- Browse all activities
- A-Z of activity titles
- NEW Activities
- Appraisal
- Assertiveness
- Assessment
- Business Simulations
- Change Management
- Coaching / Feedback
- Communicating
- Conferences
- Customer Service
- Decision Making
- Diversity
- Emotional Intelligence
- Icebreakers
- Leadership
- Listening
- Meetings
- Negotiation
- People Management
- Problem Solving
- Planning
- Preventing Stress
- Teamwork
- Teams Cooperating
- Time Management
- The Art of Service
Mission Improbable - Team Cooperation
click a thumbnail to view a larger image
Your team must plan a way to get 200 eggs, carried on a stretcher-like device, to a given destination in the Lake District.
An intercom (supplied with the pack) links you to another team which has a similar objective – and at some point you will realise that their map contains vital information that you need (and vice versa).
To encourage team cooperation the Brief states that it is the two teams’ combined score that counts. But will each team embrace the fact that they are not competing with each other? (Frequently, they don’t – and yet it is clear that supportive communication between the two camps is essential in order to gain the maximum score possible!).
In this updated version of this very popular activity there are extra materials making it possible to have a second pair of teams running in parallel to the first – so four teams in all. One pair communicates using the intercoms and the second pair (with no intercoms) using written notes and face-to-face meetings.
- the dangers of making assumptions
- the benefits of supporting fellow teams
- to give information freely when appropriate
- how to communicate in a disciplined manner
- to develop trust and confidence
- how to interact as a group and work as a team
- Introduce the activity.
- Issue Briefing Sheets and maps.
- Set up the intercom system for one pair of teams (and a meeting place and notepaper for the second pair of teams - if running with two pairs of teams) and allow 60 minutes for teams to try and accomplish their objectives.
- Observe the teams in action.
- Lead a Debrief on the issues raised and relate back to the workplace. Trainer’s Notes provide full guidance.
D. Callow-Evans, Ministry of DefenceWe regularly use 'Mission Improbable' to test competencies and highlight development needs.
Lisa Thompson, Professional Coaching ServicesWe used Mission Improbable recently with a senior sales team from a large IT company – it was a resounding success! We used it with a team that already confessed to having communication problems. Perhaps predictably enough, the activity rapidly descended into chaos with one team actually accusing the other of having written instructions to deliberately withhold information!
Name witheld, Banking sectorThe activity goes down extremely well. Delegates find it challenging and are engaged throughout. It catalyses some excellent discussion around the learning - which for us is about non-sile working, the difficulties encountered in non-face-to-face communications and understanding that other areas can have different priorities.
- ITV
- Barclays Asset Finance
- Coors Brewers Ltd
- First Great Western
- Michael Page
- Roch Products
- DWP Training Services
- Vanco UK
- Mars
- Royal & Sun Alliance
- YES Telecom
- Vanquis Bank
- Herbert Smith Solicitors
- Cooperative Trading Group
- RSA Group
- Trainer’s notes
- Team Briefing Sheets
- Map Measurers
- OS Maps
- Sketch Maps
- Intercoms and Batteries
