Classic Intercultural Simulation Activity - Five Tricks
Ejercicio Clásico de Simulación Intercultural - Cinco Trucos
From minute: 00:11 - 04:11
Five tricks, this method is part of our category on simulation exercises and role plays more specifically it is an intercultural simulation exercise different from role plays where participants are given specific roles to enact in simulation exercises participants are actually invited to be precisely themselves but in a new simulated context you would use an intercultural simulation exercise in a training context when you would want to create a learning opportunity for participants to explore the role our assumptions play in understanding and interacting with the world around us, the way we act and react when faced with an environment different from our usual line and how we deal with uncertainty and change.
For this method we recommend:
A group size of 16 to 30 participants
A duration of at least 30 minutes of running the activity
And at least 30 minutes of debriefing easily, more depending on how deep you dig.
Regarding materials you'll need:
A big room with at least four tables arranged in tournament style, for each table you furthermore need the same number of chairs at least four per table.
A standard deck of 52 playing cards, but we only use the cards ACE and 2 to 7.
A rule sheet and a tournament score sheet with a pen.
And optionally a flip chart for harvesting learning points during the debriefing.
All right Marcus from your experience what can you tell us about this activity:
the participants who play in groups in a tournament setting get slightly variation rules sheets but they are not aware of it and as there's an element of changing also with who you play according to tournament rules there will be a clash of how people think it should be played, additionally people are not allowed to talk they can only communicate non-verbally so they have limited possibilities of negotiation and this provides a very strong and immersive experience that provides a lot of points to reflect on and learning points to be drawn from it
The method step by step
Preparation
you need to set up the room you need a big room and it's good maybe if it's all so quiet undisturbed but you set up four or five tables with the chairs around on each table there should be a rule sheet facedown and the deck of cards containing the cards ace and 2 to 7 depending on the variation of Five Tricks you play you might also want to provide an and paper but then make it very explicit the participants are not allowed to write any letters of verbal information
Instructions/Implementation
when you have made sure that the room is set up you invite participants to come in and find any place to sit then you instruct them that at their table they find a rule sheet and that they will have some minutes to practice the game and that it is a tournament that they will play several games in each round after each round there will be a winner and loser and then the winner and the loser will change tables so they will think that it is a competition and that it is good to win once people have practiced you remove the rule sheets and you give them very important new information that from now on they are not allowed to talk so the first round starts you could make it last for 5 minutes after 5 minutes you announce it around is finished and you ask them to determine non-verbally of course who at each table is the winner and the loser how this is specifically decide it is explained in the rule sheet you then ask all the winners to change table clockwise and all the losers to change table counterclockwise and then the second round begins another 5 minutes for example you can play several it's good actually to play several rounds depending on how much time you have and what I usually do for the last round is that I asked those people who have not yet changed table at any time to stand up and make these people change so that all the participants at least ones have the experience of changing table…
Cinco trucos, este método forma parte de nuestra categoría de ejercicios de simulación y juegos de roles. Más específicamente, es un ejercicio de simulación intercultural diferente de los juegos de roles donde a los participantes se les asignan roles específicos para representar. En los ejercicios de simulación, los participantes son invitados a ser precisamente ellos mismos pero en un nuevo contexto simulado. Utilizarías un ejercicio de simulación intercultural en un contexto de capacitación cuando quieras crear una oportunidad de aprendizaje para que los participantes exploren el papel que juegan nuestras suposiciones en la comprensión e interacción con el mundo que nos rodea, la forma en que actuamos y reaccionamos cuando nos enfrentamos a un entorno diferente de nuestra línea habitual y cómo lidiamos con la incertidumbre y el cambio.
Para este método recomendamos:
Un tamaño de grupo de 16 a 30 participantes
Una duración de al menos 30 minutos para ejecutar la actividad
Y al menos 30 minutos de reflexión grupal, fácilmente más dependiendo de qué tan profundo profundices.
Respecto a los materiales necesitarás:
Una sala grande con al menos cuatro mesas organizadas en estilo torneo, para cada mesa además necesitas el mismo número de sillas, al menos cuatro por mesa.
Una baraja estándar de 52 cartas, pero solo usamos las cartas AS y 2 al 7.
Una hoja de reglas y una hoja de puntuación del torneo con un bolígrafo.
Y opcionalmente un rotafolio para recopilar puntos de aprendizaje durante la reflexión grupal.
Muy bien Marcus, con tu experiencia, ¿qué puedes decirnos sobre esta actividad:
Los participantes que juegan en grupos en un entorno de torneo reciben hojas de reglas con ligeras variaciones pero no son conscientes de ello, y como hay un elemento de cambio también con quien juegas según las reglas del torneo, habrá un choque sobre cómo la gente piensa que debería jugarse. Además, a las personas no se les permite hablar, solo pueden comunicarse de forma no verbal, por lo que tienen posibilidades limitadas de negociación y esto proporciona una experiencia muy fuerte e inmersiva que ofrece muchos puntos para reflexionar y puntos de aprendizaje de los cuales extraer enseñanzas.
