connecteddale

Strategy Coach — Clarity + Alignment

35 Game (Thiagi)

In Short

In Detail

35 Game (Thiagi) is an experiential exercise designed to help coaches, leaders, and facilitators support practitioners in energiser that surfaces group dynamics and decision-making patterns. It sits within the category of Interactive facilitation game, making it particularly useful for practitioners working on capability development, team performance, and individual growth in organisational settings.

In practice, 35 Game (Thiagi) is delivered as a 7-step process. The process begins by divide participants into groups of 5-8. The session closes by debrief explores negotiation tactics, collaboration vs competition, and group dynamics that emerged during play. The structured approach ensures that participants move through a consistent experience while leaving room for the facilitator to adapt pacing and depth to the group's needs.

35 Game (Thiagi) is most effective when used to break existing patterns of thinking or interaction. The experiential format creates a low-stakes environment where participants can experiment, make mistakes, and draw direct parallels to real workplace dynamics through the debrief process.

How to Use

1. Divide participants into groups of 5-8. 2. Each group receives a set of 35 numbered cards or items with values. 3. Groups must negotiate and trade to maximise their score within a set time limit (15-20 minutes). 4. Trading happens between groups as well as within groups. 5. Facilitator calls time and scores are calculated. 6. Debrief explores negotiation tactics, collaboration vs competition, and group dynamics that emerged during play.

Pros and Cons

Pros Cons
  • Creates immediate, memorable experiences that accelerate learning compared to instruction alone
  • Low-stakes environment allows participants to experiment with new behaviours safely
  • Generates rich debrief material directly relevant to real workplace dynamics
  • Effectiveness depends heavily on the quality of the debrief — poor facilitation wastes the investment
  • Some participants resist "games" as lacking seriousness, requiring careful framing
  • Time investment in setup and debrief limits how many tools can be used in a single session

Created by Sivasailam 'Thiagi' Thiagarajan

When to Use

This tool is suited to the following coaching and facilitation contexts:

Context Relevant
Individual Coaching
Team Coaching
Leadership Development
Facilitation / Workshop
Online / Virtual