What is a GRA business simulation? 

Our business simulations bring leadership and team development to life, in a controlled and engaging learning environment.

A business simulation is a scenario-based learning tool in which real-world workplace scenarios are recreated for training, development, or educational purposes. The purpose is to train people to respond to actual business events in a calm and effective manner, in a safe but challenging virtual environment.

Some simulations use software, case study reviews or classroom-based role-play. At GRA we take an experience-led approach, combining multiple training methods to bring situations to life. Our delegates undertake real challenges and exercises to earn revenue for a fictitious organisation that will be 'in business’ for the duration of the simulation.

We have over 30 years of experience designing and delivering experiential simulations that create an environment in which participants can put their knowledge and training to the test, witness how their actions impact on performance and receive constructive feedback.

Download Our Experiential Business Simulations Brochure

Tailoring our business simulations

Our simulations are tailored to your organisation’s values, culture, and the learning journey your employees are on, to develop crucial leadership skills and the right mindset and behaviours for successful team performance. We draw out these elements through the customer expectations we set, the activities and challenges delegates undertake, and the reviews completed afterwards. We can also incorporate real initiatives from within your organisation. For example, projects focused on sustainability, communication strategy or implementing technology initiatives.

Bringing learning to life

Our experiential learning activities are real opportunities to bring learning to life and don’t just rely on facilitator-led presentations. Using our realistic business management simulations, delegates will develop strategic business plans, manage finances and stakeholder relationships, and lead a series of challenges that replicate the stresses and pressures of a real-world business in an environment away from their comfort zone.

Learning strategies, such as 70-20-10 and Kolb's learning theory, highlight the importance of hands-on experience in the learning process. While an understanding of leadership and team development theory can support learning, true development happens through practical application.

Our aim is to support people’s ability to successfully and sustainably apply their knowledge and skills back in the workplace.

Speak To A Specialist

Speak to one of our specialists to discover how GRA do things differently

By speaking to an expert you can: 

  • Find out how we can tailor programmes to meet your  specific requirements

  • Learn more about our collaborative virtual training

  • Find out more about our state of the art outdoor centres

  • Understand our training approach

  • And much more!
team learning

What are the benefits?

The benefits of business simulations for leadership development and team training include:

Practical experiential learning to support validation and  understanding of behavioural theory
Tailored training with challenges appropriate to the experience and seniority of delegates
An emotionally safe environment to test skills away from the participant’s comfort zone
Challenges designed to draw out your desired behaviours and learning outcomes
Reviews, follow-up, and action planning
Choice of delivery options: face-to-face or virtual

Who are our business simulations for?

Our simulations include different activities and performance standards for varying levels of experience and seniority including:

Senior leadership teams
First-time managers
Graduates

Apprentices
Newly formed teams
Intact teams

Project-based and temporary teams
Middle/departmental managers
Team leaders and supervisors

Find out more

To find out more about how we can support your learning and development initiatives, please get in touch using our online contact form, or by calling 01962 779911.

This is why we do what we do

"I thought it was outstanding! The staff have been amazing, really knowledgeable and used activities to highlight the evidence behind the
models."

- Anna Kilmartin, SJP Graduate

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This is why we do what we do

“In comparison to the workshops we have done in the past, I found this one to be the most rewarding and certainly the best organised and most fun! I know from speaking to others that this sentiment is shared among the group. Thank you GRA!”

- Laurence Chetwynd, Customer TrainingExecutive

kyocera

This is why we do what we do

“I had only heard positive remarks about GRA prior to attending this course, so I was not surprised by the quailty of the training that was delivered.”

- Amy Johnson, SJP Apprentice

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This is why we do what we do

"Making learners feel comfortable and secure when joining a session is just as important online as it is face-to-face. The team at GRA achieved this by taking the time to familiarise learners with their platform and provide individual technical support as needed without disrupting the flow of the session."

- Sam, The FA Group

kyocera (2)

This is why we do what we do

"Our programme with Grahame Robb Associates, using the experiential business simulation, challenged our leaders and significantly increased levels of trust in a way that enabled great peer-to-peer and coaching conversations. We believe this has been a pivotal building block to support them in achieving their full potential as leaders; enhancing self-awareness and strengthening our leadership community in Tech Data.”

-Michelle Ford, Talent and Development Manager

This is why we do what we do

“To deliver a virtual week of induction was definitely unknown territory for us, however, working with GRA, this was easily achieved! The variety of sessions such as self & team awareness and personal branding, were thoroughly engaging and were a perfect complement to our internal sessions.”

– Gill Ireson, Early Careers Development Manager

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This is why we do what we do

“On behalf of all of us at HSO we would like to thank GRA for the great support you provided in helping to make our ‘One Team training conference’ a great success. Your professionalism, willingness to ‘make it work’ all helped to make our event at St. George’s Park such a success. Nothing was too much trouble, and your support was brilliant! We have received so much positive feedback about the entire event, a fantastic time was had by all attendees. We look forward to working with you again in the future.”

