Challenge with Marshmallow
The idea of the Marshmallow Challenge is as simple as the realization is sustainable: Each team (three to four people each) builds a tower as high as possible from 20 spaghetti, one meter of tape, one meter of string and one marshmallow. In a very short time, this task shows how the cooperation works and how the individual people are involved in the group. No other game makes team processes visible and tangible so quickly.
Reaching your destination with curiosity
Would you have thought that children of kindergarten age would be the most successful at the task? The explanation for this is obvious: children do not yet think and act in fixed patterns, they are therefore excellent lateral thinkers. Consequently, the guarantee for the highest and most stable tower possible is not strategic planning, but a mixture of curiosity, the joy of experimentation and the courage to try something, even if it might go wrong ("trial and error").
Incentive as creativity killer
An experimental set-up has brought to light that a strong external stimulus tends to dampen rather than enhance creativity. In other words, a high reward does not automatically lead to a better result in the Marshmallow Challenge, what counts is enthusiasm and inner motivation - just like team projects in working life. You too can use this simple tower game to better understand the dynamics of your team.
Size of group
20 to 800 people
Duration
around 1 h
Implementation
all year round
Location
All of Switzerland
Required infrastructure
Beamer, screen, sufficient space, one table per team (3 to 4 persons)
Languages
German, English
Costs [CHF] |
||
Basic lump sum | ||
up to 20 pers. | 100.00 | |
every other person | 30.00 | |
Included in the price |
||
- | Preliminary discussion by telephone | |
- | All necessary material | |
- | Introduction and support | |
- | Final Reflection | |
Not included |
||
- | Return journey of the participants | |
- | Rent of the premises (after own search) |