Incorporating

Play Culture at

DEANNA KAFER JESSICA STELTER

The Ruler of Recommendations The Evaluation Elf

MARCH 2020
 executive summary
This chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation (MAW) prides itself on its
playful culture and lighthearted atmosphere, aligning with the
organization’s mission and values.The CEO, Susan Lerch, designed
policies and interactive activities that are meant to bring joy and
teamwork to her organization through initiatives such as themed
meetings, dress up days, team outings and activities, and even the
creation of silly titles that are meant to be whimsical and fun.
In a sense, MAW's fun culture demonstrates their brand and who they
are. This is especially important for a non-profit organization that
often relies on endorsements by those who really believe in the
organization's mission and values. In this report, we analyze the
current culture, leadership practices, and the overall effectiveness of
the playful initiatives that have been implemented throughout the
organization. We will offer solutions and recommendations to improve
the impact of the culture at MAW and mitigate any risks that these
fun initiatives may present.
organizational
culture analysis
Organizational culture is the manifestation of an
organization’s shared beliefs, expectations, values,
and assumptions. It is what creates the unique
psychological environment that can often be
described as the personality of the organization.
Culture is the set of unwritten laws that guide
how employees behave, perform, and interact
with each other and the outside world. As such,
organizations strive to create a culture that aligns
their employees’ beliefs with the company's
established values, mission, and business
strategies.

The Benefits of a Playful Culture

MAW’s mission is “to grant the wishes of children
with life-threatening medical conditions and
enrich the human experience with hope, strength,
and joy” (Grant, 2009, p. 1). The leadership at MAW
has also adopted five “Permission to Play Values”
that all employees should work to embody. These
values are to be a team player, have a positive
disposition, be a good communicator, take
initiative, and act with integrity. Because you are
working with kids who have life-threatening
illnesses, there is a lot of loss and heartache
associated with this type of work which can be
very hard on employees. As such, there is a need
for bringing positivity and joy into the workplace
to help counteract the negative aspects of
working in this profession. One employee said
“[o]ne of the things I really enjoy about my
workplace is that I can have a very difficult
conversation with a family and end up in tears
when I talk to them, but then I can hang up the
phone and open up my door in my office and feel
the positive spirit in the environment” (Grant,
2009, p. 5). The playful culture helps keep morale
up and helps employees feel connected to the
organization’s mission and values. Additionally,
this culture can help inspire creativity amongst
the workforce which drives that organization's
mission of making children’s wildest dreams come
true. Providing a creative and stimulating
environment can help employees to think outside
the box and come up with new, innovative ways
to make their clients happy.
organizational Culture analysis
The Benefits of a Playful Culture (Cont'd)

