Stepping Stones to Teamwork Business Game

Stepping into the unknown is necessary for any team to grow and move ahead, but how will your team perform? 

• Will they take risks?
• Do they consider all the options?
• What happens when the unexpected occurs?
• Do they learn from their mistakes?
• What is the leader’s role?
• Did each team member fully understand the task?
• Do they support and encourage each other?
• How do they deal with feedback?
• These and many other important issues are revealed in the Stepping Stones game.

There’s a safe route to the other side of the stepping stones, but there are no markers to show which stones are safe or unsafe to step on.

So which way should they go? The stones are voice-activated, so delegates are not allowed to talk to each other. Additionally, they have no writing material to record the steps they have taken. Effective teams find other ways of communicating!

If they step on an unsafe stone, they will get a sound warning them to get off it quickly, or it may sink. If they step on it again, they will hear an ‘eruption’ which will be treated as if they have sunk all the team members! When a team member gets a warning from an activated stone, they must leave the area via the safe route they have discovered, and the next team member has a go at finding a safe route.

It is easy to begin with, but it soon gets exciting as their options get restricted and time is running out. They must learn where the erupting stones are and help each other find their way through the stepping stones.

It is useful to note how they react to the “penalties” for stepping on the erupting stones; do they see them as mistakes or valuable feedback? Also, do the team encourage risk-taking and if so, how did they manage it?

The debrief highlights key points about how the team performed and how they can apply the learning points in the workplace.

It soon gets teams working together and is an ideal icebreaker.

• Continuous Improvement: Encourages learning, through testing and refinement, as teams progressively identify the safest route and optimise each team member recalling this.
• Leadership & Management: Highlights the need for direction, coordination and accountability when progress depends on disciplined execution and trust.
• Planning: Demonstrates the value of structured planning, sequencing and risk-aware execution when navigating uncertainty.
• Problem Solving & Decision Making: Strengthens analytical thinking and judgement as participants interpret limited feedback and adapt their decisions accordingly.
• Risk Management: Reinforces calculated risk-taking, consequence awareness and the importance of avoiding repeated errors.
• Teamwork: Builds collective responsibility and reliance on shared learning, as each individual’s actions directly impact the whole team.

Stepping Stones to Teamwork is ideal for a trainer to use on a continuous improvement or risk management course. Facilitators appreciate its use as an ice breaker or energiser, or as part of a conference, seminar, or offsite.

The Stepping Stones to Teamwork game consists of:

• 42 slip-resistant black mats, to form the stepping stones area
• a “noise” device which you can select to make an eruption sound or 13 other sounds
• facilitator’s guide, participant briefs and review sheets
• options to bring out different learning aspects.

• Stepping Stones to Teamwork Business Game PDF
• Business Games Brochure
• Course Brochure
• Team Building Brochure

• There’s no restriction on the number of times you can use our games.
• It is possible to play Stepping Stones to Teamwork in other languages if the trainer verbally translates the English instructions.