Sit Stand, a playful and profound exercise to identify the concept of community. The “Sit Stand” exercise is often presented as an icebreaker, meaning an activity that helps a group of people connect better. It certainly serves this purpose, but in my opinion, it contains resources that go far beyond that.
Here’s how it works: facing a group of seated people, you prepare around ten closed-ended questions that can be answered with a simple yes or no. For example:
- Who came by bike?
- Who is wearing second-hand clothing?
- Who has the TikTok app on their phone?
- Who is subscribed to Netflix?
- Etc.
It’s preferable that participants are not seated behind tables but, for example, in a circle, so they can see each other. It’s worth rethinking the room setup, moving tables with the participants, as this already encourages an internal shift—a readiness to receive.
Next, you give the instructions: you will ask questions fairly quickly, and participants are to stand up if their answer is yes and remain seated if it’s no. You invite them to prepare to stand up and sit down quickly. This might seem like a small detail, but it’s very important to take the time to explain the instructions so that people can mentally and physically prepare for this activity. The body is engaged, which requires a brief moment, a transition.
The questions should be carefully chosen. They work best if they are playfully controversial. For example:
- Who is subscribed to Netflix?
- Who has a television at home?
- Who spends more than 5 hours a day in front of screens?
- Etc.
There should be a touch of humor. And these questions should be prepared based on the issues likely shared by the people gathered. For classical musicians, for instance, you could ask questions like:
- Who tunes their instrument to 432 Hz instead of 440 Hz?
- Who plays an instrument that’s over 100 years old?
- Who practices relaxation before playing their instrument?
The exercise lasts no more than 5 minutes, it makes people laugh, and by choosing the right questions, as I mentioned earlier, it goes beyond being a simple icebreaker. It allows the group to discover each other in a lighthearted yet profound way. It helps identify what connects them and what creates dissent, all while laughing. This creates a sense of community through shared activity, within diversity.
The act of standing up is already a form of expression. It takes courage, in front of others, to share something personal that reflects who we are as individuals, not just our social roles. This fosters connections and begins to set in motion the topics that will be worked on together.
It lasts no more than 5 minutes, it’s joyful, and it allows everyone to step into the working space and the subject matter right away. If the questions were well chosen, you’ve already learned something.
This activity was shared with me by Sonia Leplat, who had received it from Christelle Blouët.
