![\"Dragana](\"https://www.seebtm.com/wp-content/uploads/dd1.jpg\")
During schooling, the dominant activity is learning, with playing still included, and gradually young people are increasingly involved in work activities \u2013 from cleaning their room to occasional jobs that supplement their pocket money. When education is over, work
\nbecomes the dominant activity and this is when it becomes very important for the weekly plan \u2013 if daily basis is not an option \u2013 to include play (sports or other types of entertainment), as well as willingness for further learning.
The start of professional life brings one of the most important crossroads in life, which is serious acceptance of responsibility, without relying on (most often parental) support and assistance. Common are the regretful statements that the time of being relaxed and carefree has passed forever and that more and more complicated tasks are ahead.
\nPlayful and carefree
\nThe first thing associated with childhood is play, and the second \u2013 most often \u2013 being carefree. There is someone who takes care of everything, and the sense of protection promotes imagination and the feeling that obstacles can be overcome, failures can be turned into successes, skills can be mastered, and unknown can be learned. In play we\u2019re all equal and we have opportunities to develop and win and most certainly the possibility of a better and more successful tomorrow. Play is associated with the beginning, duration, possibility of change, and that\u2019s why it\u2019s beneficial at any age and as a companion of all life activities, although not as a dominant one.
\nIn every man there is at least a small hidden piece of Peter Pan, while every woman has a mischievous Pippi Longstocking inside, both waiting for the moment to make life more joyful. This does not mean the syndromes of those who want to never grow up, but instead the valuable capacity to bring a dimension of imagination into everyday life, which becomes more entrapped than any other potential in the mature age.
\n![\"\"](\"https://www.seebtm.com/wp-content/uploads/foto-1-4.jpg\")
The free-child ego state
\nWe all carry a childlike piece inside ourselves, which experts termed free-child ego state, which determines the capacity for freedom, spontaneity, genuineness, pro-activity, and creativity. While some people have an overbalanced free child in themselves \u2013 keeping the huffiness, willingness to (unnecessary) risks, and other socially unacceptable qualities \u2013 others, which we call too serious or over-adjusted, should awaken and foster the free child inside. Due to all this, in the last decades, the principles of play have been integrated into many educational programs, team building events, and other activities that reinforce personal and team competencies.
\nIt has long been proven that the principles of play increase learning capacities, everyday reception of new information, and even suggestions; they develop motivational factors
\nand stimulate productivity. The liberation from sometimes rigid rules of the system in which
\nprofessional life takes place \u2013 from the dress code to all elements of behavior and communication \u2013 including games releases spontaneity and creativity, encourages resourcefulness and expression (improvement) of skills and potentials. It is precisely the skills and potentials that are sometimes considered to have no place in the business context those that can reveal much more intense true capacities of the person, as well as the ways in which they will can be realized, individually or in the team.
Play because…
\nSensitive topics, as well as topics that in a way touch upon issues of discrimination (practice often shows desirability of male/female roles, but many other topics are also present), can easily be overcome through the principles of games. Starting from the basic principles
\nof the team\u2019s strengths that are based, among other things, on (professional but also basic human) trust, all the way to achieving high productivity levels in work, as well as gratification and satisfaction after the accomplished, all of the steps can be accompanied by certain \u201cgames\u201d. Some systems have their weekly schedules times allocated to activities of this type on a weekly basis or less, while others apply day-long, week-long, or days-long stays outside the place of work/living, in order to meet all the specific requirements for raising the learning effectiveness through or during games.
![\"\"](\"https://www.seebtm.com/wp-content/uploads/foto-2-3.jpg\")
This is one of the most important reasons why seminars are held outside working hours in environments that are very much different from typical business surroundings. In the general hustle and bustle of life, and especially when viewed from the career aspect, sometimes it can be heard that such activities are a waste of time and money for the company. Although the negative view of \u201clearning through play\u201d is becoming less common, only those who have not yet tried this system of employee functioning have doubts. It is very important to explain what certain activities are for, what they bring, and what benefits they provide \u2013 both personally and at the whole organization level.
\nThe circumstance that employees who more or less work together intensely in fact don\u2019t know each other can take a toll in productivity, and n turn the profits of the company. Ex-cathedra lectures or hours-long meetings do not produce the expected results, and this circumstance has long been recognized both in the world and in our country. Respecting (scientifically proven) potentials and capacities \u2013 psycho-physiological and intellectual \u2013 and
\nkeeping attention on the desired content requires much more than words spoken by a lecturer or an authority figure. Interactivity has become imperative for any kind of productivity. Starting from a borrowed paper clip, through brainstorming, to focusing on raising the professional and personal quality of life the benefits of interaction range throughout hierarchical levels (both vertical-authority figure/employee and horizontal \u2013
\nemployee/employee).
Getting to know the people one works with (associates/subordinates/ superiors) turns out to be the basis for success. That is why many of the activities that accompany learning and that we know under the term games include the so-called warm-up games to \u201cdefrost\u201d the atmosphere \u2013 the so-called icebreakers, for establishing cohesion and more powerful connecting of all employees. The results are often fascinating for all participants, both for those who were just curious and for those who had a positive or even negative attitude. A special mood that is created during learning through games \u2013 whether we\u2019re talking about a specific professional seminar or another type of learning such as the principles of communication or even just relaxation \u2013 facilitates a level of learning that is very high. Participants learn something that is crucial to them, as well as to those in whose company
\nthey spend more than a third of their day, which is the most common time we spend working.
