This might sound overly simplified, but… people like to grow. If your employees are complaining about training and development as an extra commitment… there’s probably a reason for it and it’s one you ought to pay attention to. 

In our humble opinion, the absolute best trend for professional development this year needs to include fun!

Adult learning theory shows that the best training is self-directed, rewarding, and fun! That means if something feels forced or not relevant to the day-to-day situations your employees are facing, then they will do their best to avoid it at all costs. 

How we teach managers to include fun in their directives

Inside of our coaching program Activate, we spend a lot of time teaching managers not only how to make work more productive–  but also more fun! Why? Because the more interesting, exciting, and engaged your employees are the more likely they are to produce superior work. While having more fun at work might feel like something that should happen naturally, the best leaders know there’s an intentionality required to make sure “having fun” isn’t just one more thing to add to their team’s  to-do list. Enough with the virtual happy hours already! 

Here are a few ideas to bring more fun, connection, and joy to the workplace:

• Try a Weekly “Team’s Choice” 

During your weekly meeting, rotate having a team member pick out something they’ve been learning or enjoying recently (think: a podcast, television show, magazine article, IG account, video, etc.) Leave a few minutes in the meeting where the group can grab a coffee, watch a video or read an article, and discuss the lessons learned together. 

• Make conversation starter kits your BFF 

Go beyond asking “how was your weekend?” by incorporating engaging conversation cards into your meetings. We’re big fans of Holstee for this, which have questions designed to cultivate deep, meaningful conversation. We also love how these Intelligent Change cards which have levels, I.E., close, closer, and closest so you can decide how deep you want to go with your questions. 

• Check in/Check out 

We loved this one when we heard it on Brené Brown’s Dare to Lead podcast.  Try asking your team, “If we were at a bar for happy hour on Friday, what’s one thing you would share that maybe wouldn’t have felt important to share during a regular meeting?” Answers I’ve gotten for this question range from “I got a new puppy” and “we booked a dream vacation.” 

Don’t Forget to Skip Your Own Professional Development

If you’re a manager who wants to take the reins in your career while also enjoying the process, then Activate is for you. It’s been designed to energize you and your team in a way that’s effortless, natural, and rewarding. We know that learning is best when it’s something you want to do and can immediately action into your day-to-day work, which is what makes Activate exponentially more effective than any other training program in the market. 

To discuss your unique situation or request a demo, book a call with us today!