The Being Playful Podcast with Chris Marshall

I sat down with Chris Marshall to talk about values and playfulness, You can hear it here.

Here’s how he introduced the episode:

Ever wondered how our values and playfulness intertwine to shape authentic leadership and organisational culture? In this episode, Chris talks with Erika Clegg, a values consultant whose journey from creative agency founder to transformational leadership expert offers fascinating insights into how embracing our authentic selves can revolutionise both personal growth and business success.

Erika shares her evolution from working in traditional corporate structures to developing her own values-based approach, revealing how understanding and living by our core values enables us to access a natural state of playfulness and authenticity. Through her work with organisations ranging from corporations to emergency services, she demonstrates how values can transform workplace culture when they’re genuine rather than merely fashionable.

The conversation explores the deep connection between values and playfulness, with Chris and Erika diving deep into:

How values provide a framework for authentic self-expression
Why playfulness emerges naturally when we’re aligned with our true values
The importance of values being genuine rather than following trends
How perspective-shifting helps manage challenging situations
The role of values in building resilient leadership

Key insights include:

The distinction between organisational and personal values
How values can eliminate imposter syndrome
The importance of values being potentially divisive rather than universally appealing
Why playfulness helps create psychological safety in professional settings
The power of “knowing what matters” in both strategic and day-to-day decisions

The discussion takes fascinating turns into how both values and playfulness can help manage overwhelming situations, foster authentic connections, and create environments where innovation thrives. Chris and Erika explore how maintaining awareness and staying true to our values can lead to more effective leadership and deeper human connections.

A particularly powerful moment comes when Erika shares her experience of recognising value misalignment in her early career, describing the discomfort of having to consider “what would my boss say?” rather than trusting her own judgment. This leads to a compelling exploration of how understanding our values frees us to be more playful and authentic in our professional lives.