The balloon

The coach running a team-building session for 50 people asks each participant to write their name on a balloon and let it float up to the ceiling.

At the end of the day, she asks each person to get their balloon back as fast as they can. There follows a free-for-all with everyone jostling to grab any balloon strings within their reach.

Everyone is clearly frustrated and the operation is far from successful.

So, the coach changes her instructions: everyone must grab the balloon closest to them and return it to its owner. Within a few seconds, all the participants have got their balloon back.

The coach explains that this exercise shows the power of positive energy – rather than looking for my own personal balloon, I’m working as a team member.

By helping someone, I create space for another person to help me in turn. All that leads to a doubly positive effect: I’m happy that somebody else is pleased to get their balloon back and then I’m doubly happy to get mine back.

What about you? How would you like to exercise your positive energy?