Fun + Fear = Victory

My company took us on a zip lining adventure the other day. It was incredible. As someone who has been fearful of heights for most of his life, it was also a bit nerve wracking. But I’m so glad I did it. And I’m so glad I did it with co-workers. Nothing brings a group together like a little shared fear and fun. 

But you don’t have to go zip lining to make that happen.

Sure, it’s nice to have group outings. Every agency should do them once in a while. But the fun (or fear) shouldn’t stop there. We should be doing everything we can to make each day exciting, engaging and a little bit intimidating.

In a creative environment, people need to be loose. You can’t get blood from a stone and you can’t get a decent ad from an uptight art director either. Creative departments should be silly places, where jokes are told, stories are shared and the occasional liquid lunch is enjoyed. 

But it can’t all be fun and games. 

We should also be pushing people to try things that make them a little uncomfortable every day. Stress isn’t the only creativity killer. Beware boredom as well. If your team isn’t learning at work, they are probably dreaming of a job where they can. Push each person to stretch beyond their comfort zone and they will likely reward you with better work and a better chance of sticking around for a while.

Which means they’ll probably be around (and hopefully a little bit scared) at the next company-wide adventure.