why play works

You might be thinking: “This all sounds fun, but is it actually effective?” Excellent question, wise wanderer. As it turns out, play isn’t just fun - it’s one of the most powerful tools we have for real leadership growth.

Play helps you actually remember things

When you’re having fun, your brain lights up like a festival. Play triggers dopamine - your brain’s learning buddy - which makes it easier to absorb and retain new insights. You’re not just learning leadership theory, you’re living it.

📚 Source: Brown, S. & Vaughan, C. (2009). Play: How it shapes the brain, opens the imagination, and invigorates the soul.

It’s safe to fail (and try again)

Play creates a sandbox for experimentation. There’s no judgement here - just space to test your ideas, tweak your approach, and try again until it clicks. You gain confidence through experiential leadership growth.

📚 Source: Salas, E., Wildman, J., & Piccolo, R. (2009). Using simulation-based training to enhance management education. Academy of Management Learning & Education.

Play grows adaptability and creativity

Leadership isn’t linear - and your training shouldn’t be either. Play helps you break out of rigid patterns and adapt on the fly. You become more comfortable with uncertainty and better equipped to lead in fast-changing environments. Creative problem solving through play is powerful.

📚 Source: Lieberman, J. N. (1977). Playfulness: Its relationship to imagination and creativity.

Role-play builds real-world leadership muscles

Whether you’re navigating a team conflict or slaying a metaphorical dragon, stepping into different roles boosts emotional intelligence. You practise decision-making, empathy, and strategic thinking in a safe, low-stakes space that mirrors real leadership moments.

📚 Sources: Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional Intelligence
Kolb, D.A. (1984). Experiential Learning: Experience as the source of learning and development

Games make learning stick

Gamified learning is not only engaging - it works. Points, challenges, and playful constraints keep you focused and motivated. It’s like your brain is tricked into learning through (in the best way).

📚 Source: Hamari, J., Koivisto, J., & Sarsa, H. (2014). Does gamification work? – A literature review of empirical studies on gamification. Proceedings of the 47th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences.

Insight through reflection

Every epic quest ends with a moment by the campfire. At Leadership Treehouse, play is always followed by guided reflection - so you can connect the dots between your in-game decisions and your real-world leadership challenges.

📚 Source: Mezirow, J. (1991). Transformative Dimensions of Adult Learning.

our case studies

Take a walk through some of the work we’ve done with teams.
Our mini case studies include a bit about the game story, the design approach, the insights participants had and their feedback.

the verdant tome

A case study of our shortest quest yet - the Quest for the Verdant Tome.

Played with members of The Wild Ones in August 2025.

the bank heist

A case study of one of our Power Quests - The Bank Heist.

Played with members of DX Legal in September 2025.

the devil in weatherall

A case study of one of our half day role play workshops.

A collab with Hawkes Bay Chamber of Commerce.

FURTHER READING

We’ve found these articles and books helpful for us to understand the impacts of role playing games for leaders. Many of these articles are talking about the benefits of role playing games in a therapeutic context - there is a lot of crossover between this and leadership development.

Improving treatment with role playing games American Psychological Association