Why you can turn a job into a game (even if it’s yucky)

Can you really turn any job into a game?

How about a job in which you personally clean other people’s bathroom waste that has been stewing for hours in the hot sun day in and day out? Fred Porsey, an employee of Waste Management corporation (WM) manages to do it. He was on a TV program called Undercover Boss several years ago. The president of WM, Larry O’Donnell was undercover and helped Fred clean the portable bathroom units people use out of doors.

Fred enjoyed every minute of his time cleaning these units although they were smelly and difficult to empty. Here’s a few things he said while he worked with Larry. Imagine a grown man with a baritone voice saying these things cheerfully and with a smile on his face:

“We’re like hunters. We see our prey. We creep up on it.”

“You never know what you might see. We don’t know what’s in there but we know it’s trouble.” :)

“This is destiny.” (as he begins to clean one of the bathroom units)

“Make it dance. Make it dance.” (speaking to Larry)

You could see that Larry was starting to enjoy the job. Fred’s enthusiasm was infectious. Near the end of the shift Fred had a few things to say to Larry. And keep in mind Fred thinks Larry is a new employee.

“This isn’t a job. It’s an adventure. I call it the battlefield of poop.”

“I say good soldiers endure. You get a little splatter on you. You’re wounded but you keep going.”

After Larry concluded his work with Fred, Larry said:

“He takes a job that most people would consider nasty and he turns it into something just funny and fun. If we could all be that way. What a company we would have.”

And think of what a life you would have if you did the same.

So what’s Fred’s secret?

How did he make his work cleaning up after other people’s messes into something fun? He turned it into a game by creating empowering meanings. Instead of saying “I remove sewage from bathroom units,” he says “We’re like hunters.” Instead of saying that it’s disgusting to get sewage on him, he says he’s a wounded soldier. By changing the meaning he assigned his job, he transformed it from something mundane into an adventure.

How can I transform my work into a game?

Look at the words you use to describe your job. In fact, think of the word “job.” Doesn’t sound very interesting does it? Imagine going to work tomorrow and seeing your job as a game you chose to have a sense of adventure in your life. How might that change your experience?

What about when something goes “wrong” on the job?

Imagine some typical situations.

Your boss comes in to tell you about a mistake.

Your computer crashes.

You can’t find the expense report and you need it for a

meeting that starts in 5 minutes.

Now imagine seeing each one of these as a challenge to overcome on your latest quest.

The mistake your boss brings to you is another hurdle to overcome to grow your character’s powers.

The computer crashing is the game’s delaying tactic testing your mettle.

The expense report is a hidden treasure you must find to complete your next quest.

How does that change your experience?

Does it add a bit more adventure? Does it create a sense of lightheartedness? Do you imagine the pressure lowering or changing from a negative urgency to positive anticipation? When you really get the “The Work Life Game” that’s what you experience. Here’s a statement from one of our past students about it.

The Work Life (game) exercise. Honestly, this has been the most dramatic thing to me. What a crazy exciting way to do life…the pressure and resistance is gone. I know I’m not near as good as I will be, but this kind of puts together a number of learnings.

The coolest thing for me (as a consultant) is how ‘the game’ took away my defensiveness that shows up occasionally…and the sense of competition that also

shows up occasionally. I just went and enjoyed myself (and won the game). I’ve had lots more business come out of just playing it with the looseness of a game…I seem to connect and function and enjoy it all. Even a teaching session I lead at church went better than I remember in some time with this same mindset. This is pretty close to the price of admission!

—Fred Lybrand

One student named Joss had many copies to make by hand. She found this task quite boring a first. Then she decided to create the Copy Olympics. Here’s how she described the game.

BTW I actually made photocopying invoices into a game. I made it into an Olympic Event; every time I took a package of these initially irritating invoices to the copier, I trained to beat my earlier best time. Mistakes in assembly were a DQ (disqualification). I was SO efficient at this, it was amazing! Then the assembly requirements changed, and the “event’ changed. I had to learn a new set of motions for a new Olympic photocopy event. It was hard at first, but I knew I was up to the challenge. No change was going to defeat me! I got it handled and became world level at that event too. I was in The Zone while make photocopies. And it was a hoot!

How do you do this?

Take one task that’s pretty mundane, maybe even boring. Decide that you’ll transform this task into a game. Create your own rules. Create the object of your game. Then play. And if possible get others to join in. That makes it even more fun.

So can you really turn any job into a game?

I think so. Try it with an open mind and heart and you’ll soon find out.