Leader’s Manual

GROUP QUESTIONS

Each People Game actually comprises six (6) sets of questions. Three (3) of the sets are designated Group Questions, and the other three (3) are designated for pairs or partners.

The Group Question Sets are done with the entire group at one time. In the Group Sets, the leader has quite a bit of responsibility. However, the Group Questions are actually quite easy to run and are also especially interesting to the leader.

In running the Group sets, the general rules of good communication should be followed, along the basic rules of the People Games.

The start is quite easy. The leader announces that he has a group questions which he intends to ask everyone and which he will pass around the room. He reminds the people that if anyone doesn't want to answer they can "pass" on the question. He then asks for a volunteer to answer the first question.

He starts with the volunteer and passes the question all around the room being sure that everyone has at least one opportunity to answer the question.

Note: In the Group Questions, it is important to have a volunteer before announcing what the question is. I always try to make it easy by first reminding them that they don't have to answer, and second by moving into it with a comment about how I am always curious about who might be brave enough to answer an unknown question or who might trust me enough to volunteer. Sometimes there will be a short wait, but someone always will volunteer eventually.

There is a specific reason for having a volunteer before announcing the question. If the question is presented first,and then the leader asks for a volunteer, every person in the room will start evaluating and judging the question, attempting to decide if it is a good question or whether or not they want to answer it. This becomes confusing, introduces negative thoughts, and is poor direction of the group.

On the other hand, bravely volunteering for an unknown question is challenging and curious and when one person has volunteered, it makes it easy for the others to consider the question without grading it on a value scale.

When sending the question around the room, the leader cordially asks each person. He always, accepts what the person says, he never presses for an answer if the person appears reluctant in any way, and he usually lets the person know if he does not feel in touch with what is said. The leader, perhaps more than anyone else, is paying close attention to what is being said, and if he does not feel in touch with what is said, it is very probable that others in the group are also in the dark.

If the person is not speaking loudly enough the leader should ask the group, "Could everyone hear that?", and if someone says, "no," he would ask the person to repeat his answer.

Finally, the leader always acknowledges each person's answer with a nod, or by saying, "Good", "Fine", "Okay", or "Thank you".

If people digress when they are answering or go on talking somewhat extensively, the leader lets them go on a little and then gently directs them back to the Game after acknowledging what they are saying.

The attitude of the leader is particularly important during the Group Set. His attitude will tend to set the mood for the whole game. Therefore, he should be relaxed and casual but also enthusiastic.

After the leader has set the mood, the people will feel quite comfortable following along with it.

There is one other reason for the leader to provide or set the attitude during the Group Questions. The Games actually do work best when the routine is followed, and the Group Set will serve as an example as to how the Game is played. People will notice how the leader does it and they will tend to follow his style during the rest of the Game. They will see that the leader is open and accepting and will follow. They will see that the leader never puts anyone on the spot and will tend to follow that lead. They will also feel more relaxed knowing that they won't be put on the spot either.

There are three Group Sets in each People Game. (See Leader Actions Outlined) These are labled Group Sets A, B, and C, and are described as follows:

GROUP SET A

This set is designed to take about ten (10) minutes, and is comprised of two (2) questions which are passed around the room, first one, then the other. (If the group is very large, in going around the room with the first question, the leader could ask every other person, and then when going around with the second question, he would ask only those people whom he skipped on the first.)

In Group Set A, the leader has a broad choice of questions which he may use. He may use any two questions from any of the People Game lists, and the choice is entirely up to him. Most all of the list questions work quite well as Group questions. There are, however, a few which work especially well and which we have used quite often. These are found below and might be recommended to a new leader.

The leader picks two (2) questions. He asks the first one around the room going in one direction, for example, clockwise. He would then ask for another volunteer for the second question, and sent that one around the room in the opposite direction.

GROUP SET B

The Group Set B has only one question which goes around the room only once.

The Group Set B question is "Tell us about a Favorite possession of yours."

If this question is not understood, the leader can explain that he wants to know about "something you have that you like a lot."

GROUP SET C

This set also has only one question, but this question is asked around the room several times.

The question is: "Tell us about something you usually enjoy doing."

This set differs in that the answers will usually tend to be short, and in that way, it can be assumed that each person has at least several interesting answers. Also, it can be assumed that the other people will be curious and interested in what various things these other people like doing.

Therefore, the leader does not stop when he has made a full circle around the room with the question. He announces that he would like each person to tell about a few more things he enjoys doing, and picks up with the first person asking, "What else do you usually enjoy doing?"

Group Set C usually works best when the leader takes the question around the room three or four times so as to get as many answers as possible from each person.