In 2018, I was tasked with a challenge: to concoct a team-building activity with video games that we could pitch to corporate clients. The crowd anticipated a typical video game tournament, perhaps a bout of Madden or NBA 2K. But I aimed for something more impactful. I envisioned an experience that would enrich people’s lives.
My goal was to blend fun with science-backed teamwork lessons. Imagine the way I coached my little league team: You can’t learn baseball in a conference room. You’ve got to pick up a bat, take a swing, and feel the dirt beneath your cleats. That’s how baseball sticks – through practice. And that’s exactly what I intended to create: not just an event, but a practice field for life skills.
I became a crusader for adult playtime. Why play, you ask? I hope this book will turn you into a staunch advocate for nurturing potential through playful practice, just as I am.
For Culture Kitchen, my brainchild, the recipe was simple: Pick a game that welcomes all, make it cooperative (not cutthroat), and ensure it scales in difficulty. It’s about a growth mindset, welcoming the challenges we tend to dodge.
These ingredients – inclusion, cooperation, progression – allowed me to construct an experience akin to a batting cage for teamwork. I could group organizations into small teams to practice, struggle, and triumph together. Along the way, I’d coach them through each step, much like in baseball, with drills and techniques to enhance their performance.
I’m reminded of Maya Angelou’s wisdom: “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” This book is meant to hasten that “knowing better” through lived experience, empowering you to do better sooner.
Then came the pandemic. The early versions of my program were hitting home runs. But as remote work became the norm, the game changed. Physical spaces, believe it or not, are tailored for social interaction. Per Martin Seligman’s PERMA model, relationships are as vital to our wellbeing as happiness. With our newfound isolation, work connections grew transactional, loneliness and mental health issues spiked. We’re social creatures at heart.
This book is a toolkit to combat that isolation, structured in three parts: The Problem, A Solution, and The Toolbox. It’s about fortifying teams emotionally, fostering a sense of belonging, and boosting performance – a welcome bonus.
I’m not here to reinvent the wheel but to shine a light on familiar concepts from a fresh angle, helping you achieve better outcomes.
Part One: The Problem
We’re tackling three villains here:
- Wrong Aim – Our success obsession’s dark side.
- Wrong Channel – How technology meddles with our connections.
- Wrong Approach – Inherited tools that fizzle out in the workplace.
Understanding these villains, as Andy Grove put it, is half the battle won.
Part Two: A Solution
There’s no silver bullet, but the strategy I’ve crafted involves three core practices:
- Better Communication – The art of conversation.
- Better Cooperation – The science of influence.
- Better Collaboration – The environment for peak contribution.
Part Three: The Toolbox
Here’s the playbook: a step-by-step guide to running a cooperative video game workshop that embodies the principles from this book. It’s tested globally and ready for you to implement.
- Round 1 - First day on the job.
- Round 2 - Planning together
- Round 3 - Advanced team techniques.
This section gives you the tools, techniques, and tips to deliver a this program in variety of workshop formats from person, to hybrid, to completely online.
Summary
The essence of this book is threefold: comprehend the problem, explore a solution, and provide a practical guide to fostering teamwork through play. It’s about discovering the joy and utility of playing together and the profound impact it can have on your organization.
So, are you ready to see what’s holding us back from working better together? Let’s dive in.