Have some fun! How incorporating play into leadership boosts performance

Playfulness has a powerful role in the workplace and can lead to better performance, creativity, and innovation, writes Sara Sabin.

Just as children learn through play, elements of that same playful spirit can be brought into the workplace to spark fresh thinking and improved outcomes.

Children are naturally curious, constantly exploring and trying to understand the world around them – and much of that happens through play.

But as we grow older, we often lose touch with that playful mindset. We’re told to “grow up” or to “get real,” and over time, work becomes something we take very seriously – sometimes too seriously.

Yet introducing play into work can bring surprising benefits. Here are just a few:

Play activates the dopamine system in the brain

This is the neurotransmitter in the brain associated with feeling good. It is involved in the brain’s ‘reward system’, and when triggered, it can help to increase motivation.

In other words, when your motivation is lagging at work, play and laughter can help to give a much-needed reboot.

Dopamine along with endorphins – released during play  – enhance neuroplasticity, making the brain more receptive to learning and embedding new skills.

Through play you can even rewire the brain to create new neural pathways (very useful if you are looking to build new positive mindsets and habits).

Play primes learning and emotional regulation

The hippocampus is the brain’s learning and memory centre. When activated through play, it helps encode new patterns more effectively.

For example, when training is fun, people feel better, the messages stick, and they’re more likely to come back for more.

The amygdala, when triggered by a perceived threat, primes a ‘fight or flight’ response. But during play, it’s engaged in a safe environment that supports positive emotional processing.

With greater control over negative emotions, you’re better able to make objective, rational decisions – because emotional reactivity impairs the prefrontal cortex, which is the brain’s centre for analysis, decision-making, and complex planning.

Play boosts creativity

It’s common in the workplace to get stuck in certain ways of doing things. However, as the world continues to change at a rapid pace, innovation and fresh thinking will be key to standing out.

Play can help leaders and teams let go and challenge their usual ways of thinking. When fully absorbed in play, it can encourage a “flow state” – a mental state associated with optimal performance, new thinking, and breakthroughs.

I’ve spoken before about how AI has the potential downside of reducing diversity of thought and originality. With play, the opposite is true. It has the power to stimulate divergent thinking and push beyond conventional boundaries.

Incorporating play into work

So how do you bring play into the workplace?

First, outside of work, do things that are fun and playful just for the sake of it. High performers are often so focused on achieving that they forget to have fun. If you want a restful reset and a motivation boost, it’s important to spend time doing things simply because you enjoy them.

Second, wherever possible in the work environment, incorporate fun into group meetings and calls. Make meetings and training sessions interactive. Bring in elements of play. Especially when you’re trying to be innovative or solve problems creatively, approaching questions in a less serious way can encourage more original thinking.