Why Games in Coaching Work So Well
“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.”
– Benjamin Franklin
About 15 years ago, I had a learning experience that changed the way I approach work forever.
I was in a training with Ken Schwaber, one of the co-creators of Scrum. He immersed us in a simulation of a real-life project. We thought we were doing everything right — we followed Scrum’s principles, paid attention to details, collaborated. But at the end came the big reveal: we had failed. Miserably.
That failure hit hard — not because there were real losses, but because we cared. The experience was safe, yet deeply emotional. And that made the lesson stick. I’ve never made that same mistake again in a real project.
It didn’t take hours of theory or repetition. It took one game. One emotional moment.
That’s the power of games in coaching. And over the years, I’ve been using games and simulations more and more — because they create behavioral change that lasts.
Here are 10 reasons why games are so effective in coaching, training, and leadership development — backed by experience, psychology, and science:
1. Emotion sticks
Let’s be honest — how much do we remember from traditional training sessions? Not much. But when something hits us emotionally, it stays with us.
Games often bring those emotional highs and lows — joy, frustration, triumph, failure — and that makes the learning unforgettable.
Science confirms it:
- Immordino-Yang & Damasio (2007) explain how emotions directly influence memory and decision-making.
- Daniel Kahneman’s “Thinking, Fast and Slow” reveals that our emotions often drive our quickest, strongest decisions.
One game eliciting strong emotions is the “Pole Challenge“. This game demonstrates goal setting in corporate environments. I will soon add it to my growing Agile Games Collection.
2. It’s safe to fail
Games give us a rare opportunity: to fail without consequences. And failure is often the best teacher — if it’s safe.
In a game, we can experiment with new behaviors, push boundaries, take risks — and reflect on what worked and what didn’t.
Some sources:
- Amy Edmondson’s concept of psychological safety (1999), essential for learning and team performance.
- Kolb’s experiential learning model (1984) — especially the parts about trying, failing, reflecting, and adapting.
3. It gets us out of our own way
When we use examples that are too close to people’s everyday work, we tend to get bogged down in “Yeah, but in our case…” debates. Sound familiar?
Games take us out of that space. They create fictional, playful contexts — and that lets people focus on the core concept instead of debating edge cases.
There’s even a name for this: Cognitive defamiliarization — a way to make the familiar strange so we can see it more clearly (Watzlawick et al., 1974).
I often use the Martian Travel Guide as an “out there“ scenario to playfully experience the entire Scrum framework.
4. Fun matters. A lot.
Fun isn’t just a bonus. It’s a serious ingredient in learning.
Games tap into curiosity, joy, and competition. That’s not fluff — it’s what keeps us engaged and helps us remember.
Research says:
- Barbara Fredrickson’s Broaden-and-Build Theory (2001) shows that positive emotions expand our thinking and make us more resilient.
- Stuart Brown’s work on play connects it directly to learning and adaptability.
Whenever I use the benign Ball Point Game I get lots of laughs and a relaxed group. And the competition that a good round of Hunter-Gatherer can spark is amazing to see.
5. You learn by doing, not by hearing
It’s one thing to talk about leadership, or agility, or feedback. It’s another thing to actually experience it.
Games give people a chance to practice — to try things out, get feedback, reflect, and adjust. That’s what makes the learning real.
This is at the heart of David Kolb’s experiential learning theory and John Dewey’s quote:
“We don’t learn from experience. We learn from reflecting on experience.”
The Morning Routine is a game I use often to teach how to prioritize a backlog and apply user story mapping in agile contexts.
Another favorite of mine is the Draw Requirements simulation, which let‘s participants experience how much more efficient and effective face-to-face communication is. That‘s a lesson they still talk about months later!
6. Games shut up the inner critic
In the heat of the game, participants are too engaged to overthink or second-guess themselves. That silences the inner naysayer and opens them up to new behaviors — even if they wouldn’t normally try them.
When people are fully immersed in a challenge, their analytical brain takes a backseat — and they become more open to experimenting.
Flow theory (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990) explains this perfectly: In high-focus, high-challenge situations, we forget to self-monitor — and that’s a good thing for learning.
7. Social learning happens naturally
Games are social by nature. You see how others behave. You try things. You reflect together.
That kind of peer-based learning is incredibly effective.
Albert Bandura’s Social Learning Theory (1977) is all about this: We learn through observation, imitation, and feedback in social environments.
8. Simulating complexity leads to simple insights
Some games replicate complex systems — like flow, prioritization, or team dynamics. Simple activities like the Ball Point Game can reveal why iterative planning can lead to superior performance. These insights land much more strongly when felt, not just explained.
This is pure Systems Thinking, right out of Peter Senge’s The Fifth Discipline.
9. Games compress time
Well-designed games can simulate weeks or months of team behavior in under an hour. You see patterns and consequences much faster, which helps teams learn quickly and effectively — like a time machine for team development.
The 60 second Multi-Tasking 123 exercise is amazing in settling the argument about multi-tasking and WIP limits quickly.
10. One short game can change long-term behavior
Because games activate cognitive, emotional, and social learning systems simultaneously, they have a stronger impact than most traditional methods. Sometimes, one meaningful experience is enough.
When people feel something, reflect on it, and connect it to their work — that’s when new behaviors stick.
And yes, the research agrees: Wouters et al. (2013) analyzed 77 studies on game-based learning. The result? Games often outperform traditional methods in both retention and behavior change.
Real change doesn’t start with a PowerPoint.
It starts with a game.
If you’re serious about helping people learn, grow, and lead differently — don’t just give them answers. Give them experiences.
Want to use these kinds of games yourself?
Check out my Agile Games Collection — a growing library of powerful games for teaching agile, innovation, and leadership concepts.
Each month, a new game is added — with a full facilitator guide, video walkthrough, printable materials, and step-by-step instructions. You can choose the right game depending on the concept you want to teach or the challenge your team is facing.
One subscription. New games each month. Serious value through serious play.