Cave Without a Name
Second Edition
Teach the concept of team synergy with
Cave Without a Name, a challenging adventure simulation that
focuses on consensus decision making, problem solving, and managing
group conflict. By
comparing individual solutions to solutions reached by the group,
participants experience first-hand the advantages of working as a
team.
The Scenario
It was dark — really dark. Darker than you had ever experienced
before. Not the ordinary nighttime dark where you can still see a
faint outline of your hand immediately in front of your eyes. But
the absolute blackness of black, and that sent a nauseating little
surge of panic into your gut.
Instinctively, members of the group reached out and found one
another. The simple touch of others brought momentary relief to
everyone’s growing terror — the terror of being trapped in one of
the unexplored passageways of the Cave Without a Name.
Can your team survive with only its wits and 10 daypack items?
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 actual explorations and named for a cave near Boerne,
Texas, Cave Without a Name 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. The simulation 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 powerful roundtable simulation challenges teams to rank 4
action responses and 10 daypack items — first as individuals, and
then as a team. First, as the facilitator, you’ll introduce the
adventure scenario. Participants will then rank action responses and
daypack items on their own, using pressure-sensitive scoring forms.
Next, each team conducts the same ranking process as a unit.
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 Cave Without a Name
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Illustrate the concept of team synergy
-
“Break the ice” among new or conflicted
teams
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Give teams a nonthreatening 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
-
Train team leaders in team facilitation
skills
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Open or close a learning session
-
Introduce an organizational change,
such as the transition to self-managing teams
-
Interject a fun activity into an
otherwise serious agenda
-
Supplement outdoor experiential
learning
What to Order/Product Contents
Order one Facilitator Guide per trainer and one Participant Guide
per team member.
Note: Cave
Without a Name works best when participants
are divided into teams of seven or fewer per table.
Facilitator Guide
includes:
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Administrative guidelines
-
2-hour workshop design
-
Expert rationale
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Experiential learning/training
methodology
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Training design options
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CD-ROM containing Microsoft® PowerPoint®
presentation and reproducible masters
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Updated page layout
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Sample copy of Participant Guide
-
Convenient binder format
Participant Guide
includes:
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Scenario description
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Pressure-sensitive response form
-
Team synergy score chart
-
Team discussion guidelines
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