Playfulness, improv and creative thinking workshop at Giffgaff

The third Monday of every January is traditionally called Blue Monday. It is supposed to be the most depressing day of the year. In reality it is a bit of a gimmick.

Which is why Stephanie Davies and Dave Keeling were invited to speak to the Giffgaff team. Not because they are gimmicks, or because the telecoms people buy in to the Blue Monday concept or are depressed. Instead, they recognised that it was a good opportunity to provide teams with some fun and inspiration for the year ahead. And Laughology was called in to help people to set goals for 2020 and discover how to make them happen with positivity and creativity. 

The Laughology session was split into two halves. In the first hour, we concentrated on thinking differently and creating psychological safety in teams through playfulness and collaboration. Stephanie helped participants to use playfulness to expand thinking linked to their goals. Playfulness encourages open-mindedness and creative thinking.

Stephanie and Dave then helped teams to increase collaboration by using comedy improvisation. Participants learned how rules of improv can apply equally to the stage and the workplace:

• Always receive what other people give you and build on it. 
• Listen to what other people say from their perspective, rather than your own. 
• Don’t block other people’s ideas and statements. Work with them.
• Always commit fully and go with the ideas. 

After the fun and games, participants discussed how the thought exercises and activities could be used in their workplace. The session gave people the confidence to be comfortable presenting ideas that might seem abstract and fantastical. It encouraged them to accept other ideas and build on them to see where they go.

Why not try for yourself?  This simple activity stretches the brain and encourages playfulness: Think of a celebrity. Think of a household object. Now find five things they might have in common. 

The creative thought process you use when you do this fun task is the same as can be applied for problem-solving real workplace challenges.