Leadership and Management Skills Role Playing Scenarios

Category: Games & Activities
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Overview

Use these realistic role play activities to help participants strengthen core leadership skills such as delegation, feedback, motivation, and crisis communication. Each scenario is designed to build confidence, empathy, and effectiveness when managing real-life workplace situations.

Scenario 1: Addressing Underperformance

Objective:

To practice giving constructive feedback and managing underperformance in a supportive manner.

Instructions for Trainer:

• Assign one participant as the Manager and another as the Employee whose performance has been slipping.
• The Manager must initiate a conversation to address the issue, provide support, and set clear expectations.

Role Play Dialogue:

Manager: "Jane, thanks for meeting with me. I wanted to talk about your recent performance. I’ve noticed that you’ve missed a few deadlines and seem less engaged than usual. Is everything okay?"

Jane: "I’ve been struggling a bit, to be honest. I’ve had a lot on my plate, and it’s been hard to keep up."

Manager: "I appreciate you sharing that with me. Let’s talk about what’s been challenging and how we can make things more manageable."

Jane: "I think I’m having trouble prioritizing tasks."

Manager: "Let’s go over your current tasks and see how we can organize them. I’ll support you with tools or resources."

Jane: "That would be really helpful."

Manager: "Let’s set some specific goals and check in weekly. I know you’re capable, Jane. We can do this together."

Jane: "Thank you. I feel better knowing I have your support."
  

Debrief:

• Was the feedback handled with empathy and clarity?
• Did the manager help build a realistic improvement plan?

Scenario 2: Delegating a Critical Task

Objective:

To improve clarity and effectiveness when delegating key tasks.

Instructions for Trainer:

• Assign one participant as the Manager who needs to delegate a high-priority task.
• Trainer observes how clearly expectations, deadlines, and support resources are communicated.

Debrief:

• Did the manager communicate clearly?
• Did the employee understand what was expected?

Scenario 3: Motivating a Team During a Crisis

Objective:

To practice leadership under pressure and build team morale during high-stress situations.

Instructions for Trainer:

• Present a crisis (e.g., a critical deadline is suddenly moved up).
• The Manager must motivate the team, redistribute tasks, and maintain morale.

Debrief:

• How did the manager approach motivation?
• Were the team’s emotions and workloads handled effectively?

Complete Role Play: Delegating Tasks and Providing Feedback

Situation:

A manager delegates a time-sensitive project to an employee struggling with time management, then follows up with feedback.

Instructions:

• Manager explains the task, expectations, and deadlines.
• Later, the manager conducts a feedback session after the task is completed.

Debrief:

• Was the task delegation clear and supportive?
• How well did the manager deliver feedback and encourage growth?