Trading Game

Details
Time Required- Setup: 30 minutes, Activity: 60 minutes, Debrief: 30 minutes (minimum)
Group Size: 12 participants (minimum) No maximum number of participants
Space: Any room large enough to fit the group and open enough to find the other teams. Tables and chairs are fine. You will want an open setting for the debrief session.
Materials:

19 Toobeez connector spheres (Emeralds)
14 white beads (Pearls)
24 black beads (Onyx)
12 stickers numbered 1 – 12
$10,000 of play money in varied denominations ($5’s to $100’s)
80 red, 80 blue, and 80 white
poker chips
36 information cards (included at end of activity – copy & cut)
12 bags to fit the items
Flip chart/poster board with bonus information posted (keep hidden)
Timer

Description
A group is split into twelve teams and instructed to trade in order to increase value.

The Activity Setup
Before the participants arrive, set up and number the 12 bags according to the table below. Prepare the flipchart or poster board with the scoring results for the end of the game (found in the chart on p. 106). Keep the poster hidden. When the participants arrive, divide them randomly into 12 teams.
Note:

It’s okay if one group is slightly bigger or smaller than others.
With these distributions, every team begins with $250 worth of value as measured by game end values.
No team begins with chips that will later count as bonus chips for their team.

At the beginning of the game, bags should contain the complete list of items for their team number listed in the chart below.

Also, information cards should be photocopied, cut up, and placed in the correct bag by the facilitator prior to the start of the activity.

Instructions

Facilitator Script
In this activity you will be working with a team (unless you have only one participant per bag). As a team, your objective is to have the most worth at the end of the game. All items will be converted to cash and thus a score will be determined.
The rules

There will be four rounds of trading. The rounds will be of an equal, undisclosed length. There will be a two-minute warning prior to the end of each round. When the round ends, all trading and conversation must stop and players must return to their seats.
There are four items in each bag: money, gems (black beads for Onyx, white beads for Pearls and Toobeez spheres for Emerald), colored chips, and information cards. All are valuable and can be traded to increase a team’s final value at the end of the game.
Anything can be traded or negotiated.
All information that you need has been provided.
No questions will be answered during the game.

The Debrief
Opening: The intention of this activity is to develop project management skills and enhance communication among participants. However, this activity offers many lessons, so let the participants share with you what they learned and their comments as to the purpose of the activity.

What was the point of this exercise?
Who knows what the instructions were?
What rules did you create for your team that were not stated?
How did you play the game?
How did you feel about how others played the game?

Closing: In business we can win by having the largest paycheck, getting what we want, standing in integrity, or creating alliances. In cases, we define what winning is.

Concluding Questions

What did you learn about influence and negotiations?
What did you learn from your teammates about effective influence?
What is the role of ethics in business?
What impact does your interpretation of ethics have in your organization?

Action Plans

How many ways can you apply what you’ve learned in this activity to:
- Sales process
- Strategic partnerships
- Promotions and compensation
Based on your new experiences and insights, what could be different in going forward?
What three action steps (with specific, measurable results) will you take this month to begin incorporating what you’ve learned into your daily routine?

For additional instructions and modifications click HERE.