October 11th, 2023 - I almost turned down a TEDx talk…
Over the past few weeks, after finishing my DisruptHR talk, my Denver Startup Week presentation, and my Good Business Colorado presentation, I started working on my BHAG — a TEDx talk. I have been invited to speak at December’s event in Manitou Springs. I’ve met with the organizing team (full of absolute rockstars, btw) and two speaker coaches. I have LOTS of ideas (thanks ADHD!) and have spoken at length on 4 really well researched and studied ones. But I convinced myself I needed something new, something different, so I decided I would design a talk on acceptable mediocrity, all based on that little grid graphic you see below. I spent hours trying to just start the damn talk. A question? A story? A big shocking fact? I thought I knew my main point and basic outline, but I could NOT get anything written. I couldn’t get it straight in my head. I’d put a sentence down on paper and it wouldn’t connect with anything else I was thinking or writing. It was difficult to the point that I started doubting whether I should do the TEDx talk at all.
Then, after a wildly encouraging conversation with two friends/colleagues and a total stranger at Denver Central Market over a la roulette (yes, you need one). I woke up this morning, went through my usual routine, sat down at my computer to work on some scheduled Meep Launch Academyoutreach and instead… wrote two whole separate TEDx talks (neither of which have anything to do with acceptable mediocrity).
My problem all along? Forced Fun.
See, when I’m writing about play and flow, creating presentations on play and flow, and speaking about play and flow... I am PLAYING and easily get into FLOW (so funny how that works).
Turned out this time, I was seeking a viral idea, a sensation, something that would make my talk featured on the TED website between Brene and Simon. I made it “work”. And I was forcing it, instead of following my true mission and staying aligned to my core values by just sharing the power and benefits of play and flow. I recentered my goal on simply crafting a talk based on an “idea worth sharing” instead of “going viral”. And yall, I’m so psyched about my talks now (yes, talkS plural, thank goodness for an excellent speaker coach to help me decide).
This very concept is exactly why ‘forced fun’ at work always backfires.
Fun is too subjective, and at its core, purposeless. So forcing your team to do one singular (probably a bit strange) activity all together for the sake of creating connection and vulnerability, trying to create purpose where none has been defined, will never work. You and your team quickly lose sight of the mission, your core values, and resentment & disengagement follow close behind.
To truly build connection, vulnerability, and overall level up your company culture and engagement, you need playful work design.
And I can bring that to you in two ways…
1) Full consulting: team culture audits, strategy exploration and creation, education & facilitation, plus data tracking. Playful work design will be considered at every aspect of the organization to directly impact your most important key metrics. (Click Here to learn more)
2) Quarterly Workshop Packages: Four workshops, one each quarter, plus monthly strategy calls. Workshop Topics: The Neuroscience of Play, Failure Awards, Personal Play Identity, Play your Way to Flow. Your team will benefit from fully understanding the purpose, power, and benefits of play and how to apply it all at work - also directly impacting your most important key metrics. (Click Here to learn more)
A portion of my subscribers are solopreneurs and micro business owners - this message still applies to you! The Flow workshop shared below is an excellent start to understanding how to apply the benefits and power of play and flow to your personal and professional life!