Purpose

The exercise is designed to facilitate problem solving by encouraging effective brainstorming and team work.

Objective

Each team should come up with a number of ideas to protect the business in unforeseen circumstances.

Setup

• Divide the delegates to groups of 3 or 4. Preferably put people who work in the same organisation together in the same group.
• Explain to delegates that you have some confidential business information for them and unfortunately it is not good news! Then tell the group that their main customer is going to file for bankruptcy in six month time.
• Split the group into teams of three or four people. Each team has 5 minutes to brainstorm and come up with at least three answers to the following question:
  • “What can we do now to prevent any damages to the business as a result of this development?”
• For best results, ask them to apply this news to their own business. In other words, ask each group to pick a major supplier of their business and assume that they have gone bust. What would happen now to their business? This allows them to think in context while brainstorming.
• Each team has 3 minutes to present their ideas to other delegates.

Timing

Explaining the Test: 5 minutes.

Activity: 15 minutes or more depending on the size of the group

Group Feedback: 10 minutes

Discussion

Following the presentation, get the delegates to discuss and evaluate groups’ performances, emphasising on the effect of teamwork and brainstorming in providing solutions.