1. Distributed Leadership and
Team Management in
environments of uncertainty
and complexity

2. Introduction
Beyond teamwork, an organizational cooperation model.
Synergy is an experiential learning course When the improvements achieved by
structured around a behavioural simulation that technological advances are insufficient, begins a
carries the participants from an environment of group dynamics where they learn to cooperate,
uncertainty until another of complexity. The first they become aware of the whole and balance the
is equivalent to situations of uncertainty and achievement of the personal goals with the
change, of crisis and chaos, mergers and objectives of the organization.
takeovers, but also for growth and expansion, A playful, powerful and experiential dynamic,
new businesses, restructuring and reorganization. gets a high emotional impact on the motivation
The second is equivalent to mature, competitive, and cohesion. At the end, the group has
globalized, interrelated and interdependent internalized and validated the final conclusion. In
markets. complex and interdependent environments
During the evolution of the course, the where the individual is exceeded or dependent
organizational and personal needs are analyzed on others to achieve their goals, is the team that
each time. Initial competences more focused on takes over. A new approach to management is
the exploration as the proactivity, flexibility, the necessary to manage the new situation, allowing
ability to influence or learning are complemented the organization to continue a common strategy
by other subsequent more relational and focused but act with local knowledge, creating synergies
on the team, such as motivation, communication, through distributed leadership.
cooperation, shared leadership, delegation or The intensity of the experience next to a robust
coordination. conceptual model of base open the door to
During the process of maturation and as a result subsequent personal developments and direct
of the search for the proposed objective, the applications to the business or to the
group modifies its priorities in a natural way. organization.

3. “The formation of a new team of persons coming from different business areas, and
even from other organisations, to take on a far-reaching project resulted in the need to
develop a training program that would create a propitious environment for
interpersonal knowledge and promote teamwork. But above all, it was necessary to
clearly show the challenges and problems that we faced, which is the most novel aspect
with respect to a training action. The experience with the Equilibrium Cone was
simultaneously gratifying and successful, given that it combined fun aspects (games
and simulators) and operational aspects (specific work projects) that satisfied the
objectives of both cohesion and efficiency, respectively.”
Ricardo Alonso Fernández
Director of Corporate Banking
Global Banking & Markets
Santander Banking Group

4. Objetives
The current environment in which organizations Personal efficiency: Identifying the behaviours to
must compete is increasingly complex. Firms must develop in order to improve the personal efficiency.
get along in a more interconnected world in which
Synergy: Promoting the optimisation of resources
it is increasingly difficult to foresee what is going to
through shared use.
happen.
Synergy is an attended seminar that, for two days,
The objective of the program is to develop the
submerges the participants in a situation of growing
following:
complexity, uncertainty and change. With the use
Distributed leadership: Building self-organised of a behaviour simulator, it achieves a high impact
teams that are responsible to themselves, thereby and generates emotional involvement such that
allowing them to develop initiative, to make learning through experience is assured.
decisions and to have flexibility and adaptability.
A dual analysis – personal and business – allows
Teamwork: Knowing the teamwork guidelines seeing how personal abilities are key when
beyond a mere attitude of co-operation. promoting a culture of Shared Leadership and
Teamwork in organisations.
Change management: Identifying the benefits of
management based on teams in situations of
complexity, interrelationships and constant change.
Experimentation through Gaming and Simulation is an
attractive and motivating training methodology, with
constant changes of rhythm, which encourages interac-
tion and participation. The game appeals to the emo-
tive side of learning in the participant, bringing out a
positive attitude with high expectations, which is the
key to the process of learning and is directly related to
the level of efficiency of that learning.

5. “Participating in SYNERGY was an intellectual challenge for me due to the different
way of facing a known subject. The idea of breaking with schemes and not being
anchored in traditional ones is perfectly clear. Learning to dominate my natural
leadership in order to adapt it to good teamwork was another good practice.
Overall, an intense and very recommendable experience for people who want to learn
different methodologies.”
Jordi Ballesté
Vice-President
Angelini Group

6. Key takeaways
The dynamics of the course allow the themes to be internalised, which include the following:
Areas of analysis
 How to tolerate frustration to permanent change.
 How to work in environments of uncertainty.
 From ambiguity (emotional) to the dilemma (emotional/rational) and from the dilemma to the
problem (rational).
 How to manage the anxiety produced in a situation of lack of control.
 Attitudes favouring Teamwork as an organizational response.
 How to communicate in symmetry (from equal to equal).
 Non-hierarchical leadership effects.
 Decision-making with vague information.
 How to prioritize alternatives on uncertainty.
 Controlled assumption of risks.
 Relationship between level of ambition, commitment and results.
The perspective of the participants is such that and extrapolation to reality is so high that participants are
shown with all their strengths and weaknesses, which furthermore allows:
 Filming the sessions in order to obtain personal video-feedback with an analysis of personal
behaviour and individual impact on the group.
 Planning subsequent coaching sessions.
 Complementing the session with subsequent consulting for the organisation based on the
model used.
 Defining an action plan for personal development.
Therefore, the program is directed at companies and organisations of a certain size and complexity. Specifi-
cally, it is directed at companies that are in highly competitive environments or in changing situations.

