The Power of Play concept

This posting has been long overdue. I wanted to blog on this since we started to compose and design our Power of Play concept, but I was so busy on the ground. Maybe after reading this, people would say, ahh... nothing new. Yes, play is not new, but wait until you attend one of our team building program. You will see the new dimension in play. Most of us think of adult play as respite or indulgence, but having fun is no trivial pursuit. It is crucial to put mental creativity, health and happiness. A reality in the time-crunched, chaotic and competitive world today that somewhere along the way, “fun” seems to have become a four-letter word. Apparently, someone has decided that if employees are being spontaneous, creative, even playful, the real business at hand must not be getting accomplished.

At Power of Play, we see things a little differently. There is a growing mountain of evidence characterizing people who have fun at work as:
· more productive
· more creative
· healthier
· more motivated
· more flexible and resilient
· better able to meet job demands
· more adaptability
· better communication skill
· enthusiastic
· solution oriented

Why is ‘play’ such a wonderful learning tool
1. Involving. The best way to learn new skills is through action -- actually doing things.
2. Low Risk. Play offers participants a safe environment in which to explore, risk, try new ideas and make mistakes. Columbus was looking for India when he found America. Mistakes are simply an integral part of innovation.
3. Team Dynamics. Team play allows a group's dynamics to be examined and evaluated under controlled conditions.
4. Self-Awareness. Play gives team members the chance to view teammates in a new light. Greater awareness of ourselves, and of those around us, can dramatically improve team effectiveness.
5. Building Trust. Everyone within a group becomes more comfortable as members become familiar with teammates, sharpen their awareness of group dynamics, and begin to clearly understand where they fit in. Allowing people to work together in a play environment effectively builds trust within the team.
6. The Value of the Team. Play is an excellent tool for convincing the skeptics of teamwork's value. Fun team exercises afford skeptics the opportunity to see that sharing information and responsibilities can bring amazing results. Group play also affords participants an opportunity to discover the strong value of diversity.
7. Pleasure. The pleasure of learning through play can work wonders to revitalize a group and rebuild morale. Studies have shown that there is a direct correlation between pleasure and productivity.
8. Specific lessons. Each play delivers its own lessons, skills and experiences for participants. Many involve problem solving, while others tend to be more physical. Some are designed to enhance communication skills, with others focusing on organization. While some of these are group lessons, others are more individually targeted.

Play lift stress from us. It restores our optimism. It changes our perspective, stimulating creativity. It renews our ability to accomplish the work of the world. We are most human when we play, and just because we play. How we play is related, in myriad ways, to our core sense of self. We not only play because we are. We play the way we are. And the ways we could be. Play is our connection to pure possibilities.