The (Not-So) Easy Puzzle Competition: An Exercise in Planning and Rewarding Teamwork

Abstract

This article presents a classroom exercise that highlights critical aspects of promoting effective teamwork. In this exercise, teams compete against one another to be the first to complete 100-piece puzzles. During the exercise, teams discover that the task is not as easy as it seems, and the experience highlights the impact that suboptimal planning, limited resources, and zero-sum competition between teams can have on team and organizational effectiveness. The exercise provides an opportunity for instructors to discuss the responsibility that managers have to make sure that their teams fully understand how to complete their tasks, to provide the resources their teams needs to be successful, and to distribute rewards such that teams are encouraged to cooperate rather than compete against one another.