Prepare Your Team for the Unthinkable:
A Hands-On CRISIS MANAGEMENT SIMULATION
That equips your team with the skills, resilience, and confidence
to navigate challenges and emerge stronger
Why Teams Choose Merkis Simulaton?
Immersive Crisis Simulation: Experience a hands-on, real-time simulation that mirrors real-world challenges.
Immediate Results: See the direct impact of decisions on operations, finances, and team performance.
Tailored Scenarios: Adapted to your industry’s unique challenges, from supply chain disruptions to market shifts.
Proven Success: Trusted by global brands to build resilient, high-performing teams.
Flexible Group Size: Designed for teams of 12-100 participants, ensuring scalability and adaptability for any organization.
Customizable Duration: Typically lasting 1.5 to 3 days, allowing you to choose the right depth and pace for your team’s goals.
Trusted by Leading Corporations:
The Challenge: Why Crisis Preparation is Critical
In today's fast-paced and unpredictable business environment, crises are not a question of if but when. Whether it’s a supply chain disruption, a PR disaster, internal leadership challenges, or sudden shifts in market demand, unprepared teams face costly setbacks, missed opportunities, and long-term damage to their reputation.
The reality is that even the most skilled teams can struggle when faced with high-pressure situations they haven’t encountered before. This is where preparation makes all the difference. The Merkis Crisis Management Simulation equips your team to:
Adapt to the unexpected. Learn to navigate challenges like supply shortages, PR incidents, and profitability pressures with confidence.
Collaborate effectively under stress. Improve communication and coordination across departments when it matters most.
Make better decisions. Practice strategic thinking in a high-stakes, hands-on environment that mirrors real-world corporate crises.
About the Simulation: Merkis Crisis Management
Overview
The Merkis Crisis Management Simulation is a one-of-a-kind, immersive training experience designed to transform teams into resilient, high-performing units equipped to navigate real-world crises.
It combines physical interactivity with strategic decision-making to mimic the complexities of running a company under pressure.
Over two intensive days, participants experience five "game years," each filled with challenges that mirror corporate crises, providing invaluable insights and skills that are directly applicable in the workplace. This hands-on approach ensures participants leave with practical, actionable strategies to enhance performance and adaptability.
What Makes Merkis Unique?
Real-Time Crisis Management. Each game year (lasting one hour) replicates a full year of corporate operations. Participants receive immediate feedback on their decisions and see the direct consequences of their actions.
Hands-On Physical Simulation. Participants actively manage production processes using tangible elements like toy railroads and production machines. Teams procure raw materials, manufacture products using tweezers, deliver goods to customers, and track profits—all in real time, creating a highly engaging and immersive experience.
Role Rotations for Broad Skill Development. Teams of seven are tasked with managing critical company functions, such as production, finance, marketing, and engineering. Through role rotations, participants gain a comprehensive, 360° view of corporate operations, ensuring broad skill development and cross-functional understanding.
Crisis Scenarios. The simulation introduces challenges that mirror real-world corporate issues, including supply chain disruptions, public relations crises, market demand shifts, and leadership absences or internal conflicts. These scenarios challenge participants to adapt quickly and strategize effectively under pressure.
Dynamic Feedback & Improvement. At the end of each game year, participants engage in post-year debriefs and receive expert trainer feedback to refine their strategies and enhance teamwork. The emphasis on continuous improvement ensures teams grow stronger and more capable with every cycle.
Simulation Flow
1. Preparation (1 Hour): In the first cycle, teams are introduced to their roles, learn the basics of company operations, and set initial goals. From the second cycle onward, preparation becomes the cornerstone of learning. This is where teams tackle challenges head-on, solving issues identified during gameplay and crafting refined strategies to address bottlenecks and inefficiencies. Preparation transforms from basic role orientation to a strategic problem-solving session, setting the foundation for success in the next game year.
2. Game Year (1 Hour): This is where strategy meets execution. Teams implement the solutions devised during preparation, handling production, logistics, and financial management with precision. While executing their plans, they also adapt to unforeseen events, testing their agility and decision-making under pressure. The game year reveals the strengths of their preparation and exposes areas for further refinement.
