Team Development Programme South Africa - The Bridge

The Bridge is a unique team development learning experience. It is the only one of its kind in Africa.

This is not a conventional ‘team building’ event where team members partake in physical activities in which few may have any real interest.

The focus throughout remains firmly on team performance, while also positively improving team ‘spirit’ and ‘bonding’ - traditional selling points for ‘team building’.

We offer a unique team development experience:

This state-of-the-art passenger-ship simulator (‘Splendour of the Seas’) sets sail from Calais to Dover, and then later to Keppel harbour in Singapore. From its vantage point on the bridge the team confronts unexpected challenges. In their various responses to these events (pirates attack in the Malacca Straits) team members unwittingly replay the behaviours that often lead to frustration and underperformance in the workplace.

The simulated learning experience is recorded. The team then observes itself in action. It debates how problems were resolved and decisions made. Group dynamics are analysed and their impact on performance discussed. Gaps in the team’s approach and working preferences are indentified.

The development advice needed to bridge these gaps and to improve the team’s performance is set out in customised workbooks.

A management process is also introduced. This integrates team member preferences with a proven team performance model. Team members understand why some tasks are overlooked while others appear to be all consuming.

The Bridge is the result of a creative collaboration between The Achievement Network Africa and The South African Maritime Training Academy (SAMTRA).