From Burnout to Breakthrough: How Play Boosts Workplace Performance with Gary Ware

Welcome back to Play for Performance. In this episode, host Jolynn Ledgerwood connects with Gary Ware, founder of Breakthrough Play. With over two decades of experience at the crossroads of business, creativity, and human development, Gary is dedicated to helping professionals incorporate play into their workplaces. As a corporate facilitator, keynote speaker, and author of Playful Rebellion, he has partnered with organizations like SAP, HP, Intuit, and the United Nations to improve team dynamics and foster creativity.

Gary shares his personal journey from experiencing corporate burnout to using play as a strategy for resilience and high performance. Throughout their conversation, Jolynn and Gary examine the fundamentals of play, address common workplace skepticism, and discuss practical methods to introduce more engagement and enjoyment into daily work routines. Additionally, Gary talks about the challenges and pivotal moments that inspired him to focus his efforts on promoting play in professional environments.

If you're interested in transforming your workplace culture, building a more engaged team, and finding renewed energy at work, this episode provides actionable insights to guide you. Join us as we explore effective ways to bring play into your professional life.

Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction
00:10 - Gary Ware: Play for Workplace Success
03:40 - Improv's Impact on Public Speaking
08:48 - Career Crisis to Joyful Discovery
10:31 - "Advocating Play in Organizations"
14:40 - "Playful Rebellion: Embracing Everyday Play"
17:35 - Leadership Flaws Revealed Through Multitasking
20:17 - Growing Receptivity to New Ventures
22:36 - Awkward Conference Room Encounter
26:49 - Focusing on Engaged Teams' Momentum
30:46 - Improv Passion at Funny City
32:46 - "Flow and Play: Hand in Hand"
38:07 - Playful Meditation with Bricks
41:42 - Outro

Quotes:

"Play ignites creativity and resilience, transforming work into a space for daily breakthroughs."- Gary Ware

"Bringing play to work boosts engagement and performance, unveiling hidden potential."- Jolynn Ledgerwood

Key Takeaways:

Rediscovering Play Isn’t Just for Kids
Play Unlocks High Performance in Teams
Work and Play Are Not Opposites—They’re Partners
Play as a Rebellion Against Burnout
Meet People Where They Are—Then Invite Them to Play
The Ripple Effect of Playful Leadership
Sustaining Joy Requires Practice, Not Perfection
Follow Your Compass of Joy

Connect with Gary Ware
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garyware
Website: https://breakthroughplay.com/

Check out Gary’s book: Playful Rebellion

Connect with the Host:
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jolynnledgerwood/
Website:https://elevateyourtalent.co/

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