I thought professionalism meant being serious. Then I put on giant wings in a training room.

What if the best way to get people to grow is to stop acting like serious adults?

Growing up in Germany, I learned early on that work meant being professional. To be professional was to be formal and serious.

But watching my three boys taught me a different truth: kids learn best when they play. As it turns out, adults are exactly the same. We learn when we relax. We grow when we have fun.

As a facilitator, I often have to deliver heavy and constructive feedback when we introduce new ways of doing things. If the room is stiff, people close up.

So, I threw out the serious playbook. I put on a pair of (literally) adult-sized angel wings, representing “I am an angel on your shoulder. I am here to give you feedback and to support you”

When people see me standing there in wings, their guards drop. They laugh. The tension melts. Because we are playing, the space becomes safe. Suddenly, that hard feedback is much easier to accept.

When you lighten the air, people find the courage to stretch. One person's willingness to be playful creates an impact - turning fear into willingness to grow.

And where is this idea from?...  My wife, Pim. Thanks for your creativity and beautiful randomness. Thank you for ordering these wings for me. You knew exactly how to break my serious mold.

I tell myself before every session:

Drop the heavy seriousness and bring play into the room. 

When you create a space where people can smile, the results will take care of themselves.

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