Unleash Your Inner Spy: The Resistance - The Ultimate Team-Building Adventure!

What is The Resistance?

The Resistance is more than just a game, it's a dynamic team-building activity that is designed to challenge players to work together and think strategically. The premise is a battle of wills between two groups: the resistance members and the spies. All players are secretly assigned identities, and the spies must work covertly to sabotage the resistance's missions. But here's the catch - no one knows who the spies are!

As the game progresses, players debate and negotiate, trying to figure out who among them is a spy. It's a test of logic, intuition, and social skills. Accusations fly as the trust between players is tested and rebuilt throughout the course of the game.

This game isn't about luck - it's about reading people, manipulating situations, and making analytical decisions. It's heart-pounding, brain-busting fun that brings out the very best (and sometimes, the very worst!) in people.

Materials needed for The Resistance

• 1 The Resistance game set (Includes role cards)

How to play The Resistance

• Gather a group of players: Get a group of people together and make sure everyone is willing to participate in the icebreaker activity.
• Assign roles: Assign each player a specific role as either a loyal member of The Resistance or a spy from The Empire.
• Explain the objective: Explain to the players that the objective of the game is for the loyal members of The Resistance to identify and expose the spies among them, while the spies try to remain hidden and sabotage the missions.
• Start the game: Begin the game by conducting a series of missions, where players will be divided into teams to complete tasks. The success or failure of each mission will affect the overall progress of The Resistance.
• Discuss and vote: After each mission, allow time for players to discuss and vote on who they believe the spies are. Majority vote determines whether or not the mission is considered a success.
• Reveal the results: Once the votes are in, reveal the results. If the mission was successful, the loyal members of The Resistance move forward. If it failed, the spies gain an advantage.
• Repeat and analyze: Continue to repeat missions and discussions until either The Resistance successfully exposes all the spies or the spies manage to sabotage enough missions to win.
• Celebrate or strategize: If The Resistance wins, celebrate their victory! If the spies win, discuss strategies and lessons learned for the next time you play.

Benefits of The Resistance

Icebreakers and team-building activities like The Resistance carry immense value. They are not only engaging and fun but also promote stronger relationships, improved communication, and a more collaborative environment. When people play games like The Resistance, they need to talk, cooperate, and build strategies together. This not only bridges communication gaps but also breaks down barriers that may exist.

As teams work together to accomplish their missions, they cultivate skills like problem-solving, decision making, and critical thinking. Team-building activities can help individuals understand each other's strengths, weaknesses, and interests, allowing them to work more effectively together on future tasks.

Some of the benefits of The Resistance include:

• Enhances critical thinking skills: The Resistance tests and hones your logic and decision-making abilities.
• Strengthens communication skills: Clear, precise communication is key in uncovering the spies.
• Fosters bonding and camaraderie: By working together, players can strengthen their bonds with each other.
• Improves problem-solving abilities: The game's challenges stimulate creative and analytical thinking.
• Boosts negotiation skills: Persuading others is crucial to either advancing missions or sabotaging them.

Why we like The Resistance

We love The Resistance because it brings out both the competitive and cooperative spirits in players. It is not just about figuring out who the spies are, but also about learning to trust and work with others effectively. This intriguing game pushes you to rethink everything you know about your colleagues or friends while bringing tons of laughter, fun and excitement to the table. Plus, who doesn't love a thrilling game of secret identities and sabotage?

Reflection questions for The Resistance

Reflection questions are a fantastic way to dive deeper into the game-play and dynamics of The Resistance. Post-game reflection allows players to debrief and understand the effects of the game better. The focus is on getting them to share their personal experiences and insights, identifying what worked, what didn't, and how they can apply these learnings in real-life situations.

As a facilitator, you can use these questions as a discussion guide during the debrief session. Participants can answer one at a time, or you can break them up into smaller groups for more intimate discussions. The goal here is to promote open and honest conversation, enhance team trust, communication, and strategizing abilities, while also gaining insights about behaviors under uncertainty or pressure.

Remember, the aim isn't about who won or lost, but about the lessons learned and the relationships built during the game. It's about making the invisible visible and transforming the gameplay into actionable insights.

1. Did you trust your teammates during the game? - We ask this to assess how the game impacted team trust.
2. How did you feel when you discovered your teammates' true identities? - This question is intended to encourage discussion on the impact of assumptions.
3. What strategies did you use to identify the spies? - This question is to unearth any creative or critical thinking processes used during the game.
4. How did the game make you feel and how did these feelings affect your performance? - Asking this question creates an opening for players to share their emotional experiences during the game.
5. How effective was your communication during the game? - We use this question to evaluate the team's communication skills and how it might have affected game outcomes.

Which skills does The Resistance build?

• Deception - Deception skills can be super helpful in icebreakers and team building because it adds an element of fun and challenge, making people more engaged and likely to bond. It also encourages creativity and critical thinking, as participants have to think on their feet and strategize within the game.
• Deduction - Deduction skills can be a huge advantage in icebreakers and team building activities. They help you observe and understand people better, making it easier to connect and build relationships with others.
• Communication - Communication skills are essential for icebreakers and team building because they facilitate effective and open dialogue, allowing team members to connect and understand each other better, which leads to improved collaboration and problem-solving.
• Strategic thinking - Strategic thinking skills are super helpful in icebreakers and team building because they help you plan and execute activities that foster better communication and collaboration, making the overall experience more engaging and productive.

Tips for inclusivity

Ensuring everyone feels included in The Resistance enhances the quality of the game and boosts overall team-building. When everyone actively participates, the activity becomes a blend of various perspectives, fostering creative thinking and problem-solving. Additionally, the inclusion helps in making everyone feel valued, appreciated, and part of the team, which strengthens communication and trust.

• Be mindful of language: Avoid jargon or cultural references that might not be understood by everyone. Remember, the goal is to keep everyone engaged and involved.
• Encourage active participation: Some individuals could be shy or hesitant. Encourage them to speak, share their thoughts, and actively participate in the game. Listening to everyone's perspectives adds fun and freshness to the game.
• Facilitate equal speaking time: Ensure that every player gets an equal chance to talk, share information, and strategize. Prevent certain individuals from dominating the game.
• Be patient: If some players are taking longer to make decisions or express thoughts, offer patience and understanding. Rushing them can create a sense of exclusion.
• Implement accessibility principles: If there are members with any kind of disability, be sure to accommodate their needs. This could involve providing assistive listening devices, considering physical accessibility, or adapting the game rules to ensure everyone can participate equally.