By decorating their offices they create

a welcoming and magical environment
for the kids they are helping, their
families, and the employees to
experience and enjoy. This can help
them serve their clients better and
make work more bearable for the
employees because they can look
around the office and see things that
make them smile. The themed
meetings are a great way to break up
the monotony of regularly scheduled
meetings and can keep employees
engaged. The opportunities to dress
up, go on work outings, and play
games together give the employees a
chance to relax and enjoy each other's
company which can help build strong
relationships within the
organization. The playful and engaging
culture may also get outsiders more
invested in supporting and partnering
with MAW. The culture shows that
MAW truly walks the talk when it
comes to their published values and
mission statement and the fun
atmosphere can be inviting to those
whose values and beliefs align with
spreading hope and positivity.
Additionally, the creative and fun
activities can help to build
relationships with outside
organizations similar to how they are
intended to build trust and teamwork
within the organization. Making
partners and volunteers feel welcome
and included in the playful activities
helps them to feel integrated and
invested in their work with MAW. It can
remove the transactional feel that is
found in most working relationships.
organizational culture analysis
Potential Roadblocks
People who are introverted or more
reserved may find it overwhelming to
take part in these activities for fear of
being judged, and that fear is only
exasperated when they are asked to do
these things in front of other working
professionals that they may not know
well. Additionally, people may have
come from working environments where
it was necessary to follow strict policies
and procedures and spontaneity was
frowned upon. In many organizations,
people are being asked to produce
more results with fewer resources
which means that they must work
harder and faster to keep up with
demand; this can lead to some
apprehension towards fully accepting
and acclimating to a culture of fun.
MAW is unique in that it is a non-profit
which allows the policies and culture to
be driven by the company’s mission and
values instead of only focusing on
improving the bottom line and
increasing returns for shareholders. This
means that there is likely to be a high
level of culture shock when new people
are brought into MAW and some people
may never be fully able to accept the
more laid back environment. It is
important to build trust prior to
implementing these activities because
it can help to reduce the negative
effects of uncomfortable activities.
Lerch said that the purpose of her fun
initiatives are to promote team bonding
and bring people out of their shells, but
that is only possible if there is already
some level of trust among the
employees.
People have different perceptions of
what is fun and what is tolerable. Some
people may feel that certain activities
are embarrassing and making a fool out
of themselves is a negative experience,
while others may view it as fun and
invigorating. People will have differing
opinions of what is acceptable in the
workplace because they want to remain
professional and certain activities may
be accepted in certain environments
while others may not. There is a
delicate balance to be struck here. The
culture may be off-putting to people
outside of the organization who are
unfamiliar with such practices. This can
lead to a lack of donations or missed
partnership opportunities from
organizations that have a more strict
and profit-based philosophy. Finally,
too many activities or too much fun can
detract from an employee's ability to
get their work done and can make the
fun begin to seem like a chore. Fineman
(2006) points out that what makes fun
fun is its spontaneous nature because it
is unexpected and subverts the normal
order which excites people and makes
them feel good. Making fun activities
mandatory, or trying to include a fun
twist on every work activity can dull
people’s sensitivity to it and make it
less effective.
organizational culture analysis

Mixed Signals
Lerch states that she has learned that not
everyone will want to participate in every event
and that none of these activities are
mandatory, but the culture doesn’t necessarily
support that policy. It is concerning that there
are some employees who believe that if people
are uncomfortable with the fun initiative, they
should participate anyway, and that people
who do not enjoy the fun aspects do not fit
within the company. There may be issues of
alienating employees who do not share the
same views on the extracurricular activities.
People who are uncomfortable with dressing
up or making a fool of themselves “in good fun”
may feel judged by those taking part in the
activities which can lead them to withdraw
and reduce their engagement. This means that
people who have a more stoic personality are
more likely to leave the organization while
those outgoing and fun-loving souls will stay.
One employee even suggested that MAW
should be hiring people based on their
personality and desire to have fun. These
practices can be dangerous because they can
lead to a homogenous workforce which is not
necessarily a good thing for an organization.
There has been a lot of research done that
shows that having diversity in the workplace
can increase performance, productivity, and
profits within an organization. It is important
to have differing personalities and viewpoints
so the company can maintain a competitive
edge. If everyone shares the same perspective
and thought processes, you lose an opportunity
for innovation as well as open yourself up to
cyclical thinking that can leave you blind to
potential risks for your organization. It is
important to have more serious employees to
help make sure you don’t go too far with your
fun initiatives and balance out your workforce.
These more serious employees can help ensure
that work is being completed in a way that is
still acceptably professional to others outside
the organization and can provide warning if
the fun activities are keeping employees from
producing results.
 leadership impacts on
organizational culture
Leaders play an important role in sculpting and maintaining an organization's
culture because they are responsible for prioritizing and delegating workloads,
managing the workforce, and ensuring that employees are working in-line with the
organization’s mission and values. A leader is meant to guide, mentor, and inspire
their employees to grow, develop, and perform at their best. Leaders are the ones
who evaluate employees’ performance and provide them with regular feedback; as
such, they are responsible for holding people accountable for their behavior. All of
these factors make leaders the drivers company culture.

