The Power of Play E-Book

George Kesselman

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Fachliteratur
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 228

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023

Beschreibung

Level-up employee productivity, creativity, and inspiration at your workplace In The Power of Play: The Game Design Approach to Transforming Employee Engagement, the Managing Director for Willow Ventures --a global insurance innovation leader--George Kesselman, delivers a one-of-a-kind and exciting take on employee productivity and engagement. He dives deep into increasing divergence between work and how we approach motivation, and moving beyond the gamification of work, exploring the motivational and behavioural elements behind the "fun" kind of problem solving we find in games and showing you how to apply them to your workplace. In the book, you'll discover how to apply the principles of game design to the professional environment so you can realize higher levels of motivation, productivity, and creativity from your teams. You'll also find: * Strategies to make your workplace more enjoyable and improve talent recruitment and retention * Practical insights into tapping into your employees' intrinsic motivations to create a more satisfying work experience * Discussions of how to identify core motivations, combine them with clever design, and help your employees achieve "flow states" of extraordinary productivity Perfect for managers, executives, directors, entrepreneurs, founders, and other business leaders, The Power of Play is also a can't-miss resource for human resources and other people professionals seeking effective strategies to retain, motivate, and inspire their team members.

Leseprobe

TABLE OF CONTENTS

COVER

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE

COPYRIGHT

DEDICATION

PREFACE

INTRODUCTION: LET'S PRESS START

The Structure of the Book

Notes

PART I: WORK‐OFF: THE BRIEF HISTORY OF WORK AND A SNEAK PEEK INSIDE OUR HEADS

CHAPTER 1: TRAPPED IN THE CYCLE: THE WOES OF ENFORCED GAMIFICATION

The demotivators: unlocking engagement and fulfillment

Summary

Notes

CHAPTER 2: THE JOURNEY TO WORK 1.0

The legacy of work: from hours to money

Understanding the history of work

The link between time and money

How did we get there?

Exploring the history of work

Notes

CHAPTER 3: THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION: HELLO, WORK 2.0

Work 2.0: The impact of the industrial revolution

Lifetime employment

Total Quality Management (TQM)

Six Sigma

Summary

Notes

CHAPTER 4: WORK 2.5 AND GETTING STUCK

The post‐industrial revolution

New ways of working

Notes

CHAPTER 5: WORK 3.0: THE INTERNET WORK REVOLUTION

AI coming after our work

Generation XYZ

Summary

Note

PART II: WHO SAID IT CAN'T BE ALL FUN AND GAMES?

CHAPTER 6: DESIGNING FUN: THE MAGIC OF GAMES

Notes

CHAPTER 7: GAMES GIVE US A RAY OF HOPE

Needs: the intersection of intrinsic motivations and the changing nature of work

Summary

Notes

CHAPTER 8: GAME TIME, GAME TYPE

Discovering work suitability through games

The Achiever

The Explorer

The Socializer

The Challenger

The Hybrid

Motivation profiles of gamers

Behind our choices of games

Unveiling the mystery of team games and teamwork

Unveiling the intricacies of gambling and its motivational aspects

Notes

PART III: THE SCIENCE OF MOTIVATION

CHAPTER 9: MOTIVATIONS

Why did we choose money as the primary motivator for work?

Getting in the zone: exploring the power of flow in work and games

Riding the waves of accomplishment: the science behind satisfaction and achievement

Unveiling the brain's motivational machinery

Unleashing the power of intrinsic motivation

Motivation

Intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivations

Priming

Punishment vs. reward: unraveling motivational complexities

Notes

CHAPTER 10: FORCED MINDFULNESS: WHY IT REMOVES THE POWER OF FREEDOM AND CHOICE IN ENJOYMENT

The nature of active engagement and intrinsic motivation

Harnessing the power of OKRs and meaningful goals

Embracing funny failure in games and work

Summary

PART IV: THE INTERSECTION BETWEEN GAMES AND WORK

CHAPTER 11: HOW WE LEARN

Free schools

Challenging the dichotomy

Priming Work

Infinite games

Applying game development principles to work

Summary

Notes

CHAPTER 12: EMBRACING OPEN SOURCE: UNLEASHING THE POWER OF COLLABORATION

Open source and work

CHAPTER 13: ESPORTS WORK: BLURRING THE LINES BETWEEN PLAY AND PROFESSION

How esports relate to the world of work

Summary

PART V: LEVEL‐UP WORK

CHAPTER 14: LEVEL 1 SKILLS: BREAKING FREE FROM THE SKILLS TRAP

What is a better predictor of success when matching people to work?

