Learning Outcomes

• Discover how teams function: Fragmented, Divergent, or Cohesive
• Learn the group-process skills vital to effective teamwork, including communication, decision making, problem solving, and conflict resolution
• Experience first-hand the impact of planning on group results
• Understand the effect of individual behavior on group productivity

Theory

Research and literature on the subject of group development reveal three types of teams: Fragmented, Divergent, or Cohesive. The Jungle Escape exercise allows teams to learn how they function and which category they fall into:

Fragmented Teams
With these teams, autocratic leadership and/or cliques often press the group into making decisions, one person or a minority of the team members makes the vital decisions, and conflict is suppressed or ignored.

Divergent Teams
With these teams, members often consider many alternatives and tend to be overly cautious in their planning, are often unable to reach consensus and resolve issues through voting procedures, and although group members go along with the majority, there is little commitment to the plan or final product.

Cohesive Teams
With these teams, democratic processes are used, a cooperative atmosphere develops rapidly, everyone on the team is involved in structuring the work, team members work through conflict if it arises, people are excited as they do the construction, and they feel very satisfied with their group effort.

How It Works

This exciting simulation challenges participants to work together to complete a project under a deadline and with limited information.

Presented with a predetermined set of toy parts, teams must create a plan for construction and then build a helicopter to exact specifications. After the models are completed (approximately 30 minutes later), team members take part in a discussion about team dynamics and offer insights gained from the activity. When scores are compared, participants learn that typically the team that took the most time to plan builds the helicopter in the least amount of time.

Uses for Jungle Escape

• Kick off a team-building workshop or seminar
• Introduce or reinforce basic team-building skills
• Surface group issues or concerns that block team progress

What to Order/Product Contents

Each Complete Game includes materials to train up to 3 teams of 5-8 participants. All parts except for the Participant Guides are reusable. For training sessions with more than 3 groups, order one extra game pack per team. Refill packs of Participant Guides are available for individual purchase.
 

The Jungle Escape 4th Edition Complete Kit (Team and Interteam Versions) includes:

• 1 Facilitator Guide (see details below)  
• 24 Participant Guides (see details below)   
• 3 bags of helicopter parts
• 1 facilitator model
• Spare parts for lost pieces  
• Sturdy tote bag

Facilitator Guide includes:

• Convenient 3-ring binder format  
• Normative data
• Basic team/interteam dynamics principles
• Step-by-step, full-color helicopter assembly instructions  
• Description of the 3 types of teams
• Description of the 3 types of interdependent teams
• 3 Scenario Cards   
• 1 mood-setting audio CD
• Reproducible observer guidelines  
• 1 four-panel screen
• Alternative training design for interteam use
• Training outline template  
• Discussion questions
• Action planning   
• CD-ROM containing Microsoft® PowerPoint® presentation and reproducible masters  
• Sample copy of Participant Guides (Team and Interteam Version) 

Participant Guide (Team and Interteam Versions) includes:

• Scenario description
• Description of the 3 types of teams
• Basic team dynamics principles
• Discussion and reflection questions
• Personal action planning