EXAMPLES
Learning objective:
Improve balance and effectiveness of individual leaders and leadership teams
TOP MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE A global corporation used What a Day to make discussions and reflections about leadership behaviour concrete and tangible. 300 players in teams of 3.
THE SIMULATION Participants must manage three competing challenges in a fictitious scenario (coming home from a great holiday). Information about the challenges can be found via e-mails, documents and dialogue with colleagues (via pre-recorded video calls). Participants are forced to make decisions and there is not enough time (sound familiar?). Every decision influences how the game progresses. During the game, each team’s behaviour is analysed and reported back in the form of eight performance indicators in three categories:
LEARNING OUTCOME For individuals: Feedback, inspiration and tools to improve personal leadership balance. For teams: An intense team experience and new insights into how different people experience identical situations in very different ways. For full group: Feedback on the overall group leadership profile and inspiration to improve overall effectiveness by balancing different profiles better.
NEW MANAGERS PROGRAM Another global corporation uses What a Day as a key element in their New Managers‘ Programme. In this case, new leaders play individually online and are debriefed in virtual meetings. Target: > 1000/year
PRACTICAL INFORMATION Can be played in teams with between 12 and 1,000 people (interactive technology ensures that each person/ team has an intense experience). Minimum time for What a Day is 3 hours – but ½ day is recommended (including company-specific reflections and actions). What a Day is also available in a version where the game is played individually before the conference, and where the use of interactive technology is replaced by a printed report for each player.
DIVISION STRATEGY MEETING A group of 20 leaders spiced up a quarterly strategy meeting with What a Day.
Time & Attention mgt. Problem & Opportunity mgt. People & Motivation mgt. The debriefing is combined with strong learning points focusing on how to get better at balancing priorities in an intense everyday work situation, providing food for thought about how we, as a company, spend our time and effort.
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Players are divided into teams of three to a laptop.
A colleague introduces the scenario and the three challenges which require attention (internal, project, opportunity).
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During the simulation, information is provided via video calls (100 available), e-mail inbox and document files.
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Players need to make decisions and act, and all decisions influence how the game progresses…
MBA PROGRAMME What a Day is regularly played at Business Schools as part of MBA and other leadership programmes.
Development partner Professor Albert Angehrn, Director of CALT (Centre of Advanced Learning Technologies) & INSEAD Business School (Paris, France)
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New people will call and new action options will emerge.
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During the debriefing, each team receives extensive feedback on eight performance indicators.
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The overall team performance is benchmarked against other groups who have played the simulation.
The debriefing flow includes strong learning points and time for reflections and discussions.
www.wizerize.com Contact Gritt Loschenkohl glf@wizerize.com