This video from TED is quite interesting, and could serve as a great team building activity for your staff. While many educators may have participated in this type of activity before, the explanation Tom Wujec gives relating to which teams succeed and why is worth watching. It is also interesting to note that kindergarten students had more success than many other adult groups. This demonstrates once again the power of creative thinking, and a child's ability to take risks and shed inhibitions.

I also liked how Tom discussed (5 min 21 secs) the impact the pressure of incentives will often have on a group, often making the difference between success and failure. As he points out, we all have our 'marshmellow moments' where things all become too much. This type of activity helps to identify to the group the 'hidden assumptions' we make when working in teams.

Cheers

AB