Is there space for playfulness in the most serious of moments? Liz Vogel is a leader in the preservation of American democracy - and in intentional gathering. It’s easy to challenge whether play has a space with the stakes are high and the content serious, but Liz embodies a playful spirit even when confronting the toughest of issues. We discuss democracy, end-of-life, vintage clothes, and more. Resources mentioned: Priya Parker - The Art of Gathering Day Schildkret - Ritual and Morning Altars E...
Jun 30, 2025•33 min•Season 4Ep. 2
Retired Colonel Jason M. Trew -"TOGA" - studied at the Air Force school for strategists (earning a PhD) and came out with some fascinating insights on play. Introducing the concept of “warped play,” TOGA shares insights on the power of play for strategy development - providing opportunity to practice before we are in the highest pressure situations. GUEST: Col Jason “TOGA” Trew, PhD (USAF Retired) At the time of our conversation, Colonel Jason M. Trew, who goes by the callsign "TOGA," was servin...
Jun 23, 2025•45 min•Season 4Ep. 1
In a world filled with uncertainty, urgency, and division, what happens when leaders show up with a playful mindset? Lead with a Dash of Play returns to explore how play can help us navigate serious challenges with connection, imagination, creativity and courage. Maybe play is exactly what is needed in this moment.
May 21, 2025•2 min
The final bash of summer should give inspiration and release - and in the case of play, we find that with curiosity and one of its most passionate advocates, Scott Shigeoka. Even beyond play in professional spaces, Scott seeks to make the curiosity that transforms political structures more accessible, more playful, more joyful. Scott Shigeoka is an internationally recognized curiosity expert, speaker, and the author of SEEK: How Curiosity Can Transform Your Life and Change the World. He is known...
Sep 04, 2023•28 min•Season 3Ep. 5
How do you keep play accessible? It can be through physically keeping something close, through the questions we ask ourselves, or through verbal and visual cues we notice during the work day. Featuring Past Guests: Garry Ridge Kathy Klotz-Guest Ruksana Hussain Neville Billimoria
Aug 28, 2023•9 min•Season 3Ep. 4
Meetings are such a ubiquitous part of work - and often one of the spaces that can feel energy-draining. What if that wasn’t the case? The clips in this episode of “Summer Session” specifically highlight ways to make meetings better. After all, there is so much potential when people gather. Why waste that time and space? Featuring past guests (along with the offerings they share): Natalie Nixon - a free chapter of her book The Creativity Leap Jocelyn Brady - Tiny Tips on YouTube Mark Collard - a...
Aug 21, 2023•13 min•Season 3Ep. 3
A recurring theme on Lead with a dash of Play is how play can build connections. In the second episode of this summer session on how to play, hear highlights from guests’ suggestions on how to build connection with play in small ways that can be incorporated every day. Featuring past guests: Paul Sanbar Jay Guilford Annette Mason Michelle Li Bridget Quigg Check out their full episodes for more inspiration....
Aug 14, 2023•10 min•Season 3Ep. 2
Play helps us be authentic - to actually be seen more truly by others. That’s one of the reasons why it’s so important to play. In the first of this summer session on play, we listen to some entry ways to start to play for yourself - storytelling, physically moving, giving yourself a challenge or creating the space for others to problem-solve. Featuring past guests (in this order): Jeff Harry Van Lai Du-Mone Neel Doshi Mike Ganino Gary Ware Check out their full episodes from Season Two....
Aug 07, 2023•10 min•Season 3Ep. 1
A second bonus episode for season two. I’ve had the pleasure of being a guest on several podcasts myself during this season, sharing in part what I’ve learned doing the Lead with a dash of Play podcast. This bonus episode shares some clips from the Ways We Learn podcast in which I was interviewed by Sean Dagony-Clark and Joe Burgess Listen to the full conversation on the Ways We Learn podcast, episode here ....
Jul 06, 2023•23 min•Season 2Ep. 16
We rarely have as much time as we want these days, so for leaders who want a taste of my brilliant guests this season - or listeners who want a quick reminder of some of the ideas - here it is. Some of the themes that emerged in our discussions this season include: identity, creativity, agency, joy, and getting rid of our outdated notion of work being “serious.” Whether you're looking for individual professional development, inspiration to change the structures in your organization, or a change ...
May 15, 2023•34 min•Season 2Ep. 15
It’s easy to forget that kids play to sort things out, to discover boundaries, to problem-solve. So why do we think adult play is wholly different? Mike Ganino shares ways narrative play helps us identify what is possible and inspire change - individually and systemically. And it all starts with learning to see. GUEST: Mike Ganino Mike Ganino is a storytelling + communication expert who hosts The Mike Drop Moment podcast. He’s been named a Top 10 Public Speaking Coach by Yahoo Finance, and Calif...
