Using Play to Build Stronger Relationships Within and Across Teams

One major, but often undervalued, factor in company success is the quality of both inter- and intra-team relationships with colleagues.

It’s not that we need to be best friends with everyone we meet, but we do need to cultivate enough social capital and mutual respect to ensure the work gets done. This is especially important in fields such as Product Management, that involve collaboration between very different areas of expertise and skillsets. Without a foundation of mutual understanding and respect, these differences can manifest as conflict and get in the way of successful product development.

The truth is that we feel more accountable and motivated to do better work when we like, know, and trust the people we work with. Investing a little time into fostering a positive culture within and between teams and departments pays off in dividends when deadlines pop up, or unforeseen challenges get in the way of the initial plan.

So how can we build stronger rapport at work?

This workshop will share how to use play not only to create a fun shared experience where colleagues can get to know each other outside their normal roles, but also as a tool for building trust, empathy, interdependence, and other characteristics of a healthy culture. We’ll explore a science-backed approach to play-based experiences that draws on research from psychology, education, design, behavioral economics, engineering, and more.

We’ll try out activities that:

• Catalyze new conversations to get to know new people and establish psychological safety.
• Build understanding across different expertise and experiences
• Enhance trust and accountability