“You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.” – Plato
In the Team Advantage coaching process that I use with teams and have seen transform teams in just the short 2-day kick off meeting (that is only the start), we set it up for play from the moment they walk in the room. There are brightly colored toys on the tables, fun music is playing, and there are only flip charts at the front of the room. No projector and slides.
The Spirit Southwest Airlines magazine that is available in the seat pocket on the plane caught my attention on my way to a recent team kick off, the cover had kids laughing and jumping with this headline, “The Art and Science of Play! (It’s not just for kids)” The article references the research work of Dr. Stuart Brown who created the National Institute for Play (linked) and co-authored the book, “Play” with Christopher Vaughan. He defines play as a voluntary act that has no real purpose and you lose some sense of time. His research shows that our brains work better with some regular play just like we need regular sleep.
For me, it has been amazing to watch the transformation of teams as they play a bit more with the fun little toys that are part of our kick off meeting and enjoy a fun team game. The majority of our 2-day time is filled with more intense thinking and creating a strong plan for executing a big extraordinary goal and I have seen the power of play in the team’s ability to think more creatively about these serious goals and the power of taking a break to play an improvisational game that opens the team up to more innovative solutions.
How can you add some play into your world?
A note of thanks to my Mother, who instilled a sense of play from a young age and who still wants at least one toy to play with as a gift each holiday season. One of my favorite ways to play is with my great nephew who is quite an expert at the age of two; I think it is time for a play visit with him!
photo credit: duncan via Flickr creative commons
My marketing strategy sessions always include “play time.” We use the exercise to represent each company’s “philosophy” or “customer benefits” in 3D. I’ve seen people create Play-Doh helping hands, use feathers to represent enthusiasm, draw pictures of happy client faces, and many more complex designs. It’s always the part of the session people talk about the most.
Also, I just spent two weeks playing games, riding bikes, swimming and exploring new places with my niece and nephew in Colorado. What a sense of cleansing and joy came about as a result! My mind and spirit are refreshed and I feel younger, even though I celebrated a Life Day during my trip.
Thanks for the reminder, Paula!
Thanks for sharing Ann! Your two week play vacation in Colorado sounds heavenly. And I love your strategy sessions and your comment reminds me of how impressed I was when I saw pictures of your room you created for these sessions: bright tropical fish on the walls and an amazing space! Your clients are very fortunate to have you. Paula