Buss Games

Document Title A Bridge Too Far?

Durat ion (mins) 90

Skills tested by this teambuilding game: A Bridge Too Far can be used to test a whole range of skills and behaviours, including collaboration and teamwork (especially across remote teams), communication skills, leadership, time management and problem solving. Background: A Bridge Too Far is a fun, fast-paced and challenging exercise. Delegates work in remote teams and will need to share information and resources in order to be successful. What’s more, they’ll need to work effectively together as a single team despite their physical separation. The exercise tests communication, leadership, teamwork and collaboration (particularly across remote teams), problem solving, creativity and a host of other skills. You will need a minimum of eight participants to run this exercise (four teams of two) but twelve or more is better. The exercise can be used with much larger teams and with very large groups you can have one set of four teams competing against another set of four teams. The exercise can be used to: 1) Demonstrate the problems that remote teams encounter when they are collectively responsible for a project. 2) Demonstrate the importance of communication between teams who work in remote locations with little experience of working together. 3) Get teams and participants to quickly identify gaps in resources and come up with solutions to minimise the impact of shortages. Time: The exercise will take 45 minutes to run. In addition we recommend allowing at least another 45 minutes to discuss the learning points from the participants' experiences. Requirements: For this exercise you will need to gather together a range of easily accessed materials including, card, old newspapers, sticky tape, cocktail sticks, scissors, a ruler, an (unopened) tin of baked beans and some lego wheels. You will need plenty of space too - ideally each of four teams will have their own room in which to work. A Level Playing Field - Diversity Game Time: This game will take about 90 minutes to play. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 150 minutes to complete the game and ensure that all of the

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learning points are brought out. Aims: • To create an understanding of UK workplace Equality Law so that all employees and managers are aware of their responsibilities. Group Size: This module is suitable for use with groups of up to about 24 participants if using the online game board or 12 participants if using the table top version. Useful For: Everyone in the workplace – because everyone needs to be clear on what they can and can’t do. This is not a topic bound by status and participants will have the most fun from the game if there is a mix of roles, seniority and experience in each team. The game will be especially useful for managers and team leaders who are usually closest to managing diversity and equality issues and need to be clear on the law. You'll Need: • A computer/laptop with Broadband internet access and screen on which to project the screen. Please note, you will need to be logged in to Trainers' Library to access and use the online game board. • Questions and Answer Sheet. If you don’t have internet access, it is possible to run a Tabletop version of this exercise, in which case you’ll need: • A Spinner. (Download the template from Trainers’ Library.) • The Tabletop Game Board. (Downloaded from Trainers’ Library. Print this as large as you are able.) • 4 differently coloured sets of 8 counters. • Questions and answers sheet (downloaded from Trainers’ Library). Notes: Most questions have multiple choice or yes/no answers. This means that the third team to have a go at a question is pretty much guaranteed to get a correct answer when the question comes round again. This keeps the overall time for the game within reasonable limits and adds to the fun, because of the danger of a team getting the answer wrong and allowing another team to get in with the right answer next time. The game is very easy to play and we suggest that you have a practice run before you run it the first time to ensure you are clear on how it works. Please note that the table top game board and spinner are not included in the Download All Zip File. Aquatic Experience Aquatic Experience is a fun exercise that demonstrates the importance of building a thorough understanding of customer needs. Participants work in teams to build a new fish tank for Masswell Zoo’s ‘Aquatic