The Costs and Benefits of Encouraging a Playful Culture

Many of the ways Susan implements this fun culture does not cost much, if anything
at all. For example, allowing an employee to choose a fun title or giving them the
freedom to come into work dressed up as a fairy princess doesn't cost the company
anything, but brings in many benefits by giving employees a sense of autonomy,
pride, and enthusiasm for their role. A large part of MAW’s culture of serious play is
about making the mundane things fun. Financial budget meetings and board
meetings are something that have to be done on a routine basis, but they are not
fun. MAW finds a way to make routine meetings more exciting for employees by
passing out candy, fun hats, wands, etc. Leaders do not need to rely on spontaneity
or a whole lot of money/resources to make fun effective. In terms of financial cost
and resources, the benefits of creating and sustaining a playful culture are worth the
costs.

However, in terms of intangible costs such as the foundation being perceived in a

negative light, MAW's fun culture could be costing them their professional
reputation. Additionally, some employees have a negative reaction to the playful
culture and may feel uncomfortable or embarrassed being silly. This could cost the
organization morale and employee engagement. It could even cost the organization
talent or it’s diverse workforce as those with skill sets and personalities that don’t
quite match the silly workstyle may feel inclined to leave. 

Nevertheless, with the right leadership, the benefits of this culture outweigh the
cost. MAW's fun culture demonstrates their brand and who they are. This is especially
important for a non-profit organization that often relies on endorsements by those
who really believe in the organization's mission and values. Not only does this culture
engage and energize (most) internal employees, but it also benefits the organization
by bringing in top talent. Take Google, for example: people often choose to apply to
Google because it is notorious for having a relaxed and recreational culture. Creating
that kind of reputation will not only attract a lot of talent, but also applicants that
align with the chapter’s vision and its “Permission to Play” values that Susan and
other executives cultivated.
 leadership impacts
How Susan Lerch Reduced
Potential Costs or Pushback
changing external attitudes
As previously discussed, MAW’s fun
culture may not take well to outsiders.
This is likely because they do not
understand how MAW remains
professional and productive while
letting loose and being silly. It comes
from a lack of understanding, and part
of what Susan Lerch does is help
external stakeholders recognize the
value of a playful culture. Susan
immersed a skeptical company in the
culture by showing them her toy-filled
office, giving them a tour of the
company, and sharing stories. Once
they had an understanding of how
serious play works, they were sold, and
donated $17,000 to the foundation. This
skill of persuasion is something that
Lerch does very well as a leader, both
internally and externally.
making fun optional
To help fight pushback of initiatives that
were maybe too silly for some employees,
leaders, like Susan, began to reduce the
potential costs of the playful culture by
making fun optional. Susan embraces
learning opportunities, such as learning
when and when not to use her persuasion
skills to get employees to participate. It is
a difficult balance that, for the most part,
Lerch is able to deduce using her
interpersonal intuition
Sometimes it is best to "let go of the
naysayers" before pushing them too far
out of their comfort zone- realizing that
not every fun activity is for everyone.
Susan is attentive, intuitive, and
insightful when it comes to addressing
the wants and needs of her employees.
However, the more outgoing employees
may not be as understanding of those
who do not want to participate. While
participation is not technically required,
the culture does not necessarily accept
and support the “naysayers”. It is up to
the leaders to alter the mindset of the
employees, promote acceptance of all
personality types, and reinforce that
sometimes saying “no” is okay
leadership impacts

leading by example
Whether a leader is promoting Another admirable characteristic of
acceptance of employees as they are, or Lerch as a leader is that when she
acting silly to help them feel more becomes inspired by an idea, she
comfortable with play, exemplifying the actually implements that idea in her
company beliefs as a leader is crucial chapter. For example, after learning
for inspiring your organization’s vision. about the fun titles idea at a
Luckily, Susan Lerch’s personality and development conference, Lerch then
leadership style motivates many of the implemented that idea in her
employees to embrace the fun culture organization, giving employees a
of the foundation. Lerch is described as chance to be creative, have a say in an
a “charismatic, inspiring, warm, and important aspect of their position, and
energetic leader who lives and breathes have fun. Being able to expand upon
contagious passion for making a these ideas and values that represent
difference in the lives of wish children the company, such as Lerch handing
and their families” (Grant, 2009). Susan out "magic wands" not just to the kids,
is dedicated to encouraging an but to adults even outside of MAW,
environment where employees can be shows Lerch has a passion for spreading
as passionate about joy and play as she the culture and making fun contagious.
is.

MARCH 2020
recommendations
TRUST BUILDING EXERCISES
Implement more widely-accepted trust
building exercises such as team scavenger
hunts or a team marshmallow tower
building contest to help employees who
are not as outgoing feel more comfortable
within the organization. These types of
activities allow employees to get to know
one another and each other's working
styles in a safe, fun environment where no
one is singled out or pushed too far
outside of their comfort zones. Trust and
teamwork is something that needs to be
built up slowly, so utilizing neutral
activities to get people acclimated to
each other and the company culture can
be very beneficial. Once there is some
sense of trust built and employees are
more comfortable with one another, the
wacky fun initiatives that MAW
implements daily will be more effective
because people will be more open to step
outside their comfort zones and embrace
the playful side of MAW.
leadership impacts
Host a training for understanding and
accepting others as they are. This training
can emphasize how having a diverse
workforce benefits employees and the
organization so that people can become
aware of their biases and work to
overcome them. Although leadership does
not force employees to take part in all fun
initiatives, there is some underlying
judgement from employees about the
people who choose not to engage fully in
these events. These judgements can be
toxic in the work environment and negate
some of the desired positive effects of the
playful culture design such as teamwork,
cohesion, stress-relief, and employee
trust. Lerch tries to make everyone feel
comfortable and welcome, but all
employees will need to learn to be
supportive of different types of workers if
there is to be a happy, inclusive work
environment for everyone at MAW.
CASUAL & OPTIONAL
SOCIALIZING EVENTS
Focus on more neutral fun activities
such as food-related socializing events,
team outings, or group games where
there is no pressure for people to
perform; they simply need to get to
know each other and enjoy each other's
company. Avoid pushing activities
related to dressing up, role plays,
dancing, or singing anthems etc. on to
all employees as these can be
polarizing and may be met with
resistance. Allowing people to
volunteer to participate in these kinds
of events is a much better strategy and
you can utilize their interests and
talents to bring joy and entertainment
to the entire workforce- for example,
having a group of volunteers perform a
lighthearted skit during an all hands
company meeting, or letting volunteer
teams from different departments
compete to create a company anthem.
Creating a fun and happy environment
where volunteers can participate while
other employees can observe and enjoy
seems like a happy balance for MAW’s
fun initiatives.
ALTERNATE FORMS
OF POSITIVITY
Add other forms of positivity to your
culture such as normalizing words of
affirmation, recognizing and praising
hard work, and offering words of
encouragement. Genuine expressions of
compassion, appreciation, and
gratitude can go a long way to creating
a positive and supportive culture within
an organization. These behaviors may
be easier for all members within the
organization to take part in and do not
require a lot of extra time, effort, or
resources.
 Conclusion
MAW is doing great things for children
suffering from life-threatening illnesses
and their families. They have worked hard
to create an atmosphere of joy and
happiness for everyone involved with their
organization and they are on the right
track with their fun initiatives. If MAW
works to build trust among their
employees in a safe, low risk environment,
normalizes other forms of positivity
sharing, and provides training that
teaches employees the value of having a
diverse workforce, then we believe MAW
will be unstoppable in their mission to
bring joy and magic to the world!
references

Fineman, S. (2006). On being positive: concerns and counterpoints. The Academy of

Management Review, 31(2), 270–291.

Grant, A. (2009). Serious play at the Make-A-Wish-Foundation. WDI No. W88C73. WDI
Publishing at the University of Michigan.