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MTa Insights is the ultimate trainer's resource. This comprehensive and powerful experiential learning kit contains 53 high impact experiential activities that generate a wide range of learning opportunities in areas such as team skills, leadership, communication, problem solving and change.
MTa Insights is incredibly versatile and infinitely flexible. There are activities that will test, challenge and stimulate participants of all levels, from entry level apprentices to the most senior of leaders. The activities range from 10 minute ice-breakers to 3 hour leadership tasks.
Comprehensive facilitator guides that include:-
2 holdalls of robust MTa 'Insight' components
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I have found MTa materials to be the perfect solution to team development needs, combining a fun approach with well structured opportunities for discussion, feedback and action planning. I would recommend again and again…there is nothing else like this in the market(as far as I know) Also, the support personally from Martin has been superb, willing on one occasion to provide free advice on the best choice of activity for a particular event.
All the dealings I have had with the MTa team have been excellent and the products are fantastic – what more could I ask for?!
HSBC works in 77 countries and has 10 training centres around the globe. We use MTa materials (all of them!) in a variety of situations: assessment events, small workshops for specific groups, on our graduate training programmes, on foundation and middle management skills courses, in tailored functional development events, for train-the-trainer events in local areas, and for country-level top team workshops. We have also used the kit when working with specific large-scale business issues, such as merging local businesses into regional structures.
MTa staff are our friends – and they are professionals. They have assisted us to redesign set activities for our specific use and have supported us in getting kit sent to unusual places around the globe…timely! They are not only responsive, but proactive in working with us and in anticipating our needs. They even help us to know the most economical ways in which to use their kit!
With MTa Insights, it never fails to amaze me how we can get different results again and again from the same activity with a different group or people or even the same group of people.
We routinely use MTa kits as part of our training/development strategy. The cadets love the hands on approach of the activities and the equipment is sturdy and rugged. In addition to having fun, the learning outcomes are clear and thought provoking. I’d recommend the kit and accompanying manuals to anyone.
MTa Insights is a highly effective method of facilitating behavioural change. The products, support materials and methods are excellent.
MTa products are used and shipped all over the world. Shipping is included free of charge.
Expand the MTa Insights for use with upto 16 additional participants
Valuable additions to the range
Description:
10 activities that focus on the basics of team working.
Introduce and develop the skills, abilities and attitudes that are associated with effective team working. Although classed as introductory, these activities are both stimulating and involving. They can be used in very diverse situations and at surprisingly senior levels.
Key Learning Outcomes:
Building on ideas
Expressing ideas
Listening
Questioning
Respecting others
Reviewing progress
Activity | Discussion Topic |
---|---|
Group Necklace | Team problem solving • Understanding objectives and constraints • Planning |
Short Thread | Importance of planning • Working to deadlines • Understand constraints • Cost of mistakes • Basics of team working |
Wheelbarrow | Basics of team working • Challenging norms • Basic quality issues • Effect of competition and time constraints on performance |
Boxed in | Basics of team working • Benefits of getting it 'right first time' • Challenging norms • Creative thinking |
Enclosed | Understanding criteria for success • Understanding constraints • Time planning vs. fast action • Achieving results before competition • Breaking taboos |
Tall Stack | Working together; attitudes and skills • Group problem solving • Testing and revising ideas • Agreeing on what is achievable |
Tightly Packed | Understanding criteria for success • Understanding constraints • Creative problem solving • Time planning and reviewing progress vs. fast action |
Odd Type of Stack | Understanding priorities • Keeping focussed on priority issues • Working together to meet identified priorities within a specified time • Concerns for quality |
Balancing Act | Problem solving • Reviewing progress and agreeing acceptable standards • Team working • Impact of competition and deadlines |
Shapes | Group problem solving • Thinking logically and creatively • Valuing and building on each other's ideas • Testing, evaluating and changing approaches |
Description:
8 activities designed to deepen and broaden individuals' understanding of effective team working.
Each activity within Team Working Level 2 is designed to build on the basics by developing the skills, abilities, attitudes and the personal confidence needed to perform effectively in teams that are working with more complex issues.