Probability of low compatibility and bad fit

Types of roles and suitable game types

CHAPTER 15: LEVEL 2 SKILLS: TESTING

Note

CHAPTER 16: LEVEL 3 SKILLS: AND THE FUTURE OF WORK IS…

DAO: revolutionizing collaboration and governance

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ABOUT THE BOOK

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

INDEX

END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT

Guide

Cover Page

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Preface

Introduction: Let's Press Start

Table of Contents

Begin Reading

About the Author

About the Book

Acknowledgments

Index

Wiley End User License Agreement

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THE POWER OF PLAY

THE GAME DESIGN APPROACH TO TRANSFORMING EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT

GEORGE KESSELMAN

This edition first published 2024

George Kesselman © 2024

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The right of George Kesselman to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with law.

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ISBN 9781394228010 (Hardback)

ISBN 9781394230761 (ePDF)

ISBN 9781394230754 (ePub)

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Cover Image: © Vasyl Onyskiv/AdobeStock

Author Photo: Courtesy of the Author

This book is lovingly dedicated to my extraordinary wife, who, against all odds, continues to stand by my side, championing my seemingly wild ideas, even when they steer beyond her expectations.

To my children, who occasionally yearn for more shared moments with their dad, yet never cease to show understanding and patience toward my pursuits.

And to my father, who fostered my growth, providing me with the time and space to evolve, and tirelessly shielded me from life's many adversities.

You are the lights guiding my path, the pillars of strength that fuel my endeavors. You inspire me to stretch my boundaries, to continually strive for more.

With my utmost gratitude.

PREFACE

Have you ever plunged into the immersive world of a video game, only to re‐emerge and find that time has run away from you? Hours evaporated into thin air, daylight surrendered to the velvet cloak of the night, and all while you remained lost in your virtual reality. You were in the zone, fully and utterly captivated by the mission at hand.

Games are more than mere distractions or sources of entertainment. Their allure resides in the carefully orchestrated elements that resonate with our intrinsic motivations—challenge, mastery, exploration, and connection.

The exhilaration that swells in your chest when you conquer a level, the satisfaction humming in your veins when you decode a particularly tricky puzzle, or the warmth spreading through you when you collaborate with your fellow players—all of these feelings spring from a well‐designed game.

Now, consider your work. Is it as enthralling as a game? Do you feel that same exhilaration, satisfaction, and warmth? Or has the word “work” become synonymous with monotony and dread? This contrast between our experiences of work and gaming is not inevitable—it is the product of design.

Work, much like a game, can be engineered to be fun and inspiring, if it appeals to our core motivations. If we could draw inspiration from the same playbook that game designers have mastered, we could transform our workplaces into arenas that foster the same kind of engagement, satisfaction, and productivity.

This book is an exploration into that possibility. It serves as a beacon to guide us out of the age‐old paradigms of work, and into a future where work does not just coexist with fun—it becomes fun. It aims to unravel the secret behind the appeal of games and to present a practical, actionable strategy to inject that same appeal into the fabric of work. Together, we'll delve into the gaming philosophies that could form the blueprint for the future of work. Welcome, Player One. It's time to reimagine work.

INTRODUCTION: LET'S PRESS START

There's a sobering reality that we all have to face: we spend a staggering 90,000 hours of our lives at work, according to some estimates.1 Yet, we're far from content, with dissatisfaction echoing in our cubicles, Zoom calls, and home offices. You and I, the chances are, part of the same majority—the 80% who report feeling disengaged, even despondent, at work. This unhappiness doesn't remain confined within the boundaries of our 9 to 5, it seeps into every corner of our lives.

