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Emergency Delivery

3 - 20 participants

Two-stage business-based decision-making challenge that initially requires individuals to process information, then contribute to the creation of a workable team strategy

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Overview How to use Example of use

This hands-on exercise is designed around the concept of 'Delivery at Pace'. It emphasizes the importance of producing high-quality results through efficient decision-making under pressure and within stringent deadlines.

Activity Overview:

Participants: Up to 20 individuals can engage in this activity under the annual license, forming small teams of 3 or 4 members. An optional observer role can be incorporated for each group.
Structure: The challenge unfolds in two stages. Initially, participants individually process information, then collaboratively devise a team strategy—all within a demanding 15-minute timeframe. The subsequent stage allows teams to refine their strategy based on feedback, leading to an optimal final response.
Time Constraints: Each stage is bound by a strict 15-minute duration.

Skills Demonstrated:

Effective Decision Making: Teams must select and agree upon a strategy from various options.
Team-Working: Participants learn to operate in compact groups, delegate roles, and disseminate crucial information efficiently.
Data Management: The activity demands rapid and precise assimilation and processing of a substantial data volume.
Delivering at Pace: Teams are pushed to manage and stretch their capabilities to achieve set goals within tight constraints, adapting as situations evolve.

Challenges Posed:

Derive clear outcomes from the provided data.
Swiftly assimilate and process information to facilitate informed team decisions.
Allocate responsibilities and foster trust in designated team roles.
Convey a coherent message to fellow team members.
Promptly evaluate feedback, make informed decisions, and act on new insights to achieve the best outcomes within strict deadlines.
Navigate and comprehend potentially unfamiliar technical or specialist terminology.

A popular application of this activity is in improving communication skills for example in our 6 week mini-programme for communication skills.

Emergency Delivery is an immersive team-based activity designed to simulate high-pressure scenarios where participants must produce top-tier results within stringent deadlines. The exercise pushes teams to efficiently process information, make informed decisions rapidly, and collaboratively devise and refine strategies. With the clock ticking, participants must navigate challenges, adapt to feedback, and ensure optimal outcomes.

This is one of our most popular problem-solving activities.

Applications:

High-Pressure Decision Making: The game is an excellent tool for training teams to make quick yet informed decisions when under pressure, a skill crucial in many professional settings, especially in crisis management and fast-paced industries.
Team Dynamics and Role Allocation: Participants learn the importance of quickly establishing roles within a team, ensuring that each member's strengths are utilized effectively for the task at hand.
Data Processing and Management: In industries where large volumes of data must be processed rapidly, this game offers a practical simulation. It's especially relevant for sectors like finance, emergency response, and logistics.
Feedback Integration: Teams often receive feedback that requires immediate action. This game trains participants to swiftly integrate feedback, adjust strategies, and improve outcomes.
Communication Skills: With tight deadlines, clear and efficient communication becomes paramount. The game is an excellent tool for organizations aiming to enhance internal communication.

Outcomes:

Enhanced Team Collaboration: Post-activity, teams often exhibit improved collaboration, having learned the importance of trust, role delegation, and mutual support in high-pressure scenarios.
Improved Decision-Making Abilities: Participants emerge with sharpened decision-making skills, able to evaluate options more rapidly and select the most effective course of action.
Efficient Data Management: The game underscores the importance of swiftly processing and acting upon large data volumes, a skill that participants can carry into their professional roles.
Adaptability: Teams learn the value of flexibility, understanding that in real-world scenarios, feedback must often be integrated on-the-fly, and strategies must be adjusted accordingly.
Enhanced Communication: The pressure-cooker environment of the game highlights the importance of clear, concise communication, leading participants to refine their communication skills, ensuring clarity and efficiency.
Real-World Application: The lessons and skills honed in "Emergency Delivery" are directly translatable to numerous professional settings, especially those where time is of the essence, and decisions must be made rapidly.

The task at hand is a comprehensive, two-part business challenge. In the first stage, participants are expected to sift through and understand a set of information. Once they've grasped the details, they must then collaborate to formulate a feasible team strategy, all while racing against a ticking clock. The challenge doesn't end there. In the subsequent stage, teams are given feedback on their initial strategy. They must then re-evaluate and refine their approach based on this feedback, culminating in a final strategic response.

Task Structure and Duration:
This exercise is designed to accommodate up to five small groups, with each group consisting of 3-4 participants. This means a maximum of 20 participants can engage in the challenge. The entire exercise spans a duration of 50 minutes, broken down as follows:

Stage 1 (Planning and Briefing): This 20-minute segment is dedicated to understanding the provided information and brainstorming an initial strategy.
Stage 1 Review: Teams get a 10-minute window to reflect upon and discuss the choices they made in the first stage.
Stage 2 (Strategy Refinement): Armed with feedback, teams have 15 minutes to rework and finalize their strategy.
Stage 2 Review: This final 5-minute segment allows teams to review and discuss their ultimate strategic choices.

Learning Objectives:
The exercise is meticulously crafted to challenge teams on multiple fronts:

Clarity in Outcomes: Teams must derive and set clear objectives based on the information they receive.
Efficient Data Processing: The challenge pushes participants to quickly and effectively process a significant amount of information.
Role Allocation and Trust Building: Teams learn the importance of swiftly assigning roles and responsibilities, fostering an environment of mutual trust.
Effective Communication: Participants are encouraged to craft and convey clear, concise messages to their teammates.
Adaptive Decision Making: Teams must be agile, taking feedback into account and making swift decisions to achieve the best outcomes within the set time constraints.
Navigating Technical Jargon: The exercise might introduce participants to specialised or technical language, pushing them to understand and work with unfamiliar terms.

Information

Delivered: Fully remote/virtual activity
Available: To all subscribers
Activity created: 2021-03-02
Average duration: 60 mins
Participants: 3 - 20

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