Retail giant Marks & Spencer is extending its expertise to other
companies’ training departments. It found a card game, Teamworks, developed
with ABA Consulting over the past few years, so helpful in encouraging constructive
discussion of workplace issues, that it has agreed the product be marketed.
Roger Woodgate, the game’s developer at ABA, said it was primarily designed
to respond to changes within M&S itself. "We created a self-contained
exercise which would encourage the necessary team development without
substantial cost or sending people on courses."
A set of playing cards prompt discussions between teams on issues such as
clarity of goals and roles, customer service and giving feedback.
"Managers often received feedback for the first time on some of these
issues," he said.
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The game enjoyed such success, that M&S has now realised it could be of
interest to others. The London Eye and Corrillian Construction have already
bought their own sets.