A 2022 Gallup study provided a stark picture: a mere 21% of employees worldwide feel truly engaged in their work.2 This statistic underscores an urgent imperative to rethink not just where work happens, but how. These trends have been on an upward trajectory, and like a merciless tide, the COVID‐19 pandemic swept in, further exposing and accelerating them.

If you're among the fortunate few who feel joyful and engaged at work, consider yourself lucky. But even then, this book will serve as a valuable roadmap to understand why the majority of your colleagues and teammates bear such an oppressive burden when it comes to work. It will provide insights into how we can elevate the work experience, starting with a few simple tweaks.

In today's world, it seems almost universal to assume that work is, by its very nature, a grind—something tedious, daunting, and often, downright dreadful. The paycheck at the end of the month seems like compensation for the daily toll of monotony and disenchantment we endure. It is as though we are marching on an endless treadmill, driven by the ceaseless narrative that this is simply how work “works.”

So why, then, have 34% of American adults—the equivalent of 56.4 million people—awakened to the allure of side gigs, a figure that has nearly quadrupled over the course of just three years since the pre‐COVID era? What is behind this seismic shift, and how did it come to be?

But here is the real question: What if we've been looking at work through the wrong lens all along? What if our collective understanding of work is flawed, and there exists a more fulfilling, engaging way to labor? And what if this fresh perspective on work could lead us to a more rewarding life today, rather than perpetually deferring our happiness to a distant, elusive retirement, be it early or at the conventional age?

A question flickered insistently in my mind like a neon sign as I gazed blankly at the relentless cascade of emails on my laptop screen one Monday afternoon in January 2022. A deluge of urgent requests from clients, teams, and partners, the digital embodiment of my role as the Chief Commercial Officer of a fast‐growing Asian unicorn, a startup boasting an exclusive billion‐dollar valuation club membership. I had scaled the peak of my second career pinnacle, yet, ironically, I was not “loving it”—a phrase conspicuously missing from my work‐life lexicon, contrary to the promise of the myriad career guides and corporate propaganda.

Theoretically, I had all the makings of a successful career—a comfortable salary, a prestigious title, and substantial responsibilities. But instead of experiencing the promised euphoria, I found myself submerged in a quagmire of dread and dissatisfaction. Was I wired differently, an anomaly, a statistical outlier in the distribution of work‐related happiness? Or was this dissatisfaction indicative of a more fundamental, systemic issue?

Having wrapped up another indistinguishable day of work, I decided to embark on a lengthy, reflective walk. It was not just an ordinary stroll; it was a journey through the labyrinth of my thoughts, an introspective quest for clarity. Such walks had always proved therapeutic when I found myself standing at the crossroads.

My thoughts journeyed back a few years when, as one of the youngest country Chief Operating Officers at an American Insurance Group, I managed a formidable team of over 150 finance and operations professionals across Indonesia and Malaysia. In retrospect, it was evident that I had navigated various forms of work: first, as a student, then as a young professional in Canadian startups, and now, as a key executive in a prominent organization.

A considerable chunk of this work was repetitive, unenjoyable, and at times, utterly pointless. Yet, it was all packaged under the premise that such work was the path to success—a nebulous concept that often amounted to a fat bank balance and ample free time to revel in luxury. This promised oasis of success always seemed just a step away, yet the gap seemed eternal.

Post‐reflection, the monotonous grind of the workweek appeared even more baffling. The 40‐hour routine seemed an outdated vestige from the industrial revolution era, an inefficient relic of the past. And so, I headed home, my mind teeming with these unresolved thoughts over a hastily consumed dinner.

With my intellectual progress at an impasse, I turned to an alternate universe for solace. My PlayStation beckoned, and I plunged into the exhilarating chaos of Grand Theft Auto. As I embarked on my next challenging mission, I found myself engrossed in the game, my mind electrified. Four hours of virtual adventure later, I was ready to retire for the night. However, a thought flickered in the recesses of my mind: could the answer to my existential question about work lie within the realm of these games?

Unbeknownst to me then, the answer to my career conundrum was lurking in a realm far removed from work. It was a surprising revelation, one that patiently awaited my acknowledgment.

