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Playfully Professional
Hiring, Training & Retaining aPlayful Team
Britt Thomas Barrett LongVice President, Team & Guest Relations Senior Site Director
Patti Reiss Vito GioiaAssistant Director of Programs Director of Visitor
Experience
Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning.
But for children, play is serious learning. – Mr. Rogers
For children’s museums, play is serious business.
“Playfully Professional”
We build trust in
being the best at
the “business of play”
by being cheerful,
funny, spontaneous,
unexpected, clever and
regularly
demonstrating our
inner kid.
We build trust in our ability
to “operate the business”
by presenting a polished
presence,
positive attitude, engaged
posture, knowledgeable
vocabulary and sincere
interactions.
Playful Professional
“Children’s Museums are about
people not things.” Michael Spock
“You can discover more about a
person in an hour of play than in a
year of conversation.” Plato
It’s the Most Important Thing that
You’ll Do!
• The people you hire are the face of your
museum.
• Your team is a reflection of you.
• Culture is created by the personalities you
hire and the values of those team
members.
Hiring PhilosophyMike Gueringer, Co-founder, Custom Aircraft Cabinets
“Although qualified skill sets are very important, attitude is
even more important. Someone with basic skills and a great
attitude easily surpasses excellent skills with poor attitude.”
Randy Hafer, High Plains Architects
“Fit is everything. Only hire people who share the values,
passions and sense of humor of the firm.”
Barrett Long, Discovery Place
“I can take someone with a great personality and teach them
new skills, but I cannot take a skilled person and teach them
a new personality.”
Sample Traits of Playfully
Professional• Demonstrates an outwardly positive
attitude.
• Can display flexibility in an ever-changing
environment.
• Cares about the concept of “team”.
• Exhibits a can-do attitude.
• Focuses on the mission of the museum and
the lives they impact.
Tips to Making the Best Decision• Have a cultural vision.
• Look at resumes for skillsets, and interview for
team chemistry and cultural fit.
• Have casual conversations with candidates.
• Interview with other team members.
• Don’t ever rush to fill a position…be patient
and make the best choice.
Playful Staff Interviews
Patti Reiss, Mississippi Children’s Museum
Group Interviews – if you
aren’t working by yourself
why do singular
interviews
I hire very few people
during the school year. If I
see a good resume, I jump
on it.
Playful Staff InterviewsPatti Reiss
Mississippi Children’s Museum
• Take a tour!
• If I pick up things off the
floor, do they?
• Who speaks to others,
candidates and museum
guests?
• Who holds a door open?
• Who asks questions?
• Who dances and plays?
Playful Staff Interviews
Patti Reiss, Mississippi Children’s Museum
At the table interview
• Information Sheet
• Job Description
• Hands on items out
• Pens
What am I looking for
• Where do they put
personal items?
• Who brought their own
things? (occasionally
class schedules and
references)
• Body Language
• Seat Choice
Playful Staff InterviewsPatti Reiss,
Mississippi Children’s Museum
• Grab Bag Questions!
• Let them choose a question!
• Wait for an answer!
• Follow up (if needed)
• Always at the end – give them a chance to toot their own horn!
• Give them a chance to ask questions
– Dress Code
– Scheduling
Playful Staff InterviewsPatti Reiss,
Mississippi Children’s Museum
What do I do while they are
at the big table…
• Watch and Listen
• Refer to resume
• Encourage deeper
answers
• Take notes on the resume
copies
Playful Staff InterviewsPatti Reiss, Mississippi Children’s Museum
Follow up with
• An individual interview
• Practical interview
• I always call 3 references
– I need 2 positive
references
• Remind them - always
have to be able to pass a
background check!
• If I know I am not going to
hire you – rejection letter
in 3 days.
• Follow up with everyone,
no one likes to be kept
waiting.
• Keep everything for 6
months
Staff Self-Assessment
• Staff report being most comfortable with asking
and answering questions, joining children in
play, talking with children about their
experiences and creations.
• Staff report being least comfortable with
engaging children using text, encouraging
children to play together, introducing new words
and their meanings.
O-Observe and join
• Joining in what a child is doing
P-Participate
• Connecting kids in play
T-Talk
• Commenting
• Asking open-ended questions
• Creating conversational space
• Introducing new words in play
I-Inspire
• Praising
• Thinking aloud
N-Nexit
• Nexiting – Naturally exiting
OPT-IN Strategies
• Created a series of 12 videos focused on
different techniques
• Videos include an explanation of the rationale
behind each technique, demonstration of the
technique, and a debrief
• Staff viewed a new video each week
• Museum Leads facilitate discussion, coaching
and mentoring at the beginning end of each shift
Implementation
Results
• Staff became more comfortable and confident in
play by using the strategies
• # of play interactions
increased
• # of conversational
interactions increased
# of guests reporting interacting with staff
40% 45% 50% 55%
Play
Talk
Post OPT-IN
Pre-OPT-IN
Impact• Team members are more confident in facilitating play
interactions
• Team members exhibit the desired behaviors during
interactions
• Team members are more open to talking about
successes/challenges they experience during
interactions
• Team leads have a concrete foundation to use for
coaching team members
• The quality of guest interactions has been enhanced
• The number of guest interactions has increased
PLAY-SPIRATION
Learning Together
Families in Museums Staff Training Curriculum
Boston Children’s Museum
Chicago Children’s Museum
IMLS
2008-2012http://www.bostonchildrensmuseum.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/Learning-Together.pdf
Team Marbles CultureIt’s a balancing act!
Playful Professional
Collaborate Take Action
High Impact Low cost
Think Big Picture Focus on Details
Plan Ahead Seize Opportunities
How Marbles Cooks Up Our
Culture
Our recipe for a team
1. Brand It.
2. Build It.
3. Be It.
And Be Committed to adjusting the
temperature as needed.
BRAND. BUILD. BE.
• Purpose is derived from
belonging to
something bigger than
self .
• Shared purpose builds
loyalty, support and fun.
adds Purpose.
BRAND. BUILD. BE.
• People are the brand
- dynamic and
organic.
• Sets behavioral
expectations.Playful, Creative, Diverse,
Cohesive, Knowledgeable,
Approachable,
Trustworthy…
shapes Values.
BRAND. BUILD. BE.
• Exclusive, “insider” angle
creates Pride and
Loyalty.
• Aspirational aspect aids
recruiting.
makes it Special. Marbleous – adjective; superb,
excellent; such as to cause
wonder, admiration; embodying
the mission of Marbles
Marblicious – adjective; colorful,
fun; highly pleasing to the
senses; delightful
Marbleize – verb; to enhance
something; to make the ordinary
extraordinary
BRAND. BUILD. BE.
playfully professional Policies & Plans
Business as Usual Playfully Professional
New Hire Orientation Marbles 101: “joining the team”
Organizational Policies Team Marbles Handbook
Strategic Plan Playbook
Employee Wellness Program Marbles in Motion
Employee Recognition
ProgramDishin’ the Mission
BRAND. BUILD. BE.
• Reinforces mission-based
behaviors and brand
values.
• Ties to performance
measures.
• Celebrates effort and attitude
rather than results.
• People make it what it is.
Dishin’ the Mission
BRAND. BUILD. BE.
being Committed.
BRAND. BUILD. BE.
being Playful!with the Governor
BRAND. BUILD. BE.
being Playful!in Board Meetings