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Experience’. They have little time, and little information on which to base their design so, in order to be successful, they will need to gather lots more information from Sandy Shore, head of the Aquatic Experience. If they don’t, the exhibit is unlikely to meet Sandy’s requirements. As well as information gathering and customer service skills, the exercise tests communication skills, teamwork and time management. The exercise can also be used in a sales context to demonstrate very clearly the importance of putting customer needs ahead of price when developing a new solution, or selling a product/service: The cheapest solution may not be the solution chosen by Sandy Shore. Key Skills Required to Complete this Exercise: Attention to Detail, Communication Skills, Creative Thinking, Customer Care, Decision Making, Influence and Persuassion, Marketing and Sales, Teamwork. At a Crossroads - Board Game for New Managers Time: The exercise in this module can be completed in about 60 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 75 minutes for this module. Aims: • To explore some of the challenges participants will face as a manager and how to approach them with the right balance of ethics and pragmatism. Group Size: This module can be used with groups of between 4 to 18 participants. Useful For: Learners who are brand new managers (or very soon will be), particularly if they have been promoted from within the team. You'll Need: • Playing pieces, one per team. • Small prize for the winning team. • 60 Second Timer. • Facilitator Traffic Lights. • At a Crossroads Conundrum Cards. • At a Crossroads Diversion Cards (3 per team). • At a Crossroads Game Board (depending on size of group; one is for 4 to 12 participants, the other for 12 to 18). • At a Crossroads Suggested Answers (for the facilitator). Notes: This exercise is suitable for use with groups of up to 18 participants. It is run as a competitive game, which is a race to the finish and played in teams of two or three players. We do not recommend having teams with more than three participants.

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All the scenarios contained in the cards are based on actual experiences faced by managers in their first year of managing a team. It is a particularly useful exercise for people who have been promoted from within the team to become the manager and who are struggling to adapt to their new role with people who were once their peers. Printing the Game Board: When printing the game board you will need to do the following in order to ensure the board fits the default margin settings of your selected printer: • Printing from a PC: Ensure 'Shrink Oversized Pages' is selected. (This is normally the default setting.) • Printing from MAC: Select 'Fit to Printable Area' in the drop down menu next to 'Page Scaling'. In case of difficulties please contact us for assistance. Boosting Glasstap's Future Boosting Glasstap’s Future is our most involving and detailed teambuilding game yet, and takes about three hours to run (including discussion time). It can be used on it’s own as the basis for a half day workshop or as an integral part of a longer training event. Participants are assigned to teams that are each provided with a large quantity of information. Teamwork is essential as participants need to analyse and cross reference information in a very short timescale, and agree on a strategy for developing Glasstap’s struggling tourist industry, as well as local employment opportunities. Working together participants are tasked with: 1) Identifying the key problems facing Glasstap. 2) Developing solutions that will help to generate increased tourism and more employment opportunities for Glasstap and the surrounding area. 3) Allocating a budget of £350,000 to redevelopment projects. 4) Planning and developing a persuasive presentation, which they will be required to give after 90 minutes. In order to complete these tasks successfully, participants will need to: 1) Spot links between information from difference sources. 2) Spot opportunities not immediately obvious. 3) Negotiate and agree the priority ‘projects’. 4) Focus on the big picture but be able to work through the details once a basic plan is established. 5) Manage time carefully. 6) Consider the needs of those they need to sell their ideas to. 7) Work together to solve problems and differences effectively. The exercise takes about 135 minutes to run (assuming two teams) and we suggest allowing another 30-45 minutes for evaluation and debrief. Key Skills Required to Complete this Exercise:

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Project Management, Teamwork, Time Management, Communication, Information Gathering, Problem Solving, Attention to Detail, Planning, Creative Thinking, Marketing, Presentation, Negotiation. Note: You can run a slightly simpler version of this exercise, without the complication of grants, by using the second participant pack ('Simpler Participant Pack'). Complete Participants' Packs All of the documents required by participants are included in each of these. Non-members You can download an extract from the guidelines for this exercise by clicking Here. Bringing the Cows Home - Testing Analytical Thinking

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Skills tested by this teambuilding game: Analytical thinking, Attention to detail, Problem solving and Teamwork. Background: Bringing the Cows Home is a flexible training exercise that has been especially designed to test analytical skills and encourage clear thinking. In the exercise, teams are provided with a map and brief, and need to work in a structured, logical way in order to identify routes available to the farmer when bringing his cows back to the farm for milking. Time: We suggest giving teams 45 minutes to complete the exercise. In total we recommend allowing 60-75 minutes in total if working with a group of 10-12 participants to provide sufficient opportunity for the key learning points to be explored and discussed. Requirements: There are no additional resources needed to run this exercise. However, you will need to allow a little time to print the 'maps'. You may wish to laminate these for durability. Filing Frenzy! Skills tested by this teambuilding game/training module: Attention to Detail, Accuracy, Process Improvement, Communication, Teamwork, Goal Setting, Motivation, Information Sharing, Problem Solving. Background: In this exercise participants work individually or in teams to sort a pack of specially designed ‘cards’ into categories following selected instructions carefully. Originally designed to test and develop attention to detail and accuracy, the exercise can also be used as an energiser to develop teamwork, goal setting and process improvement. The exercise can also be used to show reactions to change and is a particularly effective

