Sorting out how communication impacts organizations can be difficult. Communication is so pervasive in organizational work that we often overlook it as a source of problems.
Communication Derailed helps you tackle even the most challenging communication problems in today's organizations. This popular simulation game challenges individuals to work in groups to design and/or construct a toy out of flexible toy pieces. Three modules, which can be run independently or in a series, demonstrate the profound impact of poor communication and then teach the skills needed to communicate more effectively.
The Scenario
Team Module:
You work for the product development team at a toy company. Your team is asked to create a prototype for a new and different toy. You receive instructions from the CEO.
Lateral Module:
You are asked to complete an important specified project for the toy company. You must work together as members of 2 separate teams: marketing and production.
Organizational Stress Module:
As part of the production team, you and your team members must work together to assemble a specified toy prototype.
Learning Outcomes
- Discover the impact of both effective and ineffective communication
- Identify damaging communication techniques and environments
- Improve communication behavior
- Learn to handle unique communication problems
Theory
The literature on communication consistently points to a few pressing organizational issues that affect the current environment. These include communication in teams, lateral communication, and communication in times of organizational stress.
The 3 modules of Communication Derailed address the problems that arise when communication gets off track:
| Module: |
How Communication Gets Derailed: |
| Team |
Individual problematic communication behavior coupled with varied interpretations of the task. |
| Lateral |
Conflicting needs, expectations, and communication norms break down among groups and between groups and management. |
| Organizational Stress |
Improper methods, timing, and content of information intensifies as stress increases. |
How It Works
Participants work in groups to design and/or construct a toy out of malleable toy pieces. Each module takes 2-3 hours to complete and follows the same general framework, which consists of 5 parts: poor communication, midpoint debrief, effective communication, final debrief, and action planning.
Uses for Communication Derailed
Communication Derailed can be used as a stand-alone learning event or integrated into a larger training initiative.
Team Module
Designed to help new or existing teams to anticipate potential communication problems or surface current problems, this module teaches groups how to negotiate shared meanings, give and receive direct feedback, and share information freely. The module can also be used for general team communication skill building with participants who do not work together. Number of participants: Up to 3 groups of 7 people.
Lateral Module
This module is appropriate for organizations that require cross-team or cross-departmental work and for those with scaled-back levels of management. In this module, participants will learn why teams that work together should align communication norms, discuss shared needs and goals, and clarify expectations. Number of participants: Even number of groups with 4-8 persons per group.
Organizational Stress Module
Use this module in any organization that is about to undergo or is in the middle of major change. Participants will learn to seek and share needed information, communicate with empathy, and choose the best method for communicating. Number of participants: Up to 3 groups of 5-7 people.
What to Order/Product Contents
Each Complete Game includes materials to simultaneously train 3 teams of 4-8 participants. All parts are reusable. For larger groups, order one Game Pack for each additional team of 4-8 participants.
Our Customer Service Team is available to assist you with determining your training material needs.
The Communication Derailed Complete Game includes:
- 1 Facilitator Guide
- 3 bags of reusable game parts
Facilitator Guide features (included in the complete game):
- Step-by-step administrative guidelines
- Theoretical background for game
- Process models for each module
- Reproducible participant materials (including roles cards and action planning worksheets)
- Reproducible transparency masters
The Communication Derailed Extra Game Pack includes ($42.00):
- Reusable game parts for one extra team of 4-8 participants
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