Team Building Activities Using Marshmallows & Toothpicks : Improving Your Workplace

ehowfinance

5 Nov 201203:15

Summary

TLDRVivian Scott, author of 'Conflict Resolution at Work for Dummies' and co-creator of Anytime Seminars, shares her favorite team-building exercises using marshmallows and toothpicks. She categorizes them into three: 'Build Something Anything', where teams construct objects with a common goal; 'Give Them Something to Talk About', which involves incomplete instructions to spark conversation; and 'Put the Work on Them', where teams must create their own exercise. These activities foster creativity and collaboration.

Takeaways

📚 Vivian Scott is the author of 'Conflict Resolution at Work For Dummies' and co-creator of AnytimeSeminars.com.
🤔 Creating team-building exercises can be challenging for event planners.
🍭 Marshmallows and toothpicks are suggested as versatile and cost-effective props for team-building activities.
🏗️ The 'build something anything' category encourages teams to construct various structures, possibly with guidance from online instructions.
👥 Team composition should reflect the need for integration between different departments, such as sales and accounting.
🗣️ The 'give them something to talk about' category involves providing incomplete instructions to stimulate conversation and problem-solving within the group.
🚀 In this category, teams are tasked with building a vehicle that is comfortable and safe for two or more people, leaving the specifics open to interpretation.
⏱️ Setting a time frame for the exercise adds a sense of urgency and encourages efficient teamwork.
🤝 The 'put the work on them' category challenges teams to create their own team-building exercise using only marshmallows and toothpicks.
🎭 This last category requires the most creativity and teamwork as teams must devise and execute their own activities.
👀 As an observer, Vivian Scott suggests sitting back and watching the team dynamics unfold during these exercises.

Q & A

Who is Vivian Scott?
-Vivian Scott is the author of 'Conflict Resolution at Work for Dummies' and co-creator of AnytimeSeminars.com.
What is the main challenge Vivian Scott addresses in the script?
-The main challenge is coming up with new and effective team-building exercises that can be overwhelming even for advanced event planners.
What are the two favorite props Vivian Scott suggests for team-building exercises?
-Vivian Scott suggests using marshmallows and toothpicks as props for team-building exercises.
Why are marshmallows and toothpicks effective as team-building props?
-Marshmallows and toothpicks are effective because they are readily available, inexpensive, and can also serve as a snack during breaks.
What are the three categories of team-building exercises Vivian Scott discusses?
-The three categories are: 1) Build Something Anything, 2) Give Them Something to Talk About, and 3) Put the Work on Them.
How does the 'Build Something Anything' category work?
-In this category, teams are given instructions to build a structure, such as a dome, and the exercise is tailored to the group's dynamics and goals.
What is the purpose of the 'Give Them Something to Talk About' category?
-This category involves providing incomplete instructions to encourage conversation and problem-solving among team members.
Can you provide an example of an exercise from the 'Give Them Something to Talk About' category?
-An example is instructing teams to build a vehicle that can accommodate two or more people comfortably and safely, without providing further details.
How does the 'Put the Work on Them' category challenge creativity and teamwork?
-In this category, teams are given marshmallows and toothpicks and must come up with their own team-building exercise using these materials.
What is the role of the event planner in the 'Put the Work on Them' category?
-The event planner provides the materials and sets a time limit but allows the teams to independently create and execute their own exercise.
How can team-building exercises using marshmallows and toothpicks help resolve conflicts between departments like sales and accounting?
-By structuring the exercises to include members from different departments and setting group goals, these exercises can foster communication and collaboration, helping to resolve conflicts.

Outlines

00:00

🏗️ Team Building with Marshmallows and Toothpicks

Vivian Scott, author and co-creator of Anytime Seminars, introduces herself and discusses the use of marshmallows and toothpicks as team-building props. She categorizes team-building exercises into three types: 'Build Something Anything', where teams can use online instructions to construct various objects; 'Give Them Something to Talk About', which involves providing incomplete instructions to stimulate conversation; and 'Put the Work on Them', where teams are given the materials and must create their own exercise. The goal is to foster interaction and problem-solving among team members, particularly between departments like sales and accounting.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Team building exercise

A team building exercise is an activity designed to improve teamwork and collaboration among a group of people. In the video, the speaker suggests various creative exercises involving marshmallows and toothpicks to promote interaction and problem-solving between different teams, such as sales and accounting. These exercises aim to foster better communication and cooperation.

