A630.8.4.RB_DellElceCamila

A630.8.4.RB – Build a Tower, Build a Team

Do you agree with Tom Wujec's analysis of why kindergarteners perform better on the Spaghetti Challenge than MBA students?

            I can see Mr. Wujec’s analysis to be very interesting and important in this study. I believe children have this wonderful ability to perform without having the regard of the possibility of failure. I’m thinking that this plays a crucial role in why the kindergarteners perform better.  Usually, kids do it for “fun”, whereas MBA students may be more interested in the finite reasons to accomplish this task.

Can you think of any other reasons why kids might perform better?

            I think that the kids perform better, because they are not concerned with failing and taking chances on their structures. These children are not trained to find the single right plan; they are focused on building prototypes.  Rather, many different types of spaghetti structures. 

In your view, why do CEOs with an executive assistant perform better than a group of CEOs alone?

            I believe that this is in part due to the fact that this individual helps to assist in performing daily functions that the CEO may not be used to performing. Many CEO’s are so busy handling business and conducting meetings that his/her assistant performs many of the day-to-day functions that facilitate his/her role.  Without an assistant it may be next to impossible to complete all of the functions required to operate in a position of this stature. Hence, CEOs tend to perform poorly without their assistants when it comes to building a marshmallow tower.

If you were asked to facilitate a process intervention workshop, how could you relate the video to process intervention skills?

            In the Marshmallow Challenge, the successful spaghetti towers would not be possible without continuous testing and failing. Success and failure must be celebrated with equal enthusiasm and that as leaders we must encourage continuous risk-taking. Therefore, I would request individuals to come out with the most creative solutions and would make it about gathering ideas more so than competing against each other for better results.

What can you take away from this exercise to immediately use in your career?

The best take-away from this exercise is the reasoning that risks taking is a good thing. We must encourage each other to take risks every now-and-then in order to come to more elaborative solutions.