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We rarely have as much time as we want these days, so for leaders who want a taste of my brilliant guests this season - or listeners who want a quick reminder of some of the ideas - here it is. Some of the themes that emerged in our discussions this season include: identity, creativity, agency, joy, and getting rid of our outdated notion of work being “serious.” Whether you're looking for individual professional development, inspiration to change the structures in your organization, or a change in the world, take a listen! And then listen to the full episode from someone who inspires you. This season's guests heard in this order: Neel Doshi, episode 5 Kathy Klotz-Guest, episode 1 Neville Billimoria, episode 6 Gary Ware, episode 11 Annette Mason, episode 12 Amy Climer, episode 4 Jay Guilford, episode 8 Jeff Harry, episode 2 Mike Ganino, episode 14 Natalie Nixon, episode 13 Ruksana Hussain, episode 3 Garry Ridge, episode 10 Michelle Li, episode 7 Van Lai DuMone, episode 9 For more about me and how I play, join my newsletter: https://maryhendra.com/mary/

It’s easy to forget that kids play to sort things out, to discover boundaries, to problem-solve. So why do we think adult play is wholly different? Mike Ganino shares ways narrative play helps us identify what is possible and inspire change - individually and systemically. And it all starts with learning to see. GUEST: Mike Ganino Mike Ganino is a storytelling + communication expert who hosts The Mike Drop Moment podcast. He’s been named a Top 10 Public Speaking Coach by Yahoo Finance, and California’s Best Speaking and Communication Coach by Corporate Vision Magazine. He is an author, former Executive Producer of TEDxCambridge and has been named a Top 30 Speaker by Global Guru. He teaches storytelling, presence, and public speaking to some of the biggest names and brands. He’s a trained actor and coach from the World Famous Second City, Improv Olympics, and Upright Citizen’s Brigade. In addition to his track record as an executive in the hotel, restaurant, retail, and tech industries, Mike’s worked with organizations like the Disney, American Century Investments, American Marketing Association, and UCLA. https://www.mikeganino.com/

Play can both build a sense of awe - a practice of wonder - and the flow of committed, rigorous thought. And that combination contributes to audacity. Natalie Nixon invites us to design our space and time for wonder, give ourselves permission to daydream, and lead our teams to play and productivity. GUEST: Natalie Nixon Natalie Nixon, PhD is the creativity whisperer for the C-Suite. She is a creativity strategist, global keynote speaker and author. As CEO of Figure 8 Thinking, LLC she advises leaders on transformation and helps them amplify growth and business value - by applying wonder and rigor.  Natalie is one of Real Leaders' "Top 50 Keynote Speakers in the World for 2022". She is the author of the award-winning The Creativity Leap: Unleash Curiosity, Improvisation and Intuition at Work - an honoree in the creativity category of Fast Company's 2021 World Changing Ideas Awards. Her firm Figure 8 Thinking, was named among the top 20 women-led innovation firms by Core 77 in 2021. Natalie is a trustee of the Smithsonian's Cooper Hewitt Design Museum; Vassar College; and Leadership+Design. She received her BA (honors) from Vassar College, and her PhD from the University of Westminster in London. She is certified as a Foresight Practitioner by the Institute for the Future. https://www.figure8thinking.com/ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/natalienixonphd/ Instagram & Twitter: @natwnixon

In pursuit of the best structure and mindset for leadership development, Annette Mason co-constructs sabbaticals. These aren’t just for those in academia. To the contrary, individuals can use sabbaticals to learn and recover; businesses can use them to create space for transition and growth. What could you do with an intentionally constructed space for curiosity, play, and learning? "Travel is never a matter of money but of courage." – Paolo Coelho GUEST: Annette Mason Annette Mason is a lifelong traveler, learner, and child of the world. Annette's inner drivers are Faith  Wholehearted Travel  Curiosity  Family  Meaningful Connection Annette is the Founder of Trilogy Design Works, a human-centered design leadership development practice. Trilogy has evolved into a leadership practice focused on Communication, Connection, and Resilience for business leaders. Leaders get to experience personal and professional growth through fun and innovative practices that include immersive experiences, co-designing sabbaticals and curated global travel via insights tours. Clients get the opportunity to support immersive learning programs for underserved youth to grow their life skills and change the trajectory of their circumstances.  https://trilogydesignworks.com/

