Merit Money Game

The Merit Money technique from Management 3.0 is a great tool to use in a training course environment.

1. Build teams of at least 5 persons per team

2. Tell them, each team member has 100$ (Euro or Points will work as well)  per course day, she can distribute to other team members 

3. Distribution has to have a reason. The Giver has to write a note of the reason why he wants to give some of his money to the other team player. The reason should have something to do with contributing to the team. Like with a great idea, something that heplps a team or at least one other team member.

4. The note should be taken on a sticky note an mede transparent for all other guys within the team.

5. The sharing can take place at any time during the day, but after the course all Merit money not shared will expire and cannot be used on the next day.

6. At the end of the Seminar all people who have the highest number of Merit Money collected will get a small price from the facilitator.

Do not tell the people that they will get a reward for their money at the beginning of the game, otherwise they may only be focused on doing everything to get to more Merits from their team members.

A good way to give prices away could be a Tombola style, where you put different gifts on a table and the person with the highest number starts with choosing one item.

There are some nice learning effects for the people...

- The focus should not just be on the reward, but its nice to get some small stuff

- Merit Money can foster collaboration and team work. Depends on the focus of the Merit Money reason the team choses.

- Game is easy to uphold in future environments with teams.

- Transparency of the reasons for the Money given drives the culture in a way the team likes to work in.

- ...

What is your learning effect?