How Play Can Revolutionize Your Personal and Professional Life

Sep 24

In episode 125 of Kickass Career Conversations, Louise and Kim had an inspiring conversation with business game expert Jean Berry. They dove into the importance of integrating play into our lives to spur creativity, enhance productivity, and foster personal and professional growth. Jean helps creatives, coaches, and consultants increase their revenue and impact by incorporating games into their business strategies. She has developed custom games that enhance engagement, encourage referrals, and drive results. Jean’s unique approach includes creating personal game boards of success for her clients, allowing them to articulate their strengths and grow their businesses through playful mechanisms. Jean’s journey from corporate America to art school and ultimately to her role as a business game expert was filled with significant personal breakthroughs. She faced a crisis in her accounting job and transitioned to art school, where she discovered her creative calling. Jean's story underscores the importance of following one’s intuition and embracing change, even when it leads to unexpected paths.

Key Takeaways:

The Power of Play in Work: Imagine transforming your daily work routine by incorporating playful and creative strategies, fostering innovative problem-solving.
Integrating Play into Entrepreneurship: Consider how you can blend play with your business practices, ensuring that creativity and joy drive your path to success.
Achieving Balance with Scheduled Time Off: Think about restructuring your life to achieve a balance aligned with your values.

Shifting Attitudes Towards Work and Play

Kim, Louise and Jean take a look at the generational shift in attitudes towards work and play. Louise amusingly notes that the very generation often chided for being too playful is now leading the charge in their fifties. The conversation highlights the importance of integrating play into our routines regardless of age. Play is not merely for children; it is a vital aspect of creativity and innovation in adulthood as well.

Kim shares an anecdote from her corporate days, where the company had a game room. This play space encouraged creative problem-solving and fostered a sense of camaraderie among employees. This example underscores the value of play in corporate settings, not just as a break from work but as a catalyst for innovative solutions and improved team dynamics.

And, despite having the freedom to control their schedules, entrepreneurs often fail to incorporate play into their routines. Jean points out that many entrepreneurs struggle to see the value of play, viewing it as an unproductive use of time. However, engaging in playful activities can lead to breakthroughs in problem-solving and business strategy, making it an essential practice for long-term success.

Using Creative Tools for Leadership

Louise shares her experience using Lego with her leadership clients. This playful tool helps leaders take much-needed breaks and engage in creative problem-solving. By stepping away from traditional methods and embracing playful techniques, leaders can foster a more innovative and effective approach to problem-solving within their teams.

Jean emphasizes the manifold benefits of play in business. Play encourages creativity and problem-solving, helps businesses stand out by creating memorable touchpoints, and enhances overall engagement. Through her custom games, Jean helps businesses integrate these playful elements, providing clients with unique and lasting experiences.

Jean introduces the concept of using dice games to determine business tasks, incorporating routine and creative activities with "wild card" and "huge stretch" items. Such playful strategies can make mundane tasks enjoyable, improving productivity and bringing a sense of fun into everyday operations.

Creating Custom Games: A Behind-the-Scenes Look

In this episode, you get a behind the scene look at how Jean creates her custom games. This involves an initial creative phase to establish game mechanics, followed by a testing phase to gather feedback and ensure the game meets its desired outcomes. Games can serve various purposes, from lead generation to teaching and maintaining engagement, each tailored to fit specific business needs.

By embracing play, we can transform our personal and professional lives, making our routines more enjoyable, productive, and ultimately, fulfilling.

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