MBX Case Study Part 2

Crucial Issues at MBX

The three critical issues that hampered MBX’s progress were lack of goals, staffing and adequate communication. First, the company struggled to develop goals and objectives. The management style was based on experience and instinct. They operated without the aid of any useful instruments and had no real accountability and direction. Second, there were unsatisfactory staffing procedures. There were no values utilized in hiring and recruiting. This allowed for poor hiring practices, high rate of turnover and overall lack of teamwork. Lastly, the CEO lacked necessary leadership skills. This lack of leadership created challenges for the future and left the Leadership Team with an uncertainty about the direction the company was headed.

Getting Started
Bruce met with the Executive Management Team and Core Leadership Group to begin “Breakthrough Business Planning”, commonly referred to as “huddles.” The Leadership Team met to discuss every significant issue plaguing the company-goals, objectives, vision, values, hiring, management structure, employee development, team building and operational successes and failures. They also participated in what CMI calls, “stupid games.” These games are a simulation of the workplace and are designed to provide a learning experience. They show companies how things operate “back at the ranch” and guide employees on how to improve communication and teamwork. The Leadership Team took a firm grasp onto these issues. Justin Formella, Web & IT Director, certainly appreciated the intervention. “This approach has been instrumental in changing our thought process to everyday problems and issues. The collaboration helped to create a team atmosphere that was otherwise not present.”

In addition to the strategies, conversations and games, the deliberate and constant activities and follow up meetings all contributed to strengthening MBX. “These activities insure that we are paying attention and moving forward toward our strategic goals,” says Tom Crowley.

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There are no mistakes

 A principal I live by is that everything happening in an organization happens by design. The same applies in Stupid Games. It’s like this: don’t plan, and pay the price. Don’t listen, and pay the price. On the other hand, collaborate, and move the ball. Solve the problem, and be successful. If you put quality into the preparation and planning of the Stupid Game, you will get quality results. Stupid Games can be used frequently to make points and bring a group together. Typically, businesses will utilize outside facilitators and resources to facilitate the games, but internal people can also be trained to facilitate.

One last thought: picture me in a large field by a hotel; we are not talking Kansas here, the day before I cavorted on the Great Wall of China. My company was working with a major cellular communications firm with the goal of enhancing teamwork between various groups of engineers. During the session in the field, an excited Chinese engineer in Beijing emotionally exclaimed, “These are not Stupid Games! These are good games!” Yes, indeed.
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Teamwork

The final lesson of stupid games that I will discuss is teamwork.

I worked with a manufacturing company that suffered from declining profits due to production and quality problems. To get to the bottom of the issue, we played the “Plank Game;” picture interlocking Lincoln Log like wooden planks that must be assembled in a particular way. (A description of the game and how to play is included at the end of this article) I divided the group into three teams. Each team of nine was given a diagram from which to assemble its set of planks. Each set was similar but not inter-changeable. The groups had to construct all three sets of planks in less than 20 minutes.

The game started strong, with one team finishing the set-up in 14 minutes. The members of that team immediately rose to help the other teams. Together, they assembled the remaining sets in four more minutes for a total setup time of 18 minutes. This is also a fine time. However, the first group to finish overlooked the idea that they could invite the other teams to build their designs on top of the already-completed set. This technique would have allowed them to avoid “re-inventing the wheel.” If they had done this, they could have saved significant time.

In the post-game debrief, we looked at applying the principle of “sharing between groups” and what could be gained by being more interactive and communicative at work. They were then able to design a process to enhance communication and performance during shift handoffs. Production quality and relationships between the shifts have improved markedly since the session.

 

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Satisfying the Customer

Another valuable lesson of Stupid Games is they can teach groups about great customer service.

I worked with a client that was focused on improving its customer service. This company hired a firm to survey its customers. The survey results indicated that the company’s customer service was below average. The company decided to focus on improving its service and its relationships with customers. I was brought in to help the company leadership group develop action plans for improving customer service and customer relationships.

To start the session, the group played one of CMI’s classic games: lower-the-tent-pole-to-the-ground. (See the end for a full description of this game. Is this article valuable or what?) The participants had played this Stupid Game in the past and were confident they would be successful.

As a precursor to the exercise, I said, “The marketplace has changed, so don’t be fooled by these tent poles. They’re super-duper and way different than before.” After pausing for effect, I added the instructions: “I’m the customer. I want you to lower this tent pole to the ground while balancing it on your index fingers. None of your fingers can ever lose contact with it. All fingers must be under and perpendicular to pole. No other body parts can touch the pole. You have three minutes to do this. The faster you can get the tent pole to the floor the better.”