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tool for demonstrating the transition curve and in particular the effect change has on short term performance. Timing Filing Frenzy is normally run as a series of intermittent energisers, with each ‘round’ taking about 10 minutes to run. Requirements All material required for this exercise are provided. For durability and ease of use, you might like to consider laminating the game cards. PLEASE NOTE: This exercise may not be suitable for participants who are colour blind or visually impaired. Glasstap Sheep Trials - An Exercise in Communication and Continuous Improvement Time: This exercise will take about 15 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 30 minutes to complete this module. Aims: • To test participants' planning and communication skills. • To demonstrate the importance of listening and using summary and clarification to check understanding. • To consider what makes communication effective and the dangers of getting it wrong. • To energise a group of participants. Group Size: This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 25 participants. Useful For: Staff at all levels. You'll Need: Whistles, stopwatch, skittles and hoops (or similar-see note), prizes. Notes: We don't often develop exercises specifically for the outdoors, but this is a simple exercise that can be used by anyone with access to a park, lawn or yard. A great energiser for sunny days and one which really does contain some important lessons about communication and the importance of checking understanding. This exercise does require some preparation as you'll need to devise a 'course' for your participants to follow. Preparation will take about 5 minutes once you have the items you'll need. The course maps show three different routes through the same course, which means you won't have to change the course itself if playing more than one round. We suggest using hula-hoops for your 'pens'. If not, you can mark the 'pens' out using

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other things like rope or giant pick-up sticks. Skittles, cones or balls can be used to mark out the rest of the course. Hold The Front Page!

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Skills tested by this exercise: Leadership, Planning and Preparation, Attention to Detail, Project Management, Time Management, Business Writing, Crisis Management, Teamwork. Background: ‘Hold the Front Page’ is a fast-paced exercise that really gets participants’ adrenalin going. In the exercise teams work as editors of a regional newspaper in competition with the established Fumberland News. They must: 1) Quickly assimilate and share information. 2) Prioritise the news stories they receive. 3) Identify which stories are most relevant to their readership. 4) Extract the key points from each story. 5) Plan which stories to place where on their front page. 6) Conserve space by writing clearly and concisely. 7) Manage changing priorities as new stories come in. In our tests this exercise generated a great deal of relevant learning, which the participants found very easy to relate to their own workplaces. Plus, the broad range of skills tested by the exercise means that it was - and is -appropriate for many different situations. Timing: This exercise takes about 120 minutes to run, including discussion time. Requirements Each participant will need access to a computer/laptop (with a word processor installed – preferably one with which your participants are likely to be familiar). Participants will also need to be able to connect to a printer. (One printer can be shared by all teams). In addition the teams will need access to a telephone, or mobile phone and a separate area in which to work. They will also require plenty of paper, scissors, and sheets of flipchart paper. Hotel Doldrums - The Teambuilding Game Skills tested by this teambuilding game: Analytical skills, strategic thinking, entrepreneurial skills, creative thinking, planning, time management, leadership, teamwork and marketing. Background

