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Black
Bear
Third Edition
Illustrate the concept of team synergy
with Black Bear, a challenging
adventure simulation that addresses
formulating a strategy under pressure
and consensus decision making.
Participants experience first-hand the
advantages of teamwork when they are
asked to choose one of 5 strategy
alternatives and rank 10 backpack items,
first as individuals and then as a team.
The concept of synergy is conveyed when
the team results are shown to better
those of an individual working alone.
The Scenario
On an early-morning hike in North
Carolina’s Great Smoky Mountains, your
group stops to enjoy some blueberries
growing along the trail. Just then
someone spots a small black bear cub,
the mother bear lunges from the bushes
and attacks — with near-fatal results.
Can you work as a team to save an
injured person’s life -- addressing five
strategy options and ranking 10 backpack
items?
Black Bear is the ideal training
tool for any group that works in a
high-pressure environment. Inspired by
HRDQ CEO Brad Glaser’s six-month hike of
the Appalachian Trail, this survival
adventure also incorporates expert
information from many books on the
Smokies, wilderness survival, and
backcountry rescue, in addition to the
input of Buck Tilton, director of the
Wilderness Medicine Institute, Inc.
Learning Outcomes
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Learn how to manage and resolve
group conflict
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Hone group problem-solving skills
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Improve communication
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Discover the advantages of consensus
decision making
Theory
Based on information from experts and
Brad Glaser’s real-life experience on
the Appalachian Trail, Black Bear
demonstrates the concept of team synergy
— the belief that decisions made by
groups are better than decisions made by
individuals acting alone (Michaelson,
Watson, & Black, 1989). Groups bring a
greater sum total of knowledge and
information to the discussion of a
problem, as well as a greater number of
approaches and perspectives. Black
Bear can also demonstrate “process
loss.” This phenomenon occurs when a
knowledgeable group member outperforms
the group, indicating that the member’s
knowledge was lost sometime during the
group discussion. In order for group
decision making to work, unique
information must be shared and absorbed
by the group (Stasser, 1992).
How It Works
This realistic, roundtable simulation
challenges groups to rank 5 strategy
alternatives and 10 backpack items —
first as individuals, and then as a
team. First, as the facilitator, you’ll
introduce the adventure scenario.
Participants will then rank the
alternatives and items on their own,
using pressure-sensitive scoring forms.
Next, each team conducts the same
ranking process as a unit. The
differences in results are compared and
discussed and the team calculates
whether or not it achieved synergy in
its group discussion. Finally, you’ll
lead the participants into a group
action planning discussion, providing
the team with the opportunity to apply
the learning to the workplace.
Uses
for Black Bear
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Illustrate the concept of team
synergy
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“Break the ice” among new or
conflicted teams
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Give teams a non-threatening
opportunity to work together
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Help teams practice consensus
decision making
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Improve active listening, probing,
and confronting behaviors in a
realistic setting
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Train team leaders in team
facilitation skills
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Open or close a learning session
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Introduce an organizational change,
such as the transition to
self-directed teams
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Interject a fun activity into an
otherwise serious agenda
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Supplement outdoor experiential
learning
What
to Order/Product Contents
Order one Facilitator Guide per trainer
and one Participant Guide per team
member.
Note: Black Bear works best when
participants are divided into teams of
seven or fewer per table.
Facilitator Guide includes:
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Administrative guidelines
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Step-by-step facilitator
instructions for a 2-hour workshop
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Preparation checklists
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HRDQ Experiential Learning Model™
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Background information on consensus
decision making, synergy, and black
bears
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Technical development
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Expert rationale
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Frequently asked questions
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Microsoft® PowerPoint® workshop
presentation
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Scenario setting slideshow in
PowerPoint®
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Reproducible masters including
training evaluation and certificate
of completion
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Content from Participant Guide
Participant Guide includes:
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Scenario description
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Pressure-sensitive response forms
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Team discussion guidelines
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Team synergy model NEW!
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Team synergy score chart
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Questions for team reflection and
action planning NEW!
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Team
Level:
