What Leaders Can Learn From Game Design – Part 2: Relatedness

Connecting with People

The best games not only get people playing together but get them interacting more with each other. When a game or an experience delivers relatedness, it satisfies a core human motivator and engages us that much more. A lot of word games existed before Words with Friends became a smash hit, but I believe it was the “with Friends” part that made it such a success.

When I was designing Choose Happiness at Work, a key turning point was when I realized that players should be able to openly debate which solutions are the best. Early versions of the game had players providing the executive with solutions face down, without discussion, and the executive would just read the solution cards and pick a winner. However, the game was missing something. It was missing relatedness and more connection between players. By changing this, and allowing open, informal, and often funny discussion, the need for relatedness was met.

How can you design more relatedness into your work? How can you get more discussion going on your team? How can you use the core human need to connect with others to motivate yourself and those you work with? As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts and questions.

Resource for Connecting People

Cultivate relatedness with Choose Happiness at Work. This card game consists of over 50 workplace scenarios and over 100 science-based solutions. Each solution falls within one of four categories: (1) practice positivity (2) subdue stress (3) flow to goals, and (4) revitalize relationships. These cards offer a way to discuss and resolve problems at work to create a happier work environment.