How do you cultivate a playground of possibilities? Gary Ware found improv, and it changed the way he worked. Now he helps others incorporate play, building to a “playful rebellion” that can reshape organizational culture. “Play is the cheat code to business success, and leaders who are serious about leading need to cultivate play for themselves and their employees.” (Gary Ware, from The Playful Rebellion) GUEST: Gary Ware Gary Ware, the Founder of Breakthrough Play is a corporate facilitator, keynote speaker, certified coach, and author of the book Playful Rebellion: Maximize Workplace Success Through The Power of Play. Gary has over 14 years of experience in the corporate world holding various leadership positions. Being a multifaceted individual Gary also comes with nearly a decade of experience as a performer in improv theatre. After experiencing burnout in his pursuit for success and happiness, he realized that what was missing was play. Committing to a life of play is what led Gary to discover his passion for facilitating. Gary uses the power of applied improvisation and other playful methods to assist people in unlocking creativity, confidence, and better communication. Gary was recently featured as one of the Top 100 HR influencers of 2021 by the Engagedly HR software platform. When Gary isn't leading workshops or speaking, you can find him learning magic or off on an adventure with his wife Courtney and sons Garrett and Cameron.  BreakthroughPlay.com

Shifting our notion of “failure” to “learning moments” gives us the opportunity to be more human. Garry Ridge led the global company WD40 for 25 years, with a playful streak that is still apparent in the stories he shares and the way he talks about the company. Can you be CEO and play? “Businesses and leaders have not only the opportunity but a real responsibility to create cultures that are engaging and where people really know they are making a difference in the world.” (Garry Ridge) According to Gallup's 2022 “State of the Global Workplace” report, only 21% of employees globally are engaged, only 33% are thriving in their overall wellbeing and 44% of employees experienced a lot of stress the previous day.  GUEST: Garry Ridge Garry has 25 years of experience as Chairman and CEO of WD-40 Company, a Nasdaq-listed public Company. Garry has been with WD-40 Company since 1987 in various management positions, including executive vice president, chief operating officer, and vice president of international. He has worked directly with WD-40 Company in more than 60 countries. He is also an adjunct professor at the University of San Diego, where he teaches the principles and practices of corporate culture in the Master of Science in Executive Leadership program. Garry’s philosophy on company culture is based on Aristotle’s quote – “Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work.” Turning that into action, he believes that all leaders can create a workplace where you go to work each day, make a contribution to something bigger than yourself, learn something new, feel safe, are protected, and are provided freedom by a set of values and go home happy! He is passionate about the learning and empowering organizational culture he has helped establish at the WD-40 Company. In 2009, he co-authored a book with Ken Blanchard outlining his effective leadership techniques, titled “Helping People Win at Work: A Business Philosophy Called ‘Don’t Mark My Paper, Help Me Get an A.” A native of Australia, Mr. Ridge holds a certificate in Modern Retailing and a Master of Science in Executive Leadership from the University of San Diego. www.thelearningmoment.net

In her Tedx Talk, Van Lai-DuMone shares the story of how fueling curiosity gave birth to an $8.3 billion industry. We talk about the intersection of creativity and curiosity, as well as the power of building simultaneously and together to hear all voices and create something collaboratively. From art supplies to LEGO® bricks, Van engages corporate leaders to think with their hands. GUEST: Van Lai-DuMone Van invites clients to think with their hands and use creative tools to disrupt traditional training methods.  As the founder of worksmart, a progressive team and leadership development company; Van proposes that we are all innately curious and creative, good ideas can come from any level of an organization, and by cultivating idea sharing in the workplace through creativity, everyone has a chance to have their voice heard. And when that happens - company culture, performance, and innovation can skyrocket! She studied Psychology at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and earned her MBA from Pepperdine University. She brings over 15 years of corporate and start-up experience to game changing clients including Google, LinkedIn, and Pandora.  Van is a contributing writer at Thrive Global, a Fast Company Executive Board Member, and TEDx Speaker. https://www.worksmartadvantage.com/

What if we didn’t call it “play”? Jay Guilford has been guiding the growth of leadership and teams for over 20 years. And yet, like so many before me, I was first curious about his roots in the circus. Does “play” have a branding problem? We talk about play in the DEI space as well as the legacy of the circus. GUEST: Jay Guilford Jay Guilford once worked with a bunch of clowns. Literally. Long ago in a land far far away, Jay  ran away with Cirque du Soleil. There, Jay created Cirque’s corporate training program – SPARK. With SPARK, Jay strapped executives into apparatuses and flew them high across Cirque du Soleil theaters and training facilities. These “playful” activities helped groups experience trust, teamwork, and healthy risk taking in new and innovative ways.   Currently, as founder and managing partner of his own leadership consultancy – CoWorks – Jay  infuses elements of play in his training activities. In 2023, CoWorks will launch a series of play based teambuilding sessions called ARTWRK. With ARTWRK, groups will learn and experience  collaboration, communication, and trust through performing arts. ARTWRK sessions will be  facilitated by Jay and other Fortune 500 trainers. ARTWRK activities will be taught by performers from Marvel, Broadway, Cirque du Soleil, and STOMP.   Jay has over a decade of experience in leadership and team building. He has designed and  delivered training sessions for Google, Uber, Microsoft, Mastercard, The Empire State Building,  Procter & Gamble, Kmart Australia, SwissLife, Club Med Punta Cana, SABMiller Brewery Latin  America and other companies.   Jay holds a BA from Emory University and an MA from Columbia University. www.coworkslead.com

