Lead with a dash of Play: Recent Episodes
Mary Hendra
Looking to build innovation, strengthen organizational culture, and develop greater confidence? Try play. Seriously. Play builds empathy, sparks creativity, and allows deeper reflection and learning. Why would we not integrate it into our workday?
Speaking with CEOs, executive coaches, and leaders across a variety of industries, Mary Hendra explores what “play” can look like in professional spaces, its impact on us and our organizations, and how to integrate a little play ourselves to build more compassionate and creative workplaces.
“I like games for the social aspect.” Games often raise thoughts of competition, strategy, and down time. Alex challenges all of that - sharing the integration of games to build more enjoyable workplaces. But, it isn’t just about fun. All games have some sort of problem solving …and a goal. It’s almost like she’s describing “work.” We would all do well with a work environment that brings joy.
Games Alex mentioned during the episode include:
- Fishbowl
- Visionary
- Fortunately / Unfortunately
All are available (free) in Barometer XP’s game database on the Play Concierge Platform: https://app.barometerxp.com/sign-up
Guest: Alex Suchman
Alex Suchman is the CEO and co-founder of Barometer XP, whose mission is to create cultures where people are excited about their work because they feel a strong sense of purpose and belonging. She uses games and play to strengthen interpersonal dynamics, such as trust, accountability, and psychological safety, in the workplace. She was a finalist for the Metro DC ATD Award for Excellence in Innovative Learning, has been featured in Forbes, and is a sought-after speaker and thought leader on using play as a tool for organizational effectiveness and employee success.
LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandrasuchman
Barometer XP's website: https://www.barometerxp.com
What does play have to do with finding your soul’s mission? For Deb Valentina, they are absolutely connected, and result in the joy of being in the place you are meant to be. Hear her thoughts on deep soul work, intuition or knowingness, and its connection to play and joy. But first, Debra and I spoke of the power of names. Deb? Debra? She is both and has been both in a journey of leadership and coaching leaders alike.
Guest: Debra Valentina
As a Soul Voice Catalyst & Midwife, Debra, founder of Creativing, has a passion for empowering women to birth their soul’s passion project, including writing their unique stories. To this end, Debra has spent over 35 years as a holistic life and writing coach for professional women who want to make a difference in their communities and the world. Debra is an international bestselling author and speaker on leadership topics. In March 2024 Debra spoke at the United Nations at the international Conference on the Status of Women.
Do you play at work? Jacqueline Lloyd Smith does. As Founder of Strategic Play® Global and a Master Trainer in LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® Methods, play is critical to achieving the serious outcomes she gets for companies. But it’s more than that. Given the high disengagement rates of workers these days, play could well be what humanity needs. Hear her stories about facilitating with bricks, the oppression of play in Western culture, and the power of getting back in touch with how you played as a kid.
Guest Bio: Jacqueline Lloyd Smith
Founder of Strategic Play® Global Jacquie has over twenty years of experience facilitating critical problem-solving sessions for organizational clients that include Adidas, NASA, Procter & Gamble and the United Nations. Jacquie’s credentials include a Master's in Conflict Analysis and Management, an MBA in Executive Management from Royal Roads University, and certifications as an Art and Play Therapist, Visual Coach, and Creative Problem Solver. She is also one of only four original global master trainers with LEGO® Systems Group and a certified facilitator and trainer of facilitators in LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® methods.
“The true, true opposite of play is fear.”
“To be able to be really full of joy, we have to be able to play.”
The 30 Circles activity noted during the podcast is one of three creative exercises described here:
https://hbr.org/2013/11/three-creativity-challenges-from-ideos-leaders
Jackie Stavros and Cheri Torres, authors of “Conversations Worth Having: Using Appreciative Inquiry to Fuel Productive and Meaningful Engagement,” draw connections between the practice of Appreciative Inquiry (AI), and approaching work - and conversations - with a sense of play. This type of AI invites curiosity, storytelling, imagination, and a tuning in to those around us. That’s a lot of play!
Explore the book and course here: https://www.conversationsworthhaving.today/
30% discount on the course for Lead with a dash of Play listeners. Use code: LEADWITHPLAY
And the game, Shift This!, here: https://www.conversationsworthhaving.today/shift-this
Guest Bio: Jackie Stavros
Jackie Stavros, DM is co-founder of CWH Institute, Inc and professor and management consultant in the College of Business and Information Technology at Lawrence Technological University. She has worked across all sectors and in over 25 countries using Appreciative Inquiry (AI) to affect the lives of thousands of people and hundreds of organizations improve capacity to thrive and increase performance. Her research is grounded in the AI, neuroscience, and positive psychology to help others understand how their conversations influence their wellbeing and ability to succeed.
