Don't Fly Solo: Why the Best Business Acumen Training is Team-Based

Don't Fly Solo: Why the Best Business Acumen Training is Team-Based

eliza hl

Published Date

June 6, 2015

Avoid training that involves individuals being isolated. Instead, opt for a team-based simulation that is interactive. This will help each person absorb the different points of view generated by the game.
Avoid training that involves individuals being isolated. Instead, opt for a team-based simulation that is interactive. This will help each person absorb the different points of view generated by the game

Why Team-Based Simulations Work Better Than Individual Learning

This post is part of a series on how business acumen simulations can go wrong.

Near the top of the list:

Isolating participants.

Here's why that creates problems for learning and engagement.

Team-Based Simulations: Learning Through Interaction

A team-based simulation is interactive:

  • It creates dialogue as participants with different job functions share their perspectives.
  • It helps everyone absorb different points of view about what the simulated business needs.

To maximize this interaction:

  1. The game should reflect real-world roles.
  2. The team should cycle through these roles—taking turns as the:
    • Salesperson
    • Finance manager
    • Operations lead
    • Strategy planner

By rotating roles, participants will:

  • Learn the rules of business.
  • Understand the language of finance.
  • See how different job functions impact decisions.
  • Practice decision-making from different perspectives.
  • Improve communication and teamwork.

The Risk of Isolated Simulations

When participants work alone or never cycle through roles:

  • They lose the benefits of cross-functional learning.
  • They miss opportunities to develop communication skills.
  • They risk reinforcing silo thinking.

Key Questions to Evaluate Your Simulation

  • How frequent are the dialogues?
  • Is the dialogue driven by the need to make decisions?
  • How many roles are represented?
  • Who makes the decisions—individuals, teams, or the facilitator?