The activity started. The pole went up instead of down. Fingers lost contact with the pole. People yelled, and blamed each other. (That is how this activity typically goes.) Then the groups calmed down. Everyone focused on completing the task. The participants started listening to each other and eventually lowered that darn pole to the ground. They felt good about it and gave each other high fives. They had collaborated and worked as a team. Good stuff. However, throughout the exercise, no one talked to me, the customer. This was very sad. I, the ignored customer, was sobbing quietly in the corner while sucking my thumb. How did this happen? Why was I so … neglected?

 After the game, we discussed the task of lowering the pole and defined good customer service. We agreed that the team worked together. Then we talked about how the neglected customer in this Stupid Game actually mirrored what was happening to customers “back at the ranch.” The group completed the task but they did not make me a raving fan customer. They did not update me or give me attention of any kind. If I used them again I would definitely want to talk about price. I asked the group whether they displayed good customer service during the exercise. The answer: no.

“How could the customer have been more involved in the process?” I asked. “Did you clarify his expectations prior to undertaking the task? Did you ask for any feedback during the task? And after completing the task, did you thank this customer for his business or explore with him what other services he might need?”

The answer to these questions, too, was no.

I asked, “When you saw that you were going to be late, did you tell the customer?”

“No,” they said.

“Does that ever happen at the office?” I asked. “Is the customer always notified of late arrivals and deliveries?”

“No,” they said.

“How does the customer feel about this?” I asked.

“It’s been a complaint,” they admitted, shooting one another looks of realization. Their looks also communicated that they were finding me quite annoying and might want to hurt me.

I said, “Fixing the communication problem and keeping the customer in the loop during this game will help you find ways to keep your customers better informed once you are back at your business.”

Therein, beloved reader lays the method to my madness. There are similarities between what happens during Stupid Games and what happens in the participants’ businesses. Playing Stupid Games provides the group a practice field and allows them to discover obstacles to successful work. They can take what they learn from our discussions back to work and use to implement solutions to problems.

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Planning

Planning and great execution make the difference both in Stupid Games and in the real business world. Dwight Eisenhower said something to the effect of, “During the battle, I have always found that plans are useless, but prior to the battle, planning is indispensable.” Stupid Games teach groups this lesson.

In some of the games, as in life, you can wing it and still be successful. In the business world there are definite times where winging it can work. However this method can also lead to failure. This is what happens in the stupid game called “The Cube.” 

Picture, if you will, a giant cube made of white PVC pipes. The cube is perched on top of a bucket. It looks like it belongs in Chicago’s Millennium Park. The objective is for participants to move through the cube to earn points without knocking the cube over. The consequence for knocking the cube out of place is that you lose all your points and the group must begin all over.

Groups must plan in order to be successful at the Cube. Everyone needs to know when he or she is making the pass and exactly what technique will be used. Even if the group does not follow the exact plan, the planning supports the group’s success. Making time to plan is an invaluable lesson that, when utilized back at work, will support improved team performance.

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Practice

Another lesson from Stupid Games is the value of practice. When people realize that practice is necessary, drama ends and people relax. Participants understand that it is okay to make mistakes and learn from them. That is what happens when you practice. With my long standing clients, I use the same stupid games repeatedly. Although the games might exasperate the leadership groups, the participants recognize their value. Over time, groups who play these games are better at listening, executing and performing tasks with together. In this case practice does make perfect.

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Listening and Learning

What do groups learn by playing stupid games? One of most common excuses I hear is that no one was appointed the leader. But is that true? Hogwash, I say. Lack of leadership does not drive failure, rather the inability of the group to listen to and hear each other.

Listening makes the difference. Once members of a group listen to one another, anyone can lead; understanding and problem solving occur, people focus and work together. This is one of the lessons groups learn from Stupid Games.

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Stupid Games

Before I start, let’s define what a “Stupid Game” is. A Stupid Game is a team building activity used to teach business principles and ideas. In corporate training and development, the games are called “experiential education.” Wow, does that sound highfalutin and fancy.

Groups need to practice to successfully perform and execute tasks. The military gets it and calls it “boot camp.” Theater and dance groups get it and call it “rehearsal.” Sports teams get it and call it “practice.” Often, however, business groups do not get it and for the most part do not practice. Typically, business groups have low group performance. Do we see a correlation?

That is where Stupid Games come in. These games allow groups to examine their own behavior in order to discover how they can improve their performance. The notion is simple: a group solves problems during games the way it does back at the office. The major difference between these contexts is if the group does not perform well at work, there are consequences internally and with customers. If the group does not perform well at the Stupid Game, it is a big-time learning opportunity. There are no consequences for failing at the Stupid Game except learning, having fun, and perhaps even laughing.

For the past 20 years, I have used Stupid Games as a modality for teaching and training our clients. I do not like admitting this, but I am not good at these games, nor do I particularly like them. (I want to be truthful given our relationship. How is that for being vulnerable? Can I have a hug?) Stupid Games are invaluable.  Over the next couple weeks I will highlight how stupid games give groups a practice field where they can learn, plan, practice, develop skills, work together and improve performance.

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