El método paso a paso
Preparación
Necesitas preparar la sala, necesitas una sala grande y es bueno tal vez si también es tranquila y sin perturbaciones, pero preparas cuatro o cinco mesas con las sillas alrededor. En cada mesa debe haber una hoja de reglas boca abajo y la baraja de cartas que contiene las cartas as y 2 al 7. Dependiendo de la variación de Cinco Trucos que juegues, también podrías querer proporcionar papel, pero entonces hazlo muy explícito de que a los participantes no se les permite escribir ninguna letra o información verbal.
Instrucciones/Implementación
Cuando te hayas asegurado de que la sala esté preparada, invitas a los participantes a entrar y encontrar cualquier lugar para sentarse. Luego les instruyes que en su mesa encontrarán una hoja de reglas y que tendrán algunos minutos para practicar el juego y que es un torneo en el que jugarán varios juegos en cada ronda. Después de cada ronda habrá un ganador y un perdedor, y luego el ganador y el perdedor cambiarán de mesa, por lo que pensarán que es una competencia y que es bueno ganar. Una vez que las personas hayan practicado, retiras las hojas de reglas y les das información nueva muy importante: que a partir de ahora no se les permite hablar.
Así comienza la primera ronda, podrías hacer que dure 5 minutos. Después de 5 minutos anuncias que la ronda ha terminado y les pides que determinen de forma no verbal, por supuesto, quién en cada mesa es el ganador y el perdedor. Cómo se decide esto específicamente se explica en la hoja de reglas. Luego pides a todos los ganadores que cambien de mesa en sentido horario y a todos los perdedores que cambien de mesa en sentido antihorario, y entonces comienza la segunda ronda, otros 5 minutos por ejemplo.
Puedes jugar varias rondas, de hecho es bueno jugar varias rondas dependiendo de cuánto tiempo tengas, y lo que usualmente hago para la última ronda es que pido a aquellas personas que aún no han cambiado de mesa en ningún momento que se pongan de pie y hago que estas personas cambien para que todos los participantes al menos una vez tengan la experiencia de cambiar de mesa...
How do I develop intercultural skill?,
based on the video and my own experience
Based on the Five Tricks exercise, here are key ways to develop intercultural skills:
Experiential Learning Through Simulation
The Five Tricks method demonstrates that intercultural skills develop best through direct experience rather than theoretical knowledge. When participants face conflicting rules without being able to verbally communicate, they experience firsthand how cultural misunderstandings occur. This creates powerful "aha moments" that stick far longer than lectures about cultural differences.
Becoming Aware of Your Assumptions
The exercise reveals how we unconsciously assume everyone shares our "rules" for interaction. Developing intercultural skills starts with recognizing that your way of thinking, communicating, and problem-solving isn't universal.
Practicing Non-Verbal Communication
Since the Five Tricks participants can't speak, they must rely on gestures, facial expressions, and body language. This mirrors real intercultural situations where language barriers exist. Developing sensitivity to non-verbal cues and learning to communicate without words builds crucial intercultural competence.
Embracing Uncertainty and Discomfort
The exercise deliberately creates confusion and frustration, emotions common in intercultural encounters. Building tolerance for ambiguity and learning to stay curious rather than judgmental when faced with unfamiliar behaviors is essential. Instead of thinking "they're doing it wrong," try "I wonder what their perspective is."
Practical Development Strategies
Seek out diverse perspectives in your daily life, practice active listening without immediately trying to fix or judge, learn to ask questions that explore rather than assume, and develop comfort with not having all the answers immediately. The goal isn't to become an expert on every culture, but to become skilled at navigating cultural differences with curiosity, respect, and adaptability.
On my own experience I been working in airport customer service for a quite long time and it is, actually, one of the best real-world training grounds for developing intercultural skills. Here's how I used my environment to actively develop these skill
Learn from Daily Interactions
Every frustrated passenger from a different cultural background is a learning opportunity! When someone seems upset or confused, instead of assuming they're being difficult, ask yourself: "What cultural factors might be influencing their expectations or communication style?" For example, in some cultures, direct eye contact with authority figures is considered disrespectful, while in others, avoiding eye contact seems dishonest.
Develop Cultural Pattern Recognition
After working with diverse passengers for a while, you'll start noticing patterns. Maybe passengers from certain regions tend to travel in larger family groups and make decisions collectively, while others prefer individual autonomy. Or perhaps some cultures view time more fluidly while others are extremely punctual. These observations help you adjust your service approach.
Practice Adaptive Communication
Airports force you to communicate across language barriers daily. You'll naturally develop skills like using simpler vocabulary, speaking more slowly, employing visual aids, and reading non-verbal cues. You might learn that a smile and patient repetition work better than raising your voice, or that some passengers need more personal space while others prefer closer interaction.
Handle Stress Across Cultures
Air travel is inherently stressful, and stress manifests differently across cultures. Some passengers might become very vocal when upset, others withdraw completely, and some might seek group consensus before making decisions. Learning to recognize these different stress responses and adjust your de-escalation techniques accordingly builds crucial intercultural competence.
The key is approaching each interaction with genuine curiosity rather than judgment, treating cultural differences as puzzles to solve rather than obstacles to overcome.