The Future of Work is…

PLAY!

Imagine a world without play

The Play Drive

Let’s study some rat brains

Play is A

Super Food

Of behav

ior

• Physically• Emotionally• Socially• Cognitively

Physically

Emotionally

Socially• Self-handicapping• Empathy • Cooperation• Morality

Cognitively

Training for the Unexpected

Surprise!

Play…• Is intrinsically motivated• Has no obvious, immediate, practical goal• Consists of actions & thoughts in novel

combinations• Breaks rules & crosses boundaries

playful play is……accompanied by joy, lightheartedness, and spontaneity.

Homo Ludens

NeotenyThe retention of juvenile

characteristics into adulthood

Growing Young

So what happened?

• Image of polar bear and husky

“When we feel safe, we have access to neural circuits that enable us to be social and happy and playful.

- Steven Porges

Safety!

“

World as Playground

World as Proving Ground

World as Battleground

An Insecure Society

Why A Playground?• Engaged workers are the lifeblood of their

organizations and have significantly higher productivity, profitability, and customer ratings, less turnover and absenteeism, and fewer safety incidents than those in the bottom 25%.

• Companies that enhance employee satisfaction by 20% can improve financial performance by 42%.

• 52% gap in operating income between high and low-engagement companies.

• Engaged, happy employees create agile organizations.

Creativity

Innovation is…

…a creative artifact that’s useful

From Workplace to Play Space

playspace

Learning Change

Innovation

Some notable playspaces

P.L.A.Y.Some Essential Ingredients

P - presence

L- loving kindness

A –aha! (ha ha)!

Y - Yes, and!

In the beginning…

13.7 Billion years later

How does the universe evolve?

• Boundary crossing • Lots of feedback• Adaptive Variability• Redundancy • Exaptation• Self-organization

In other words…it PLAYS!

“ “The processual qualities of play: fluidity, malleability, movement, and change, along with paradox are present in, and integral to the workings of the cosmos itself. It would not be a cosmos without play!

- Stanislaus Grof

Acting our Age

Play is the exultation of the possible. – Martin Buber