WINNING THE Hong Kong Management Association's annual game event can earn you more than just clout and fame. Last year's champions said the experience was not just about winning but also about friendship, team spirit and an acceptance of others. When insurance company Winterthur Life Hong Kong put together last year's winning team, the four members barely knew each other. They came from diverse backgrounds and worked in different divisions such as business intelligence, actuarial and information systems. One of them was an executive assistant to the company's managing director. But the team had a common goal and strove for victory from the start. The competition, now in its 35th year, offers executives a simulation of reality, challenging them with everyday business scenarios and problems. In last year's regional contest, each team was asked to form its own hypothetical wholesale and retail chocolate company. They were then presented with tasks any start-up would typically encounter, such as deciding the kind of goods to produce, the number of people to hire and the number of plants to be built. They also had to set prices, buy material and consider whether to raise equity. Each member of the Winterthur team individually analysed the financial reports and materials related to each challenge and then got together after work to discuss the best strategic decisions. 'The game was well balanced because it covered all aspects of business,' said Evian Chim, executive assistant to Winterthur's managing director. 'The game showed us that we can't win just as individuals and that everyone has to play a part.' Her teammate Danny Chow, senior manager of actuarial, agreed. 'Through this experience, I learnt how to respect others' ideas, compromise, and reach a final conclusion,' he said. The group was so competent that it built its own business model in Excel to make calculations faster and translate data into information and vice versa, said Karen Lee, assistant manager for information systems. According to Anson Cheng, team leader and senior manager of business intelligence, the key to their success did not lie in any fancy spreadsheet or model, but in keeping an open mind. 'Everyone could express their own ideas. We would then discuss and make the best decision together,' he said. The team's determination more than paid off. Winning the competition not only turned them into instant celebrities who featured in in-house and client magazines, but also helped them do better in their jobs. They agreed the experience sharpened their time management and communication skills and, in some instances, also improved their ability to make forecasts and assumptions while writing reports and analyses. Another valuable aspect of the game that most organisations would find hard to duplicate is the practical experience that it offers to participants. It also gives them the opportunity to work with people from different departments. 'Unless you are working on a very large project, it is rare that you would get a chance to interact with so many different people in the company,' Mr Cheng said. 'Even in such projects, the senior management would typically get to make the decisions. But in the game, we were the senior management,' he said. Ms Chim said the game allowed participants to understand business in a well-rounded manner. While there is a certain advantage in having logical thinkers and people with numerical ability on the team, the winners believe participants should not focus solely on the kind of skills needed to win. Instead, they should see what they can get out of the game. 'If you join the competition with your heart in it and you are willing to learn, you will definitely get something out of it,' Ms Chim said. What is even more important than winning, though, are the bonds and friendship cultivated during the game. No amount of training or money can buy that. Key facts April 19 Free trial round registration deadline April 22 9.30-11am Briefing session The Hong Kong Management Association 3/F Management House, 26 Canal Road West, Wan Chai Each team must consist of four members only. No participant may be a member of more than one team. Teams can be formed by executives from the same company, or individuals getting together. All teams must adhere to the game's schedule. Failure to do so will result in decisions as described in the participants' manual. If this happens more than once in any round, the team will be eliminated from the competition without a refund. Fee per team is $980 May 17 Official round registration deadline August 5 Hong Kong final Sponsors Cathay Pacific Airways CLP Power Hong Kong Official media partners South China Morning Post Classified Post Jiu Jik