Description
A decision-making Action Maze exercise, set in a sales office environment, which requires team members to resolve a human relations problem. Because the products or services are not specified within the exercise, it can be run in any organizational context.
Training Materials
- Session Leader’s Guide
- Decision Sheets
- Action Maze Key
- Team Tutors’ Briefing Notes
- ‘One-to-one’ Tutorial Notes
- Other Materials
Target Group
All levels of management; preferably, in peer groups.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the Exercise, delegates will:
- Recognize the, potentially, far-reaching effects of current decisions on future situations.
- Have a better understanding of Human Behaviour.
Exercise Rationale
Each delegate receives information, which describes a situation that might be encountered within the context of the management job, specified within the exercise. Together with the information on the situation, the delegate is also given a range of different decisions that might be made in order to deal with the situation. Four to six options are the most usual.
Depending on the decision option that is chosen, a new situation is described, which can, realistically, be expected to occur, as a result of the decision. The process continues, with the delegate selecting a decision option against each succeeding situation that is revealed, until an exit from the Action Maze is achieved.
Context and Storyline
The exercise is set against the background of a sales office. Because the products or services for sale are not specified, it can be run successfully within any Industry.
Within the exercise, each delegate assumes the role of a sales manager. He has a team of salesmen working for him. Although he is presently managing the sales team himself, he is considering appointing a number of team leaders, as soon as the office is fully operational.
One of the probable candidates is Mike Turner. Up until recently, Mike’s sales figures have been consistently good. He also displays many of the qualities to head up one of the sales teams.
Although the salesmen spend most of their time in the field, the sales manager insists that they spend every Friday in the office. This is when the activities and results, of the past week, are reviewed and the targets and activities for the coming week are planned. It also gives the salesmen an opportunity to catch up on their paperwork.
Mike has not attended the office for the past three Fridays. He has not got in touch with the office on any of the three occasions to explain his absence. His lack of attendance on Fridays has considerably disrupted the running of the operation and contributed to a drop in sales.
What action should the manager take?
