If You can Build a Marshmallow Tower, You Can Build a Team

In this 6min Ted Talk Tom – Wujec presents some surprisingly deep research into the “marshmallow problem” — a simple team-building exercise that involves dry spaghetti, one yard of tape and a marshmallow.

Who can build the tallest tower with these ingredients? And why does a surprising group always beat the average?

Tom Wujec studies how we share and absorb information. He’s an innovative practitioner of business visualisation — using design and technology to help groups solve problems and understand ideas. He is a Fellow at Autodesk.

Why you should listen

Tom Wujec is a Fellow at Autodesk, the makers of design software for engineers, filmmakers, designers. At Autodesk, he has worked on software including SketchBook Pro, PortfolioWall and Maya (which won an Academy Award for its contribution to the film industry).

As a Fellow, he helps companies work in the emerging field of business visualization, the art of using images, sketches and infographics to help teams solve complex problems as a group.

He’s the author of several books, including Five-Star Mind: Games and Puzzles to Stimulate Your Creativity and Imagination.

If you don’t know your Character Strengths why not take the VIA Strength Test – click here