![\"\"](\"https://www.seebtm.com/wp-content/uploads/foto-3-2.jpg\")
Motivation and play
\nIt should also be noted that motivational factors play a very important role and that they can be very diverse. Some are driven by existential or financial motivators, others are motivated by a drive for achievement. Regardless of the fact that motives are subjective, everyone has them, which, again, is revealed in interaction most easily. Despite the complexity of business, satisfaction with oneself and the business environment very significantly affects productivity, and also most certainly health. In light of this, the activities in question \u2013 although they represent an expense for the company \u2013 are in fact the safest investment that brings success and in turn profits.
\nDragana Deh, Psychology MSc,
\nSystemic Therapist, Life Coach
The post Why Is Playing Important? appeared first on SEE Business travel & meetings magazine.
\n", "content_text": "Looking at activities through life stages clearly makes a distinction between playing, learning, and working. Childhood is dominated by playing, and playing also prepares for and teaches about certain tasks, as well as work activities.\nDuring schooling, the dominant activity is learning, with playing still included, and gradually young people are increasingly involved in work activities \u2013 from cleaning their room to occasional jobs that supplement their pocket money. When education is over, work\nbecomes the dominant activity and this is when it becomes very important for the weekly plan \u2013 if daily basis is not an option \u2013 to include play (sports or other types of entertainment), as well as willingness for further learning.\nDragana Deh, Msc Psychologist, Systemic Psychotherapist, Life Coach\nThe start of professional life brings one of the most important crossroads in life, which is serious acceptance of responsibility, without relying on (most often parental) support and assistance. Common are the regretful statements that the time of being relaxed and carefree has passed forever and that more and more complicated tasks are ahead.\nPlayful and carefree\nThe first thing associated with childhood is play, and the second \u2013 most often \u2013 being carefree. There is someone who takes care of everything, and the sense of protection promotes imagination and the feeling that obstacles can be overcome, failures can be turned into successes, skills can be mastered, and unknown can be learned. In play we\u2019re all equal and we have opportunities to develop and win and most certainly the possibility of a better and more successful tomorrow. Play is associated with the beginning, duration, possibility of change, and that\u2019s why it\u2019s beneficial at any age and as a companion of all life activities, although not as a dominant one.\nIn every man there is at least a small hidden piece of Peter Pan, while every woman has a mischievous Pippi Longstocking inside, both waiting for the moment to make life more joyful. This does not mean the syndromes of those who want to never grow up, but instead the valuable capacity to bring a dimension of imagination into everyday life, which becomes more entrapped than any other potential in the mature age.\n\nThe free-child ego state\nWe all carry a childlike piece inside ourselves, which experts termed free-child ego state, which determines the capacity for freedom, spontaneity, genuineness, pro-activity, and creativity. While some people have an overbalanced free child in themselves \u2013 keeping the huffiness, willingness to (unnecessary) risks, and other socially unacceptable qualities \u2013 others, which we call too serious or over-adjusted, should awaken and foster the free child inside. Due to all this, in the last decades, the principles of play have been integrated into many educational programs, team building events, and other activities that reinforce personal and team competencies.\nIt has long been proven that the principles of play increase learning capacities, everyday reception of new information, and even suggestions; they develop motivational factors\nand stimulate productivity. The liberation from sometimes rigid rules of the system in which\nprofessional life takes place \u2013 from the dress code to all elements of behavior and communication \u2013 including games releases spontaneity and creativity, encourages resourcefulness and expression (improvement) of skills and potentials. It is precisely the skills and potentials that are sometimes considered to have no place in the business context those that can reveal much more intense true capacities of the person, as well as the ways in which they will can be realized, individually or in the team.\nPlay because…\nSensitive topics, as well as topics that in a way touch upon issues of discrimination (practice often shows desirability of male/female roles, but many other topics are also present), can easily be overcome through the principles of games. Starting from the basic principles\nof the team\u2019s strengths that are based, among other things, on (professional but also basic human) trust, all the way to achieving high productivity levels in work, as well as gratification and satisfaction after the accomplished, all of the steps can be accompanied by certain \u201cgames\u201d. Some systems have their weekly schedules times allocated to activities of this type on a weekly basis or less, while others apply day-long, week-long, or days-long stays outside the place of work/living, in order to meet all the specific requirements for raising the learning effectiveness through or during games.\n\nThis is one of the most important reasons why seminars are held outside working hours in environments that are very much different from typical business surroundings. In the general hustle and bustle of life, and especially when viewed from the career aspect, sometimes it can be heard that such activities are a waste of time and money for the company. Although the negative view of \u201clearning through play\u201d is becoming less common, only those who have not yet tried this system of employee functioning have doubts. It is very important to explain what certain activities are for, what they bring, and what benefits they provide \u2013 both personally and at the whole organization level.