I just got back from a class where I had to "punt" because a colleague had done the marshmallow challenge already this fall. I did some online research and modified a number of ideas-I apologize that I am not giving attribution to the ideas that I saw.
I got boxes of Dots gumdrops, skewers and toothpicks and had groups create a bridge-it had to be high enough so that 4 textbooks could fit under, and long enough to span the length of the books. Teams of 8 split up into different rooms, create half of the bridge and then come together to connect the two bridges (I did not allow them to discuss a plan beforehand).
The "winner" was the bridge that was the sturdiest and was able to have a matchbox car drive across. Observers looked on writing down what group processes they saw, what roles people took in the groups, and what happened when the 2 groups had to come together to form a new team. It was interesting to see who thought to use the actual box from the Dots to form a ramp.
Deb
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| Deborah Windes, Ph.D. Professor of Business 6601 West College Drive | Palos Heights, Illinois 60463 |
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| 708.293.4844 | deborah.windes@trnty.edu |
From: Organizational Behavior Division Listserv [mailto:OB@AOMLISTS.AOM.ORG] On Behalf Of Jaser, Zahira
Sent: Thursday, September 29, 2016 10:41 AM
To: OB@AOMLISTS.AOM.ORG
Subject: [OB-LIST] Team Activities and Assessments for Leadership Course
*apologies for cross posting*
I am teaching a course in Leadership for Entrepreneurial Teams, the emphasis is on leadership skills for founders and team members of start ups.
I am asking for suggestions on two elements of the course:
1 - I would like to include in the first lecture with team activity to provoke a conversation about team dynamics; I was going to use the Marshmallow challenge but I have discovered another colleague is using it in another module. Does anyone have a nice tried and tested team activity that can provide team members with similar insights about team work and leadership?
2 - The final assignment (100% of the mark) is a team project. I was thinking to give students a project that allowed them to show how they have worked in their teams, how they have dealt with different skills, how they have coped with team members differences and perhaps with potential conflicts. Does any one have an example?
In case I receive a variety of suggestions I am happy to put them together and circulate to the list.
Zahira Jaser
Visiting Lecturer and PhD Fellow