The idea of this book began a decade ago. I had been gradually amassing notes, ideas, and insights through endless conversations with executives, academics, designers, and employees from various industries. Recently, the intensity escalated, and the thesis for this book began to crystallize. The pages of this book are an aggregation of knowledge, research, and insights sourced from North America, Asia, and Europe.

Whether you are a seasoned executive nearing retirement and yearning for meaningful engagement or a fresh graduate trying to decipher the seemingly cryptic work culture, or a mid‐career professional questioning the promises of the work world, this book is for you. I hope it answers your queries, sparks curiosity, and provides reassurance that the light at the end of the tunnel is not an oncoming train.

Most importantly, I hope it offers solace to those who have silently contemplated joining the ranks of the “Quietly Quitting.” There is, indeed, a better way to work, and together, we'll navigate toward it.

It's easy to feel disillusioned after reading countless advice books and attending expensive seminars that promise enlightenment but offer no tangible solutions. As I penned this book, I was committed to focusing on the two ‘W’s—WHY and SO‐WHAT—with the aim of offering meaningful insights and practical advice to transform your work environment into a more engaging, fun‐filled space.

Speaking of fun, do you know what the favorite game of the co‐creator of the blockchain concept was? A strange question, perhaps, to pose in a book about work. After all, games and work are generally considered diametrically opposed; games being associated with fun and leisure, while work often equates to the less enjoyable aspects of life. However, there's a surprise waiting in the wings. An unexpected connection between games and work that might just unlock a key to revolutionizing our workspaces.

The co‐creator of blockchain found inspiration in a game that led to a technology revolution. Is it possible, then, that our beloved games could unlock a better understanding of our brains and offer a fresh perspective on the outdated narrative of work that we've been adhering to for far too long?

In this book, we will delve into the universal appeal of games and make a surprising revelation: The elements of game design can be applied to work, making it more enjoyable and motivating. Through detailed case studies, interviews with industry pioneers, and research‐backed principles, we'll explore how incorporating game design elements can contribute to a work culture of engagement and satisfaction.

Games have always been an integral part of my life. As I grew older, however, societal expectations resulted in an undue guilt associated with gaming. Time spent playing games felt unproductive when it could have been spent working toward financial security and retirement. Games were leisurely Sunday hikes, work was the Monday morning grind. It felt like two separate realms, never meant to intertwine.

Yet, games have a way of immersing us in exciting new worlds, often bringing us closer to friends or allowing us to embark on exhilarating solo adventures. What may seem like mere fun and games hides a deeper secret. The very essence of games, the engagement, challenge, and fun they provide, can be applied to transform the drudgery of work into an enjoyable, fulfilling experience.

By diving into the science of games, we discover that their appeal isn't merely for relaxation. Games stimulate enjoyment, learning, problem‐solving, and so much more. They span ages, countries, and backgrounds, and take myriad forms from board games to video games.

You may rightly ask: hasn't this been attempted before? The gamification of work and school, that fell short of expectations. Indeed, the past has seen efforts at gamifying work environments that did not deliver the desired results. But it is precisely these past attempts that provide us valuable insights into what works and what doesn't.

This book aims to uncover the essence of games that makes them so captivating and explores how we can integrate this essence into work, while leaving behind the superficial elements. With a fresh perspective, we are better equipped to understand past attempts and why they may have fallen short.

As I worked on this book, the rapidly evolving world of work became even more evident, especially with the emergence of the next generation of intelligent technologies like Generative AI. The world was both awed and alarmed by the capacity of this AI to perform tasks previously thought exclusive to humans, reigniting fears of an AI‐driven future where human jobs become obsolete. This reinforces the urgent need to rethink and reimagine our workspaces.

Work is changing; undergoing a process of “unbundling” as the venture capital industry calls it. Will it happen immediately? Not likely. However, the ways we conduct work over the next two decades will be starkly different from how we have been operating in the past. This transformation will break the stagnation in work efficiency that has plagued us for the last century, bringing about a better working environment for us all.

Throughout this book, we will aim to understand each other better, while also exploring the fascinating world of games—their captivating allure, their challenging nature, and the intriguing fact that we need no compensation to enjoy them.

