🍭 5 Sweet Lessons from Candy Land at 75

Welcome to The Culture Kitchen 001

Happy 75th birthday to the game that makes everyone feel like a kid in a candy shop — Candy Land! Today, Hasbro, the game-maker, releases a special 75th anniversary edition of the iconic board game that’s a fan favorite for generations.

It’s the perfect introduction for the first edition of The Culture Kitchen — a new Switchboard series focused on the ways food and related topics inspire us at work. Think beyond team lunch.

Why The Culture Kitchen

Cooking is an art. Baking is a science. Creating culture is like both cooking (art) and baking (science). When cooking, there are measurements, but often it’s possible to experiment with a dash or a splash outside of the recipe. With baking, if you leave out an ingredient or try to substitute without the exact measurement, it could mean the difference between a cake that rises and one that’s flat.

The place where both the magic of cooking and baking happen is the kitchen. It’s where people gather to connect, grow and be nourished, literally and figuratively. This is the inspiration for The Culture Kitchen. Future editions will range from interviews with hospitality visionaries like Will Guidara to resources like the Culture Menu to lessons from iconic food brands and leaders of them like Kevin Lee.

Now, back to Candy Land and its 5 Workplace lessons.

1. 🍋 Turn Lemons into Lemondrops

2. 🛣️ Share the Destination

3. 🔵 The Power of Simplicity

4. 🖍️ Design Matters

5. 🍭 Embrace the Sweetness

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1. 🍋 Turn Lemons into Lemondrops

School teacher Eleanor Abbott invented Candy Lane under challenging circumstances. In 1948, she was recovering from polio in a San Diego hospital. Children and patients were isolated from each other, lonely, scared and sad. She intentionally designed the game with bright colors and kids’ favorite sweet treats to bring cheer.

“She didn’t just invent a game, she alleviated children’s suffering.”

Author Sandra Miller, who is co-writing a children’s book on Abbot’s life, shared with CBS Sunday Morning.

🍬 Workplace Lesson: Embrace Resilience when faced with adversity

2. 🛣️ Share the Destination

The goal of Candy Land is to reach King Kandy at Candy Castle. The path through the Peppermint Forrest and Lollipop Woods is winding, but the destination is clear. The game offers an adventure with a destination in mind.

“The object of the game — to get home — takes on really special significance when you think about these patients who are isolated from their families.”

Margaret Muirhead, a Children’s Book Author, is also co-writing the book with Sandra Miller on Eleanor Abbot’s life.

🍬 Workplace Lesson: Be clear with your goals and the direction your team is heading.

3. 🔵 The Power of Simplicity

Candy Land is easy to play. The instructions are clear, and 1 person can play the game. It’s a reminder: while we have a lot we want to share, less is more in a world with lots of information.

Spoiler alert: strategy is key to this new 75th special edition:

“That’s been one of the insights we got from parents.”

Shared Brian Baker, Senior Vice President, Board Games at Hasbro.

🍬 Workplace Lesson: Clarity is crucial when communicating with employees.

4. 🖍️ Design Matters

The vibrant drawings and colorful candy come straight from a dream. It demonstrates the power of visuals to communicate information, drawing us in to learn more.

🍬 Workplace Lesson: “A picture is worth more than a thousand words.” Frank Barnard

5. 🍭 Embrace the Sweetness

How can you not smile when you pass through Gumdrop Mountains, Gramma Nut and Princess Frostine? The candy and the people around it make us happy.

In a world with negativity, it can be easy to get sour. Consider the joy when you embrace the sweet moments around you.

🍬 Workplace Lesson: Appreciate the little moments.

Thank you for tuning in to this edition. I’m always grateful for your support in growing this community of caring communicators and connectors. If you enjoyed this article, give it a heart, consider sharing it with a friend or posting a learning on LinkedIn. Signing off. — Julia