Guest Bio: Cheri Torres
Cheri Torres, PhD, co-founder and executive officer for CWH Institute Inc, where she helps individuals, teams, and entire systems unlock their potential through the power of communication. With decades of experience in education, business, and community development, Cheri specializes in professional development and whole-system culture change using Appreciative Inquiry—one of the most widely adopted approaches for positive transformation.
Cheri and Jackie coauthored “Conversations Worth Having: Using Appreciative Inquiry to Fuel Productive and Meaningful Engagement” (www.cwh.today)
How do you know who is ready to play? With Lee Kim, we discuss the creation of playgrounds for adults - within corporate and civic spaces. Blending design thinking and “a space of yes,” playgrounds invite meaningful co-creation.
Explore more about the ideas and playgrounds Lee mentions:
- Inyeon meaning: https://www.kinfolk.com/stories/word-inyeon/
- Wearable Tracy - Short Documentary on the New Yorker Documentary Platform: https://youtu.be/c0Xu25ZmFg8
- Community built before Covid: www.designdreamlab.org
- Community built after Covid: www.designthinkingzeal.com
GUEST: Lee Kim
Lee is a designer thinker, an engineer, and also a certified Lego Serious Play facilitator. She founded a community innovation lab - Design Dream Lab, where anyone with a giving heart can create an impact and dream of a better future. Lee loves building and fostering creativity through everyday experiences and finds joy in connecting dots with other fun-loving and joyful human beings. Lee is always exploring ways to spark human curiosity and connections through story-making and experience design with simple activations. You may see her wearing a colorful pipe cleaner crown walking around the streets of New York City sending signals to connect with another curious human being!
Is there space for playfulness in the most serious of moments? Liz Vogel is a leader in the preservation of American democracy - and in intentional gathering. It’s easy to challenge whether play has a space with the stakes are high and the content serious, but Liz embodies a playful spirit even when confronting the toughest of issues. We discuss democracy, end-of-life, vintage clothes, and more.
Resources mentioned:
- Priya Parker - The Art of Gathering
- Day Schildkret - Ritual and Morning Altars
- Eboo Patel at American University, We Need to Build: Field Notes for Diverse Democracy
- Friends honor artist’s last wishes with water ballet in a Seattle kiddie pool “Some prefer funerals, some prefer having their ashes scattered, but local artist Briar Bates chose a different way to commemorate her death — instructing her friends to perform a water ballet in the wading pool at Volunteer Park.”
GUEST: Liz Vogel
Liz Vogel currently serves as Co-Executive Director at New Pluralists, where she guides funders to collaborate and invest together to strengthen belonging, trust and cooperation across differences in the U.S. This builds on over two decades of experience in the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors. Liz is deeply rooted in relationships and community, as seen and felt in her personal and professional gatherings, and exudes a life-long curiosity which has led her to the creation of vintage clothing parties, becoming a death doula, and being a modern elder in training.
Retired Colonel Jason M. Trew -"TOGA" - studied at the Air Force school for strategists (earning a PhD) and came out with some fascinating insights on play. Introducing the concept of “warped play,” TOGA shares insights on the power of play for strategy development - providing opportunity to practice before we are in the highest pressure situations.
GUEST: Col Jason “TOGA” Trew, PhD (USAF Retired)
At the time of our conversation, Colonel Jason M. Trew, who goes by the callsign "TOGA," was serving as the Commandant and Dean of the premier strategy course in the Department of Defense. In the time since the interview, TOGA has relinquished command, retired from the Air Force and began teaching for the Savannah College of Art and Design. Anything expressed in this interview are his personal views and do not reflect the official policy of -- or endorsement by -- any part of the US Government.
TOGA entered the Air Force in 1999 after graduating from the U.S. Air Force Academy with a Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies and Russian Area Studies. After flying trainer and fighter aircraft for the first half of his career, he spent a decade focused on innovations in education, strategy, and leadership. This included a year studying at the Air Force school for strategists, earning a PhD in the history of technology, coaching innovation teams across the federal government, and leading the design team for Space Force education. He has extensive training in facilitation and design thinking and is also certified as a performance coach, personal trainer, and an Ironman triathlon coach.
In a world filled with uncertainty, urgency, and division, what happens when leaders show up with a playful mindset? Lead with a Dash of Play returns to explore how play can help us navigate serious challenges with connection, imagination, creativity and courage. Maybe play is exactly what is needed in this moment.
The final bash of summer should give inspiration and release - and in the case of play, we find that with curiosity and one of its most passionate advocates, Scott Shigeoka. Even beyond play in professional spaces, Scott seeks to make the curiosity that transforms political structures more accessible, more playful, more joyful.
Scott Shigeoka is an internationally recognized curiosity expert, speaker, and the author of SEEK: How Curiosity Can Transform Your Life and Change the World. He is known for translating research into strategies that promote positive well-being and connected relationships around the globe, including at the UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center and through his groundbreaking courses at the University of Texas at Austin. Scott implements his curiosity practices in the public sector, Fortune 500 companies, Hollywood, media organizations, education institutions, and small businesses.
Learn more about Seek: https://seekthebook.com/
How do you keep play accessible? It can be through physically keeping something close, through the questions we ask ourselves, or through verbal and visual cues we notice during the work day.
Featuring Past Guests:
- Garry Ridge
- Kathy Klotz-Guest
- Ruksana Hussain
- Neville Billimoria
Meetings are such a ubiquitous part of work - and often one of the spaces that can feel energy-draining. What if that wasn’t the case? The clips in this episode of “Summer Session” specifically highlight ways to make meetings better. After all, there is so much potential when people gather. Why waste that time and space?
A recurring theme on Lead with a dash of Play is how play can build connections. In the second episode of this summer session on how to play, hear highlights from guests’ suggestions on how to build connection with play in small ways that can be incorporated every day.
Featuring past guests:
- Paul Sanbar
- Jay Guilford
- Annette Mason
- Michelle Li
- Bridget Quigg
Check out their full episodes for more inspiration.
Play helps us be authentic - to actually be seen more truly by others. That’s one of the reasons why it’s so important to play. In the first of this summer session on play, we listen to some entry ways to start to play for yourself - storytelling, physically moving, giving yourself a challenge or creating the space for others to problem-solve.
Featuring past guests (in this order):
- Jeff Harry
- Van Lai Du-Mone
- Neel Doshi
- Mike Ganino
- Gary Ware
Check out their full episodes from Season Two.
A second bonus episode for season two. I’ve had the pleasure of being a guest on several podcasts myself during this season, sharing in part what I’ve learned doing the Lead with a dash of Play podcast. This bonus episode shares some clips from the Ways We Learn podcast in which I was interviewed by Sean Dagony-Clark and Joe Burgess
Listen to the full conversation on the Ways We Learn podcast, episode here.
We rarely have as much time as we want these days, so for leaders who want a taste of my brilliant guests this season - or listeners who want a quick reminder of some of the ideas - here it is. Some of the themes that emerged in our discussions this season include: identity, creativity, agency, joy, and getting rid of our outdated notion of work being “serious.” Whether you're looking for individual professional development, inspiration to change the structures in your organization, or a change in the world, take a listen! And then listen to the full episode from someone who inspires you.
This season's guests heard in this order:
- Neel Doshi, episode 5
- Kathy Klotz-Guest, episode 1
- Neville Billimoria, episode 6
- Gary Ware, episode 11
- Annette Mason, episode 12
- Amy Climer, episode 4
- Jay Guilford, episode 8
- Jeff Harry, episode 2
- Mike Ganino, episode 14
- Natalie Nixon, episode 13
- Ruksana Hussain, episode 3
- Garry Ridge, episode 10
- Michelle Li, episode 7
- Van Lai DuMone, episode 9
For more about me and how I play, join my newsletter: https://maryhendra.com/mary/
It’s easy to forget that kids play to sort things out, to discover boundaries, to problem-solve. So why do we think adult play is wholly different? Mike Ganino shares ways narrative play helps us identify what is possible and inspire change - individually and systemically. And it all starts with learning to see.
Play can both build a sense of awe - a practice of wonder - and the flow of committed, rigorous thought. And that combination contributes to audacity. Natalie Nixon invites us to design our space and time for wonder, give ourselves permission to daydream, and lead our teams to play and productivity.
GUEST: Natalie Nixon
Creativity strategist Natalie Nixon is the creativity whisperer TO the C-Suite. Marketing guru Seth Godin has said that she “can help you get unstuck and unlock the work you were born to do.” Natalie is the author of the award winning book The Creativity Leap: Unleash Curiosity, Improvisation and Intuition at Work and has been ranked among the top 50 keynote speakers in the world by Real Leaders, valued for her accessible expertise on creativity, the future of work and innovation.
As CEO of Figure 8 Thinking, LLC she advises leaders on transformation- by applying wonder and rigor to amplify growth and business value. Her work has been featured in Forbes, Fast Company and Inc. and her clients have included Google, Meta, Deloitte, Salesforce and VaynerMedia. Natalie's experience living in 5 countries combined with her background in anthropology, fashion, academia, and dance distinguish her as a one-of-a-kind creativity expert. She received her BA (honors) from Vassar College, and her PhD from the University of Westminster in London. She lives in her hometown of Philly with her husband, John Nixon and loves ballroom dance.
https://www.figure8thinking.com/
@natwnixon
In pursuit of the best structure and mindset for leadership development, Annette Mason co-constructs sabbaticals. These aren’t just for those in academia. To the contrary, individuals can use sabbaticals to learn and recover; businesses can use them to create space for transition and growth. What could you do with an intentionally constructed space for curiosity, play, and learning?