\nThe circumstance that employees who more or less work together intensely in fact don\u2019t know each other can take a toll in productivity, and n turn the profits of the company. Ex-cathedra lectures or hours-long meetings do not produce the expected results, and this circumstance has long been recognized both in the world and in our country. Respecting (scientifically proven) potentials and capacities \u2013 psycho-physiological and intellectual \u2013 and\nkeeping attention on the desired content requires much more than words spoken by a lecturer or an authority figure. Interactivity has become imperative for any kind of productivity. Starting from a borrowed paper clip, through brainstorming, to focusing on raising the professional and personal quality of life the benefits of interaction range throughout hierarchical levels (both vertical-authority figure/employee and horizontal \u2013\nemployee/employee).\nGetting to know the people one works with (associates/subordinates/ superiors) turns out to be the basis for success. That is why many of the activities that accompany learning and that we know under the term games include the so-called warm-up games to \u201cdefrost\u201d the atmosphere \u2013 the so-called icebreakers, for establishing cohesion and more powerful connecting of all employees. The results are often fascinating for all participants, both for those who were just curious and for those who had a positive or even negative attitude. A special mood that is created during learning through games \u2013 whether we\u2019re talking about a specific professional seminar or another type of learning such as the principles of communication or even just relaxation \u2013 facilitates a level of learning that is very high. Participants learn something that is crucial to them, as well as to those in whose company\nthey spend more than a third of their day, which is the most common time we spend working.\n\nMotivation and play\nIt should also be noted that motivational factors play a very important role and that they can be very diverse. Some are driven by existential or financial motivators, others are motivated by a drive for achievement. Regardless of the fact that motives are subjective, everyone has them, which, again, is revealed in interaction most easily. Despite the complexity of business, satisfaction with oneself and the business environment very significantly affects productivity, and also most certainly health. In light of this, the activities in question \u2013 although they represent an expense for the company \u2013 are in fact the safest investment that brings success and in turn profits.\nDragana Deh, Psychology MSc,\nSystemic Therapist, Life Coach\nThe post Why Is Playing Important? appeared first on SEE Business travel & meetings magazine.", "date_published": "2018-07-02T15:59:30+02:00", "date_modified": "2018-07-02T15:59:30+02:00", "author": { "name": "Milica Novak", "url": "https://www.seebtm.com/en/author/milicanovak/", "avatar": "https://www.seebtm.com/wp-content/uploads/Milica-Novak.jpg" }, "image": "https://www.seebtm.com/wp-content/uploads/naslovna-49.jpg", "tags": [ "business surrounding", "fun", "play and learn", "Experts opinions" ] }, { "id": "https://www.seebtm.com/en/how-to-make-meetings-fun-and-productive/", "url": "https://www.seebtm.com/en/how-to-make-meetings-fun-and-productive/", "title": "How to Make Meetings Fun and Productive", "content_html": "Another thing \u2013 a good meeting is also a short meeting. You may not believe it, but research by the American National Statistics Council shows that almost 40% of working hours are spent in meetings! And nearly 50% of employees think that too many meetings during the day are the biggest waste of time! Tips such as \u201cStart and finish a meeting in time,\u201d \u201cDevelop a meeting plan,\u201d or \u201cInvite the right people to it\u201d are good for boosting productivity but not good enough to encourage creativity, nor enough fun. Here\u2019s what some
\nof the most successful companies in different industries are doing:
![\"\"](\"https://www.seebtm.com/wp-content/uploads/foto-1-2.jpg\")
The meeting should start on time
\nIt\u2019s common practice that individuals late to the meeting are waited for and the meeting starts with delay. This lets them know that being late is OK. Instead, start the meeting on time, regardless of the number of attendees, and make tardiness visual. One idea is to place cups with the names of every employee in the meeting room and buy red and green marbles.
\nEvery time a person arrive son time, he/she puts a green marble in the cup, and if he/she is late, a red marble goes in. You will soon see which employees have the habit of being late, and they, too, will see their problem. And to make things even more fun, you can schedule meetings at unusual times. Say at 8:48 in the morning. For years now this has been done at TINY pulse, a company that focuses on creating the best possible ambiance in other
\ncompanies. This practice has led to all employees, as the meeting time approaches, spontaneously going to the meeting room.
Start the meeting on a positive note
\nScience has proven that the way the meeting starts determines its further course. So don\u2019t kick off with problems and complaints, but instead find a way to focus your team on positive thinking. The suggestion is to start the meeting by asking each attendee to share with the others something positive that happened since the last meeting \u2013 something they learned or something they did in the past week and are particularly proud of. While we\u2019re on this subject, every Thursday at Plum Organics, which produces baby food, meetings start with taking out coloring books and fine liners. Their director of innovation says
\nthat this process not only awakens creativity among the attendees, but positivity as well.
![\"\"](\"https://www.seebtm.com/wp-content/uploads/foto-2-2.jpg\")
Take breaks during the meeting
\nA common mistake in planning meetings is \u2013 if the agenda is long \u2013 to completely eliminate breaks in order to shorten the time that the meeting takes. Every half hour, you should take a two-minute break to entertain the attendees in the meeting \u2013 plan for a group stretching
\nor let everyone tell a joke or give a riddle to the group. This will make the rest of the meeting
\neasier and more productive. If you sit for long stretches of time, you will not only get stiff and exhaust your body \u2013 the same thing will happen to your brain. You can plan a stretching session at the beginning of every meeting, or during the two-minute break, if you see that attention is fading. After stretching, you will feel refreshed, rested, as well as more creative,
\nwhich is necessary for any meeting.
