Playfulness is a skill and is about creating an atmosphere of light-heartedness, fun and enjoyment when you communicate. Seriousness about your clients situation is needed as a professional credentialed coach, but not all the time. Playfulness means learning to use a warm, light-hearted tone of voice with your client, like you might use when having fun with a good friend. It’s about having fun and expressing a sense of optimism to your client. An irritated, annoyed, frustrated, defensive or lecturing tone does not have the warmth that a client needs. Hence, playfulness is a way of being and skill that can shift your own attitude, and enhance your interactions and communication with your clients when used appropriately.
Playfulness is similar to experiencing light comedy, or experiencing good friendships that are fun. Both you as a professional credentialed coach and your client need to feel safe and relaxed, not judged or criticized. Playful moments can reassure your client that their difficulties are temporary and can also stimulate more positive and creative responses when a client feels stuck.
Having a playful stance isn’t about being funny all the time, or making jokes when your client is stressed or sad, this is when compassion or empathy is needed. Playfulness is about helping your client to be more open to, and experience what is fun and positive in their life, through enjoyable communication and interactions with you.
Sometimes a stressed out client has given up on the idea of having good times and loses interest in experiencing fun and enjoyment in the grind of life. A playful stance can create a sense of amusement when used appropriately at the right time, and can uplift your client.
When adults find it difficult to self-regulate themselves and their feelings they become stressed, anxious, irritated, or depressed. Playfulness allows adults to experience more positive feelings. It also gives hope. When adults smile or laugh they become less reactive, defensive or withdrawn and become more relaxed and optimistic.
Being playful shifts your own attitude to be more positive and optimistic. A playful stance also adds elements of fun and enjoyment in day-to-day life and can sometimes also diffuse a difficult or tense situation.
Most adults need to enjoy life more using playfulness and as a professional credentialed coach you can add this to your mental abilities and communicate a sense of playfulness when appropriate, to stimulate a different response, or more openness or optimism from a client.
