Having a laugh is serious work

There's nothing better that working with a great group of people who are committed to supporting other and leading well.

But the team I worked with last week had an additional superpower...a sense of fun.

We do serious work together on leadership, strategy and performance, but this was a team who know how to bring play and levity to what they do.

It helps them to lead in a continuously complex, reactive environment where the work and the challenges keep coming. It helps them to feel part of something and binds them together to navigate significant hurdles. It brings moments of joy and energy to what might otherwise feel relentless.

Not only is it a more enjoyable and engaging environment, but it's also an effective method to improve team performance.

When there's the opportunity to have a laugh, it relieves the pressure and builds connection. It is a signal that you can be yourself and speak your mind, whether it's a joke, an idea, a question or a ask for help. Ultimately, it is evidence of trust.

Ben Crowe, famous mindset coach to CEOs and athletes such as Ash Barty and Andre Agassi, talks about the role play a lot in his work on leadership and performance. He also laments the loss of it in our workplaces.

I agree. You can be solving world hunger and enjoy the time with your team. You can be re-designing your strategy and having a laugh along the way. You can prioritise core initiatives and have a great day together.

Crowe refers to playfulness as a source of true connection and authenticity, which in turn builds great teams. Play is also the perfect way to take the pressure off by not taking yourself or others' opinions of you too seriously, no matter what the stakes are.

When we laugh, we feel good, it's memorable, it creates positive regard for each other, it forgives missteps.

Coupled with strategic intent, it can truly power performance and impact.

I think most teams would benefit from some more serious playfulness, do you agree?