7. Currículum
Step-by-step, a series of themes appear, which the group experiences and which, with the help of the trainer,
they analyse and determine. The last part is dedicated to personal analysis and to projection at the company.
UNCERTAINTY
Exploration and proactivity.
Mental schemes as a source of self-limitation.
Objective identification and inverse definition of the roadmap.
Use of information.
LEARNING
Experiential learning.
The cost of the error versus the cost of the investment.
Mental models to overcome.
DEVELOPMENT
From simple to complex.
Information management.
Building order through structures.
Teamwork as a common need.
INTERRELATIONSHIP
From dependence to interdependence.
From ambiguity to the problem.
Shared leadership and alternating communication.
COMMITMENT
There are no results without emotional involvement.
Equity is not efficacy.
SELF-COORDINATION
Decentralized self-coordination versus centralized coordination.
Communication in symmetry and its effect on relational satisfaction, cohesiveness and conflict.
Information management with imperfect information
Definition, unification and alternative criteria.

8. “SYNERGY is an intelligent way of demonstrating through play that at the company, we
are all necessary and that there is strength in unity. It is a side to transversality, and at
Dannon it has been very useful for realising how important people are in all functions,
each in their own role, so that projects advance and become a reality.”
Robert Cosialls
Director of Purchasing of Dannon for Southern Europe

9. Ricardo Zamora
15 years of experience
training teams with the
cooperative model
Cooplexity
Ricardo Zamora is Bachelor of Science in Business and a Masters in Business Management from ESADE, one
of the top 10 European and International Business Schools.
He is Associate in the Advanced Management Program at ESADE Executive Education as well as other
School of Business and at some Latin American Universities. He taught directly to global companies from
USA to China.
He founded his own firm called Training Games in 1995, a training consultancy specialized in Simulation &
Gaming, meaning gaming methodologies applied to learning. The creator of simulators such as
Salesmanship, Carterbanc and Synergy, as well as games such as Teaching Cards, Fork, The 5 phases of the
sale and Linker.
Zamora has specialized in the development of cooperative competences and applies his programs in large
corporations with complex interrelationships. He is the creator of Synergy, an attended seminar that
submerges the participants in a situation of growing complexity, uncertainty and change.
Large and multinational companies such as Dannon, Heineken, Unilever, HP, Arbora & Ausonia (Procter),

10. Customers
University Partners
ESADE: Management School of Business of
Barcelona (Spain)
UTD: University of Texas Dallas
UAB: Universtat Autónoma de Barcelona
Mass Consumption
Cobega (Coca Cola Group), Dannon , LU
(Dannon Group), Font Vella (Dannon Group),
Heineken, Puleva Food, Mahou-San Miguel,
Grupo Siro, Bimbo (Sara Lee Bakery Group),
Unilever, Frigo (Unilever Group), Nestlé,
Arbora & Ausonia (Procter & Gamble Group)
Technology
Telefónica, Hewlett Packard, Thales
Information Systems, Adbraintage, Astra, T-
System
Pharmaceutics
AstraZeneca, BDF - Beiersdorf, Boehringer
Ingelheim, Farma-Lepori (Angelini Group),
CibaVision (A Novartis Company), Novartis,
Roche Diagnostics, Pfizer, Chefaro , Lilly,
Medichem
Sector bancario
Santander Group, Banco de Sabadell,
Deutsche Bank, BBVA, Caixa de Catalunya, La
Caixa
Construction, Real State
Ferrovial-Agroman, Acieroid, Lafarge-Asland,
Inmobiliaria Colonial
Health SPAIN
TRAINING GAMES
Sanitas, Sanitas Residential, Mutua del
Parque Empresarial La Finca
Carme, Asepeyo
Pº Club Deportivo, 1 - Edif. 15ª, 1ª pl.
Chemicals 28223 Pozuelo de Alarcón
Kao Corporation, BASF, AKZO Chemicals Madrid (España)
Utilities www.traininggames.com
REE (Red Eléctrica de España), ENDESA,
UNIÓN FENOSA,AGBAR Group UK
COOPLEXITY INSTITUTE
Textile, Fashion Suite 11897, 2nd Floor
INDITEX, Dimodes, Nike, Venilia (grupo 145-157 St John Street
Solvay) London EC1V 4PY
Logístics www.cooplexity.com
DHL