"Travel is never a matter of money but of courage." – Paolo Coelho
GUEST: Annette Mason
Annette Mason is a lifelong traveler, learner, and child of the world.
Annette's inner drivers are
- Faith
- Wholehearted Travel
- Curiosity
- Family
- Meaningful Connection
Annette is the Founder of Trilogy Design Works, a human-centered design leadership development practice. Trilogy has evolved into a leadership practice focused on Communication, Connection, and Resilience for business leaders. Leaders get to experience personal and professional growth through fun and innovative practices that include immersive experiences, co-designing sabbaticals and curated global travel via insights tours. Clients get the opportunity to support immersive learning programs for underserved youth to grow their life skills and change the trajectory of their circumstances.
https://trilogydesignworks.com/
How do you cultivate a playground of possibilities? Gary Ware found improv, and it changed the way he worked. Now he helps others incorporate play, building to a “playful rebellion” that can reshape organizational culture.
“Play is the cheat code to business success, and leaders who are serious about leading need to cultivate play for themselves and their employees.” (Gary Ware, from The Playful Rebellion)
GUEST: Gary Ware
Gary Ware, the Founder of Breakthrough Play is a corporate facilitator, keynote speaker, certified coach, and author of the book Playful Rebellion: Maximize Workplace Success Through The Power of Play. Gary has over 14 years of experience in the corporate world holding various leadership positions. Being a multifaceted individual Gary also comes with nearly a decade of experience as a performer in improv theatre. After experiencing burnout in his pursuit for success and happiness, he realized that what was missing was play. Committing to a life of play is what led Gary to discover his passion for facilitating. Gary uses the power of applied improvisation and other playful methods to assist people in unlocking creativity, confidence, and better communication. Gary was recently featured as one of the Top 100 HR influencers of 2021 by the Engagedly HR software platform. When Gary isn't leading workshops or speaking, you can find him learning magic or off on an adventure with his wife Courtney and sons Garrett and Cameron.
BreakthroughPlay.com
Shifting our notion of “failure” to “learning moments” gives us the opportunity to be more human. Garry Ridge led the global company WD40 for 25 years, with a playful streak that is still apparent in the stories he shares and the way he talks about the company. Can you be CEO and play?
“Businesses and leaders have not only the opportunity but a real responsibility to create cultures that are engaging and where people really know they are making a difference in the world.” (Garry Ridge)
According to Gallup's 2022 “State of the Global Workplace” report, only 21% of employees globally are engaged, only 33% are thriving in their overall wellbeing and 44% of employees experienced a lot of stress the previous day.
GUEST: Garry Ridge
Garry has 25 years of experience as Chairman and CEO of WD-40 Company, a Nasdaq-listed public Company. Garry has been with WD-40 Company since 1987 in various management positions, including executive vice president, chief operating officer, and vice president of international. He has worked directly with WD-40 Company in more than 60 countries. He is also an adjunct professor at the University of San Diego, where he teaches the principles and practices of corporate culture in the Master of Science in Executive Leadership program. Garry’s philosophy on company culture is based on Aristotle’s quote – “Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work.” Turning that into action, he believes that all leaders can create a workplace where you go to work each day, make a contribution to something bigger than yourself, learn something new, feel safe, are protected, and are provided freedom by a set of values and go home happy! He is passionate about the learning and empowering organizational culture he has helped establish at the WD-40 Company. In 2009, he co-authored a book with Ken Blanchard outlining his effective leadership techniques, titled “Helping People Win at Work: A Business Philosophy Called ‘Don’t Mark My Paper, Help Me Get an A.” A native of Australia, Mr. Ridge holds a certificate in Modern Retailing and a Master of Science in Executive Leadership from the University of San Diego.
www.thelearningmoment.net
In her Tedx Talk, Van Lai-DuMone shares the story of how fueling curiosity gave birth to an $8.3 billion industry. We talk about the intersection of creativity and curiosity, as well as the power of building simultaneously and together to hear all voices and create something collaboratively. From art supplies to LEGO® bricks, Van engages corporate leaders to think with their hands.
GUEST: Van Lai-DuMone
Van invites clients to think with their hands and use creative tools to disrupt traditional training methods. As the founder of worksmart, a progressive team and leadership development company; Van proposes that we are all innately curious and creative, good ideas can come from any level of an organization, and by cultivating idea sharing in the workplace through creativity, everyone has a chance to have their voice heard. And when that happens - company culture, performance, and innovation can skyrocket! She studied Psychology at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and earned her MBA from Pepperdine University. She brings over 15 years of corporate and start-up experience to game changing clients including Google, LinkedIn, and Pandora.
