Serious Playfulness | Team and Culture

In this episode of Serious Playfulness, Kyle and Stephanie dig into the challenges of fast growth, young managers, and multicultural teams. They talk about how to support new leaders, how to use working genius to depersonalize tension, and why mentorship matters when people are learning to manage for the first time. They share stories about communication gaps across countries, the risks of unclear...

In this episode of Serious Playfulness, Kyle and Stephanie talk about what to do when you notice confusion or dysfunction at work but you are not the leader. They look at how to ask for clarity, how to define success when no one has written it down, and how to understand your real authority in a role. They share stories of employees who felt lost, the simple questions that unlock better communicat...

In this episode of Serious Playfulness digs into the quiet forces that push strong employees out the door. Kyle and Stephanie unpack why toxic behavior spreads when it is not addressed, how isolation drains relational people, and why unclear goals make even great performers want to leave. They share stories of real workplaces, the cost of losing good people, and the simple habits that help leaders...

In this episode of Serious Playfulness, Kyle talks with painter Laurel Dougan about the beauty hiding in everyday life, the pull of technology, and what it means to follow a creative calling. In a mild detour from the usual themes, this conversation wanders into art, culture, and the creative life. They share stories from the Napa conference, the shift from realism to abstraction, and the moment L...

In this episode of Serious Playfulness, Kyle and Stephanie dig into why so many leaders struggle to truly unplug, even when they know they need a break. They explore how unclear delegation, constant firefighting, and identity‑driven habits quietly keep leaders tethered to their phones, their inboxes, and their teams. They share stories of organizations where leaders became the bottleneck without r...

In this episode of Serious Playfulness, Kyle and Stephanie tackle the mistake most teams make before launching a campaign: skipping internal clarity. They share stories of organizations that “spin out” trying to market without knowing who they are or why they exist, and how that confusion leads to vague messaging, wasted money, and team frustration. You’ll learn why clarity isn’t just about better...

In this episode of Serious Playfulness , Kyle and Stephanie challenge one of leadership’s most common habits: setting too many goals. Instead, they make a counter-intuitive case for choosing one clear, unifying priority, and why simplicity is often the key to momentum, morale, and real progress. Through practical examples and memorable analogies, they explore how multiple goals quietly fragment fo...

In this episode of Serious Playfulness , hosts Kyle and Stephanie invite leaders to pause before planning for 2026 and take an honest look at what’s happening inside their team right now. They focus on the everyday issues that quietly derail teams: unproductive meetings, low morale, and misunderstanding roles. Through practical stories and clear examples, they unpack the “yellow flags” leaders oft...

In this episode of Serious Playfulness, hosts Kyle and Stephanie dive into the often-overlooked practice of diagnostics in team dynamics. It’s not enough to spot the symptoms of dysfunction, real health comes from uncovering the root causes. Drawing on years of experience with nonprofit teams and purpose-driven organizations, Kyle and Stephanie share how subtle issues can quietly undermine cohesio...

Get practical tools for healthier teams: https://teemwork.ca/#contact In this episode of Serious Playfulness, Kyle and Stephanie dive into the overlooked problem of mild dysfunction—the “not bad” team dynamics that quietly drain clarity, cohesion, and performance. Drawing from real-world examples and leadership blind spots, they unpack why proactive leaders don’t wait for things to break before ta...

Get practical tools for healthier teams: https://teemwork.ca/#contact In this episode of Serious Playfulness, Kyle and Stephanie unpack the art of leading volunteers in mission-driven organizations. Drawing on real-world stories, from turf wars over locked cupboards to greeter roles that unintentionally push people away, they explore how treating volunteers like valued team members can transform p...

Get practical tools for healthier teams: www.teemwork.ca What if selling wasn’t about slick scripts or pushy tactics, but about genuine service and humble perseverance? In this episode of Serious Playfulness, Kyle and Stephanie unpack their journeys into the often misunderstood world of sales. With stories from consulting, client work, and a thousand “no’s,” they explore how reframing sales as an...

Get practical tools for healthier teams: www.teemwork.ca What if the secret to lasting personal growth, and healthy team culture, isn’t ambition, but simplicity? In this episode of Serious Playfulness, Kyle Neilson interviews Dr. Andrew Abela, author of Superhabits , to explore how breaking big goals into small, repeatable steps can lead to lasting transformation. From cockpit decisions to classro...

Get practical tools for healthier teams: teemwork.ca One bad apple really can ruin the whole bunch, but what if they’re subtle, charismatic, or just a little passive-aggressive? In this episode of Serious Playfulness, Kyle and Stephanie unpack the tricky reality of working with someone who quietly sabotages your team’s morale. From gaslighting to group manipulation, they share real consulting stor...

Get practical tools for healthier teams: www.teemwork.ca Too many organizations post values on the wall but never live them out. In this episode of Serious Playfulness, Kyle Neilson and Stephanie Rivard unpack the real problem with vague values, and why clarity, honesty, and self-awareness matter more than ambition or unity-speak. Whether you're leading a nonprofit, business, or faith-based te...

In this episode of Serious Playfulness , hosts Kyle Neilson and Stephanie Rivard wade into the wonderfully weird world of awkward social moments — the ones that happen at work. From morning greetings that cross personal boundaries to belly-button hand placements in board meetings, nothing is off-limits. Drawing from real coaching scenarios and personal experiences (yes, even a long-mispronounced w...

In this episode of Serious Playfulness , hosts Kyle Neilson and Stephanie Rivard tackle a feeling many mission-driven leaders know too well ... imposter syndrome. That creeping fear of being "found out," the quiet question of “Who am I to be doing this?”, and the pressure to appear more capable than you feel, all of it is on the table. Drawing on years of experience working with nonprofi...