Idea Bank: Play Well With Others

What’s the great idea? A role-playing game designed to make participants empathetic to generational differences.

Who’s doing it? The National Association of Realtors.

What’s involved? The “Mind the Gap” card game, a product of NAR’s Leadership Academy, offers 17 different scenarios and asks participants to look at each challenge from another generation’s perspective. “It’s a role-playing game,” says Bobbie Albrecht, director of volunteer leadership development for NAR. “Acting out the scenarios allows players to explore how generations typically respond when at an impasse and discover what communication skills are likely to work or those that might be counterproductive.” After players discuss how they would handle the situation, they can scan a QR code on the card that opens a webpage with additional suggestions and resources.

What are people saying? “We’ve had sessions where the game was being played, and right in the middle of it someone will stand up and go, ‘This just happened! I wish I knew this before!’” says Albrecht. “The great thing about it is these are drawn from real life, from people working in associations and business offices. It’s real life, it pertains to everyone, and it can be really eye opening.”

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