Van is a contributing writer at Thrive Global, a Fast Company Executive Board Member, and TEDx Speaker.
https://www.worksmartadvantage.com/
What if we didn’t call it “play”? Jay Guilford has been guiding the growth of leadership and teams for over 20 years. And yet, like so many before me, I was first curious about his roots in the circus. Does “play” have a branding problem? We talk about play in the DEI space as well as the legacy of the circus.
GUEST: Jay Guilford
Jay Guilford once worked with a bunch of clowns. Literally. Long ago in a land far far away, Jay ran away with Cirque du Soleil. There, Jay created Cirque’s corporate training program – SPARK. With SPARK, Jay strapped executives into apparatuses and flew them high across Cirque du Soleil theaters and training facilities. These “playful” activities helped groups experience trust, teamwork, and healthy risk taking in new and innovative ways.
Currently, as founder and managing partner of his own leadership consultancy – CoWorks – Jay infuses elements of play in his training activities. In 2023, CoWorks will launch a series of play based teambuilding sessions called ARTWRK. With ARTWRK, groups will learn and experience collaboration, communication, and trust through performing arts. ARTWRK sessions will be facilitated by Jay and other Fortune 500 trainers. ARTWRK activities will be taught by performers from Marvel, Broadway, Cirque du Soleil, and STOMP.
Jay has over a decade of experience in leadership and team building. He has designed and delivered training sessions for Google, Uber, Microsoft, Mastercard, The Empire State Building, Procter & Gamble, Kmart Australia, SwissLife, Club Med Punta Cana, SABMiller Brewery Latin America and other companies.
Jay holds a BA from Emory University and an MA from Columbia University.
www.coworkslead.com
Is there a place for playfulness within the very serious issues of our day? Michelle Li identifies it as critical. When creating Clever Carbon, Michelle deliberately developed a cheeky, hip, playful tone to the teaching of climate footprint. Creating joyful spaces of learning may be a different approach than many in the climate industry, but it just may help us adopt new habits.
Podcast Guest:
Michelle is the founder of clever carbon. She launched her career in Silicon Valley where she worked for some of the biggest names in tech including Salesforce and DocuSign. A proponent for making sustainability the new norm, Michelle founded clever carbon to help teach people about carbon footprint in a hip, fun, and relatable way. She is a TEDx and SXSW 2022 speaker on the topic of carbon literacy and believes that a carbon literate society is one where transparency and accountability will flourish and one worth striving for.
Michelle started Women and Climate NYC, a community for women interested in learning and talking about climate.
Links
- Carbon Footprint Team Building
- Take the 2 min carbon footprint quiz
- COP27: https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/cop27
Can play help us collectively build an innovative economy? Neville Billimoria, SVP for Mission Federal Credit Union, shares the ways play supports his creativity and well-being. In the process, we see how play can be a pattern interrupt, a useful intentional disruption when something is not working - whether that is a meeting at work or a bigger initiative.
Neville Billimoria is an effective communications and values leader, growing organizations through external marketing, media, and sales effectiveness, as well as internal organizational alignment, corporate communications, and leadership development. He brings experience, energy, and empowerment to his leadership role as SVP Membership/Marketing and Chief Advocacy Officer at Mission Federal Credit Union, a $5.5B not-for-profit, and the largest financial services organization exclusively serving San Diego, where he has accountability for a strategic array of crucial outward facing functions for 20 years including marketing, community relations, corporate giving as well as promoting Mission Fed’s public image and brand.
Mission Fed received Consumer Reports highest rating for all national banks or credit unions in 2015 and 2018, the BBB Torch Awards for Ethics in 2015 and 2017, Forbes rating as one of the best State Credit Unions and highest ranked local credit union in 2018 and best in the state in 2019, the Union Tribune’s Top Workplace Award for 2020 and the highest ranked local credit union on the Forbes America’s Best Credit Unions for 2022.
After graduating from UC San Diego, Neville has remained involved on the UCSD Alumni Board since 2008, as well as teaching martial arts, yoga, and meditation on campus for the last 40 years. Other current Board service includes the North County Philanthropic Council Executive Committee, Real World Scholars Board, and was recently appointment to the Girl Scouts San Diego Board.
Prior board and volunteer service includes serving on the Ackerman Foundation Board, the Alliance 4 Empowerment Board, AFP- National Philanthropy Day Honorary Committee, Mission Fed Community Foundation Secretary, San Diego Nonprofit Association Board, Cause Conference Co-Chair 3 times, Advisor to the Conscious Capitalism SD Board & Founder of the Chamber of Purpose SD.
He is a frequent speaker on topics including brand as culture, purpose-driven leadership, social capital optimization and civic engagement for maximum impact.
