If cubicle denizens weren't willing to do silly things on camera, we wouldn't have a business. It's central to The Go Game experience -- the opportunity to look ridiculous -- and then be rewarded for it. Sometimes players of The Go Game get props/points for being inventive, but usually it's trumped by being outrageously daring or shameless. Each time we see it, it's heartwarming.
Every company's culture different, but in the last 5 years we've seen organizations loosen up more and more. Right when a company books a game, the gamerunner will ask them about their work culture. For example, the company has to rate themselves on a 'wild-scale' ('10'=Celebratory Australian Rugby team and '1'=Focus on the Family Board Meeting). It's becoming rare that someone will pick a number under 5. And about 30% of our games occur in red states.
Why is this happening? Well, for starters it's almost the end of the world, so everyone's like 'screw it, imma flash my testicles at my coworkers!' Actually, there might be other factors at work. It's gotta be the fact that everyone already shares so much via social media. Nowadays, co-workers are 'friends' even though they're not really friends. They don't go to the pub together (or do anything friends do), but they do have access to one another's awkward 5th grade pictures and get to see what they look like when they go all out for a wedding. So everyone's already seen everyone at their best and worst, digitally. What could you do on a company off-site that's THAT much worse?
(OK, technically, it CAN get a lot worse, but not THAT often. In fact, early on in Go Game times we used offer a creative mission that somehow resulted in way too many teams doing a team 'moon' and let's just say we almost added a bullet point to the 'Game Instructions' on how to properly not show your proverbial 'fruit basket' when getting cheeky with your cheeks. Thankfully, I think that mission went in the dust bin.)
Not only do co-workers get up in each other's social media business these days, but they gain clout for being 'good' at it. The wittiest posts, most entertaining pictures, coolest adventures and best internet 'finds' all carry serious weight in the meeting room. Your opinions are given more heft if you've got 2,000 followers on Twitter. Cuz they wouldn't follow you if you were an idiot (or something like that). It's a factor in the loosening up-of work, and the increasing comfort level with the errant professional wardrobe malfunction. And social media is something that anyone can be good at -- provided you're willing to share. If you're an internet addict who trolls weird blogs for cutting edge snippets, or a ripped triathalete who only checks their email on Monday morning -- you both can have social media clout (aka Klout)
Awesomely (and tastefully) embarassing Go Game photos and videos only add to your social media cred, so people are far less worried about being inappropriate at the company off-site. Social media has actually made us much better at understanding where 'the line' is, and how not to cross it. Before Facebook days, you either plowed over the line (making out with Gail from marketing on the dancefloor at the Christmas party) or just toed the line in fear 'cuz you had no idea who was cool with what.
You have to make your company lore somehow. The Go Game is there for you when you need something unforgettable and epic to happen.