Is there a place for playfulness within the very serious issues of our day? Michelle Li identifies it as critical. When creating Clever Carbon, Michelle deliberately developed a cheeky, hip, playful tone to the teaching of climate footprint. Creating joyful spaces of learning may be a different approach than many in the climate industry, but it just may help us adopt new habits. GUEST: Michelle Li Michelle is the founder of clever carbon. She launched her career in Silicon Valley where she worked for some of the biggest names in tech including Salesforce and DocuSign. A proponent for making sustainability the new norm, Michelle founded clever carbon to help teach people about carbon footprint in a hip, fun, and relatable way. She is a TEDx and SXSW 2022 speaker on the topic of carbon literacy and believes that a carbon literate society is one where transparency and accountability will flourish and one worth striving for.  Michelle started Women and Climate NYC, a community for women interested in learning and talking about climate. Links Carbon Footprint Team Building Take the 2 min carbon footprint quiz COP27: https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/cop27 

Can play help us collectively build an innovative economy? Neville Billimoria, SVP for Mission Federal Credit Union, shares the ways play supports his creativity and well-being. In the process, we see how play can be a pattern interrupt, a useful intentional disruption when something is not working - whether that is a meeting at work or a bigger initiative. GUEST: Neville Billimoria Neville Billimoria is an effective communications and values leader, growing organizations through external marketing, media, and sales effectiveness, as well as internal organizational alignment, corporate communications, and leadership development. He brings experience, energy, and empowerment to his leadership role as SVP Membership/Marketing and Chief Advocacy Officer at Mission Federal Credit Union, a $5.5B not-for-profit, and the largest financial services organization exclusively serving San Diego, where he has accountability for a strategic array of crucial outward facing functions for 20 years including marketing, community relations, corporate giving as well as promoting Mission Fed’s public image and brand. Mission Fed received Consumer Reports highest rating for all national banks or credit unions in 2015 and 2018, the BBB Torch Awards for Ethics in 2015 and 2017, Forbes rating as one of the best State Credit Unions and highest ranked local credit union in 2018 and best in the state in 2019, the Union Tribune’s Top Workplace Award for 2020 and the highest ranked local credit union on the Forbes America’s Best Credit Unions for 2022. After graduating from UC San Diego, Neville has remained involved on the UCSD Alumni Board since 2008, as well as teaching martial arts, yoga, and meditation on campus for the last 40 years. Other current Board service includes the North County Philanthropic Council Executive Committee, Real World Scholars Board, and was recently appointment to the Girl Scouts San Diego Board. Prior board and volunteer service includes serving on the Ackerman Foundation Board, the Alliance 4 Empowerment Board, AFP- National Philanthropy Day Honorary Committee, Mission Fed Community Foundation Secretary, San Diego Nonprofit Association Board, Cause Conference Co-Chair 3 times, Advisor to the Conscious Capitalism SD Board & Founder of the Chamber of Purpose SD. He is a frequent speaker on topics including brand as culture, purpose-driven leadership, social capital optimization and civic engagement for maximum impact.

In the research and the book he co-authored (Primed to Perform), Neel Doshi identifies play as the number one motivating factor for performance. He argues that we need to change how we motivate performance. We discuss how forward-looking CEOs are restructuring, the not-so-distant future of our jobs, and ways to make team leadership at any level fun. “Curiosity and experimentation are at the heart of play.  People intrinsically enjoy learning and adapting. We instinctively seek out opportunities to play.” (Primed to Perform) GUEST: Neel Doshi Neel is the co-founder of Vega Factor and co-author of NY Times and Wall Street Journal Bestseller Primed to Perform, published in October 2015 by Harper Collins. Previously, Neel was a Partner at McKinsey & Company, CTO and founding member of an award-winning tech startup, and employee of several mega-institutions. He studied engineering at MIT and received his MBA from Wharton. In his spare time, he's an avid yet mediocre woodworker and photographer. Vega Factor is a company building technology to help organizations of all sizes and in any sector transform their culture and achieve the highest levels of performance. Learn more here: vegafactor.com Primed To Perform introduces the counterintuitive science behind legendary cultures the likes of Southwest Airlines and Starbucks. Learn more here: bit.ly/PrimedToPerform

