December 27th, 2023 - Need better ideas? Or better chemistry?

“Getting the right people and the right chemistry is more important than getting the right idea.”

- Ed Catmull, Pixar, author of Creativity, Inc

Team dynamics, team cohesion, synergy. Trendy, cringey buzzwords, but important topics nonetheless. Creating a workplace where people can work together smoothly, peacefully, and even safely can be key to success. In my work, I believe playful work design is the best path to that. But figuring out what kind of play is appropriate for your specific team might seem like a daunting task.

Here, we’ll explore two options - Dr. Stuart Brown’s 8 Play Personalities (common) and Dr. Rene Proyer’s 4 Personal Play Identities (my preference!).

Many consultants use Dr. Stuart Brown’s 8 Play Personalities to help teams dig into how best to work together. Dr. Brown is a retired, prolific researcher on the topic of play - focusing on observations of animals, children, and some adults. He defined 8 personalities: the joker, the kinesthete, the explorer, the competitor, the director, the collector, the artist/creator, and the storyteller. These are all based on what you DO that you enjoy and might consider play.

Consultants may encourage individuals to read the personality definitions and choose what seems most like them. Some will ask participants to consider their inner child when doing this exercise. The consultants generally then walk the teams through some exercises to analyze how each person plays differently, what conflicts may arise, and how to overcome them.

At Boredless, I use Dr. Rene Proyer’s 4 Personal Play Identities instead. Dr. Proyer is a current research scientist and psychologist in the field of personality science and positive psychology. He and his teams have identified many adult personality traits that studies showed to be considered playful. In 2017, he published a paper on the 4 Personal Play Identities he and his team created from that work: Other-directed (which I sometimes refer to as relational), Intellectual, Whimsical, and Lighthearted — each based in the HOW we play and WHY, rather than what we DO.

In my Personal Play Identity workshops, we start by exploring the neuroscience of play in general. We learn about what happens in our brains when we play, and why we should care (it’s not just for kids!). Once we grasp an understanding of WHY we should even consider “play” at work, then we dive into the four identities. I lead the participants through individual self-reflection exercises and then team exercises all based on Dr. Proyer’s work. Participants gain an understanding of themselves and each other at a level that allows for improved communication, increased collaboration, and even psychological safety.

This, just one piece of Playful Work Design consulting, can be so beneficial for improving teamwork. If you’re interested in learning more, don’t hesitate to reach out! Click here to book a call! Let’s create the right chemistry for your team.

Wondering what play even means for YOU as a grown adult? Read more at my blog! Click here!