3. Debrief (1 Hour): At the end of each game year, teams engage in structured self-analysis and reflection. Guided by trainers, participants gain targeted feedback that sharpens their understanding of what worked, what didn’t, and why. These insights become the fuel for improved preparation in the next cycle.
4. Next Cycle: With feedback in hand, teams reenter the preparation phase, now armed with deeper insights and practical experience. Each cycle builds on the last, driving continuous improvement and ensuring teams leave the simulation not only more capable but also more resilient and aligned.
This iterative flow ensures that teams don’t just learn in theory—they master the art of preparation, execution, and adaptation, becoming more effective with every cycle.
Who Is This For?
The Merkis Crisis Management Simulation is designed for organizations and teams seeking to improve their resilience, adaptability, and performance in high-pressure situations. This program is ideal for:
1. Top Management Teams of Large Corporations. Prepare executive teams to make strategic, data-driven decisions and lead effectively through crises that challenge organizational stability.
2. Mid-Level Managers and Cross-Functional Teams. Enhance collaboration and communication across departments while equipping managers with the skills to respond to unexpected disruptions.
3. Leadership Development and Succession Planning Programs. Provide high-potential leaders with real-world crisis experience, sharpening their decision-making and leadership capabilities.
4. Companies of All Sizes with Customer-Facing Teams. Train sales, production, and service teams to adapt quickly to shifts in demand, supply chain disruptions, and operational challenges.
Results You Can Expect
Crisis Resilience
Efficient Crisis Operations
Collaborative
Problem-Solving
Decisive Leadership
Crisis-Ready Finances
Adaptability
Under Pressure
Proactive Risk Management
Strategic Agility
Sustainable
Crisis Preparedness
Case Studies: Proven Success with Leading Teams
The Merkis Crisis Management Simulation has empowered teams across industries to enhance their performance, improve decision-making, and prepare for real-world challenges. Here are examples of how it has made a difference:
1. Tackling Supply Chain Disruptions for a Global Manufacturing Company
Challenge: Frequent supply chain delays disrupted production schedules, affecting profitability and customer satisfaction.
Solution: Through Merkis, the management team identified bottlenecks and implemented more effective logistics strategies.
Outcome: Teams became better equipped to handle supply chain challenges, ensuring smoother operations and more reliable customer delivery.
2. Boosting Cross-Departmental Collaboration at a Mid-Sized Tech Firm
Challenge: Siloed teams struggled to coordinate during a sudden market demand shift, delaying product launches.
Solution: Merkis revealed the importance of cross-functional communication and collaborative decision-making under pressure.
Outcome: Teams learned to align goals and streamline processes, leading to improved project timelines and organizational efficiency.
3. Preparing Leadership for High-Pressure Decision-Making in Retail
Challenge: A retail chain faced difficulties adapting to shifting consumer preferences and managing PR crises.
Solution: Merkis provided a dynamic environment to test leadership strategies and practice real-time crisis responses.
Outcome: The leadership team gained confidence and agility in managing crises, improving overall adaptability.
4. Strengthening Financial Acumen in a Logistics Company
Challenge: Inconsistent financial decisions created inefficiencies during volatile periods.
Solution: By experiencing the financial impacts of their choices during Merkis, the team developed better budgeting and resource
management practices.
Outcome: The company improved financial decision-making, leading to more efficient resource allocation and cost control.
5. Transforming Team Dynamics in a Multinational Energy Firm
Challenge: Internal conflicts and lack of coordination between departments hindered performance.
Solution: Merkis highlighted the critical role of trust and collaboration, fostering a more unified approach to achieving goals.
Outcome: Teams became more cohesive, with enhanced productivity and a stronger focus on collective success.
Discover How Merkis Can Transform Your Team
Merkis goes beyond traditional training by creating a hands-on, engaging environment where teams learn to navigate challenges together. Schedule a
meeting today to explore how this simulation can address your organization’s unique needs.
Meet the Developer: Ugis Strauss
The Visionary Behind Merkis
With over 25 years of experience in experiential learning and team development, Ugis Strauss is the founder of Practicals, a leader in innovative training solutions. He has personally developed more than 15 unique business simulations and, with his team, has created over 50 simulations both offline and online. These immersive experiences have helped thousands of professionals gain critical skills in leadership, decision-making, and crisis management.
