefly introduce the activity to the group in plenary, verbally or by PowerPoint.
2. Arrange the group into pairs of teams (one or two pairs) and install them in separate break-out rooms. Also create a separate ‘meeting room' for each pair.
3. Issue a copy of the appropriate Brief and Map to each person.
4. Teams have 20 minutes to discuss the information within their team and establish the key points.
5. At the 20-minute point, announce the first meeting. Transfer one (or two) individuals from each team to a meeting room. In subsequent meetings they can change the person who attends these meetings.
6. End the meeting after five minutes and return the representatives to their respective teams. The next meeting will be in 10 minutes' time.
7. Observe the various stages in the session: the first 20 minutes, the meetings, relaying information back to teams, agreeing a plan. Note what stages went well / what not so well (useful for the Debrief).
8. Repeat the meetings schedule until time is up - or teams have achieved their objectives (that is, they have a safe route, a departure time, the Local Resistance Team - and the Red flag!).
9. Bring teams into plenary and conduct a Debrief on the communication issues arising. Elicit the key points, issue the Handout and draw up Action Plans for improvements in communication skills in the workplace.

Full guidance supplied in the Trainer’s Notes.

• Trainer's Notes
• Trainer's PowerPoint
• Blue Team Brief
• Local Resistance Team Brief
• Sketch Maps
• Key Points Handout

This activity is supplied digitally via the Northgate Trainerhub. No delivery charges apply.

This Northgate Training activity comes with a five-year licence for repeat use with up to 24 participants at a time, for use by Trainers based at one licence-holding site.

All Trainers physically based at the same office location can access the Northgate resources during the five-year term, including the digital resources supplied on the Trainerhub via your own site-specific Trainer Dashboard. If you have Trainers based at other locations, and/or remote workers, who would like to access and use the Northgate resources, we can advise further depending on your requirements.

For further information on our licence terms please view the Northgate Licence Agreement.