Why Play Matters for Enterprise Companies

The Power of Warm-Ups in Fostering Team Creativity

I recently found myself in a room filled with engineers and program managers at an enterprise company. These individuals were highly focused on delivery and data-driven decision-making. My goal was to quickly shift their mindset to be more creative and open. I wasn't sure how the warm-up would go, but it was worth a try.

The warm-up was a simple activity. As a team standing in a circle, I asked them to say the ABCs, taking turns saying a letter. However, they couldn’t go in sequential order. They had only one minute to complete the task. If anyone messed up — such as two people saying a letter at the same time — they had to start over again.

As the team began, it went smoothly at first. "A," "B," then two people said "C" at the same time. They all laughed and started from the top. This happened repeatedly, with everyone aware that time was running out. Despite the pressure, the group laughed through the challenge. When the minute was up, they still smiled. I let them know it was okay not to finish and congratulated them for trying and having a good time.

Most teams don’t finish this activity. There’s a reason behind it — a lesson that applies to their work and lives. In many companies, teams are so deadline-driven that they skip strategy before diving in. They don’t take the time to plan with a clear beginning, middle, and end. Their sole focus is on shipping, which often leads to ineffective products or services.

If the group had spent even 10 seconds to establish a strategy upfront, like pointing at the next person to say a letter, they could have finished the task in just 30 seconds. Warm-ups should be fun, encouraging interaction, laughter, and shared experiences. But they should also serve a deeper purpose — acting as micro-interventions that shape a team's culture, build vulnerability, and prime brains for innovation.

Creating a Culture of Vulnerability

Innovation can't happen without vulnerability. Brené Brown emphasizes this point, stating that without vulnerability, there's no innovation. If teams aren't willing to build a culture where people feel safe to speak up, creativity will suffer. Amy Edmondson, from Harvard, introduced the concept of psychological safety — the belief that you won’t be embarrassed or punished for speaking up. It's essential for effective teamwork.

Warm-ups that include a bit of silliness or discomfort, such as movement, storytelling, or improv, help model vulnerability and reinforce psychological safety. By creating a space where people can be a little silly together, trust can grow, and trust drives collaboration.

Breaking Mental Ruts

The brain's default mode network (DMN) governs daydreaming and habitual thinking. A state change — like laughter, physical movement, or novelty — disrupts the DMN and boosts divergent thinking. Getting your team out of their usual state can physically wake up their brains, making them more receptive to innovative ideas.

This doesn’t require a heavy effort. Simple exchanges, such as personal storytelling or shared experiences, whether in warm-ups, non-work-related Slack messages, or even five minutes at the start of every meeting to chat about something meaningful, can help team members see each other as humans, not just roles. This leads to better communication and compassion.

Building Real Connections

Another warm-up I led involved forming a human knot. Everyone stood in a circle, grabbed hands with two people across from them, and had to unwind themselves without letting go. The initial reaction was disbelief and nervous laughter, but they worked together to figure out who stepped over and under whom. Eventually, they successfully unwound themselves.

They realized they were in two overlapping circles, leading to the observation, “A Venn diagram — how cool!” This was the day’s micro-intervention: there was no problem too complex to solve if approached collaboratively and with consideration for one another.

Play as the Heart of Innovation

Innovation is difficult for teams to get right because people often allow their brains to go on autopilot at work. Rick Ruben, a celebrated record producer, says in his book, The Creative Act: A Way of Being, “We're not playing to win, we're playing to play.” Perfectionism gets in the way of play, and play is the heart of creative work.

Some may view warm-ups as a waste of time, but I’ve seen them work. Trust in the process, create a safe space, and invest in the time. The more your team laughs, smiles, moves, and plays together, the more innovative and productive they will become.