A Leader in Trainer Development
Ugis is also a mentor and coach for training professionals. Over the years, he has designed dozens of impactful training products and played a pivotal role in the development of more than 200 trainers worldwide, equipping them with the skills to deliver transformative learning experiences.
Innovator in Crisis Management Training
The Merkis Crisis Management Simulation represents the pinnacle of Ugis’s work, blending hands-on engagement with strategic learning. This cutting-edge program is designed to prepare teams for real-world corporate crises while fostering resilience, agility, and collaboration.
A Passion for Stress and Burnout Coaching
Beyond his work in simulations, Ugis is deeply committed to helping high-level executives overcome burnout, stress, and anxiety—issues closely tied to crisis management. His expertise in this area complements his training programs, as he integrates well-being strategies into his simulations to ensure leaders and teams are not only prepared for crises but thrive through them.
A Personal Touch
When you schedule a meeting to explore Merkis, you’ll speak directly with Ugis. His tailored approach ensures every simulation aligns with your organization’s unique challenges and goals.
Quote from Ugis Strauss:
"I believe that effective crisis management starts with building resilience—both within individuals and across teams. Through Merkis, I combine my passion for coaching and simulation design to create transformative experiences that prepare organizations to thrive in unpredictable times."
Watch Merkis in Action
Experience the simulation like never before. In just three minutes, this video showcases the immersive world of the Merkis Crisis Management Simulation
—no words needed, just action. See the dynamic visuals that bring this one-of-a-kind experience to life:
Teams in Action: Watch participants collaborate, strategize, and navigate the complexities of running a simulated company.
Interactive Tools: From toy railroads and production machines to tweezers and physical processes, experience the unique hands-on elements that make Merkis unforgettable.
Real-Time Decision-Making: Observe teams bidding for contracts, purchasing raw materials and technology, and adapting to dynamic market challenges.
A World of Engagement: Witness the camaraderie, focus, and energy as teams work together to tackle scenarios that mirror real-world crises.
Ready to see the power of Merkis? Watch the video now to glimpse how it builds resilience, adaptability, and collaboration in teams.
Meet the Creator: Ugis Strauss
See How Merkis Can Transform Your Team – Watch Now
Watch a short personal introduction from Ugis Strauss, where he explains the
vision behind Merkis and how this simulation can transform your team’s crisis
management capabilities.
Ready to Transform Your Team?
Schedule your meeting with Ugis Strauss today to explore how Merkis can empower your team to navigate crises with confidence and collaboration.
Real Stories, Real Transformation
Building Crisis-Ready Leaders
“Ugis’s work is not just mastery—it’s an art! An art that initiates incredible transformations in people. During our leadership development project at Coca-Cola, Merkis proved to be a catalyst for uncovering hidden potential and building crisis-ready teams. It gave our leaders the tools and confidence to handle complex challenges with clarity and resilience.”
- Vera Demekhina, Head of Training & Development, Coca-Cola Hellenic
A Transformative Experience
“Merkis was not just training; it was a transformative experience for our team. Ugis’s simulation helped us tackle crisis situations with confidence, improve team alignment, and achieve goals we once thought were impossible. His result-oriented methods made a lasting impact on both our employees and the company’s success.”
- Julia Pass, HR Director,
NAYADA
Thrive Under Pressure
"Merkis turned our production managers into proactive problem-solvers who can handle even the toughest challenges. At Nissan, where precision and efficiency are non-negotiable, this simulation taught our team how to respond swiftly to unexpected disruptions while keeping production on track. It equipped us to thrive under pressure."
-
Yaroslava Vasilieva, HR Director
Nissan Manufacturing
A Masterclass in Resilience
"Any interaction with Ugis—whether personal or professional—is always insightful, precise, and impactful. Through Merkis, he teaches how to navigate crises without manipulation or fear, but with strategy and resilience. For me, it wasn’t just a training—it was a masterclass in thriving under pressure and embracing challenges."
-Rebecca, Senior Operations Manager
Clarity and Action"
"Ugis gave me the foundation I needed to move forward toward my life and business goals. The Merkis simulation pushed me to ask the hard questions, find clarity, and create a plan to address challenges head-on. For me, it wasn’t just a training—it was a powerful and deeply meaningful experience."
