**4.2. Trainer instructions<sup>1</sup>**

The question in the Mind Matters game is: Which influencing tactics yield positive or negative results in specific business situations? During the investigation, trainees are trying out different hard and soft influencing tactics and approaches in order to learn about their effectiveness and impact in different contexts and situations. Conceptually, our *conflict-situational model* provides the frame of reference (**Figure 8**).

First, trainees are encouraged to consider the influencing tactics (hard, medium, soft), the conflict in a given situation, and the game characters involved in the conflict and to think how to approach this situation. Trainees should ponder these questions:


This first phase resembles the orientation and conceptualization phase of the inquiry learning cycle.

Second, trainees start investigating in several ways. Initially, trainees may play the game based on their own insights and frame of reference. Then, they might play the game, focusing on maximizing or minimizing their score on one of the KPIs.

Finally, in line with the last two phases of the inquire learning cycle and based on the in-game and post-game feedback trainees receive, they are encouraged to think and discuss together

<sup>1</sup> Note that Mind Matters is also recommended for informal trainings; the same instruction applies; however, the social learning aspect and the discussion among peers facilitated by a trainer are lacking. (Sign up for a 2-months free trial: http://www.txchange.nl/leadershipbook).

(social learning) how they would explain their results, based on the mental image they had initially and their assumptions regarding the factors that influence(d) them. The trainer also facilitates the transfer of knowledge and application to real-life situations that trainees might experience in their daily practice. In this way, this new type of learning experience helps trainees explore the consequences of different influencing styles and learn from these experiences.

**5. Game model**

**Acknowledgements**

**Figure 9.** Balanced game components.

**Notes**

The simplified dynamic game model [7] integrates and balances several game components [8]: *mechanic*s (the procedures and rules of the game), *esthetics* (how the game looks and sounds), *technology* (the tools and systems to implement the gameplay), and *story* (the narrative aspect of the game). The *story* should be plausible, realistic, and valid with a high degree of fidelity from the player's point of view. To put it differently, the player should be able to mentally map his/her world to the in-game world and vice versa. **Figure 9** depicts an overview of the game components and the underlying aspects that from a game designer point of view needs to be taken into account to develop such a game. Player agency—the perceived experience

Mind Matters: Influencing Key Stakeholders http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.76248 165

that you can influence the narrative and storyline—increases the user experience [9].

Thales University—The Learning Hub for input, feedback, and deployment of Mind Matters in the Thales company worldwide. Specific thanks to David Butler, Jean-Roch Hollier, Natalie

This chapter is a slightly modified version of Johan de Heer, Rafal Hrynkiewicz, Thomas de Groot, and Edward Faber (2017). Mind Steering Leadership Game. © Springer International

Barre, Marc-Henri Marius, Matthieu Estevelopez, and Doug Chapman.

**Figure 7.** Inquiry-based learning circle [taken from 6].

**Figure 8.** Conflicxt-situational model.