Take \u201csilent breaks\u201d
\nThe point of the meeting is not just to talk, it also serves to come up with ideas, plans, problem solutions, as well as new decisions. A two-minute break can help the attendees think, because not all people can think and speak at the same time. When presenting problems at hand, present only facts, then take a two minute break, and after that discuss
\nthe solutions. Also, after making any decision, people should be given two minutes to consider how they feel about the decision.
Change the meeting place
\nTake out the traditional conference table and instead place the chairs in a circle. This will obscure the clear difference between the boss at the head of the table and the other
\nemployees; everyone will see each other better, and communication will be more open. If a lot of plans are being worked out, put all the papers on a wall, and place the chairs in a half-circle in front of it. Also, think about holding the next meeting out of the office. You can
\nsimply put the chairs from the office to the courtyard, book a table in a nearby restaurant, or plan a two-day trip outside the city. In all sincerity, employees sometimes really just need a change of the meeting place!
![\"\"](\"https://www.seebtm.com/wp-content/uploads/foto-4-1.jpg\")
Shorter is more productive
\nThe O3 World digital product design and development agency\u2019s offices are connected to Roombot, which synchronizes the calendars of all attendees and signals when it\u2019s time to end the meeting. Roombot controls also the lights, reducing the brightness near the end of the meeting and ensuring that all meetings end on time. Business development Company
\nJust Fearless limited the duration of its meetings to half an hour. If the meeting runs long, all chairs are removed and all attendees stand until the meeting ends. The company\u2019s CEO explains that this rule encourages everyone to make effort to not exceed the time. On the other hand, if you are at Buddytruk and the last one to speak at a meeting that runs over
\ntime, you have to do 50 push-ups, while at event management company Cvent you have to sing every time you\u2019re late.
![\"\"](\"https://www.seebtm.com/wp-content/uploads/foto-3-1.jpg\")
Brain teasers
\nAnother way to spark creativity at a meeting are brain teasers. These games require unconventional and lateral thinking. They can be in the form of puzzles, riddles, equations, images… At the beginning of each meeting, spend a few minutes by giving your employees a brain teaser to solve. Not only will everyone have fun and relax, but you\u2019ll find it much easier to get to the solution of the problem and new ideas. Here\u2019s an example:
\n1. I\u2019ve never been, and I always will be. No one ever saw me, but everyone wants to see me. Who am I? (Tomorrow)
\n2. A man pushed his car into a hotel and told the hotel owner that he went bankrupt. How is that possible? (He was playing Monopoly)
\n3. A man is looking at a photo and his friend asks who is in the picture. The man answers, \u201cI have no brothers or sisters. But the father of the man in the picture is my father\u2019s son.\u201d Who\u2019s in the photo? (His son)
Another fun, and at the same time useful, activity type at business meetings are icebreakers. More about them you can find here.
\nNevena Ilic
\nThe post How to Make Meetings Fun and Productive appeared first on SEE Business travel & meetings magazine.
\n", "content_text": "We should first define what a good meeting is. It is: efficient, effective, positive and fun, creative, and open to opinions. But how to turn classic meetings into those which your employees will enjoy and where the set goal will be accomplished?\nAnother thing \u2013 a good meeting is also a short meeting. You may not believe it, but research by the American National Statistics Council shows that almost 40% of working hours are spent in meetings! And nearly 50% of employees think that too many meetings during the day are the biggest waste of time! Tips such as \u201cStart and finish a meeting in time,\u201d \u201cDevelop a meeting plan,\u201d or \u201cInvite the right people to it\u201d are good for boosting productivity but not good enough to encourage creativity, nor enough fun. Here\u2019s what some\nof the most successful companies in different industries are doing:\n\nThe meeting should start on time\nIt\u2019s common practice that individuals late to the meeting are waited for and the meeting starts with delay. This lets them know that being late is OK. Instead, start the meeting on time, regardless of the number of attendees, and make tardiness visual. One idea is to place cups with the names of every employee in the meeting room and buy red and green marbles.\nEvery time a person arrive son time, he/she puts a green marble in the cup, and if he/she is late, a red marble goes in. You will soon see which employees have the habit of being late, and they, too, will see their problem. And to make things even more fun, you can schedule meetings at unusual times. Say at 8:48 in the morning. For years now this has been done at TINY pulse, a company that focuses on creating the best possible ambiance in other\ncompanies. This practice has led to all employees, as the meeting time approaches, spontaneously going to the meeting room.\nStart the meeting on a positive note\nScience has proven that the way the meeting starts determines its further course. So don\u2019t kick off with problems and complaints, but instead find a way to focus your team on positive thinking. The suggestion is to start the meeting by asking each attendee to share with the others something positive that happened since the last meeting \u2013 something they learned or something they did in the past week and are particularly proud of. While we\u2019re on this subject, every Thursday at Plum Organics, which produces baby food, meetings start with taking out coloring books and fine liners. Their director of innovation says\nthat this process not only awakens creativity among the attendees, but positivity as well.