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Hotel Doldrums is a teambuilding game that is based around a challenging business scenario. Kelling Bay is a tiny harbour town in the South West of England, where three hotels are struggling to survive. The owners of each of the hotels have been summoned to meet the bank manager who has made it clear that he/she believes the town cannot support three profitable hotels. For this reason, only one will continue to benefit from the bank’s essential financial support. Each hotel is represented by a different team that must try to develop a business and marketing plan that will persuade the bank to support their hotel over the others. For a more trainer-led intervention, Hotel Doldrums is also available as three separate modules that together make up a complete 1.5 day workshop. The trainer’s notes for this alternative version can be found in Trainers’ Library under Course Modules/Strategic Thinking. Timing This exercise can take up to 5 hours to run and can easily form the basis of a half-day or full-day workshop. Requirements There are no additional materials that are essential to run this exercise, although you can provide participants with as many tools as you wish to help them produce a powerful presentation. Teams will need space to work away from other teams. Jack Fruggle's Treasure Skills tested by this teambuilding game: Jack Fruggle’s Treasure can be used to test and/or develop a number of skills and behaviours including leadership skills, team skills, communication skills and time management. Background: Jack Fruggle's Treasure is another versatile training tool from the Glasstap Village range that can be used to demonstrate and develop serious learning points. In the exercise, teams are provided a series of riddles, puzzles and questions to solve. Solving these will help participants put together a rhyme that will tell them where Jack’s treasure is hidden. The exercise works best when you have teams competing against each other to reach the treasure first, and can be used to test individuals’ ability to manage time, and work together effectively under pressure. The riddles and puzzles have been deliberately designed to be diverse in nature and to draw upon different skills. They include riddles and cryptic clues, mathematical questions, word questions, and general knowledge questions. Some have been especially designed so that they require close attention to detail.

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Time: This exercise will typically take about 45-60 minutes to run. We recommend allowing at least an additional 30 minutes for discussion of the key learning points after the exercise. Requirements: No additional materials are essential to run this exercise but you'll need to allow time to prepare the 'cards' which are provided in Trainers' Library. You might want to use a whistle to start the exercise and a 'treasure chest' would make a good prop. We also recommend having a small prize for the winning team. Whistles can be purchased from Trainers' Market Know your Colleagues? - Team Diversity

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Time: The exercise in this module will take about 15 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 30 minutes to complete this module. Aims: • To encourage participants to share information about themselves. • To test participant's knowledge of each other. • To consider the extent to which individuals' skills and abilities are utilised at work. Group Size: This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 25 participants. Useful For: Staff at all levels. You'll Need: Nothing extra – but some preparation is required. Notes: This exercise provides an interesting icebreaker for team events or courses involving people who already know each other. It involves running a quiz to see how well individuals really do know each other, and can help participants recognise the diversity of talent within their teams that may not be utilised at the present time. This exercise needs some preparation and ideally a questionnaire should be sent to participants and collected back from them prior to the training event. Explain to participants that the information will be used to create a quiz and for that reason they shouldn't divulge their answers to anyone else. Once the completed questionnaires have been returned to you, design a quiz for participants based on the responses you have received. The quiz will be phrased with questions like, "Which one of your group...?", "Whose hobbies include...?", etc. A suggested questionnaire is available as a separate file. Murder at Glasstap Grange

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Skills tested by this teambuilding game: Team Building, Team Skills, Effective Meetings, Time Management, Leadership, Problem Solving. Background: Murder at Glasstap Grange is a versatile and powerful training tool that can be used to demonstrate and develop many serious learning points. It is specially designed to be used in small groups of between 4 and 6. In larger groups, teams can compete against each other to see which can come closest to solving the mystery. The format of the exercise is simple; each participant is provided a story to read before they come together with their colleagues and attempt to unravel the various clues provided within the story and solve the murder mystery. The teams need to identify from the information at their disposal: 1) The name of the murderer (and the murdered person). 2) The incriminating evidence. 3) The motive. 4) The chain of events leading up to the murder. Only by working effectively together will participants have any chance of solving the mystery. First though they have to discover the twist to the challenge they face. Murder at Glasstap Grange is a fun exercise, but equally it is complex and challenging. Very few groups manage to identify the complete solution. Success will require the use of a number of skills, and the participants will need to be careful not to be too distracted from their task by the humour. Time: This game can be played in about 120 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion and evaluation, we recommend allowing 150 minutes. Requirements: There are no additional materials needed to run this exercise. NEW VERSION: Island of Opportunity - A Test of Negotiation Skills Time: This game can be played in about 70 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion and evaluation, we recommend allowing 90 minutes. Aims: • To demonstrate the importance of building a clear understanding of needs and feelings in negotiation, through effective questioning and listening. • To show the importance of separating people and personalities from the problems. • To show the value of a shared problem/creative solution finding approach to negotiation.