What can happen when we remember that creativity is a process? Amy Climer studies and teaches creativity, including how to lead in a way that explicitly supports creativity and the creative process. Hear what Sir Ernest Shackleton understood about leadership, how imagery can unlock better connections, and what nobel prize winners do that the rest of us can emulate. GUEST: Amy Climer Dr. Amy Climer teaches teams and organizations how to increase their creativity so they can maximize innovation. She works with forward-thinking organizations such as the Mayo Clinic, Stanford University, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Her clients describe her as approachable, inspiring, and transformative. She has a Ph.D. in Leadership and Change from Antioch University. She developed the Deliberate Creative™ Teams Scale to help teams understand how to increase their creativity. Amy is also the host of The Deliberate Creative™ Podcast where she shares practical advice and strategies to help leaders build innovative teams. She lives in Asheville, NC. When not working, she’s often whitewater canoeing or building something in her wood shop. Websites: climerconsulting.com and climercards.com FB: https://www.facebook.com/climerconsulting LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyclimer/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/amyclimer/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/amyclimer YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/amyclimer

Ruksana Hussain brings together the play personalities of explorer and storyteller in her work as a travel journalist, publisher, and speaker. Seeing the world with a mindset of “wow,” keeping open to learning something new even in her home town and from people she meets with regularly, starting the day with a crossword puzzle - Ruksana has a lot to teach us all about the place of play in “work.” “Generally speaking, play is something that’s imaginative, self-directed, intrinsically motivated and guided by rules that leave room for creativity.” Kristin Wong, New York Times How Do You Add Play To Grown-Up Life - Even Now - NY Times GUEST: Ruksana Hussain Ruksana Hussain is an award-winning journalist with more than 20 years of experience working with national and international print and digital media as a magazine editor and features writer. She has contributed to publications covering diverse beats and topics, including but not limited to lifestyle, travel, cuisine, culture, business, wellness, and more. She has received recognition for her journalistic work from the Society of American Travel Writers, North American Travel Journalists Association, and the Los Angeles Press Club. She is also the recipient of diversity fellowships from the ACES The Society for Editing and the American Society of Business Publication Editors. In 2022, her travel magazine—Traveler and Tourist—was named one of 13 new journalism and media projects to watch.  Blog: www.travelerandtourist.com Portfolio: www.ruksanawrites.com Magazine: Subscribe​ (Now generously funded by ICFJ/NAHJ)​

Want to foster a creative, innovative environment? Jeff Harry describes the essential nature of play in order to create psychological safety. In the process he argues that the world needs to stop the model of leadership which stemmed from toxic masculinity, instead embracing the divine feminine and a healthy blend of masculine and feminine leadership. “You’ll find the future where people are having the most fun.” Kevin Carroll GUEST: Jeff Harry Jeff Harry combines positive psychology and play to heal workplaces, help teams build psychological safety and assist individuals in addressing their biggest challenges by embracing a play-oriented approach to work.  Jeff was selected by BambooHR & Engagedly as one of the Top 100 HR Influencers and has been featured in the NY Times, Mashable, Upworthy, Shondaland, & Wired.  Jeff has worked with Google, Microsoft, Southwest Airlines, Adobe, the NFL, Amazon, and Facebook, helping their staff to infuse more play into the day-to-day.  Over the past 15 years of facilitation and speaking, Jeff’s main goal has been to help work suck less by assisting leaders in building a playground workplace atmosphere that motivates their staff to do their most vibrant work. Website: RediscoverYourPlay.com Podcast: What Would Ted Lasso Do Podcast Instagram: @jeffharryplays TikTok: @jeffharryplays Twitter: @jeffharryplays LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffharryplays Medium: @jeffharryplays YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/jeffharryplays

As a rare woman leader in tech, Kathy Klotz-Guest had to deliberately choose joy. Told many times to be more serious, to change the way she dressed, to lead differently, Kathy chose instead to forge her own path in leadership, and now she teaches others how to grow in owning their identity and joy in order to bring more authenticity into their leadership. GUEST: Kathy Klotz-Guest From Silicon Valley to Second City, Kathy Klotz-Guest, MA, MBA, is on a mission to help people and companies be bolder, happier, healthier and way more human. That means speaking up, braver communications, more innovation and greater well-being with humor and improvisation. A speaker, author and founder of Keeping it Human℠, she combines her 15 years of leading successful teams in tech with almost 25 years doing stand-up and improv comedy. Her book, "Stop Boring Me!," was on Inc.com's list of business must-reads and her work has been seen in places such as Thrive Global, HuffPo and Forbes. Kathy speaks, consults and performs all over the country. https://www.keepingithuman.com/

The Lead with a dash of Play is back for season 2! More CEOs, Executive Leaders, Researchers, Authors and Coaches on the vital role of play in the workplace. Guest clips from: Neville Billimoria, Neel Doshi, Kathy Klotz-Guest, Jeff Harry, Ruksana Hussain, and Michelle Li.