\n\nTake breaks during the meeting\nA common mistake in planning meetings is \u2013 if the agenda is long \u2013 to completely eliminate breaks in order to shorten the time that the meeting takes. Every half hour, you should take a two-minute break to entertain the attendees in the meeting \u2013 plan for a group stretching\nor let everyone tell a joke or give a riddle to the group. This will make the rest of the meeting\neasier and more productive. If you sit for long stretches of time, you will not only get stiff and exhaust your body \u2013 the same thing will happen to your brain. You can plan a stretching session at the beginning of every meeting, or during the two-minute break, if you see that attention is fading. After stretching, you will feel refreshed, rested, as well as more creative,\nwhich is necessary for any meeting.\nTake \u201csilent breaks\u201d\nThe point of the meeting is not just to talk, it also serves to come up with ideas, plans, problem solutions, as well as new decisions. A two-minute break can help the attendees think, because not all people can think and speak at the same time. When presenting problems at hand, present only facts, then take a two minute break, and after that discuss\nthe solutions. Also, after making any decision, people should be given two minutes to consider how they feel about the decision.\nChange the meeting place\nTake out the traditional conference table and instead place the chairs in a circle. This will obscure the clear difference between the boss at the head of the table and the other\nemployees; everyone will see each other better, and communication will be more open. If a lot of plans are being worked out, put all the papers on a wall, and place the chairs in a half-circle in front of it. Also, think about holding the next meeting out of the office. You can\nsimply put the chairs from the office to the courtyard, book a table in a nearby restaurant, or plan a two-day trip outside the city. In all sincerity, employees sometimes really just need a change of the meeting place!\n\nShorter is more productive\nThe O3 World digital product design and development agency\u2019s offices are connected to Roombot, which synchronizes the calendars of all attendees and signals when it\u2019s time to end the meeting. Roombot controls also the lights, reducing the brightness near the end of the meeting and ensuring that all meetings end on time. Business development Company\nJust Fearless limited the duration of its meetings to half an hour. If the meeting runs long, all chairs are removed and all attendees stand until the meeting ends. The company\u2019s CEO explains that this rule encourages everyone to make effort to not exceed the time. On the other hand, if you are at Buddytruk and the last one to speak at a meeting that runs over\ntime, you have to do 50 push-ups, while at event management company Cvent you have to sing every time you\u2019re late.\n\nBrain teasers\nAnother way to spark creativity at a meeting are brain teasers. These games require unconventional and lateral thinking. They can be in the form of puzzles, riddles, equations, images… At the beginning of each meeting, spend a few minutes by giving your employees a brain teaser to solve. Not only will everyone have fun and relax, but you\u2019ll find it much easier to get to the solution of the problem and new ideas. Here\u2019s an example:\n1. I\u2019ve never been, and I always will be. No one ever saw me, but everyone wants to see me. Who am I? (Tomorrow)\n2. A man pushed his car into a hotel and told the hotel owner that he went bankrupt. How is that possible? (He was playing Monopoly)\n3. A man is looking at a photo and his friend asks who is in the picture. The man answers, \u201cI have no brothers or sisters. But the father of the man in the picture is my father\u2019s son.\u201d Who\u2019s in the photo? (His son)\nAnother fun, and at the same time useful, activity type at business meetings are icebreakers. More about them you can find here.\nNevena Ilic\nThe post How to Make Meetings Fun and Productive appeared first on SEE Business travel & meetings magazine.", "date_published": "2018-05-03T14:53:20+02:00", "date_modified": "2018-05-03T14:53:20+02:00", "author": { "name": "Milica Novak", "url": "https://www.seebtm.com/en/author/milicanovak/", "avatar": "https://www.seebtm.com/wp-content/uploads/Milica-Novak.jpg" }, "image": "https://www.seebtm.com/wp-content/uploads/naslovna-42.jpg", "tags": [ "brainstorming", "business events", "creativity", "events", "meetings", "play and learn", "team meeting", "Hot topics" ] }, { "id": "https://www.seebtm.com/en/help-your-team-members-learn-in-a-creative-way/", "url": "https://www.seebtm.com/en/help-your-team-members-learn-in-a-creative-way/", "title": "Help Your Team Members Learn in a Creative Way", "content_html": "Perhaps this is the exact reason why this process moves so fast and smoothly. As we get
\nolder, learning turns into a responsibility. And when something is perceived as a responsibility, it starts to feel different. In general, enthusiasm starts to decline if the subject matter is not something that we are very interested in or that we just have a knack for.
Numerous studies reveal that a person\u2019s creativity directly corresponds to the time spent playing at the earliest age. And we all joyously remember those days \u2013 our own or those of
\nour children \u2013 when we were making houses from colorful building blocks, solving puzzles, drawing, coloring, and playing outdoors with friends.
![\"\"](\"https://www.seebtm.com/wp-content/uploads/foto2-1.jpg\")
We even used to make games up: \u201cYou be the shopkeeper, I\u2019ll be the customer,\u201d or \u201cLet\u2019s play a game \u2013 you\u2019ll be the chef, and I\u2019ll be a customer who came in to eat at your restaurant.\u201d Further developing and upgrading of these and similar ideas in everyday children\u2019s games directly encourage creativity, bring about new ideas, and foster the imagination. Constantly maintaining employee motivation can be very difficult or, at the very least, quite a challenge \u2013 even for highly experienced team leaders. No matter how much experience you have in dealing with people, there are times when we go through what we call \u201cfatigue fracture\u201d. And also, getting lulled into a routine can be detrimental to productivity. That is why it\u2019s important to always grow and work on yourself, as well as everyone who makes up the team. These are some of the techniques that will certainly help with implementing the Play and Learn concept and that \u2013 believe it or not \u2013 are based on the learning through play process used for children.
