How To Have More Fun With Your Team

Most leaders I know feel burnt out juggling the pressures of managing deliverables and managing their teams. As a leader, your stress doesn’t only affect you—it trickles down to your team. If your team feels “stuck” and joyless, there are ways to bring fun back into the workplace (that go deeper than parties or Zoom happy hours). Bringing back the fun not only makes your team happier; it unlocks creativity and leads to better, more joyful work. Here are some ideas to help you bring back the fun and help your company or teams get unstuck.

Examine how you lead.

Your team will always model how they see you behave. Are you having any fun? Are you allowing others the space to be themselves? Think about your demeanor and actions in meetings with your peers. Ask yourself these questions:

Do I ask people how they are?

Do I ask people what they think?

When was the last time I laughed?

When was the last time that the team laughed?

How am I allowing everyone to show up as they are?

What have we done as a team lately outside of work?

As a leader, it’s your job to recognize each team member as a valuable part of the group. Each team member must feel like they belong for the team to be cohesive; a healthy team leads to more fun, creativity and solution-based planning.

Add in five minutes of fun.

Your teams might be under a lot of pressure to meet their numbers or finish a project, and it’s your job to ensure that the team is on point. You may feel that you “don’t have time” for fun as you’re approaching important deadlines. However, that’s when you need fun the most. Adding in fun doesn’t have to be time-consuming; you can do it in small increments that don’t detract from the team’s momentum. In high-pressure moments, try to stay lighthearted. Smile; tell a joke in a meeting; do what you can to diffuse the tension. These little moments of levity will add energy to the team.

Lean on your Number Two.

You don't have to take on all the responsibility of helping the team have fun. Who on your team can you lean on? If you have a “number two,” consider asking for support in boosting team morale. You may ask questions such as:

How do you think the team is doing?

I know that times are difficult right now and everyone is feeling burnt out—what is happening?

Is there a specific person we should help have more fun?

What can we do to help the team have more fun?

What is one activity you can lead to help the team have more fun?

Accommodate your team’s needs.

How hard have you been driving your team? When you’re under pressure, you may not realize if you’ve become oblivious to their real needs. Let’s say someone has asked for a day off—you look at them blankly. Finally, you spit out a “yes.”

For your team member, they’ll likely feel even more demotivated than if you had just said “no.” Give your team some leeway; let them make their own schedules with the understanding that the work must be accomplished regardless. This may mean you need additional support from another team member or that you take on more yourself. Consider the long-term benefits of allowing your team more space for fun outside of work.

Ask your team.

You don't need to be the mind reader and figure out what would be fun for the team. Schedule a quick brainstorming meeting with your team members. Prior to the meeting, prep your team: send an email asking everyone to think about an activity they would find fun. Make sure that everyone understands that they’ll be coming prepared to share ideas. This way, you make having fun a team effort.

Forget the “all or nothing.”

Don’t get fooled into thinking that every meeting or even has to be a ball—that if your team doesn’t have a belly laugh each time you get together, something’s awry. Having fun doesn’t mean “performing” in every meeting. It's not an all-or-nothing approach. If no one has any fun for a week, it’s okay—sometimes you have to bear down and finish the work. Simply be aware: in small pockets of time, look back at your calendar. Has it been two weeks of everything being a bit too serious? Look for pockets of time where you can engender joy.

More lighthearted interactions can help overall performance. This doesn’t mean you have become a stand-up comedian, always entertaining. Rather, look for simple things you can do to add more fun to your group's interactions.