-David, Head of Marketing
Unforgettable & Transformative
"Training with Ugis opens up entirely new perspectives. Merkis showed us how to overcome limitations in our thinking and approach crises with confidence and clarity. For me, it wasn’t just a training—it was an unforgettable experience that equips teams to drive meaningful results and embrace challenges."
-Emily, CFO
Schedule Your Exploratory Meeting
Are you ready to prepare your team for the unthinkable? The Merkis Crisis Management Simulation is more than just a training—it's a transformational experience that equips your team with the skills, resilience, and confidence to navigate any challenge.
Why Book a Meeting with Ugis Strauss?
Tailored Solutions: Discuss how Merkis can be customized to address your organization's unique challenges and goals.
Direct Access to the Creator: Gain insights from Ugis Strauss, the developer of Merkis, with over 25 years of experience in training and crisis management.
Firsthand Demonstration: Understand how this hands-on simulation can create lasting impact for your team.
Let’s Get Started
Take the first step toward empowering your team. Schedule a one-on-one meeting with Ugis Strauss today to explore how Merkis can transform your organization.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What makes the Merkis Crisis Management Simulation unique compared to other training programs?
Merkis is like a typical training. It’s immersive, hands-on, and relentlessly real. Unlike passive workshops, participants physically engage with production machines, toy railroads, and real-time financial decisions. It’s where theory meets action—and where your team learns to thrive under pressure.
2. Is Merkis industry-specific?
Not at all. The production metaphor is a universal mirror of business dynamics, making it easy to grasp while deeply insightful. Merkis has successfully trained teams in industries as diverse as banking, IT, retail, and manufacturing. Crisis knows no boundaries—neither does Merkis.
3. How does the physical aspect of the simulation enhance learning?
It’s simple: when your hands are involved, your brain commits. Moving materials, using tools, and physically building processes create unforgettable lessons. Decisions are no longer abstract—they’re tangible, with immediate feedback on success (or failure).
4. How are crises introduced and managed, and what kinds of crises are simulated?
Expect the unexpected. Crises are woven seamlessly into the simulation to strike when teams least expect them—just like in real life. Participants tackle supply chain disruptions, PR disasters, internal conflicts, and shifting market demands. Each crisis tests their ability to strategize, adapt, and lead under pressure.
5. Does the simulation focus more on individual growth or team performance?
Both. While individual decision-making is highlighted, the true strength of Merkis lies in how it transforms groups into high-performing, cohesive teams. No silos, no lone wolves—just a united force tackling challenges head-on.
6. How does the simulation help with change management?
By making change unavoidable. Merkis puts participants in scenarios where flexibility and adaptability are the only ways forward. Teams learn to embrace uncertainty and drive positive outcomes—even when the odds are stacked against them.
7. How does the production metaphor apply to industries like banking, IT, or retail?
Because processes are universal. Whether you’re shipping code, managing transactions, or delivering goods, the principles of efficiency, collaboration, and strategy remain the same. The metaphor simplifies complexity and turns abstract concepts into actionable insights.
8. What feedback and debriefing processes are included in the simulation?
Each game year ends with a structured debrief, where teams analyze their decisions, uncover blind spots, and develop new strategies. Trainers provide sharp, actionable feedback that cuts straight to the heart of what works—and what doesn’t.
9. Can Merkis be integrated into a broader leadership or team development program?
Absolutely. Merkis is the perfect catalyst for leadership development, team-building initiatives, or crisis-readiness programs. Its flexibility ensures it complements and elevates any existing training framework.
10. What is the time commitment, and are there options for advanced objectives?
The standard simulation runs for two intensive, full days. For teams with advanced goals or leadership training, we recommend a three-day program to dive deeper into strategy and resilience building.
11. What are the most common challenges participants face during the simulation, and how are they addressed?
Pressure, miscommunication, and competing priorities—sound familiar? Merkis forces these issues to the surface in a safe space where they can be addressed head-on. The result? Teams that come out stronger, sharper, and more aligned.
12. How can organizations measure the impact of the simulation?
Through real results. Teams emerge with improved communication, strategic thinking, and measurable performance improvements. Plus, participants leave with a renewed sense of ownership and clarity—qualities that ripple through your entire organization.
Got Questions? Let's Talk
Not sure if the Merkis Crisis Management Simulation is the right fit for your team? Contact us directly to discuss your needs and get tailored recommendations.
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