\nOffer choices.
\nBy this, we do not mean choices like \u201cDo you want to do this or not?\u201d \u2013 this type of choice is not always possible. We\u2019re talking about the possibilities of choosing whether the team wants to first deal with item one or item two in a meeting. These small choices have an excellent
\neffect because they make individuals \u2013 and the group \u2013 feel like they do have a say and the power to make decisions, as well as that their opinion matters and is taken into account.
![\"\"](\"https://www.seebtm.com/wp-content/uploads/foto4-1.jpg\")
Use teamwork whenever the circumstances allow it.
\nThe sense of belonging to the same team is very beneficial. People feel protected and useful, and above all they feel like they\u2019re playing. And play, as we noted at the beginning, encourages creative ways of thinking. Psychologists have found that when certain behavior
\nis stimulated, people tend to adopt it quickly. So if you praise them and have a positive attitude regarding their engagement, the work will be more efficient. As for the above, you can never have too much fun!
Assignments through play.
\nThis might sound childish or inappropriate for the workplace, but science has proven that converting an assignment into a game almost always makes the task fun. There is nothing wrong with assigning business goals in the form of games. For example, if you need to remember a huge amount of information in order to perform a task, why not turn it into a memory game? Or you can try the following approach: group people into teams made up of five to six people and task each group member with solving a different part of the assignment. When the team members all finish their parts, everyone shares the way he/she came to the solution.
\nIn addition to developing social skills and cognitive abilities, play and fun also affect emotional maturity and self-confidence, which is of great importance for participating in everyday activities and interaction with the environment.
\nBe as practical as possible.
\nYou will probably agree that it is very difficult to delve into something if you don\u2019t understand the purpose of possessing the given knowledge. And if you\u2019re a team leader, your team members need to look up to you. That\u2019s why it is always important to show and explain the practical side of what you expect, clarify, give specific examples, and \u2013 most importantly \u2013 always be prepared to answer any additional questions and encourage them. If you are dealing with \u201cthe silent types,\u201d think of a creative way to \u201cwake them up\u201d. For example, you
\ncan start giving out candy bars to anyone who asks a question and make it a tradition ![\"\ud83d\ude42\"](\"https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/12.0.0-1/72x72/1f642.png\")
![\"\"](\"https://www.seebtm.com/wp-content/uploads/foto1-1.jpg\")
The work environment must provide a sense of safety.
\nIf you want results, it\u2019s crucial that every employee feels safe in the workplace. By this we mean a few things: employees knowing that they can always say what they think, without their ideas being judged or ridiculed in any way; coworkers supporting and encouraging each
\nother (the team leader should also be doing this!) and knowing that, if they make a mistake, the team will stand behind them and offer them help in overcoming the problem, because anyone who\u2019s doing anything can make mistakes. In fact, business meetings can also be seen as a big playground. Of course, adjusted to the adult age.
A lot of useful things can be learned on the playground. How to share, how to solve new problems, how to build relationships with the environment… And how to learn from others. We often forget that. Of course, the concept will take time to \u201csink in.\u201d And this approach is definitely something that deserves a chance. We are convinced that it will result in higher productivity, creativity, and team satisfaction!
\n![\"\"](\"https://www.seebtm.com/wp-content/uploads/foto3-1.jpg\")
MD Sara Smilansky, a psychology professor at Tel Aviv University, gave a description of the five basic types of learning through play nearly 30 years ago. And if we were to adapt them to the business world and meetings, their description would look like this:
\nThe post Help Your Team Members Learn in a Creative Way appeared first on SEE Business travel & meetings magazine.
