Terra-Nova – a leadership and planning game

Terra Nova is a fictitious area of Newfoundland and the team has been dropped by sea plane on Pine Lake. Their task is to reach any one of the five lakes on an adjacent island so as to be picked up again by the plane. There is at least one alternative way of getting to each of the lakes (bus, ferries, hiking, 4-wheel drive hire, plane, rafting, etc), some faster and more expensive than others. They are asked to cost at least three alternative methods/routes and tell the pilot where to pick them up before he takes off. Their decision will obviously depend on whether they (or the leader) decide on speed, cost, adventure, physical activity, etc, as the strategy to adopt.

There is no right answer (apart from making correct calculations of the cost of each alternative) and this makes it an ideal simulation for leadership seminars. As John Kotter of Harvard Business School has reported, one of the key characteristics of successful leaders is their ability to 'set direction' and let the managers and the team get on with the planning. In this exercise, the group's decision depends on the strategy they adopt.

Training Objectives:

• To give participants the opportunity to practise leadership skills
• To allow teams of 4-9 member to practise planning, organising data and decision making
• To demonstrate the need for co-operation, sharing and synergy in a team, especially during the planning of a project

Time: Approx 90 minutes

Delivery: All materials required for this exercise are provided in a downloadable .pdf file including full trainer's instructions. You will be able to download the exercise as soon as payment has been accepted.

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