Forest Planting

A simulation gaming experience designed to help organizations, leaders and teams to start, grow and multiply.

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 “The exchange between the two tree species was dynamic…and so, they forged their duality into oneness, making a forest.”

- Dr. Suzanne Simard, The Hidden Life of Trees

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Why Forest Planting?

The forest is an ecosystem that works and moves together. It was designed to grow and multiply and it has within it everything that is needed for sustainability, growth and expansion. What could happen if we quit focusing simply on our tree and began to dream about growing and expanding forest within our organization and community?

 

We need to play with ideas. 

Through conferences, books and many other venues we have been saturated with ideas. The challenge of the leader and their teams is to have a safe place to experiment with those ideas and concepts and create a workable plan to implement them. Forest Planting creates the opportunity to play with ideas and experiment with multiplication principles to see what works.

 

We need to play with others.

Is there such a thing as serious play? We believe so. Our brains work differently when we are playing. We are more open to new ideas and different perspectives as we are having fun with others. George Bernard Shaw once said, “You don’t stop playing because you grow old, you grow old because you stop playing.” It is through the dynamics of play and relationships that we are able to increase our capacity for change and learn more about our team's true strengths and weaknesses.

 

The Game - what you will experience:

 

1. Simulation Game

The Forest Planting Simulation is a beautifully designed board game created by experienced leaders to help you and your team experiment and play with organizational growth principles.

 

In the context of the forest, you and your team will figure out the best strategy to Plant and Expand a forest. Representing four different types of trees, each with its own strengths and weaknesses, you will determine how best to use limited resources in order to multiply your trees into unreached areas of the board.

 

Experiencing the opportunities and difficulties of nature and team dynamics your vision, strategy, execution, emotions and forest will be tested.

Through hours of research, study and creation, the Forest Planting Simulation Game was designed to hold as closely as possible to natural, forest principles as well as the principles of planting teams and multiplying organizations.

 

2. Debriefing

Designed to pull out your learnings and focus your team.

It’s not all fun and games. The power of the Forest Planting Simulation lies in the debriefing that is designed to take your vision and team to the next level and give you concrete actions steps for implementation.

Using methods of facilitation such as Results-based Conversations, we get your teams reflecting on and talking about the game experience and how those principles relate to their understanding of your organization and their part in it. With a well thought out design, our RbC facilitation of The Forest Planting Experience will support your team as they create a working model for implementing their vision.

 

 

How we can support you 

Our goal is not to come and teach, but to put you and your team through an experience that pulls out the knowledge you already possess and help make it useful. That’s why Forest Planting can be an experience on its own or be used to take the training process you already have to the next levels.

We work with you to personalize the experience and tailor it to the areas of needs in order to take your team to the next level.

 

Entrepreneurship

Starting a business or new venture is an incredible joy, but also comes with its unique challenges. Forest Planting will help your team determine the vision and strategy you have for your organization, as well as provide discussions and ideas for overcoming those challenges.

 

Leadership and Team Dynamics

Built within the mechanics of the game as well as the experience of playing with others you will discover keys to improving your team dynamics. You will see personalities come out, emotions, how people handle stress and how they communicate with each other. We believe that over the course of a few hours of play, you will learn more about your team members than in a year of meetings.

Debriefing includes:

• Are we maximizing on our strengths and minimizing our weaknesses as a team?

• What are the keys to effective communication?

• How do we break out of silos and create a culture of collaboration?

 

Tailoring to Your Needs

The beauty of Forest Planting is in its versatility. We have used this simulation to help businesses and non-profits alike. From organizational growth to engaging new markets, Forest Planting creates an opportunity to expand your imagination and thinking in many directions. Let us know what your goals are and we are confident we can design a Forest Planting Experience that will exceed your expectations.

 

Duration: 2.5 - 6h

Number of players: 4 - 40