In the research and the book he co-authored (Primed to Perform), Neel Doshi identifies play as the number one motivating factor for performance. He argues that we need to change how we motivate performance. We discuss how forward-looking CEOs are restructuring, the not-so-distant future of our jobs, and ways to make team leadership at any level fun.
“Curiosity and experimentation are at the heart of play. People intrinsically enjoy learning and adapting. We instinctively seek out opportunities to play.” (Primed to Perform)
GUEST: Neel Doshi
Neel is the co-founder of Vega Factor and co-author of NY Times and Wall Street Journal Bestseller Primed to Perform, published in October 2015 by Harper Collins.
Previously, Neel was a Partner at McKinsey & Company, CTO and founding member of an award-winning tech startup, and employee of several mega-institutions. He studied engineering at MIT and received his MBA from Wharton. In his spare time, he's an avid yet mediocre woodworker and photographer.
Vega Factor is a company building technology to help organizations of all sizes and in any sector transform their culture and achieve the highest levels of performance. Learn more here: vegafactor.com
Primed To Perform introduces the counterintuitive science behind legendary cultures the likes of Southwest Airlines and Starbucks. Learn more here: bit.ly/PrimedToPerform
What can happen when we remember that creativity is a process? Amy Climer studies and teaches creativity, including how to lead in a way that explicitly supports creativity and the creative process. Hear what Sir Ernest Shackleton understood about leadership, how imagery can unlock better connections, and what nobel prize winners do that the rest of us can emulate.
GUEST: Amy Climer
Dr. Amy Climer teaches teams and organizations how to increase their creativity so they can maximize innovation. She works with forward-thinking organizations such as the Mayo Clinic, Stanford University, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Her clients describe her as approachable, inspiring, and transformative. She has a Ph.D. in Leadership and Change from Antioch University. She developed the Deliberate Creative™ Teams Scale to help teams understand how to increase their creativity. Amy is also the host of The Deliberate Creative™ Podcast where she shares practical advice and strategies to help leaders build innovative teams. She lives in Asheville, NC. When not working, she’s often whitewater canoeing or building something in her wood shop.
Websites: climerconsulting.com and climercards.com
FB: https://www.facebook.com/climerconsulting
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyclimer/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/amyclimer/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/amyclimer
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/amyclimer
Ruksana Hussain brings together the play personalities of explorer and storyteller in her work as a travel journalist, publisher, and speaker. Seeing the world with a mindset of “wow,” keeping open to learning something new even in her home town and from people she meets with regularly, starting the day with a crossword puzzle - Ruksana has a lot to teach us all about the place of play in “work.”
“Generally speaking, play is something that’s imaginative, self-directed, intrinsically motivated and guided by rules that leave room for creativity.” Kristin Wong, New York Times How Do You Add Play To Grown-Up Life - Even Now - NY Times
GUEST: Ruksana Hussain
Ruksana Hussain is an award-winning journalist with more than 20 years of experience working with national and international print and digital media as a magazine editor and features writer. She has contributed to publications covering diverse beats and topics, including but not limited to lifestyle, travel, cuisine, culture, business, wellness, and more. She has received recognition for her journalistic work from the Society of American Travel Writers, North American Travel Journalists Association, and the Los Angeles Press Club. She is also the recipient of diversity fellowships from the ACES The Society for Editing and the American Society of Business Publication Editors. In 2022, her travel magazine—Traveler and Tourist—was named one of 13 new journalism and media projects to watch.
Blog: www.travelerandtourist.com
Portfolio: www.ruksanawrites.com
Magazine: Subscribe (Now generously funded by ICFJ/NAHJ)
Want to foster a creative, innovative environment? Jeff Harry describes the essential nature of play in order to create psychological safety. In the process he argues that the world needs to stop the model of leadership which stemmed from toxic masculinity, instead embracing the divine feminine and a healthy blend of masculine and feminine leadership.
“You’ll find the future where people are having the most fun.” Kevin Carroll
GUEST: Jeff Harry
Jeff Harry combines positive psychology and play to heal workplaces, help teams build psychological safety and assist individuals in addressing their biggest challenges by embracing a play-oriented approach to work. Jeff was selected by BambooHR & Engagedly as one of the Top 100 HR Influencers and has been featured in the NY Times, Mashable, Upworthy, Shondaland, & Wired. Jeff has worked with Google, Microsoft, Southwest Airlines, Adobe, the NFL, Amazon, and Facebook, helping their staff to infuse more play into the day-to-day. Over the past 15 years of facilitation and speaking, Jeff’s main goal has been to help work suck less by assisting leaders in building a playground workplace atmosphere that motivates their staff to do their most vibrant work.