Key Learning Outcomes:
Communicating
Constructive criticism
Planning
Prioritising
Quality standards
Team decision making
Understanding/achieving success
Activity | Discussion Topic |
---|---|
Minefield | Monitoring progress and revisiting plans • Team working • Team problem solving • Effects of obvious competition |
DIY | Sharing • Respecting others • Building on each others' ideas • Learning about each other as people |
Feet of Clay | Understanding constraints • Agreeing and working to plans • Individual contributions to a team effort |
My Success | Understanding success:personal drivers and attitudes • Co-operation vs. competition • Attitudes to risk taking |
Spinning Your Web | Planning in a competitive situation • Setting achievable goals • Team skills • Encouragement • Trust |
Caught in a Web | Attitudes to others • Setting achievable goals • Benefits of progress reviews • Team skills • Encouragement |
Successful Pairs | Personal attitudes • Planning for personal and team success • Developing alliances and making agreements • Trust |
Speedy Stack | Clarifying objectives and constraints • Planning vs. action • Reviewing progress against objectives • The impact of competition and time constraints |
Description:
6 activities that help participants understand the key elements of effective problem solving.
By analysing the way they tackle problems, participants gain an understanding of the key elements of effective problem solving and their personal blocks, whether they are perceptual, emotional, cultural or intellectual. Involvement in subsequent activities gives them opportunities to practice and test new approaches before applying their learning to 'live problems'.
Key Learning Outcomes:
Building on ideas
Critiquing
Focusing on critical issues
Problem identification
Questioning self and others
Success orientation
Valuing others' contributions
Activity | Discussion Topic |
---|---|
Colourful Necklace | Basics of creative problem solving in teams • The benefits of turning a problem around • Thinking ahead • Realising the cost of ignoring problems |
Girders | Personal blocks to problem solving • Lateral and logical thinking • Learning from experience • Trial and error |
Jigsaw | Preparing to work effectively with others • Sharing and utilising others’ knowledge • Building on each others’ ideas |
Odd Colour of Stack | Identifying and understanding (customer) priorities • Avoiding distractions and secondary issues • Attention to detail and quality |
Water Tower | Understanding and working to constraints • Planning, even when under time pressure • Working together to agreed plans |
Through the Slot | Understanding the context • Identifying the critical issues • Targeting effort • Making good use of team members’ differing skills |
Description:
7 activities that develop attitudes and behaviours associated with effective communication.
Aspects of effective communication are introduced in the team working activities, but these 7 activities are more focused. Besides raising issues about the style and content of communications, they highlight its two-way nature, the importance of people being ready and willing to give and receive information, and the attitudes that help and hinder communication.
Key Learning Outcomes:
Explaining
Instructing
Listening
Quality conscious
Questioning
Succinct
Unambiguous
Activity | Discussion Topic |
---|---|
Getting it Right | Accuracy in communication • Importance of clear and unambiguous instructions • Verbal vs. pictorial vs. written instructions • Detail in communication |
Sorting Shapes | Accurate verbal communication • Clarifying understanding • Attention to detail • Team problem solving • Logical thinking |
Blind Statues | Agreeing and working to plans • Verbal communication • Understanding and working with others’ limitations |
My Views | Learning about each other, their personal views and ideas • Attitudes to, and value of, personal disclosure • Sensitivity to others |
Swinging | Identifying and communicating key information • Communications between remote teams • Producing clear written instructions • Inter-dependent team working |
Seeing Red | Using verbal communication alone • Thinking through problems logically with others • Effect of competitive pressures on accuracy • Attitudes to cheating the system (sometimes!) |
Back to back | Effective two-way verbal communication • Appreciating the big picture • Appreciating and working with others’ restrictions • Giving and receiving clear instructions |
Description:
To be successful people and organisations must produce something of value to others. These 7 activities introduce this reality.
Enable individuals to practice and develop attitudes and skills that will enable them to be successful in these 3 areas that are common to businesses and many other organisations: Customer orientation, Selling profitably and Planning.
