Cubism

THE CUBISM PROBLEM IT SOLVES

Most teams believe they communicate well. What they usually mean is that they talk a lot.

Cubism separates the two.

Because no single participant can see the whole task, the group's result is a direct read-out of how accurately information travelled between people — and how the team behaved when it didn't. Teams discover, in real time and without anyone's real work on the line, that small failures of description, listening or trust have consequences for everyone else.

WHO IT'S FOR

• Trainers and facilitators running communication, teamwork or leadership sessions
• Senior management and departmental teams who need a high-value exercise inside a short window
• L&D teams building induction, graduate or first-line manager programmes
• Independent consultants and coaches who travel to client sites and need something portable
•  Anyone working with groups of 3–10 where information hand-offs matter

Cubism is a set of two games, 'The Cube Puzzle' and 'Replica', that focus upon and develop accurate communication skills alongside support and trust networks. The two complement each other, making Cubism an ideal and versatile exercise for senior management or departmental teams looking to develop a variety of skills within a short timescale.

The Cube Puzzle focuses on the integrity and quality of information passed between individuals, underlining the need to recognise interdependence and to make conscientious decisions in a team environment. Each participant holds only a limited amount of information about the whole group task, forcing them to develop communication skills in order to succeed. Participants are bound by time constraints, and the extent to which that pressure affects teamwork and trust comes into sharp focus as the group tries to make sense of limited and sometimes contradictory information.

Replica looks at the behaviour of teams under conditions of strict regulation and results pressure. It depends on careful observation, accurate retention of information and the ability to communicate succinctly when the clock is running. It also raises issues of support: how do you deal with individuals who make errors or lack confidence in their own judgement or memory? Can blame be avoided when errors are made? The exercise requires effective manpower planning — who is confident at remembering visual information, what is the best sequence to use, and do you hold people back to check the finished product?

Because both exercises are supplied with clear instructions and review suggestions, Cubism is simple to set up and administer, and gives facilitators a fast route to powerful and transferable learning. Cubism is also part of the Quality Jam package.

KEY LEARNING OUTCOMES

• Reveals the real quality of information passed between individuals
• Shows how competitive and collaborative behaviour affects team results
• Surfaces how a group treats people who make errors or lack confidence
• Develops strategic thinking and manpower planning through Replica
• Provides a clear, transferable metaphor for the participants' own workplace

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