Website: RediscoverYourPlay.com
Podcast: What Would Ted Lasso Do Podcast
Instagram: @jeffharryplays
TikTok: @jeffharryplays
Twitter: @jeffharryplays
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffharryplays
Medium: @jeffharryplays
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/jeffharryplays
As a rare woman leader in tech, Kathy Klotz-Guest had to deliberately choose joy. Told many times to be more serious, to change the way she dressed, to lead differently, Kathy chose instead to forge her own path in leadership, and now she teaches others how to grow in owning their identity and joy in order to bring more authenticity into their leadership.
GUEST: Kathy Klotz-Guest
From Silicon Valley to Second City, Kathy Klotz-Guest, MA, MBA, is on a mission to help people and companies be bolder, happier, healthier and way more human. That means speaking up, braver communications, more innovation and greater well-being with humor and improvisation. A speaker, author and founder of Keeping it Human℠, she combines her 15 years of leading successful teams in tech with almost 25 years doing stand-up and improv comedy. Her book, "Stop Boring Me!," was on Inc.com's list of business must-reads and her work has been seen in places such as Thrive Global, HuffPo and Forbes. Kathy speaks, consults and performs all over the country.
https://www.keepingithuman.com/
The Lead with a dash of Play is back for season 2!
More CEOs, Executive Leaders, Researchers, Authors and Coaches on the vital role of play in the workplace.
Guest clips from: Neville Billimoria, Neel Doshi, Kathy Klotz-Guest, Jeff Harry, Ruksana Hussain, and Michelle Li.
Curiosity, compassion, innovation, and community - why is play not considered essential leadership development? Mary Hendra, Executive Leader and Founder of Move with Grace, shares thoughts on the connection between leadership and play, as well as the impetus for this podcast series. Was the podcast series “too long, didn’t listen”? This is your summary of a great season of guests exploring the tension between play and work. “When people know their core truths and live in accord with what I call their play personality, the result is always a life of incredible power and grace.” Stuart Brown, MD, author of Play. Mary Hendra Mary Hendra is an executive leader and entrepreneur bringing curiosity, creativity and compassion back into the workplace, into our civic spaces and into our opportunities for adult learning. In addition to hosting "Lead with a dash of Play," Mary creates unique cohort experiences built on stillness, creativity, and compassion - with a dash of play. Learn more about Mary's work here: https://maryhendra.com/playground/ See Mary's "play portrait" and create your own here: https://maryhendra.com/play/
What would it mean to shift from “I need to be heard” to “I know I will be seen”? Wendy Horng Brawer incorporates play in the work she does with CEOs and teams, and describes that shift in sharing the impact of play. Team alignment, DEI initiatives, navigating through failure… Wendy shows us how vital play really is in the workplace. “The opposite of play is not work - the opposite of play is depression.” Stuart Brown, MD, author of Play. Wendy Horng Brawer Senior Facilitator, Experience Designer, Inclusion Consultant and Coach, Somatic-Based Executive and Team Coach Wendy Horng Brawer brings her skills as a senior facilitator, experience designer, educator, and entrepreneur to help clients become more conscious and impactful as individuals, teams, and organizations. Wendy works interactively online and in-person with clients to navigate change by designing and facilitating healthy and appropriately provocative processes that improve decision-making, strategic planning, collaboration, and changing direction as a team. In a rapidly diversifying and complex world, Wendy moves leaders towards compassionate and inclusive practices and inspired, courageous action. She is Co-Founder of Intune Collective, a women-led consulting and executive coaching company based in the San Francisco Bay Area, and co-hosts The Business of Being Human podcast. She hosts a monthly Women of Color Empower Hour and is on the founding team of The Collective, a somatic coaching practice that works to heal and elevate the impact of BIPOC and female leaders. She holds a Masters in Educational Leadership from the University of the Pacific and Masters in Public Administration from Columbia University, School of International and Public Affairs and worked as Director of Advancement and Partnerships in K-8 education for over a decade. Learn more about Wendy’s work here http://bit.ly/wendyhbrawer (bit.ly/wendyhbrawer) and with InTune Collective http://intunecollective.com/ (intunecollective.com).
When did you last build with bricks? Paul Sanbar found a way to make playing with LEGO® his job when he became a LEGO® Serious Play® facilitator, but his roots in psychotherapy are equally foundational. Building and breaking things apart - externally and internally - that’s serious play! “Play has the power to change lives.” https://www.lego.com/en-us/build-a-world-of-play?icmp=LP-SHMBL-Standard-90th_Anniversary_MB_Large_The_value_of_play-OC-NO-IRWLZF336N (LEGO®) An Ingenuity + Executive Coach, coaching supervisor, and hands-on visual thinking facilitator, Paul Sanbar's life and career has been dedicated to the field of self-development and to effecting positive change through purposeful play, storytelling, and powerful conversations initially as a psychotherapist and now as an ICF accredited coach and certified coaching supervisor. A certified LEGO® Serious Play® methods coach and member of the MURAL Consultant Network, Paul coaches and supports individuals, groups, and teams to think and reflect not only with words but also with their eyes and hands, putting their imagination to work in both tactile and technological ways. Connect with Paul on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulsanbar/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulsanbar/)
Opt in. Mark Collard created an entire database of games for Playmeo, but key to all is the invitation to choose to participate. Once we make that choice, we enter in to a different type of connection with others. Mark Twain is said to have observed “work consists of whatever a body is obliged to do, and that play consists of whatever a body is not obliged to do.” Mark Collard is an experiential trainer, author and founder of http://playmeo.com/ (playmeo.com), a popular online platform that is best known for hosting the largest online database of group games & activities in the world. As one of Australia's most experienced and respected trainers, Mark creates simple, yet powerful workshops and resources that help people connect. He has written five top-selling books including Serious Fun and his latest No Props No Problem.