May 01, 2023•31 min•Season 2Ep. 14
Play can both build a sense of awe - a practice of wonder - and the flow of committed, rigorous thought. And that combination contributes to audacity. Natalie Nixon invites us to design our space and time for wonder, give ourselves permission to daydream, and lead our teams to play and productivity. GUEST: Natalie Nixon Natalie Nixon, PhD is the creativity whisperer for the C-Suite. She is a creativity strategist, global keynote speaker and author. As CEO of Figure 8 Thinking, LLC she advises le...
Apr 24, 2023•33 min•Season 2Ep. 13
In pursuit of the best structure and mindset for leadership development, Annette Mason co-constructs sabbaticals. These aren’t just for those in academia. To the contrary, individuals can use sabbaticals to learn and recover; businesses can use them to create space for transition and growth. What could you do with an intentionally constructed space for curiosity, play, and learning? "Travel is never a matter of money but of courage." – Paolo Coelho GUEST: Annette Mason Annette Mason is a lifelon...
Apr 17, 2023•33 min•Season 2Ep. 12
How do you cultivate a playground of possibilities? Gary Ware found improv, and it changed the way he worked. Now he helps others incorporate play, building to a “playful rebellion” that can reshape organizational culture. “Play is the cheat code to business success, and leaders who are serious about leading need to cultivate play for themselves and their employees.” (Gary Ware, from The Playful Rebellion) GUEST: Gary Ware Gary Ware, the Founder of Breakthrough Play is a corporate facilitator, k...
Apr 10, 2023•36 min•Season 2Ep. 11
Shifting our notion of “failure” to “learning moments” gives us the opportunity to be more human. Garry Ridge led the global company WD40 for 25 years, with a playful streak that is still apparent in the stories he shares and the way he talks about the company. Can you be CEO and play? “Businesses and leaders have not only the opportunity but a real responsibility to create cultures that are engaging and where people really know they are making a difference in the world.” (Garry Ridge) According...
Apr 03, 2023•30 min•Season 2Ep. 10
In her Tedx Talk, Van Lai-DuMone shares the story of how fueling curiosity gave birth to an $8.3 billion industry. We talk about the intersection of creativity and curiosity, as well as the power of building simultaneously and together to hear all voices and create something collaboratively. From art supplies to LEGO® bricks, Van engages corporate leaders to think with their hands. GUEST: Van Lai-DuMone Van invites clients to think with their hands and use creative tools to disrupt traditional t...
Mar 27, 2023•32 min•Season 2Ep. 9
What if we didn’t call it “play”? Jay Guilford has been guiding the growth of leadership and teams for over 20 years. And yet, like so many before me, I was first curious about his roots in the circus. Does “play” have a branding problem? We talk about play in the DEI space as well as the legacy of the circus. GUEST: Jay Guilford Jay Guilford once worked with a bunch of clowns. Literally. Long ago in a land far far away, Jay ran away with Cirque du Soleil. There, Jay created Cirque’s corporate t...
Mar 20, 2023•34 min•Season 2Ep. 8
Is there a place for playfulness within the very serious issues of our day? Michelle Li identifies it as critical. When creating Clever Carbon, Michelle deliberately developed a cheeky, hip, playful tone to the teaching of climate footprint. Creating joyful spaces of learning may be a different approach than many in the climate industry, but it just may help us adopt new habits. GUEST: Michelle Li Michelle is the founder of clever carbon. She launched her career in Silicon Valley where she worke...
Mar 06, 2023•30 min•Season 2Ep. 7
Can play help us collectively build an innovative economy? Neville Billimoria , SVP for Mission Federal Credit Union, shares the ways play supports his creativity and well-being. In the process, we see how play can be a pattern interrupt, a useful intentional disruption when something is not working - whether that is a meeting at work or a bigger initiative. GUEST: Neville Billimoria Neville Billimoria is an effective communications and values leader, growing organizations through external marke...
Feb 27, 2023•30 min•Season 2Ep. 6
In the research and the book he co-authored (Primed to Perform), Neel Doshi identifies play as the number one motivating factor for performance. He argues that we need to change how we motivate performance. We discuss how forward-looking CEOs are restructuring, the not-so-distant future of our jobs, and ways to make team leadership at any level fun. “Curiosity and experimentation are at the heart of play. People intrinsically enjoy learning and adapting. We instinctively seek out opportunities t...
