In our fast-paced corporate world, innovation and team building are key factors in staying ahead of the competition. While traditional approaches to driving innovation may be effective to a certain extent, they can often lead to stagnant and complacent teams, a lack of motivation, and fear of failure.
Using play and team building to drive innovation and spark new ideas just might be the breath of fresh air your team needs to get ahead of the game.
In fact, we’ve seen a lot of amazing and unexpected results from injecting a sense of fun and joy into corporate teams. Here are just a few:
✅ Newfound Trust and Collaboration:
Play has the remarkable ability to break down barriers and build trust within corporate teams. Shared laughter, friendly competition, and collaboration create a positive environment that encourages open communication, enhances relationships, and fosters a sense of camaraderie.
✅ Enhanced Creativity and Innovation:
Playfulness stimulates the imagination and nurtures creativity. By incorporating play into corporate teams, organizations can tap into the creative potential of their employees. Engaging in playful activities allows team members to explore new ideas, experiment with different approaches, and think outside the box.
✅ Better Problem-Solving Skills:
Play serves as a natural training ground for problem-solving skills. Playful activities provide an opportunity for teams to practice critical thinking, adaptability, and quick decision-making in a low-stakes environment. These skills, honed through play, can then be applied to real-world challenges within the corporate setting. Even better, the enjoyment associated with play helps reduce stress and anxiety, enabling teams to approach problem-solving with a more relaxed and focused mindset.
✅ Happier and More Motivated Employees:
When work becomes monotonous, employees may experience burnout and disengagement. Playful experiences provide a sense of enjoyment and fulfillment, which leads to increased job satisfaction!
✅ Increased Adaptability and Resilience:
In today’s rapidly changing business landscape, adaptability and resilience are essential! Play fosters these attributes by encouraging flexibility, experimentation, and the ability to embrace unexpected outcomes. Through play, teams learn to adapt to new rules, challenges, and team dynamics.
Getting our Hands Dirty in the Corporate Sandbox
There are a couple of unique tools that we use when trying to help stagnant teams nurture out-of-the-box thinking:
Finding Your Sandbox to Unleash Creativity
We use the “find your sandbox” exercise to create an environment that encourages exploration, experimentation, and open-mindedness.
By immersing themselves in various playful exercises, such as improvisation games, collaborative challenges, and creative problem-solving activities, team members can break free from the constraints of traditional thinking. They can tap into their imagination, explore new possibilities, and discover innovative solutions collectively. “Finding their sandbox” empowers teams to embrace a mindset of curiosity, enabling them to uncover untapped potential and address complex problems with fresh perspectives.
Scampering Our Way to Innovation
The SCAMPER model is a creativity technique that offers a structured approach to playfully explore possibilities and ignite innovation within teams. Each letter in the SCAMPER acronym represents a different way to creatively reframe and approach a problem (Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate, Reverse or rearrange).
By incorporating the SCAMPER model into team activities, organizations cultivate a culture of innovation. Playful exploration using this model empowers teams to challenge assumptions, break free from traditional patterns, and generate inventive solutions to complex problems.
Not Just Child’s Play
Play contributes HUGE value in driving innovation and strengthening team building within corporate environments. By using the tools in our Innovation PLAYshop, teams can unleash their creativity, foster collaboration, and generate innovative solutions to meet the challenges of the modern business landscape.
Through our interactive PLAYshops and playful activities, organizations can create an engaging and dynamic work environment that nurtures innovation, enhances team dynamics, and ultimately leads to a competitive edge in the marketplace.
So, let’s encourage our teams to find their sandbox, embrace the power of play, and unleash their innovative potential.
Looking for some FUN, connection and growth for your next team event, social or learning opportunity? We teach modern day business skills through the power of PLAY. Check out our Live PLAYshop or Virtual PLAYshop offerings and get in touch!