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• To provide an opportunity to practise negotiation, teamwork and problem solving skills. Skills and Behaviours Tested: Negotiation skills, communication, leadership, teamwork and collaboration, and problem solving. Group Size: This game involves participants working individually (or in pairs) representing one of 3 or, ideally 4 tribes. So each game requires a minimum of 3 participants and a maximum of 8. You can have several games running concurrently alongside each other. Useful For: Staff at all levels who are involved in negotiating but managers in particular. You'll Need: • An island map for each group of 3 or 4 tribes and ideally they should be A3 or larger and laminated. • A different brief for each tribe. • Chinagraph pencils (or similar) and wipes are recommended if your maps are laminated. Notes: It’s best to run this exercise module without too much explanation. This exercise has many different potential solutions – the learning comes from the experience of trying to find one that all parties can agree to. NEW VERSION: Pitfalls and Trampolines - Customer Service Time: This game can be played in about 30 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion and evaluation, we recommend allowing 60 minutes. Aims: • To encourage discussion about customer service. • To identify common pitfalls to avoid in relation to customer service. • To highlight and share best practices for satisfying and delighting customers. Skills and Behaviours Tested: Customer care, communication skills, teamwork and collaboration, creative thinking and problem solving. Group Size: In this exercise participants can play individually, although we recommend they play in pairs/small teams. Useful For: Staff at all levels especially those in a customer facing role. You'll Need:

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• A counter for every team. • Dice. • A 'Pitfalls and Trampolines' game board and a set of Pitfall cards and Trampoline cards for each game in play. Notes: Pitfalls and Trampolines is a fun board game. It can be used at any point within a training event, but is perhaps most useful as a tool for reviewing key learning points and for sharing knowledge and ideas. Some of the cards may not be applicable to your participants. Before starting the exercise, run through the cards and remove any that you don’t want to include. NEW VERSION: Pitfalls and Trampolines - Presentation Skills

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Time: This game can be played in about 30 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion and evaluation, we recommend allowing 60 minutes. Aims: • To examine common problems/conundrums associated with giving presentations and discuss ways of overcoming these. • To highlight and share best practices and tips for making presentations successful. Skills and Behaviours Tested: Presentation skills, communication skills, influence and persuasion, planning and preparation, creative thinking and audience engagement. Group Size: In this exercise participants can play individually, although we recommend they play in pairs/small teams. Useful For: Staff at all levels. You'll Need: • A counter for every team. • Dice. • A 'Pitfalls and Trampolines' game board and a set of Pitfalls cards and Trampoline cards for each game in play. Notes: Pitfalls and Trampolines is a fun board game. It can be used at any point within a training event, but is perhaps most useful as a tool for reviewing key learning points and for sharing knowledge and ideas. Some of the cards may not be applicable to your participants. Before starting the exercise, run through the cards and remove any that you don’t want to include. Pairs

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In this energetic and involving exercise, remote teams have to work together and help each other solve a problem. The task each team has to complete is actually fairly simple, but as always, there is a twist. The guide they’re provided actually relates to the task another team has to complete, (and is erroneous) so teams will have to work together and use excellent communication and problem solving skills in order to succeed. In today's business world it is common for teams in one location to have to work with teams in another. Each team may complete part of a process or may be reliant on information provided by other teams. This exercise has been designed to recreate the potential for tension and frustration that can occur between teams that are physically separated but inter-reliant. The exercise only takes between 30 and 40 minutes to run, but you should allow at least another 30 minutes for review and reflection. Key Skills Required to Complete this Exercise Problem solving, Teamwork and collaboration, Communication Note: This exercise requires plenty of space. Because of the preparation involved it is ideal for use after a break or lunch. Pirate Challenge Skills tested by this teambuilding game: Pirate Challenge can be used to test and develop a number of skills and behaviours, including influence, persuasion and negotiation, conflict resolution, strategic thinking, teamwork and attention to detail. Background: Participants work in teams with each team representing a different pirate gang, each of which has unfortunately lost its ship as a result of an ambush in the waters near Cadiz. Each team needs to accumulate wealth and the most obvious route to this is through building a new ship to replace their lost vessel. However, whilst each team has the materials to build a new ship for themselves, the International Pirating Convention of 1658 forbids them from doing this. Instead, they must persuade other teams to build the parts for their new ship. Although teams rely on each other to build their new ships and their wealth, they must each try to come out of the negotiations slightly better off than their opponents. And acquiring a new ship for their own gang isn’t the only route to victory; it is possible for teams to accumulate the most wealth, and win, by other means. The successful teams are likely to be those where participants work well together with a clear strategy and a shared understanding of their own needs and priorities. Most importantly, they’ll need to be able to negotiate effectively with other teams; as with any negotiation, there is a fine balance to achieve between profit, trust and respect.