Feb 20, 2023•32 min•Season 2Ep. 5
What can happen when we remember that creativity is a process? Amy Climer studies and teaches creativity, including how to lead in a way that explicitly supports creativity and the creative process. Hear what Sir Ernest Shackleton understood about leadership, how imagery can unlock better connections, and what nobel prize winners do that the rest of us can emulate. GUEST: Amy Climer Dr. Amy Climer teaches teams and organizations how to increase their creativity so they can maximize innovation. S...
Feb 13, 2023•30 min•Season 2Ep. 4
Ruksana Hussain brings together the play personalities of explorer and storyteller in her work as a travel journalist, publisher, and speaker. Seeing the world with a mindset of “wow,” keeping open to learning something new even in her home town and from people she meets with regularly, starting the day with a crossword puzzle - Ruksana has a lot to teach us all about the place of play in “work.” “Generally speaking, play is something that’s imaginative, self-directed, intrinsically motivated an...
Feb 06, 2023•30 min•Season 2Ep. 3
Want to foster a creative, innovative environment? Jeff Harry describes the essential nature of play in order to create psychological safety. In the process he argues that the world needs to stop the model of leadership which stemmed from toxic masculinity, instead embracing the divine feminine and a healthy blend of masculine and feminine leadership. “You’ll find the future where people are having the most fun.” Kevin Carroll GUEST: Jeff Harry Jeff Harry combines positive psychology and play to...
Jan 30, 2023•34 min•Season 2Ep. 2
As a rare woman leader in tech, Kathy Klotz-Guest had to deliberately choose joy. Told many times to be more serious, to change the way she dressed, to lead differently, Kathy chose instead to forge her own path in leadership, and now she teaches others how to grow in owning their identity and joy in order to bring more authenticity into their leadership. GUEST: Kathy Klotz-Guest From Silicon Valley to Second City, Kathy Klotz-Guest, MA, MBA, is on a mission to help people and companies be bolde...
Jan 23, 2023•33 min•Season 2Ep. 1
The Lead with a dash of Play is back for season 2! More CEOs, Executive Leaders, Researchers, Authors and Coaches on the vital role of play in the workplace. Guest clips from: Neville Billimoria, Neel Doshi, Kathy Klotz-Guest, Jeff Harry, Ruksana Hussain, and Michelle Li.
Jan 05, 2023•3 min
Curiosity, compassion, innovation, and community - why is play not considered essential leadership development? Mary Hendra , Executive Leader and Founder of Move with Grace , shares thoughts on the connection between leadership and play, as well as the impetus for this podcast series. Was the podcast series “too long, didn’t listen”? This is your summary of a great season of guests exploring the tension between play and work. “When people know their core truths and live in accord with what I ca...
Sep 12, 2022•31 min•Season 1Ep. 7
What would it mean to shift from “I need to be heard” to “I know I will be seen”? Wendy Horng Brawer incorporates play in the work she does with CEOs and teams, and describes that shift in sharing the impact of play. Team alignment, DEI initiatives, navigating through failure… Wendy shows us how vital play really is in the workplace. “The opposite of play is not work - the opposite of play is depression.” Stuart Brown, MD, author of Play. Wendy Horng Brawer Senior Facilitator, Experience Designe...
Aug 29, 2022•31 min•Season 1Ep. 6
When did you last build with bricks? Paul Sanbar found a way to make playing with LEGO® his job when he became a LEGO® Serious Play® facilitator, but his roots in psychotherapy are equally foundational. Building and breaking things apart - externally and internally - that’s serious play! “Play has the power to change lives.” LEGO® An Ingenuity + Executive Coach, coaching supervisor, and hands-on visual thinking facilitator, Paul Sanbar's life and career has been dedicated to the field of self-de...
Aug 22, 2022•33 min•Season 1Ep. 5
Opt in. Mark Collard created an entire database of games for Playmeo, but key to all is the invitation to choose to participate. Once we make that choice, we enter in to a different type of connection with others. Mark Twain is said to have observed “work consists of whatever a body is obliged to do, and that play consists of whatever a body is not obliged to do.” Mark Collard is an experiential trainer, author and founder of playmeo.com , a popular online platform that is best known for hosting...
Aug 15, 2022•34 min•Season 1Ep. 4
What are the stories you tell yourself? Do they serve you? Jocelyn Brady , Brain Coach, shares the importance of play in breaking you out of your own resistance. It doesn’t have to include a penguin suit, but it could. We talk about giving yourself permission for “Vitamin Play.” ”Play is the highest form of research.” Albert Einstein, nobel-prize winning Physicist. Jocelyn Brady is a writer, edutainer and professional brain jostler who thrives at the intersection of comedy, storytelling and unra...
Aug 08, 2022•29 min•Season 1Ep. 3