What are the stories you tell yourself? Do they serve you? Jocelyn Brady, Brain Coach, shares the importance of play in breaking you out of your own resistance. It doesn’t have to include a penguin suit, but it could. We talk about giving yourself permission for “Vitamin Play.” ”Play is the highest form of research.” Albert Einstein, nobel-prize winning Physicist. Jocelyn Brady is a writer, edutainer and professional brain jostler who thrives at the intersection of comedy, storytelling and unraveling the mysteries of the human brain. When she’s not being the Bill Nye of the brain (as the creator and host ofhttps://youtube.com/channel/UCGQAm7AlSK ( Tiny Tips), the Internet’s favorite way to Brain), Jocelyn applies her certified Brain Coaching and Tiny Habits chops to help creative visionaries play to their brains’ greatest potential. In her past life—as an award-winning copywriter, Creative Director and agency CEO—Jocelyn led narrative strategy and international storytelling training for some of the world’s biggest brands. She also produced and co-hosted Party Time, a standup comedy and storytelling show featuring talent who went on to write or perform for Conan, Colbert and Comedy Central. All while managing to keep her two cats and houseplants alive. Jocelyn’s first book, tentatively titled Your Brain is a Magical Asshat, is slated for publication next year. Jocelyn online: https://www.scribestorystudios.com/ (https://www.scribestorystudios.com/) Rewrite your BS: http://betterbrainstories.com/ (betterbrainstories.com) IG and YouTube: Jocelthem (IG https://www.instagram.com/jocelthem/ (https://www.instagram.com/jocelthem/) and Youtube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGQAm7AlSKTAyZI83f5XxaQ (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGQAm7AlSKTAyZI83f5XxaQ)) LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jocelynbrady/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jocelynbrady/)
Dave Mastronardi doesn’t consider himself a “playful” person, but he runs games for a living. We talk about the power of structure in play and why the term “play” itself is problematic. “Serious games help organizations solve complex problems through collaborative play.” Luke Hohmann, Founder and CEO of The Innovation Games Company, in the Foreword to Gamestorming, The Playbook for Innovators, Rulebreakers, and Changemakers. Dave Mastronardi helps companies rethink and reshape the way they work. As CEO of The Gamestorming Group, Dave helps you, your team and your company clarify, align and move towards your goals. Based on the book’s principles and advised by its authors, the Gamestorming Group enhances your visual and design thinking skills for communication & collaboration. https://gamestorming.com/ (https://gamestorming.com/) https://gamestorming.group (https://gamestorming.group)
Could play be as simple as solving puzzles? Bridget Quigg brings her experience with tech, marketing, and improv to support each of us recognizing our own creative genius. She shares stories of construction workers, military, tech industry and nurses engaging with play, and I make a connection to the “temporary alternative universe” identified by Priya Parker in The Art of Gathering. “When we play, we are engaged in the purest expression of our humanity, the truest expression of our individuality.” Stuart Brown, MD, author of Play. Bridget Quigg is a graduate of Stanford University and has worked at tech startups for more than 15 years. A long time improviser and comedian, Bridget believes that improvisational theater principles can help everyone feel more confident and engage better with others. She has led sessions for the Stanford Alumni Network, Microsoft, Amazon, Zillow, Socrata, The Riveter, Leading Women in Technology, Facebook, Noventis, 2A Consulting, Washington Technology Industry Association, Adobe, and more. Bridget is the author of three books on creativity and intuition. She has produced five one-woman, comedy shows and her work has been featured on NPR, in the San Francisco Chronicle, the Seattle Times, and various theater blogs. Website: http://bridgetquigg.com/ (bridgetquigg.com) Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bridgetquigg/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/bridgetquigg/) YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/bridgetquiggmedia (https://www.youtube.com/user/bridgetquiggmedia) Tik Tok: @BridgetQuigg
Could play be the most underrated leadership skill? A new podcast exploring the power of play in professional spaces, and redefining “play” in the process.