Valley crossing : A simple but effective task

Valley crossing is a task by a group of people to cross a valley.  The people cross the valley by well-co-ordinated  strategy. All people are equidistant from each other and holding a bamboo. They have to cross a valley. They synchronise their motions (speed and steps) in order to make uniformity. The arrangement is such that all people went through three stages i.e. safe, semisafe, danger positions.

But through synchronisation and well  co-ordinated strategy the task of passing the valley can be executed.

The task has a speciality that it looks simple form the outset but the execution of this task involves great management principles and application of various skills.

Three people crosses the valley safely in this task through co-ordination and team work.

This task defines the human limitations.

This simple task gives lots of learning about management principles.

First of all it involves planning – This task appears simple but execution of this require carefully thought out strategy which includes assigning  roles to individuals, setting the target and proper co-ordination between the team members.

Team work – This task shows how things can be achieved through proper team work. This task in very difficult if there is only one individual but through a team of three this can be easily done. So this is all about team work 

Contribution from every individual – There is no social loafing in this case. Each and every individual has to play its part, if they have to achieve the target.

Synchronization - This is the most important principle required in proper implementation of this task. To cross the valley each and every step of all the three individuals should be properly synchronised. The speed of moving should also be in synchronism.

Other skills involved in the task

The technical skill is to able to perform the actual task .i.e. lifting the pole on the shoulder and carrying the 50% weight of one of the person and 50% weight of the pole and crossing the valley one by one with similar process of one person hanging by the pole and the others carrying the pole on their shoulders.


The conceptual skills are required to understand the aim of the whole team ,how to reach that goal ,what are the impending problems that they may come across.Planning and organizing the role of each and every person of the team is needed to reach the goal.In this case proper coordination and synchronization of the steps are very essential.For this they need a lot of planning,practise and power.


Human skills or interpersonal skills are essential to understand the psyche of each and every individual to perform the task better because ultimately it is the human beings who will be crossing the valley not any trained machines..A human being will be working with other human being who will have emotions....