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Timing: This exercise takes about 135 minutes to run, including discussion time. Requirements: Each team will need: 1) A separate area (ideally a separate room) in which to work. Where it isn’t possible to provide separate syndicate rooms, you may be able to create discreet working areas using floor screens, or similar, so that each team’s progress on its new ship is hidden. (This is less important if you have a very large number of teams). 2) A supply of card and/or newspaper. 3) A small amount of modelling clay. 4) A ball of string. 5) Sticky tape. 6) Scissors. 7) A ruler. 8) Toy money to the value of 270 doubloons of various denominations. 9) A small roll of kitchen foil. You will also need: 1) A central meeting point. 2) A bell (or similar). 3) A stopwatch, or watch. The following items can be purchased from Trainers' Market: 1) Toy doubloons - one packet is required for each team if you apply the following values: Green coins = 5 doubloon, blue coins = 10 doubloons, red coins = 25 doubloons, gold coins = 50 doubloons. 2) Modelling clay. 3) Desktop bells. Pitfalls and Trampolines - Telesales The aims of this exercise are: 1) To examine common problems/conundrums associated with telesales and discuss ways of overcoming these. 2) To highlight and share best practices and tips for making telesales calls successful. Notes: The second Pitfalls and Trampolines game that we developed, this one looks at the unique challenges of Teleselling. Pitfalls and Trampoline's is a fun board game that can be used at any point in training, but which is perhaps most useful as a tool for reviewing what has been learnt and sharing knowledge and ideas. Some of the cards may not be applicable to your participants (for example, if your participants sell to non-business customers). Before starting the exercise, run through the cards and remove any that you don’t want to include. Requirements:

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Everything you need to run Pitfalls and Trampolines is available from Trainers' Library. Ideally, you'll be able to print the game board in full colour and A3 size (or larger). The Pitfall and Trampoline cards are designed to be printed double sided, so that the cards have a printed back. If you can't print them double sided, try printing the cards on different coloured paper (e.g., pitfalls red, trampolines green) and only print every other page: 1,3,5 etc. Police Chase

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Police Chase is an exciting game that encourages participants to consider many of the issues around teamwork. In particular it should encourage participants to consider the importance of trust in effective teams. Participants will need to work together, managing their time and making a series of quick decisions. The exercise provides plenty of opportunity for leaders to emerge, or for conflict and distrust to undermine a team’s efforts. Skills tested by this teambuilding game: In the exercise, the criminal gang's efforts are undermined by a lack of trust. The exercise has been designed to look at teamwork in a general sense and to provide an opportunity to think about what happens to teamwork when trust is impaired or missing. Background A notorious gang of criminals has broken into Glasstap’s town hall and stolen a collection of old coins and treasure that was on display there (see Jack Fruggle’s Treasure). The police are hot on their tail, and the criminals only chance of escape is to get to Port Tamba before they are caught, and before the last boat of the day leaves in 150 minutes time. The criminal gang must try to plan a safe route to the port, whilst the police attempt to predict the criminals' next move and capture them with a series of roadblocks. Time: The exercise takes about 60 minutes to run and you'll need to allow time before and after the exercise for planning and analysis. Requirements: You'll need at least two syndicate rooms for this exercise. A stopwatch will be handy too. You'll also need to download the maps from Trainers' Library. Stopwatches can be purchased from Trainers' Market. Please note that the maps are quite large files and may take a few minutes to download if you do not have a broadband connection to the internet. Professor Warmkote's Safe Skills tested by this teambuilding game This game can be used to test/develop teamwork and collaboration, analytical skills,

