Business Wire: University researchers are learning that participants having fun breaking out of Mystery Escape Rooms (www.mysteryescaperoom.com) are also capturing best practices for leadership styles, productivity and diversity. Carnegie Mellon University is reviewing data from 1,381 teams; initial findings show the most successful teams have collaborative leaders, open communication and diverse teammates.
3 comments:
I am a really big fan of escape rooms, and I think they can be either a great bonding activity or create a really awkward passive aggressive argument. My family and I really enjoy doing escape room challenges, and I think it helps that we are all pretty different so we notice different things. Those who are more creative, out of the box thinkers tend to notice different things than logical, rule followers, and so it helps to have a variety of people there to work together. It is so interesting to read the different data that has been collected around escape rooms, and I think the most interesting thing here is the information on the most productive leadership style- not too hands on and not too hands off. I think this is accurate for most team situations, not just in escape rooms; a leader needs to strike that balance between micromanaging and leaving a team to fend for themselves. I think this is a great thing to keep in mind in all team collaborations, especially theater.
The results of the study shared in this article seem like a no-brainer to me. Whenever I am in the shop, I try to be enthusiastic, and make sure the people on my crew know that they can have a good time and get work done. I think that there’s a connotation that having fun equates to being childish, but I’ve always felt that if you are in a fun environment, you can be more comfortable and therefore more communicative with your peers. Of course it's important to prioritize safety, especially if you’re using power tools and machinery, but I think that if you are in a new environment, it’s easier to communicate with a supervisor if the energy is one of enthusiasm and having a good time (while also getting stuff done). It's easier to admit to mistakes and to ask questions. Plus an upbeat environment counters the angry TD stereotype. I’m glad to see that there's data that supports how I like to run my crews.
First, it is fun hearing how transferable creative skills are and how the teams behind escape rooms are also behind some of the most well-loved video games. It is an excellent reminder that this field is a small place, and so many things are connected that you may never realize. I also love seeing that they are trying to find ways to build team relationships that are fun for everyone while still helpful to their individual and team growth. I would love to see how teams do when put into escape rooms without their leader. I think it would be necessary for the leader to see different people step up and problem-solve without them. It would likely cause insightful conversations and analysis of how the team runs in their office/work setting. I also wonder how these stats would change if multiple leaders of different groups within the same department were out into these team-building activities. I think in general there should be a larger focus on team-building in the professional world.
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