Musical Chairs Networking

15-30 Minutes

Set up chairs in a circle with one fewer chair than participants. Play music while everyone walks around the circle. When the music stops, everyone rushes to sit. The person left standing must share something about themselves (answer a prompt question), then is "out" and removes another chair. Continue until only one person remains. Unlike childhood musical chairs where being "out" is negative, this version makes it a spotlight moment to share. Prompts might include: biggest career risk you took, most unusual skill, best advice you ever received, or favorite failure (what you learned from a mistake). This combines physical movement, time pressure, and structured sharing. It works best with 15-30 people and takes about 15-20 minutes. The game format makes sharing feel less intimidating.

How to Play

Setup

Arrange sturdy chairs in a wide circle with one fewer chair than participants (e.g., 20 people = 19 chairs). Leave clear walking space around the outside.
Prepare a set of 20–40 prompt questions on cards or a slide/phone list (e.g., biggest career risk, most unusual skill, best advice received, favorite failure and lesson learned). Sort by light-to-deeper prompts.
Test music and speaker. Use upbeat, work-appropriate tracks and ensure you can pause instantly. Assign a facilitator to control music and guide sharing.
Set expectations: this version celebrates the person left standing with a brief spotlight. Encourage applause and active listening.

Gameplay

Brief the group on safety (walk, don’t run) and the spirit of the game (positive, supportive, fun).
Everyone stands around the outside of the chair circle. Start the music and instruct players to walk clockwise at a comfortable pace.
Pause the music unpredictably after 10–25 seconds. Players quickly sit in any available chair.
The person left standing becomes the Spotlight Sharer. Hand them a prompt card (or let them choose). They share a 20–30 second response with the whole group. Encourage applause.
The sharer is now "out" (in a positive way): they remove an additional chair from the circle and move to the sidelines to cheer, manage prompts, or help with timing.
Repeat rounds, each time removing one chair after the share. Keep the pace brisk. As numbers shrink, vary music lengths to maintain suspense.
Final round: when two players remain and one chair is left, stop the music for a climax. Celebrate the winner with applause. Optionally invite the final sharer to answer one prompt, too.
Debrief in 2–3 minutes: ask a few volunteers to share surprising insights they heard and invite follow-up conversations post-game.

Rules

Walk only; no pushing or diving for chairs. Hands off other players’ bodies.
Chairs must remain in the original circle (no dragging or blocking).
One person per chair; no seat-saving or hovering.
Spotlight shares are time-capped (20–45 seconds). A gentle pass is allowed; provide an alternative prompt if needed.
Respect and encouragement: listen fully, no interruptions, applaud every sharer.
Accessibility: adapt movement (e.g., floor spots instead of chairs, wider lanes). Allow seated participation and assign a buddy if helpful.

Tips

Start with 1–2 warm-up rounds with no elimination to reduce anxiety.
Mix prompt depth: begin light, then go slightly deeper mid-game.
Keep music volume energetic but safe for hearing and instructions.
Use a co-facilitator to hand out prompts and track time.
Model a concise share early to set tone and length.
Photograph prompt cards so you can project them for visibility.

Variations

Non-Elimination Spotlight: keep chair count equal to players. When music stops, the last person standing shares but stays in. No chairs are removed—run for a fixed time.
Pair-Share: the standing person picks a seated partner; both answer the prompt in 20 seconds each.
Themed Prompts: tailor to onboarding, leadership, innovation, or retrospectives.
Reverse Spotlight: the person who sat last answers a prompt, encouraging tactical listening and quick action.