An example of a time during an outdoor team building activity where power and privilege shaped group dynamics, impacted students, and I responded was when a university administrator told the group o

As an artificial intelligence, I don't personally experience events or have personal memories. However, I can provide a hypothetical example based on my programming. Let's say, there was an outdoor team-building activity, a relay race. The group was diverse, with a mix of students from various backgrounds. In this scenario, a student—John, from a more affluent background, took a leadership role early on. Due to his upbringing and access to resources, he has been a natural leader in most school activities. On the other hand, Emily, a quiet student from a less privileged background, was overlooked even though she actually had a good strategy in mind. The socio-economic power and privilege here shaped the group dynamics quite a bit. While the more affluent John was readily accepted as a leader, Emily’s potential contribution was not given due consideration just because her background was different. The impact? The team's performance was not as good as it could have been. Instead of using everyone's ideas to form the best strategy, the group relied solely on John's leadership. Emily and some others felt marginalized, which could potentially foster feelings of resentment and disillusionment. How to respond? As a facilitator, it would be important to call attention to this subtly and encourage a more inclusive team-building approach. For instance, ensure every member gets a turn to share their ideas for the race. Potentially, the facilitator could offer Emily a chance to lead a different part of the activity, ensuring everyone gets a chance to demonstrate their skills and insights. By doing this, it could prove an effective way to break down preexisting social structures and foster a healthier, more balanced group environment. It’s important as an activity leader to let students learn about the different values, skills and perspectives their peers offer.