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attention to detail, communication skills, information gathering, problem solving and leadership. This exercise is also a useful vehicle for looking at culture both within teams and across teams. Background Professor Warmkote's safe is one of our most challenging teambuilding games yet, and introduces participants to the eccentric Professor Warmkote. The beauty of this teambuilding game is the need for teams to work together - so this time it's not just about teamwork within teams; teamwork across teams is equally important. The task? Well each team represents one of the professor's four daughters - together they need to extract vital information from the professor's often barmy letters in order to open his safe and get their hands on the 'elixir of brilliant leadership'. Challenging, but fun, with a vast array of learning points that can be developed, this really is experiential learning at its best! The exercise is ideally suited to groups with between 8 and 16 participants. Timing This exercise takes between 120 and 150 minutes to run, including discussion time. Requirements Each team will need: 1) A separate area (ideally a separate room) in which to work. 2) Access to a telephone or walkie talkie that they can use to communicate with other teams. 3) A stopwatch, or watch, with which to time participants’ meetings. Ideally, you will have a computer with internet access in the main classroom. and you might want to consider providing a team prize representing the 'Elixir of brilliant leadership'! Stopwatches can be purchased from Trainers' Market. Remote Teams Skills tested by this teambuilding game: Remote Teams can be used to test a whole range of skills and behaviours, including teamwork and collaboration across teams, leadership, time management and problem solving skills. Background: RemoteTeams is the first teambuilding game that we've developed with large groups in mind as we developed it. Consequently, the exercise works with groups with 12 to 100+ participants (although we probably would choose an alternative game if our group had fewer than 20 in it). Each team represents the people of a different planet and teams trade answers for wooden tiles that they can use to construct mosaics on their (or their allies) planets. Ideally you will have two or more groups of teams (alliances) – with between three and five teams in

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each alliance. (Teams within one group form an alliance that needs to work together to beat the other alliance(s)). Each team can contain between four and ten individuals, making this exercise ideally suited to large events including conferences. The exercise is designed to test teamwork, both within teams and across teams, and should help to highlight some of the issues that arise when teams in various locations need to work together towards a common goal. In addition to teamwork and collaboration, the exercise tests leadership, planning and time management. Elements of the exercise also test other skills including analytical and problem solving skills. Time: The exercise will take between 45 and 75 minutes to run, depending on the number in your group and the number of teams working together. In addition we recommend allowing at least another 45 minutes to discuss the learning points from the participants' experiences. Requirements: In addition to the ‘Answers Please’ sheets (provided), you will need a 44-piece ‘Team Tree’ jigsaw for each team to complete. These specially produced wooden jigsaws can be purchased from Trainers' Market. If your budget won't stretch to the official jigsaws, these can be substituted for other jigsaws. You’ll also need a way of identifying the astronauts from each team. You could use a baseball cap, or sash for this with one colour for each alliance. Finally, if teams are competing against another alliance, it is a good idea to give the teams a way of identifying other teams in their own alliance. For example, you might give all the teams in one alliance a small green flag (or green piece of card) to place on their table and all those in another alliance a blue flag (or blue piece of card). (We've included some suggested name plates for the different planets in the downloadable items). The Department Game - Lessons in Negotiation and Competition Time: This game can be played in about 30 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion and evaluation, we recommend allowing 75 minutes. Aims: • Raise awareness of the importance of being aware of the ‘bigger picture’. • Show participants the importance of working effectively not just within their own team but with other teams too, in order that shared goals might be achieved. • Test participants’ competitiveness and demonstrate how being overly focused on personal goals can be detrimental to team goals. • Allow participants to practice their negotiation, leadership and communication skills.

