Business Game "The Tower"
Give the group a shared experience of working on a task with limited resources, which is then used to debrief goal setting, choice of strategy and roles.
Why this exercise
Each team builds a paper tower as efficiently as possible: 50 sheets, extra sheets can be "bought" for points, each sheet can be used only once, no tape and no wall. The tower must be at least 80 centimeters high and stand for 30 seconds. In 20 minutes the team goes through everything that happens in a real project: arguing about the goal, choosing an option, assigning roles, time pressure.
How to run it
- Divide the group into 3 teams, hand out the paper and explain the rules. Show the scoring table and leave it on the screen.
- 15 minutes — preparation: discussing, drawing and trying things out is allowed, but a folded sheet can no longer go into the tower.
- Before the start, all notes and trial sheets are put away, and the paper goes in the middle of the table without folds.
- 5 minutes — construction on a common signal. The team says "Tower complete!", the trainer counts 30 seconds and measures the height.
- Calculate the points on the flip chart together with the group. Debrief after the break, once emotions have settled.
Debrief questions
- What goal did you set, and how did everyone accept it?
- How many options did you try, and how did you choose?
- Who took which role? Who stayed silent?
- What would you do differently if you built it again?
- Do not give hints or intervene, even if a team argues for 10 minutes and tries nothing — that is material for the debrief.
- Answer questions during the game only with the rules. Everything else is the team's decision.
- A tower leaning against a wall or a person does not count — announce this in advance.
- If there are more than three teams, one can act as observers and note how the others make decisions.
Similar exercises
Points of View
Reformulate a work problem through the eyes of different people and find new directions for solutions.
Managing Processes and Resources: Unconventional SolutionsControl Map
Build control of your own task in advance and without the typical mistakes: total, hidden or "occasional" control.