Key Learning Outcomes:
Business acumen
Customer focus
Optimising
Prioritising
Problem analysis
Questioning to illicit information
Selling
Activity | Discussion Topic |
---|---|
Built to Design | Developing and gaining commitment to concepts • Individual implementation of group decisions • Developing and applying quality standards • Revising plans with new information |
Money Matters | Financial awareness • Cash flow • Profit • Business planning • Workspace organisation |
Artifacts | Questioning the customer to identify needs and priorities • Agreeing how to meet the customer’s needs • Making a customer presentation |
Container Freight | Setting and agreeing achievable targets • Managing complex problems • Developing and evaluating options • Reviewing progress, revising plans and targets if necessary |
Getting Ahead | Financial awareness • Focussing on priorities • Making sales profitable • Negotiating |
Disc Transporter | Questioning the customer to identify needs and priorities • Adapting the sales offering • Costing the product • Developing and presenting a value proposition |
Description:
6 intellectually demanding activities that challenge, question and develop many of the skills, attributes and attitudes required of top performers.
These activities encompass some of the more complex and taxing aspects of leadership in business. They are demanding intellectually and can stretch even the most able.
Key Learning Outcomes:
Followership and Leadership
Negotiation
Gaining commitment
Realising personal potential vs. beat others
Politically astute
Strategic awareness
Ethics and honesty
Activity | Discussion Topic |
---|---|
Disc Roll | Defining and agreeing objectives and plans • Redefining plans with new information • Decision making • Evaluating risks |
Our Success | Understanding success • Thinking through the implications of decisions and actions • Revising decisions with new insights or information • Departmental vs. organisational success |
Meeting Expectations | The value of accurate planning and forecasting • The cost of not meeting customers’ expectations • Evaluating and learning from others’ approaches |
Leading Pairs | Assessing and making the most of opportunities for success • Monitoring progress then utilising individual initiative vs. sticking to the plan • Developing and managing alliances |
Meeting the Challenge | Developing criteria for success • Calculating and taking risks • Revising plans in line with progress • Attitudes to risk taking • Making best use of the group’s competencies |
Everyone's a Winner | Gaining commitment to a plan • The impact of relative success / failure on feelings • Developing and managing alliances • Ethics and values |
Description:
5 short activities that introduce many of the qualities required by a new leader.
They are very different in content, style and level of challenge. Consequently they provide opportunities for participants to experience many different aspects of leadership and how to understand how and why a leader's approach affects their followers. Each can be used in isolation or in conjunction with others in the pack.
Key Learning Outcomes:
Balancing personal workloads against leading a team
Effective verbal communication
Using a team to solve a problem and implement the solution
Gaining and demonstrating commitment to others’ ideas
Activity | Discussion Topic |
---|---|
Taller Stack | Valuing and working with others’ experience and ideas • Gaining and demonstrating commitment to others’ ideas • Challenging the way a group is approaching a task |
Led Statues | Preparing to lead a task • Identifying and using a team's resources effectively • Using a team to solve a problem and implement the solution |
Led Jigsaw | The fundamental elements of leadership required when leading a team in which each individual brings something unique and vital |
Leading from Afar | Elements of leadership required when leading a remote team • Effective verbal communication |
Leading the Team | Motivating teams to work effectively against deadlines • Balancing personal workloads against leading a team • Understanding standards of performance • Attitudes to risk taking |
Description:
Two longer activities that introduce and develop essential elements of leadership.
Both tasks are based around the creation of working models that groups can usually complete within the allotted time. This enables participants to focus of developing their learning during the reviews rather than trying to work out how to complete the task.
Key Learning Outcomes:
Providing objectives and priorities
Effective communication
Motivating
Managing unforeseen issues
Decision making
Instructing
Delegating
Activity | Discussion Topic |
---|---|
The Hoist | Identifying, clarifying and working to objectives • Developing and delivering instructions • Motivating others |
Cable Car | Giving direction and support • Overcoming new problems • Managing teams |
Description:
Two long activities that build on messages introduced in Leadership 1 and 2.
'Maxi Market' uses a project management scenario where groups have to clarify project aims and priorities before working out how to use and bring together each other's personal strengths to meet a customer's needs, whereas 'Waste Away' involves leaders using a team to create a team.
Key Learning Outcomes:
Instructing
Preparing others to lead
Delegating
Managing complexity
Effective communication
Activity | Discussion Topic |
---|---|
Waste Away | Re-evaluating tasks • Preparing others to lead |
Maxi Market | Recognising the importance of understanding and meeting the customer's needs • Breaking the task into parts, allocating work and managing interfaces |