\n", "content_text": "The truth is that we never really stop learning. The only difference is in the form of conveying and receiving information. At the earliest age, children are constantly learning, but they don\u2019t perceive it like that. They learn through play.\nPerhaps this is the exact reason why this process moves so fast and smoothly. As we get\nolder, learning turns into a responsibility. And when something is perceived as a responsibility, it starts to feel different. In general, enthusiasm starts to decline if the subject matter is not something that we are very interested in or that we just have a knack for.\nNumerous studies reveal that a person\u2019s creativity directly corresponds to the time spent playing at the earliest age. And we all joyously remember those days \u2013 our own or those of\nour children \u2013 when we were making houses from colorful building blocks, solving puzzles, drawing, coloring, and playing outdoors with friends.\n\n\nWe even used to make games up: \u201cYou be the shopkeeper, I\u2019ll be the customer,\u201d or \u201cLet\u2019s play a game \u2013 you\u2019ll be the chef, and I\u2019ll be a customer who came in to eat at your restaurant.\u201d Further developing and upgrading of these and similar ideas in everyday children\u2019s games directly encourage creativity, bring about new ideas, and foster the imagination. Constantly maintaining employee motivation can be very difficult or, at the very least, quite a challenge \u2013 even for highly experienced team leaders. No matter how much experience you have in dealing with people, there are times when we go through what we call \u201cfatigue fracture\u201d. And also, getting lulled into a routine can be detrimental to productivity. That is why it\u2019s important to always grow and work on yourself, as well as everyone who makes up the team. These are some of the techniques that will certainly help with implementing the Play and Learn concept and that \u2013 believe it or not \u2013 are based on the learning through play process used for children.\n\nOffer choices.\nBy this, we do not mean choices like \u201cDo you want to do this or not?\u201d \u2013 this type of choice is not always possible. We\u2019re talking about the possibilities of choosing whether the team wants to first deal with item one or item two in a meeting. These small choices have an excellent\neffect because they make individuals \u2013 and the group \u2013 feel like they do have a say and the power to make decisions, as well as that their opinion matters and is taken into account.\n\nUse teamwork whenever the circumstances allow it.\nThe sense of belonging to the same team is very beneficial. People feel protected and useful, and above all they feel like they\u2019re playing. And play, as we noted at the beginning, encourages creative ways of thinking. Psychologists have found that when certain behavior\nis stimulated, people tend to adopt it quickly. So if you praise them and have a positive attitude regarding their engagement, the work will be more efficient. As for the above, you can never have too much fun!\nAssignments through play.\nThis might sound childish or inappropriate for the workplace, but science has proven that converting an assignment into a game almost always makes the task fun. There is nothing wrong with assigning business goals in the form of games. For example, if you need to remember a huge amount of information in order to perform a task, why not turn it into a memory game? Or you can try the following approach: group people into teams made up of five to six people and task each group member with solving a different part of the assignment. When the team members all finish their parts, everyone shares the way he/she came to the solution.\nIn addition to developing social skills and cognitive abilities, play and fun also affect emotional maturity and self-confidence, which is of great importance for participating in everyday activities and interaction with the environment.\nBe as practical as possible.\nYou will probably agree that it is very difficult to delve into something if you don\u2019t understand the purpose of possessing the given knowledge. And if you\u2019re a team leader, your team members need to look up to you. That\u2019s why it is always important to show and explain the practical side of what you expect, clarify, give specific examples, and \u2013 most importantly \u2013 always be prepared to answer any additional questions and encourage them. If you are dealing with \u201cthe silent types,\u201d think of a creative way to \u201cwake them up\u201d. For example, you\ncan start giving out candy bars to anyone who asks a question and make it a tradition \n\nThe work environment must provide a sense of safety.\nIf you want results, it\u2019s crucial that every employee feels safe in the workplace. By this we mean a few things: employees knowing that they can always say what they think, without their ideas being judged or ridiculed in any way; coworkers supporting and encouraging each\nother (the team leader should also be doing this!) and knowing that, if they make a mistake, the team will stand behind them and offer them help in overcoming the problem, because anyone who\u2019s doing anything can make mistakes. In fact, business meetings can also be seen as a big playground. Of course, adjusted to the adult age.\nA lot of useful things can be learned on the playground. How to share, how to solve new problems, how to build relationships with the environment… And how to learn from others. We often forget that. Of course, the concept will take time to \u201csink in.\u201d And this approach is definitely something that deserves a chance. We are convinced that it will result in higher productivity, creativity, and team satisfaction!\n\nMD Sara Smilansky, a psychology professor at Tel Aviv University, gave a description of the five basic types of learning through play nearly 30 years ago. And if we were to adapt them to the business world and meetings, their description would look like this:\n\nFunctional games in which children explore their environment. That\u2019s what adults do, too. We\u2019ve already explained the ways in which we become familiar with the work environment.\nConstructive games in which children learn to make or build something, or solve a problem. In our case, this would be brainstorming meetings.\nDrama games in which children pretend to be someone else \u2013 they take on others\u2019 identities. Have you ever wished to be the \u201cboss instead of the boss\u201d? \nSocial drama/Performance games. The most advanced way of play in which children imitate characters with verbal dramatization and fantasy/fiction. They take objects and give them completely different purposes (papers become money, a book becomes the rudder of an imaginary ship, etc.). In the work environment, these are situations where employees are asked to find a solution in an inventive way. For example, what can this new product be used for? Or how can we make our services easier for our customers?\nGames with rules. All those games that come down to the win or lose principle, while strictly respecting the rules of the game. You know exactly what is allowed and what is not, which helps to accept the rules in society. Let\u2019s say that this would be the company\u2019s business principle.\n\nThe post Help Your Team Members Learn in a Creative Way appeared first on SEE Business travel & meetings magazine.", "date_published": "2018-03-28T16:29:50+02:00", "date_modified": "2018-03-28T16:29:50+02:00", "author": { "name": "Milica Novak", "url": "https://www.seebtm.com/en/author/milicanovak/", "avatar": "https://www.seebtm.com/wp-content/uploads/Milica-Novak.jpg" }, "image": "https://www.seebtm.com/wp-content/uploads/naslovna-35.jpg", "tags": [ "concept", "fun", "fun meetings", "meetings", "play and learn", "team members", "team work", "NEWS" ] }, { "id": "https://www.seebtm.com/en/play-and-learn-intoduction-in-26th-issue-of-seebtm-magazine/", "url": "https://www.seebtm.com/en/play-and-learn-intoduction-in-26th-issue-of-seebtm-magazine/", "title": "Play and Learn: Intoduction in 26th Issue of SEEbtm Magazine", "content_html": "Are people who spent more time in their childhood playing or who still play in their adulthood more creative, adaptable, or sociable? I am convinced that the answer is affirmative, and there are also many studies that support this thesis. Not only that, but the decision-making ability, quick thinking, memory, competitive spirit, and motivation to be even better are
\ndeveloped from an early age, through play.
