What does playfulness mean as a core value?
Playfulness as a core value means bringing a light, experimental spirit to work and life, trying things to see what happens and helping people think more freely.
For you, playfulness is an attitude you can bring to almost anything. You like to poke at things: try the idea the wrong way round, sketch the ridiculous version first, invent a game on a long car journey. It comes from a belief that people often think better when they’re allowed to be a little silly, and that very little is lost by trying. Rigid, high-stakes places where every move is judged can feel as though they squeeze the life out of you.
What does playfulness look like in practice?
- You suggest trying a rough prototype before anyone has written the plan.
- You make up games and challenges with the children in your life.
- You throw a deliberately wild option into a brainstorm to loosen everyone up.
- You change the format of a stale meeting just to see what happens.
- You treat mistakes in a new hobby as part of the fun.
When is playfulness overplayed?
Too much play can look like not caring. Others may read your experiments as a lack of commitment, or find it hard to know when you’re being serious. You can also keep things in permanent draft, playing with options when a decision is needed. The grounded version knows when the sandbox closes: play to explore, then commit. If people often ask whether you’re joking, you could try saying out loud when you’re switching from playing to deciding.
Often confused with
Playfulness vs Fun
Fun is about the experience being enjoyable. Playfulness is an approach: trying things to see what happens, which you can bring to serious work that isn’t much fun at all.
Playfulness vs Curiosity
Curiosity wants to know how something works. Playfulness wants to mess about with it, turn it upside down and find out what else it could be.
Playfulness vs Spontaneity
Spontaneity is acting in the moment without a plan. Playfulness can be quite deliberate: you can plan an experiment and still hold it lightly.
Questions to sit with
- Where in your work would a bit more experimenting help, and what’s stopping you?
- When has your playfulness left someone unsure whether you were taking them seriously?
- What did you love doing as a child just to see what would happen, and where does that show up now?
More values in Joy
Delight, lightness and enthusiasm for life.
About the author
Matt Rutherford is a Career and Leadership Coach. The Values Finder is the same exercise he uses with his coaching clients. He also writes Stuff that MattRs, a weekly newsletter with practical ideas to help you think clearer and work better.
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