Bringing Play to Work: 10 Simple Ways Leaders Can Energise Teams daily

The benefits of play-based approaches in the workplace are well-documented, but many leaders struggle with how to practically integrate these techniques into their daily routine. You don't need elaborate workshops or expensive facilitators to harness the power of play.

Here are ten simple, actionable strategies that any leader can implement immediately to boost engagement, creativity, and connection in their regular team meetings and activities.

Quick-Start Techniques for Daily Meetings

• The Two-Minute Story Challenge: Begin team meetings by asking each person to share a brief story about their weekend, a recent learning, or a small win using exactly two minutes. This creates connection while practicing concise communication skills. Set a gentle timer to keep it playful rather than stressful.

• Problem-Solving with Props: Keep a small box of random objects (paperclips, rubber ducks, toy blocks) in your meeting room. When tackling challenges, ask team members to pick an object and explain how it represents their perspective on the problem or potential solution. This technique breaks linear thinking and sparks creative approaches.

• The Metaphor Minute: When discussing complex projects or challenges, ask team members to describe the situation using a metaphor from nature, sports, or cooking. For example, "This project feels like trying to herd cats in a thunderstorm." This creates shared understanding and often reveals insights that wouldn't emerge from traditional discussion.

Building Connection Through Structured Play

• Reverse Brainstorming: Instead of asking "How can we solve this problem?" ask "How could we make this problem worse?" This playful inversion often reveals underlying issues and generates surprising solutions. It's also psychologically easier for team members to identify problems, making participation more comfortable.

• The Appreciation Hot Seat: Dedicate five minutes of team meetings to having one person sit in the "hot seat" while others share specific appreciations about their recent work or contributions. Rotate weekly. This builds positive culture while helping team members understand their impact.

• Walking Meetings with a Twist: For smaller groups or one-on-ones, try walking meetings where you both have to incorporate observations from your environment into the conversation. "That construction site reminds me of our current project because..." This keeps energy high and thinking fresh.

Creative Problem-Solving Activities

• The Six-Word Story: When reviewing projects or planning initiatives, challenge team members to summarise key points in exactly six words. This constraint forces clarity and often reveals core issues. Try it for project status updates, goal setting or reflecting on lessons learned.

• Role-Playing Stakeholder Perspectives: Before making decisions, assign team members to advocate for different stakeholder viewpoints (customers, executives, end users, vendors). Give them two minutes to get into character and present their perspective. This builds empathy and brings to the surface considerations you might have missed.

• The Build-On Game: When generating ideas, establish a rule that every response must start with "Yes, and..." rather than "But" or "However." This improves upon previous suggestions rather than shutting them down, creating momentum and psychological safety for sharing ideas.

Energising Routine Activities

• Theme Days for Recurring Meetings: Assign playful themes to regular meetings: "Superhero Solutions Monday" (frame problems as missions), "Time Travel Tuesday" (imagine how future teams would solve current issues), or "Reality Check Wednesday" (honest assessment with humour). Themes create anticipation and fresh perspectives.

• The One-Minute Pitch: Regular practice with elevator pitches builds confidence and clarity. Get team members to practice presenting their current projects, ideas or even weekend plans in exactly one minute. This develops presentation skills while keeping meetings energised and focused.

These techniques work because they're simple enough to implement immediately but powerful enough to shift team dynamics. Start with one or two approaches that feel most natural to your leadership style, then gradually expand your toolkit as your team becomes more comfortable with play.

The key is consistency rather than perfection. Even small doses of structured play can transform team culture, boost creativity and make work more enjoyable for everyone involved. Your team will thank you for bringing more energy and connection to their daily experience.

Copyright © 2025 Jeremy Francis Richard Kay All Rights Reserved