Most workplaces are broken. Burnout is the norm. Energy is low. Creativity gets crushed by pressure.
We’ve stuck values on the wall. Booked the offsites. Launched another “engagement” initiative.
But exceptional cultures aren’t built with slogans. It’s a shift in leadership – the kind that builds trust, energy, and adaptability into the way teams work every day.
That’s what we teach here. And it starts with a shift most leaders never see coming.
When pressure hits, most teams don’t just tense up – they shut down.
Energy drains. People get defensive. And if that state becomes the norm, it doesn’t take long:
trust erodes, ideas stall, and culture turns toxic.
But exceptional teams?
They stay open. Curious. Flexible.
They adapt faster, connect better, and perform when it matters most.
That state – where creativity, connection, and trust come alive – That’s playfulness.
Not a perk. Not a gimmick.
A serious strategy for high performance in tough times.
At The Playfulness Lab, we focus on one thing:
Helping leaders build exceptional teams and cultures that thrive under pressure.
The Foundation Course equips managers and team leads with practical tools to re-energise their people, spark collaboration, and keep creativity alive when the pressure’s on. It’s simple, science-backed, and designed to work in the flow of real team life.
For those who want to go deeper, the Practitioner Programme helps you embed playfulness into your leadership – not as a tactic, but as a way of being. Through months of guided practice and shared learning, you’ll build a culture where energy, trust, and adaptability become the everyday norm.
Being a great leader today requires new skills and a new way of thinking. Performance today isn’t about tighter control – it’s about leaders who can unlock curiosity, creativity, and connection so their teams perform at their best.
Whether you’re a manager looking to lift the energy in your current team, or a senior leader shaping culture across an organisation, our programmes give you a recognisable edge: the ability to consistently build teams that deliver results, foster wellbeing and stay engaged when times get tough.
A high-impact, on-demand course + live session with Chris Marshall, behavioural scientist and founder of The Playfulness Lab.
Perfect for leaders, facilitators, and change-makers who want to understand how playful leadership can help increase performance and adaptability in high-stakes work.
Key information:
For those ready to take playful leadership from theory into embodied practice.
Through live online modules led by Chris Marshall – behavioural scientist and founder of The Playfulness Lab – plus reflection, supervision, and a final practicum, you’ll learn to lead from playfulness, not just talk about it.
Designed for leaders and practitioners navigating complexity, culture change, or team energy – especially when the stakes are high.
This is where the work gets real, relational, and transformative.
Key information:
“Playfulness isn’t the opposite of serious work – it’s the foundation for our highest performance.” – Chris Marshall
In a world of disruption, stress, and constant change, most leadership models fall short. The Playful Advantage reveals why playfulness – our most natural human capacity – is the missing ingredient for creativity, adaptability, and resilience at work.
Drawing on neuroscience, psychology, and real-world case studies, behavioural scientist Chris Marshall shows us how.
