What is Agree to Disagree: Switch Sides Edition?
Agree to Disagree: Switch Sides Edition takes the site's base debate format and adds one twist: partway through, everyone switches. The host puts a genuinely debatable statement in front of the room, people position themselves — agree on one side, disagree on the other — and each side makes its opening argument. Then everyone crosses over and builds a fresh case for the position they were just arguing against.
It works because you can't fake the switch. Building an honest argument for a side you didn't pick forces you to actually understand it, which does more for empathy and active listening than any amount of polite nodding — and it tends to surface exactly where your own first take was thinner than you thought.
It's built for a room that's ready to argue in good faith and switch sides without it turning personal. For a group that's still feeling each other out, or a topic that's genuinely live at work right now, start with the base Agree to Disagree instead — same format, no switch required.
The rules
- Pick a statement that's genuinely debatable — never a trick question, never off-limits.
- Everyone stakes a side based on their first reaction — agree or disagree.
- Each side makes its opening argument, uninterrupted.
- Partway through: everyone switches, and now argues the side they were just arguing against.
- Argue the new side for real — half-hearted doesn't count.
- Respect the room: listen actively, and let people finish.
Before you start
- Group size: 3–20 participants. Works with a small team or a whole department — split bigger groups into parallel debates if the room gets loud.
- A ready list of debate topics. Prepare your statements ahead of time — light-hearted to serious, and picked to avoid unnecessary divisiveness for this specific group.
- Built for hybrid. Runs in person as written; on a call, use reaction emojis, chat responses, or breakout rooms to sort people into sides.
- Optional moderator. One person to run the opening arguments and keep things on track — useful for bigger or newer groups, not required for a small one.
How to run it
- Set the scene 3–5 min
Set up a space where two sides can gather, and have your first debate statement ready. Explain the objective and the ground rules before anyone picks a side.
- Present the statement, pick a side 1–2 min
Introduce one debatable statement. Everyone positions themselves based on their first reaction — agree on one side, disagree on the other.
- Opening arguments 5–10 min
Each side makes its case, uninterrupted. This is where people commit to the position they actually hold.
- Switch sides 5–10 min
Everyone crosses over and builds a fresh argument for the position they were just arguing against.
- Reflect, then repeat 10–20 min
Ask what it felt like to argue the other side. Run it again with a new statement for as long as the room has appetite, then debrief on empathy and open-mindedness before you close.
← the switch is the whole game.
Facilitator tips
Variations
Argue from an assigned character or persona instead of your own opinion — good for a group that finds personal debate too exposing.
Argue as if you're the room's leading authority on the topic — confidence required, credentials optional.
Swap generic statements for ones pulled from your team's actual work or industry.
Why it works
Reflection questions
For teams and classrooms that want the debrief — these turn the switch into a conversation about how fast opinions actually move.
- What was your initial reaction when you heard the first statement?Instinctive reactions reveal how fast opinions form — before anyone's made a real argument yet.
- How did it feel to argue for a position you initially disagreed with?Gets at flexibility directly, and the discomfort here is the useful part.
- Did your opinion change on any of the topics discussed during the activity? If so, which one and why?Tracks real shifts in view, not performed ones — the "why" is where the insight lives.
- Can you think of real-life situations where this activity's insights might be helpful or applicable?Moves the exercise from game to habit, out into situations that actually matter.
- How can you apply the lessons learned from this activity to promote more productive disagreements and discussions in your personal and professional relationships?The graduation question — turns a debate exercise into a communication habit.