The Participant assumes the role of a Graduate Trainee at a large international building and construction company, Thornton Croft. The Participant is currently placed in the Retail Division delivering a full range of design, feasibility, shop fitting and construction services. The Participant is provided with information relating to a live project and has been tasked with briefing their Line Manager. The Participant is informed that their Line Manager is not available and is now required to brief the Director. The Participant is required to present their assessment of the current status of the project.
Competencies: Interpersonal Sensitivity
The Participant assumes the role of a newly appointed Manager of Exam Plus, a leading player within the educational services sector. They are required to meet with a team member who was asked to undertake a task for another manager. Due to insufficient guidance and a lack of the necessary skills and knowledge to complete the task, they missed an important deadline which resulted in the team member being publicly criticised. Having reviewed the background information provided the Participant must motivate the individual in order to rebuild their confidence and to identify appropriate development opportunities.
As the Regional Manager of Paradise Restaurants Ltd, the Participant is required to conduct a performance review with one of their team, due to a performance problem. The Participant is given information by way of a complaint letter and internal memo prior to the review. As well as the workplace issues arising from the job, the Roleplayer’s brief contains personal and emotive material which requires listening, interpersonal sensitivity and integrity on the part of the Participant.
The Participant assumes the role of a Middle Manager within The Community Services Agency and is required to meet with one of their Team Leaders to discuss a decline in the teams performance. The Participant needs to investigate the reasons for the decline, offer support and agree a solution. The Participant must consider how to develop the Team Leader’s skills, improve team performance and to provide a high standard of customer service. In preparation, the Participant is given information about the Organisation, impending changes and the teams performance.
The Participant is a graduate who has recently been appointed by Peter Masons, a large department store chain, as a Management Trainee. The Participant has been placed on a 3-month assignment in the Customer Service Department as part of a rotational programme designed to provide broad exposure to business operations. The Participant has been asked to interview one of the Customer Service staff who has recently been the subject of a number of complaints regarding customer handling. The Roleplayer’s brief is designed to challenge the Participant’s skills of managing others, creating increased motivation and dealing effectively with performance related problems.
The Participant plays the role of a Senior Manager in a utilities organisation, Spec Utilities. They are representing their Head of Department who is unable to attend a meeting with the Head of Sales & Marketing. Each department has two projects they propose to run this year, but with limited funds available, it is not possible to support all four. The Participant and the Head of Sales & Marketing must agree which two are put forward for approval by the Board who will otherwise allocate the funds arbitrarily. The Participant is only provided with details about the projects their manager would like to put forward.
The Participant assumes the role of a newly appointed Area Sales Manager for SoftWorld Solutions, a medium-sized software and services supplier. They are required to conduct a review meeting with a member of their sales team regarding productivity and performance issues. The Exercise requires the Participant to use management skills such as providing direction, encouragement and motivation, as well as establishing the causes of any performance problems.
The Participant plays the part of a Regional Human Resources (HR) Manager in a large clothes retailer who has been asked by their Regional Manager to conduct a counselling interview with a Store Manager whose performance is substandard. The situation needs to be handled with care and diplomacy, as there are non-work related issues to be dealt with and the Participant also needs to consider the relationship between the Regional Manager and the Store Manager.
The Participant plays the role of a Senior Manager in the Finance Department of a Government Agency. The organisation runs a buddying system and the Participant has been asked by an individual that they buddy to meet up. The individual is a Senior Technical Specialist who wants to talk over some upcoming decisions about an internal career move. The challenge for the Participant is to coach the individual (who is at the same level in the organisation structure as them) to make the best decision. During the discussion further information arises around personal issues outside of work and conflict with another employee.
The Participant plays the role of the HR Manager in CoolCustomers, a medium-sized firm which supplies and installs air conditioning equipment and systems for commercial and domestic applications. The performance of one of the four Regional HR Business Partners has been declining on a number of different fronts. There are concerns around the individuals attitude to change, their relationship with peers and the quality of their work. Information about these issues are provided for the Participant along with details of several complaints. The Participant has called a meeting to try and resolve these performance problems with their team member.
