Start with play; laughter and eye contact build trust.

technique — attributed to Arthur Pearson

Pearson's early-program activities are deliberately silly. The human knot exercise requires touch, eye contact, and joking together. Research shows people learn to trust each other when they smile and laugh together. Substance should come second, after the room has chemically arrived at trust through play.

For program designers opening team-building sessions.

play, laughter, trust-building, team-formation