💡Marshmallows and toothpicks

Marshmallows and toothpicks are the key props used in the team-building exercises described in the video. These items are chosen for their availability, affordability, and versatility. They can be used to build structures or serve as creative materials for different group activities. The speaker highlights their fun and snackable nature, adding an element of enjoyment to the exercises.

💡Build something category

The 'Build something category' refers to one of the three types of team-building activities described in the video. In this category, participants are asked to construct something, like a dome, using the marshmallows and toothpicks. The exercise is designed to encourage groups to work together, especially if there is a need for collaboration between departments that don’t often interact, such as sales and accounting.

💡Give them something to talk about category

This is the second category of team-building activities mentioned in the video. It involves giving participants incomplete instructions for building something, which prompts them to engage in discussions and collaborate to fill in the gaps. This category encourages communication and creative problem-solving, as teams must figure out what they are constructing—whether it’s a vehicle like a school bus or a rocket ship—based on limited guidance.

💡Creativity

Creativity is a key theme in the video, as participants are encouraged to use their imagination to come up with solutions during the exercises. Whether it’s deciding how to build a structure or inventing a team-building activity, creativity helps groups think outside the box and collaborate effectively. The video emphasizes that fostering creativity enhances teamwork.

💡Teamwork

Teamwork is the central goal of the exercises discussed in the video. The activities are designed to bring different people together to solve problems and complete tasks as a unit. For example, mixing people from different departments like sales and accounting helps foster teamwork, as they must work together despite their differing roles.

💡Problem-solving

Problem-solving is another important concept highlighted in the video. The exercises encourage teams to tackle challenges, such as building a vehicle with incomplete instructions or inventing their own team-building activity. These tasks are designed to stimulate critical thinking and collaborative problem-solving skills among participants.

💡Incomplete instructions

In the 'Give them something to talk about' category, participants are given incomplete instructions for building a project, which forces them to engage in discussions to figure out how to proceed. This tactic encourages communication and problem-solving, as the group has to interpret and complete the instructions themselves. It enhances the collaborative nature of the exercise.

💡Prop-based activities

Prop-based activities involve using physical objects, like marshmallows and toothpicks, to engage participants in creative and interactive exercises. The video stresses how props can add fun and practicality to team-building exercises, providing both a focal point for the task and an enjoyable experience for the participants.

💡Collaborative creativity

Collaborative creativity refers to the process of group members coming together to generate ideas and solve problems through creativity. In the video, the speaker encourages participants to work as a team to create something out of marshmallows and toothpicks or invent their own exercise, emphasizing that creativity is most effective when it is a shared, collaborative effort.

Highlights

Author Vivian Scott introduces herself as the author of 'Conflict Resolution at Work For Dummies' and co-creator of anytimeseminars.com.

Vivian discusses the challenge of creating team-building exercises for advanced event planners.

Marshmallows and toothpicks are suggested as versatile and cost-effective team-building props.

Marshmallows and toothpicks can also serve as a snack during breaks.

Team-building exercises are categorized into three types based on the use of marshmallows and toothpicks.

The first category is 'Build Something Anything', where teams can build various structures following instructions found online.

Cheat sheets with instructions can be used to facilitate the building process.

The purpose of the team-building exercise should align with the dynamics of the group, such as improving relations between sales and accounting teams.

Rules should be defined to structure the team-building activity effectively.

The second category is 'Give Them Something to Talk About', which involves providing incomplete instructions to spark conversation.

An example is to instruct teams to build a vehicle that can accommodate two or more people comfortably and safely.

Teams are encouraged to use their imagination and decide on the type of vehicle to build.

The third category is 'Put the Work on Them', which requires the most creativity and teamwork.

In this category, only marshmallows and toothpicks are provided, and teams must create their own exercise.

The facilitator should sit back and observe as the teams come up with their own team-building activities.

Vivian Scott's authorship and co-creation of Anytime Seminars are highlighted as credentials for her expertise in team-building.