– Jacky Duggan, HR Team Administrator

This is why we do what we do

“I would like to thank the GRA team for all their help organising our event again this year. The group was double the amount we had last year and we have had fantastic feedback from all staff from the UK, US and India offices. Please pass on our thanks to all the instructors and organisers. It was amazing how they remembered us from last year and it was great to have the same instructors as last year too. I already have staff asking about next year.”

–Laura, Finance Manager, Healthcare organisation

This is why we do what we do

“We needed to give our staff the opportunity to get to know each other better. In asking GRA to undertake the task, I knew we’d get creativity and purpose, but the laughter, courage, spontaneity and sheer sense of having fun together exceeded my hopes and made for a hugely successful programme. I have nothing but positive feedback – a real testament to GRA.”

– Tom Hall, Director, Alitex

This is why we do what we do

“GRA were brilliant and I would thoroughly recommend them for anyone who is looking to do a corporate team building event. The staff were so helpful and patient with my colleagues and everyone got so much out of the day.”

- Anna Frazer, HR Advisor, Prescient

This is why we do what we do

“I would like to thank the GRA team for a very enjoyable and productive experience. It is not often that we engage with a company that is so in tune with what we are trying to achieve, it was such a great understanding of the goals and objectives!”

- Gary Marsh, VP for EMEA Sales, Microchip

This is why we do what we do

“GRA’s facilitators have a lovely balance of professionalism and approachability to what they do. We worked together from the start to design and deliver a series of really experiential workshops as part of our graduate programme. Our own facilitators and the participants had nothing but praise for the knowledge, flexibility and responsiveness that the team from GRA brought to our events and the feedback has been fantastic with many saying it’s the best training they’ve been on.”

- Sarah Rudder, Learning & Development Consultant, Thales

This is why we do what we do

“GRA’s Outdoor Leadership Centre was a great addition to the things we worked on in training, so it’s certainly something I would do with the team again.”

- Steve McNamara, During his time as England Men’s Rugby League Manager

This is why we do what we do

“The best virtual training session I have attended. I was very impressed! GRA were good at making everyone feel at ease, lowering the barriers to engaging in discussions and creating a very positive and knowledgeable atmosphere.”

– Miki Van Kooji, Msc Student International Management, Kings College London

This is why we do what we do

“The vision programme our senior team attended was extremely effective and efficient, and i have received so much positive feedback about how much everyone enjoyed working with Grahame and his team! We will definitely be staying in touch on future collaboration!”

– Samantha Barrass, CEO, Business Banking Resolution Service

This is why we do what we do

“The vision programme our senior team attended was extremely effective and efficient, and i have received so much positive feedback about how much everyone enjoyed working with Grahame and his team! We will definitely be staying in touch on future collaboration!”

– Samantha Barrass, CEO, Business Banking Resolution Service

This is why we do what we do

“Thank you for a very enjoyable 2 days! Due to the pandemic, this was not our plan A, but I thought it was a terrific plan B. I very much enjoyed meeting all our staff and despite the remote working conditions I sensed an espirit de corps that I really wasn’t expecting.”

- Caroline Barr, Non-Executive Director, Business Banking Resolution Service

This is why we do what we do

“I enjoyed the residential programme we did with GRA at St. George’s Park very much – it was great to learn about our inherent personality traits and their translation to best-suited roles in a team. I think I speak on behalf of all of us when I say that the two days spend with GRA were fun-filled yet fruitful, relaxing yet productive. I would like to extend my thanks to you for organising this and especially to Joe, who led a fantastic session. I look forward to further training with GRA and coming back to St. George’s Park in the future!”

- Mrinalini Chakrabarty, Engineering Graduate, Collins Aerospace

This is why we do what we do

“I was a total cynic when it came to 'outward-bound' training as I had seen so much that was fun, but not really relevant to learning anything new about yourself. I am very passionate about learning events that have a purpose and being able to demonstrate measurable change in the people who have attended them. Since attending a Leading Change event with GRA, where I saw a level of skill provided by the facilitators to really draw out the learning from the outdoor events that I had not witnessed at anywhere else, I have been waiting for an opportunity to use them. It presented itself this year and we have just completed out first trainee scheme induction event and plan to run one every year for the foreseeable future as they did such a good job!”

- Lindsey Arnold, Learning & Development Manager, Telford Homes Plc

This is why we do what we do

“When we met GRA, we were intrigued by the energy, enthusiasm and knowledge that the team possessed. We knew instantly that they were the perfect match for Kyocera when they introduced their ‘Challenge by Choice’ policy, providing a safe learning environment for our employees.”

- Julia Allen, Learning & Development Manager, Kyocera

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