Did you know that, on average, people around the world spend around 8.5 hours a week playing games? From Singapore to San Francisco, we dedicate nearly a day every week to this enjoyable form of problem‐solving. While games are diverse and seemingly endless, they can be categorized into a few types that align with our deep‐rooted motivations.

I have always been intrigued by large‐scale problems in our environment. They feel like exciting challenges to be solved, similar to games. However, the most complex problems often blend into the backdrop of our lives, becoming nearly invisible as we grow accustomed to their existence. These issues, often overlooked and unaddressed, accumulate over time, leading to substantial challenges. My experience in tackling these challenges at both company and industry levels, along with my curiosity, have given me unique perspectives that I am eager to share with you.

My professional journey has taken me around the world, through various roles in the technology and financial services sectors, eventually leading me to start my own venture, which we successfully sold. My roles have granted me close access to the heart of the action, managing large teams across countries and handling complex office work in support of hundreds of thousands of customers in Indonesia.

The COVID‐19 pandemic and its subsequent impact on work have been the catalyst for this book. As we began to recover from the pandemic's effects, it became clear that our approach to work had been fundamentally disrupted. This shift, coupled with newfound freedoms and pressures, has initiated a revolution in how we work.

Having worked with people across various industries and organizational levels, it is evident that the majority of individuals feel disengaged and find work unenjoyable. Traditional thinking has conditioned us to endure this cycle of school and work, collecting societal badges of success, all in the hope of a blissful retirement after 65. However, this narrative is outdated and far from ideal.

Interestingly, our brains are hardwired to enjoy problem‐solving and challenges. Some of us thrive in collaborative, bustling environments, while others prefer solitary, quiet spaces. This fact opens up promising possibilities for creating a deeply enjoyable work environment.

Sadly, recent global surveys indicate that only 1 in 10 people in developing countries find their work enjoyable, while the rest feel disengaged.3 If you're among the fortunate few who enjoy work, this book will offer insights into why you have a positive experience when those around you don't. For the majority who find work stressful and unfulfilling, we'll investigate why work feels so daunting and how we can improve our individual and collective experiences.

While writing and doing research for this book, I often asked people the question: “Does work drain you?” The majority responded with a knowing smile, signaling their shared experience of burnout and its adverse effects, often leading to long‐term emotional trauma.

We stand on the brink of a work revolution, promising increased enjoyment, motivation, and engagement, all made possible by the power of game design. This book is an invitation to explore why games are universally loved and how we can apply game design principles to transform our work environment.

In the spirit of best‐selling author and a leading authority on motivation, Adam Grant's words, “Let's work together to make work better!” as we embark on this journey. Let's reimagine work, rescue it from the brink of boredom and inefficiency, and strive to create something meaningful and enjoyable. We contemplate how game design principles can inspire a work environment where everyone feels motivated, engaged, and connected. The journey won't be easy, but the destination will be worth it. Let this book be your guide.

There is a better way. It's already happening in pockets of work worldwide, and we are on the verge of a significant shift in how we work. This change will fundamentally alter work's DNA, taking us to a happier place where work accounts for a major part of our lives.

The Structure of the Book

Here's a brief summary to give a glimpse of our upcoming journey together:

Part I

Work Off:

This introduces the concept of work as a contrast to games.

Chapter 1

Trapped in the Cycle: The Woes of Enforced Gamification:

Our journey begins with an exploration of how we became entrapped in our current work patterns and the misery they often cause.

Chapters 2

–

5

: The History of Work:

These chapters trace the evolution of work over the last 10,000 years and delve into the influences and approaches that have aimed to improve work, some of which have proven more effective than others.

Part II

Who Said It Can't Be All Fun and Games?

Here, we'll examine why games are so irresistibly engaging to us. This isn't just about entertainment, but a deeper understanding that could unravel the work conundrum.

Chapter 6

Designing Fun: The Magic of Games:

This chapter offers an insight into how our brains function and manipulate us into putting more energy into certain tasks while dreading others. It examines whether happiness is merely an illusion or a biological trick.