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Mars Rover Challenge

$1,999.00
Deluxe Leadership & Teamwork Game Kit
Select Components:

You don't have to leave earth for stellar skill development. Long gone are the days where collaboration served as an intermittent, as-needed approach to conquering company initiatives. Employers are growing increasingly aware of Mars Rover Challenges widespread benefits and value it as a constant in the workplace. Why? It encourages collaborative behaviors and even going so far as to redesign workspaces to stimulate it. However, some people need to see it in action and practice it for themselves before they can fully embrace its benefits.

  • Overview
  • Details
  • FAQ's
  • Authors

How It Works

As a hybrid game and workshop, Mars Rover Challenge immerses participants in a memorable, eye-opening experience. The activity provides a compelling demonstration of the differences between working collaboratively and working in silos—both on the contributors themselves and on the quality of work they produce. This powerful contrast is accomplished by having teams build and rebuild a motorized prototype of a vehicle designed to travel on Mars using K’NEX® construction pieces. In the first round, team members operate in isolation; in the second, they join forces and work as a collaborative team.
 
Two versions of the game are available. In the Leadership Version, participants work in teams to construct a rover, led by a team member who (unknown to the rest of the team) adopts one of three contrasting leadership styles: traditional (command-and-control), passive, and collaborative. Each of the three styles engenders very different feelings and emotions among team members.
 
Together, both versions provide a very real demonstration of the effects different styles can have on morale, motivation, and performance. The Teamwork Version again calls for participants to work in teams, only this time the game is played in two rounds. In round one, participants simulate working in siloed departments as they build the rover. In round two, they work together collaboratively. The end result in each round usually is markedly different, and the process and outcomes make for lively discussion and usually quite a few "ah-has"!

 
Uses and Applications

The Mars Surface Rover is designed to introduce new leaders and expose experienced leaders to the benefits of facilitative leadership. It’s an ideal learning experience for:

  • New leaders who want to incorporate facilitative leadership into their developing style
  • Traditional leaders who are being retrained to move toward a more facilitative style of leadership
  • Managers who oversee teams
  • Illustrating the differences between groups and teams
  • Rejuvenating established teams who have reverted to “group work” habits
  • Encouraging team members to assume team roles and responsibilities

Both versions demonstrate the power of collaboration and enable participants to cultivate the mindset and behaviors integral to effective implementation. The differences lie only in the lens through which collaboration is viewed - either from the perspective of leadership or teamwork. While each game has been designed to function independently, using them in tandem presents a more thorough, holistic picture of collaboration and the positive effects it has on employee engagement and productivity.

Learning Outcomes

  • Practice functioning in silos and contrast this experience with working collaboratively
  • Understand why silos weaken team performance and undermine the overall organization
  • Explore why collaborative teamwork is the best approach for long-term success
  • Create an individual plan to minimize silos and increase collaboration

Product Details

Product Type: Game. The Deluxe Kit includes a complete Teamwork and Leadership Game Kit. Both versions separately demonstrate the power of collaboration and enable participants to cultivate the mindset and behaviors integral to effective implementation.

Target Audience:

  • New leaders who want to incorporate facilitative leadership into their developing style
  • Traditional leaders who are being retrained to move toward a more facilitative style of leadership
  • Managers who oversee several teams or coordinate teams

Measures: The purpose of the Mars Surface Challenge activity is to demonstrate the advantages of facilitative leadership and the drawbacks of traditional and passive leadership.

Dimensions: Communication, influence, administration, thinking, and interpersonal skills.

Time Required: Simulation: 15 minutes. Workshop: Two hours.

What to Order

Deluxe Leadership & Teamwork Game Kit: Order for One Kit for Both the Leadership & Teamwork Game Kits.

Included in the kit are the Leadership version, which has enough for 18 participants and the Team version, which has enough for 18 participants as well.
 
• Two Facilitator Guides
• 36 Workbooks
• Three Game Parts bags
• Six blueprints
• 18 price lists w/ a PDF file that can be printed on the flash drive
• One set of three leader role cards
• Three sets of six task cards
• One set of three now or never cards
• One poster
• One set of three team color cards
• 19 HRDQue cards
•One usb flash drive
• One clear plastic wallet w/ extra K-NEX pieces
• One tote bag
 
All components except for the participant workbooks are reusable, although additional workbooks can be individually purchased, and quantity discounts are available.

Leadership Game Kit: Order One Kit to Train Three Teams of Five Players.

The Leadership Game Kit includes all of the required components to facilitate the game, as well as an initial supply of workbooks for up to 18 participants. For sessions with more than three teams, you may order an extra team pack.

Leadership Workbook 5-Pack: Order One Pack for Up to Five Participants.

Participants are responsible for recording all of their results in each area in their Leadership Workbook. Let participants compare their results to those from the first round and determine how much their performance improved (or declined).

Leadership Extra Game Pack: Order One for Up to Five Participants.

Order an additional leadership game pack if you need to train more participants. Also includes an additional set of workbooks.

Teamwork Game Kit: Order One Kit to Train Three Teams of Four to Seven Players.

The Teamwork Game Kit includes all of the required components to facilitate the game, as well as an initial supply of workbooks for up to 18 participants. For sessions with more than three teams, you may order an extra team pack.

Teamwork Workbook 5-Pack: Order One Pack for Up to Five Participants.

Participants are responsible for recording all of their results in each area in their Teamwork Workbook. Let participants compare their results to those from the first round and determine how much their performance improved (or declined).

Teamwork Extra Game Pack: Order One Kit to Train Three Teams of Four to Seven Players.

Order an additional leadership game pack if you need to train more team of 4-7 players. Also includes an additional set workbooks.

HRDQue Cards 5-Pack: Order One Pack for Up to Five Participants.

Each team requires an HRDQue Card Set with six cards containing the key steps for assembling the Rover. In the first construction round, the cards are confidential, and each team member draws one and completes the specific ed task individually. In the second construction round, team members share their cards with one another.

Extra Parts Bag: Order One Bag Per Additional Team.

The extra game bag includes reusable parts for an additional rover.

About the Authors

Eileen M. Russo, Ph.D. is former vice president of research and development for HRDQ. She has a Ph.D. in social psychology with a minor in organizational behavior and an MS in social psychology from the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Russo has a BA in psychology from Fairfield University. Her work includes research in social influence, group behavior, decision making, and perceptions of control at work. As vice president of research and development, she was responsible for overseeing the development of HRDQ products.

Matthew Eckler is a former research associate for HRDQ. He specializes in assessment development and redesign. He received a BS in communications media with an emphasis in organizational communication from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania. His areas of expertise are process improvement, survey instrumentation, and educational needs assessment.