Curiosity, compassion, innovation, and community - why is play not considered essential leadership development? Mary Hendra, Executive Leader and Founder of Move with Grace, shares thoughts on the connection between leadership and play, as well as the impetus for this podcast series. Was the podcast series “too long, didn’t listen”? This is your summary of a great season of guests exploring the tension between play and work. “When people know their core truths and live in accord with what I call their play personality, the result is always a life of incredible power and grace.” Stuart Brown, MD, author of Play. Mary Hendra Mary Hendra is an executive leader and entrepreneur bringing curiosity, creativity and compassion back into the workplace, into our civic spaces and into our opportunities for adult learning. In addition to hosting "Lead with a dash of Play," Mary creates unique cohort experiences built on stillness, creativity, and compassion - with a dash of play. Learn more about Mary's work here: https://maryhendra.com/playground/ See Mary's "play portrait" and create your own here: https://maryhendra.com/play/

What would it mean to shift from “I need to be heard” to “I know I will be seen”? Wendy Horng Brawer incorporates play in the work she does with CEOs and teams, and describes that shift in sharing the impact of play. Team alignment, DEI initiatives, navigating through failure… Wendy shows us how vital play really is in the workplace. “The opposite of play is not work - the opposite of play is depression.” Stuart Brown, MD, author of Play. Wendy Horng Brawer Senior Facilitator, Experience Designer, Inclusion Consultant and Coach, Somatic-Based Executive and Team Coach Wendy Horng Brawer brings her skills as a senior facilitator, experience designer, educator, and entrepreneur to help clients become more conscious and impactful as individuals, teams, and organizations. Wendy works interactively online and in-person with clients to navigate change by designing and facilitating healthy and appropriately provocative processes that improve decision-making, strategic planning, collaboration, and changing direction as a team. In a rapidly diversifying and complex world, Wendy moves leaders towards compassionate and inclusive practices and inspired, courageous action. She is Co-Founder of Intune Collective, a women-led consulting and executive coaching company based in the San Francisco Bay Area, and co-hosts The Business of Being Human podcast. She hosts a monthly Women of Color Empower Hour and is on the founding team of The Collective, a somatic coaching practice that works to heal and elevate the impact of BIPOC and female leaders. She holds a Masters in Educational Leadership from the University of the Pacific and Masters in Public Administration from Columbia University, School of International and Public Affairs and worked as Director of Advancement and Partnerships in K-8 education for over a decade. Learn more about Wendy’s work here bit.ly/wendyhbrawer and with InTune Collective intunecollective.com. 

When did you last build with bricks? Paul Sanbar found a way to make playing with LEGO® his job when he became a LEGO® Serious Play® facilitator, but his roots in psychotherapy are equally foundational. Building and breaking things apart - externally and internally - that’s serious play! “Play has the power to change lives.” LEGO® An Ingenuity + Executive Coach, coaching supervisor, and hands-on visual thinking facilitator, Paul Sanbar's life and career has been dedicated to the field of self-development and to effecting positive change through purposeful play, storytelling, and powerful conversations initially as a psychotherapist and now as an ICF accredited coach and certified coaching supervisor. A certified LEGO® Serious Play® methods coach and member of the MURAL Consultant Network, Paul coaches and supports individuals, groups, and teams to think and reflect not only with words but also with their eyes and hands, putting their imagination to work in both tactile and technological ways. Connect with Paul on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulsanbar/

Opt in. Mark Collard created an entire database of games for Playmeo, but key to all is the invitation to choose to participate. Once we make that choice, we enter in to a different type of connection with others. Mark Twain is said to have observed “work consists of whatever a body is obliged to do, and that play consists of whatever a body is not obliged to do.”  Mark Collard is an experiential trainer, author and founder of playmeo.com, a popular online platform that is best known for hosting the largest online database of group games & activities in the world. As one of Australia's most experienced and respected trainers, Mark creates simple, yet powerful workshops and resources that help people connect. He has written five top-selling books including Serious Fun and his latest No Props No Problem.