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Room 101

Activity - Communication skills - Room 101

Room 101 – Persuasive Communication Exercise

This engaging debate activity challenges participants to sharpen their persuasive communication skills in a fun, competitive format. Inspired by George Orwell’s Room 101, each team must convince the rest of the group to “banish” a selected item by presenting compelling, enthusiastic, and well-structured arguments. A great exercise for practicing positive language, benefit framing, and confident delivery.

Time

Total: 60 minutes
Includes preparation, debate rounds, and debrief.

Materials

  • Flip chart and markers
  • Timer or stopwatch (optional)

Setup

Explain the concept of Room 101 as featured in George Orwell’s novel 1984 — a place where undesirable things are permanently banished. In this activity, participants will use persuasive arguments to try and convince the group to eliminate something annoying, unpleasant, or unnecessary from everyday life.

Instructions

  1. Split the group into trios.
  2. Each trio must agree on three items they believe should be placed into Room 101. They must reach unanimous agreement within the group to proceed.
  3. Groups prepare persuasive arguments to present their items to the wider group.
  4. One item per trio is presented at a time in the following sequence:
    • Opening argument (by proposing trio)
    • Counter-arguments from the rest of the group
    • Defense and persuasion from the proposing trio
    • Final closing statement by the proposing trio
  5. Hold a vote (excluding the proposing group). If the majority agrees, the item is successfully banished to Room 101.
  6. The trainer notes the result (tick or cross) on the flip chart.
  7. Repeat the above for all remaining items. The team with the most Room 101 wins is declared the winner.

Trainer Tips

  • Offer lighthearted item examples to get participants thinking creatively (e.g., mosquitoes, slow Wi-Fi, pineapple on pizza).
  • Encourage friendly competition and energetic debate — but keep the tone respectful and inclusive.
  • Manage time carefully. Prompt teams to make their closing statements if debates run long.

Debrief Questions

  • What persuasive techniques worked best during the debates?
  • How did tone, enthusiasm, or positive language influence the outcome?
  • Were you more convinced by logic, humor, or emotional appeals?
  • How does this relate to persuading others in real workplace situations?
  • What could you improve in your communication approach next time?

Learning Objective

Participants experience firsthand how word choice, confidence, benefit framing, and tone can shape influence. The activity encourages them to be more intentional in their persuasive messaging — whether leading meetings, pitching ideas, or managing team disagreements.

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