![\"Miona](\"https://www.seebtm.com/wp-content/uploads/uvodna.jpg\")
These qualities and many others \u2013 I\u2019m sure you\u2019ll agree \u2013 are very important in business, as well as in everyday life. Do we get angry when we lose? Do we have issues with accepting responsibility for our actions? Are we able to logically dissect a major problem into several smaller components so that we can be more efficient at getting to its solution? Are we able to anticipate our competition\u2019s or opponents\u2019 next move? Are we able to abstain from immediate satisfaction in order to get to a bigger reward in the end? Are we able to use what we have \u2013 something seemingly useless \u2013 and make something new and original? And last, but not least: Are we able to have fun?
\nWe learn all this from the earliest age through different games that most likely came to your mind while reading these questions. Playing is a crucial tool for developing intellectual and psychosocial qualities in any child and later, of course, adult person. Here \u2013 above all \u2013 I\u2019m thinking board games, those that are played in person, through interaction with other people. They teach us communication, as well as all types of intelligence (logical, social, self- awareness, visual and spatial, linguistic, musical, physical, and ecological).
\nTeam building games are one example of using playing to develop and strengthen team spirit. But games can be used for all of the above, too, and in practice at work also for improving focus, productivity, relaxedness, and a generally positive attitude towards life and work. This SEEbtm issue centers on awakening that something child like inside us.
\nSo, invite your friends and coworkers and start playing!
\nAnd another tip: Do not let your kids win every time when you play with them. Think and you\u2019ll understand what that teaches them. The main task of any parent should be equipping the child for independent and real life and developing the ability to invest effort, make progress, and fight for himself/herself and his/her success.
\n\u201cTake time to play,
\n it is the secret of staying young\u201d
Miona Milic,
\n Editor-in-Chief
The post Play and Learn: Intoduction in 26th Issue of SEEbtm Magazine appeared first on SEE Business travel & meetings magazine.
\n", "content_text": "Cover Story: Play and Learn\nAre people who spent more time in their childhood playing or who still play in their adulthood more creative, adaptable, or sociable? I am convinced that the answer is affirmative, and there are also many studies that support this thesis. Not only that, but the decision-making ability, quick thinking, memory, competitive spirit, and motivation to be even better are\ndeveloped from an early age, through play.\nMiona Milic\nThese qualities and many others \u2013 I\u2019m sure you\u2019ll agree \u2013 are very important in business, as well as in everyday life. Do we get angry when we lose? Do we have issues with accepting responsibility for our actions? Are we able to logically dissect a major problem into several smaller components so that we can be more efficient at getting to its solution? Are we able to anticipate our competition\u2019s or opponents\u2019 next move? Are we able to abstain from immediate satisfaction in order to get to a bigger reward in the end? Are we able to use what we have \u2013 something seemingly useless \u2013 and make something new and original? And last, but not least: Are we able to have fun?\nWe learn all this from the earliest age through different games that most likely came to your mind while reading these questions. Playing is a crucial tool for developing intellectual and psychosocial qualities in any child and later, of course, adult person. Here \u2013 above all \u2013 I\u2019m thinking board games, those that are played in person, through interaction with other people. They teach us communication, as well as all types of intelligence (logical, social, self- awareness, visual and spatial, linguistic, musical, physical, and ecological).\nTeam building games are one example of using playing to develop and strengthen team spirit. But games can be used for all of the above, too, and in practice at work also for improving focus, productivity, relaxedness, and a generally positive attitude towards life and work. This SEEbtm issue centers on awakening that something child like inside us.\nSo, invite your friends and coworkers and start playing!\nAnd another tip: Do not let your kids win every time when you play with them. Think and you\u2019ll understand what that teaches them. The main task of any parent should be equipping the child for independent and real life and developing the ability to invest effort, make progress, and fight for himself/herself and his/her success.\n\u201cTake time to play,\n it is the secret of staying young\u201d\nMiona Milic,\n Editor-in-Chief\nThe post Play and Learn: Intoduction in 26th Issue of SEEbtm Magazine appeared first on SEE Business travel & meetings magazine.", "date_published": "2018-03-23T09:45:11+01:00", "date_modified": "2018-03-23T09:45:11+01:00", "author": { "name": "Milica Novak", "url": "https://www.seebtm.com/en/author/milicanovak/", "avatar": "https://www.seebtm.com/wp-content/uploads/Milica-Novak.jpg" }, "image": "https://www.seebtm.com/wp-content/uploads/naslovna-32.jpg", "tags": [ "events", "fun", "introdction", "meetings", "play and learn", "tabletop games", "Hot topics", "NEWS" ] } ] }