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Skills and Behaviours Tested: Communication skills, leadership, negotiation, teamwork and collaboration, and problem solving. Group Size: In this exercise, participants work individually or in pairs to negotiate with other individuals/pairs. This game works with up to 12 people, if they are participating as individuals, or up to 24 if they are working in pairs. In this exercise, participants work individually or in pairs to negotiate with other individuals/pairs. This game is ideal for groups of 12–24 participants. It can also be used with smaller groups (with some or all participants working alone) but is not suited to groups with fewer than 6 participants. Useful For: Staff at all levels but particularly team leaders, managers and department heads. You'll Need: • Small prizes for the winning team(s). • Pre-prepared goal cards and colour cards using the download files provided. • Space for participants to sit in a circle. (Around a table is ideal.) Notes: This game is simple to set up, run and to debrief. It is relatively quick and delivers a powerful and focused message. In terms of learning outcomes it is similar to ‘The Wheel’, which can also be found in Trainers’ Library. This can be a useful and powerful exercise to include in assessment centres where individual’s behaviours are carefully observed and assessed against pre-determined behaviour indicators. The Hungry Chick Inn Skills tested by this teambuilding game Project Management, Teamwork, Time Management, Communication, Information Gathering, Problem Solving, Attention to Detail, Planning, Analytical Thinking. Background The Hungry Chick Inn is a comprehensive exercise designed to test planning and organising, time management, and project management training. Working in teams, the participants’ task is to complete a plan for the hotel’s successful reopening in 13 days time. Participants have a huge number of potential tasks and activities to complete, but neither the time, nor the money, to complete them all in the time available. The exercise tests participants’ abilities to agree priorities, allocate funds and time, and plan work effectively. Time management is tested on two levels: 1) The participants’ ability to prioritise and plan the activities required to prepare the

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Hungry Chick Inn for its guests’ arrival in just under two weeks time. 2) The participants’ ability to use their own time effectively to ensure they complete this task within the time allowed. This is a challenging exercise, and with careful facilitation should prove suitable for staff at all levels. The potential for learning is perhaps greatest amongst teams that struggle – they will be able, with your help, to identify where they went wrong, and what they should have done differently. Working together participants are tasked with: 1) Identifying what needs to be done in order for the hotel to reopen successfully in 13 days. 2) Prioritising and schedule a range of tasks and activities. 3) Considering the needs of the guests who will be arriving in 13 days. 4) Allocate a budget of £23,000 to refurbishment and other activities necessary for the successful reopening of the hotel. Timing Participants are given 90 minutes to complete the exercise – you’ll also need to allow time for briefing, and the all-important review of learning afterwards. Requirements Each team will need sufficient room to work without being distracted by other teams - a separate syndicate room for each team is ideal. In addition, teams will need a set of 60 cards (downloaded from the library), a calculator, flip chart, pens and pencils. The Wheel - The Importance of Teamwork Time: The exercise in this module will take about 10 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 30 minutes to complete this module. Aims: • To demonstrate the importance of teamwork. • To show how, by working together, we have the potential to achieve more. • To encourage participants to consider the dangers of an overly competitive workplace culture. Group Size: This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 25 participants. Useful For: Staff at all levels. You'll Need: Dice, counters and prizes. Notes: This module provides a superb introduction to any training around teamwork and co-

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operation/collaboration, and has been used successfully with participants at all levels within an organisation, from junior clerical staff to directors. It also provides an ideal introduction to training around the service chain, and internal customer care. Welsh Holiday - Testing Communication Between Teams

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Background Information: A Welsh Holiday has been written and tested by the authors of Murder at Glasstap Grange. It is only available from Trainers’ Library.

Participants are split into small teams and each team has to work with one other team, located elsewhere solve a shared problem. Communication between teams is by telephone (or Walkie Talkie). The exercise brilliant for demonstrating the importance of clear communication where there is no face to face contact can be used to illustrate the importance of summary and clarification, good open questions and active listening, as well as more specific problem solving and team skills. Skills tested/developed by this teambuilding game: Communication, Teamwork, Collaboration, Information Sharing, Information Gathering, Listening, Questioning, Problem Solving. This module is suitable for: Staff at all levels.

Requirements: For this exercise you will need at least two rooms and preferably one for each team. Teams will need to b able to contact each other by telephone (for example, internal extensions).

Alternatively, we’ve very successfully tested this exercise using Walkie Talkies – the beauty of these is th the exercise can be used in many more locations – it can even be run outside. We used Binatone MR200 Walkie Talkies purchased from www.argos.co.uk, which worked fine. At the time of writing these cost £2 for 2 or £44.50 for 3. Alternatively Binatone MR300 Walkie Talkies were available at £69.50 for 4.