“We have a great sound system and when I felt very stressed during Covid, I cranked it up as loud as I could and danced it out. That was my play time. One, it’s understanding ‘yes, I’m stressed’ and two, deciding to do something about it. Play with the tools in your toolkit and calm your body back down. Then you can actually do what you need to do. As individuals, we have to build the capacity to do that,” said Jyoti Jani, Author, Facilitator and Organizational Behavior Expert.
Many of us are drawn to the work of systems change. Whether it’s through community advocacy, our professions or volunteerism, because the opportunity to address society’s most pressing challenges is exciting. It’s also mentally, physically and emotionally demanding. And it’s trying in the current climate, but there are ways to manage our energy. It begins with noticing how you respond to the demands of this moment.
Understand What “Systems” Are Made of
Jyoti said, “We talk a lot today about systems. Either ‘the system is broken’ or ‘we’ve got to change the system’ but what does that actually mean? Systems are the rules, structures, processes and mechanisms through which resources flow inside organizations, across industries and nations.”
She explained all performance measures are part of systems. Like financial transactions, incentive structures, KPI metrics, and hiring processes. “They’re all the visible ways that culture is codified inside an organization. And these are the things that are some of the biggest creativity killers around.”
And How They Can Demotivate People
Jyoti said, “When I worked in a Fortune 50 company, one of the things that pissed me off the most was coming back from maternity leave and navigating a biased performance review process.” Unfortunately, this breach of trust is a common postpartum or pregnancy experience. And countless women pause, exit or downshift their careers as a result.
Psychological safety is a prerequisite for creativity and many leaders lose sight of how to foster it. “That happened after I had sacrificed what felt like a lot for this company that I loved. So, I felt betrayed by a broken process and then when I tried to change it, being told ‘no’ was a huge creativity killer,” she explained.
You Can Bring Play into Any Systems Problem
Jyoti left her engineering career and now uses play to foster team communication and innovation. She explains that most organizations have some broken processes that kill creativity.
“If you want to start bringing a playful lens in to change systems, figure out what’s causing friction for your people. And where they’re not able to get their jobs done effectively because there’s some broken process standing in their way then invest resources to fix it.” You can influence systems from any role. Whether you work in government, belong to a parent teacher organization, sewing circle or work in corporate.
And Imagine an Alternative Reality
Jyoti said, “It’s empowering to show your people that you are willing to change something that’s broken about the system. And using a playful lens, helps us think about and imagine what an alternative reality might look like. Sometimes we have to imagine alternative futures and role play different scenarios. It requires an investment of resources and the commitment to actually change systems that are broken.”
You don’t have to immediately solve the problems. People respond to intention backed by action. “And meetings are more open when we’re not putting a Band-Aid on a problem rather than getting to the root cause. Which is what you really want to promote creativity.” Amen!
Play Even Works in Ideologically Opposed Groups
What about the biggest systems in upheaval? Does this methodology work in government, education or healthcare? Jyoti said, “I interviewed a former colleague of mine, Don Kennedy a former Superintendent of Charleston County public schools for my book. And he used play to engage community stakeholders to make the education system more equitable in one of the most historically segregated districts. What he shared about using play backs up my intuition as a systems change practitioner, and they were able to make gains in their school district.”
But Systems and Cultural Change is Iterative
Jyoti said, “When you’re working on improving the health and creativity of a system, you’re not going to see the same kind of ‘hockey stick’ gains venture capitalists push for. Everybody wants to see trend lines that accelerate upwards. And in the world of systems change, you don’t see that because cultural systems are a lot more complex. There’s initial progress but then there’s a contraction that happens. Perhaps because more fear sets in and we see that today in the political climate here in the United States.”
It’s Essential to Manage Your Energy Through the Process
Again, systems change takes time so you have to preserve mental and physical capacity for the process. Jyoti explained, “A lot of us don’t even know when we’re chronically in fight, flight, or freeze and that’s just the first part of the problem. Once we know that, what can we do? That is the reason we need play. As a society, our nervous systems are chronically burned out.”
Play Counters the Physiological Aspects of Stress
Jyoti said, “When we prepare for or respond to a threat or perceived threat, from a chronically stressed state, cognitive functioning declines. We revert back to our reptilian conditioning and operate at reduced creative functioning.”
Unfortunately, stress isn’t exactly easy to avoid. Play, however can help turn our ability to learn and grow through stressors back on. She added, “Scientists have discovered that play is a biological urge that starts in our brain stem. We humans have the urge to play, just like an urge to eat or an urge to have sex or drink water.”
Use Play to Facilitate Learning and Growth
Jyoti explained, “Play facilitates neuroplasticity. And when we’re chronically stressed, we’re not able to do new things, we just reinforce existing neural pathways. Play actually facilitates getting into our bodies and regulating our nervous systems. So, when you’re like, ‘yep, I’m stressed’ you have to do something differently to navigate the physical aspect of stress.”
Jyoti uses everything from paints, storytelling games, Lego bricks, applied improv techniques and music in the workshops she facilitates. By all means, if you can bring toys or art supplies to your next meeting, go for it! However, even without props or sophisticated techniques she mentioned just opening up a meeting with a question or an ice breaker activity, helps people feel playful and more engaged.
And Rest to Self-Regulate and Restore
Jyoti said, “It feels like we’re receding but systems change in waves and if you think about the way energy actually moves through a system, it’s nonlinear. It’s cyclical, like the ebb and flow of the tide. You have moments where you’re contracting and the trick is, when you’re in a contraction, don’t think that you’re going to be in a state of contraction forever. It’s really important to understand how to use those times of contraction to resource yourself. And redirect your energy to focus on your longer-term goals. And ultimately rest and replenish your energy to get ready for the next push.”
Many thanks to the talented Jyoti Jani!
Check out her delightful book: Creating Culture: Empowered Leadership For Systems Change and follow her great adventure on her website, and Linked In.
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About Jyoti:
Jyoti Jani has been designing and delivering people and culture programming since 2011.
With a background as an engineer, learning and development strategist, and systems thinker, Jyoti has developed expertise in cultivating creativity, communication, and cultural transformation across diverse industries. Her journey began by addressing knowledge transfer, employee engagement, and participative strategic planning where she leveraged play and creativity to unlock innovation and emotional intelligence in teams.
As the author of Creating Culture: Empowered Leadership for Systems Change, Jyoti provides actionable frameworks for leaders who want to reshape their workplaces into thriving ecosystems. Drawing on her unique perspective as a woman of color and global leader, Jyoti integrates research, storytelling, and real-world insights to help organizations move from chronic misalignment, avoidance and stress to brilliance.
Jyoti has facilitated executive retreats, leadership workshops, and immersive creative experiences for organizations like Boeing, Microsoft, and the Gates Foundation. She has also collaborated with community-focused initiatives like Y-WE (Young Women Empowered) to build responsive systems that prioritize trust, equity, and impact.
Whether on a stage as a keynote speaker, in a studio as a DJ at KEXP, or at a corporate offsite, Jyoti inspires leaders to reimagine how they connect, create, and communicate, using embodied and artful methods. Her work invites people to reclaim their agency, embrace play, and build systems where everyone can thrive.
