Playful Leadership Development in Mid-Career Academic Mentoring and Coaching

Why It Matters

Mid‑career scholars are a retention risk for universities; providing tailored, experiential development improves career satisfaction and strengthens research culture. The program offers a replicable model for institutions seeking to modernise faculty development.

Key Takeaways

• Mid‑career researchers lack structured mentorship resources.
• Queen Mary launched two‑day playful development program.
• Activities used art, building, sensory exercises for reflection.
• Participants reported reduced KPI focus and increased networking.
• Playful methods foster leadership skills and research culture.

Pulse Analysis

Higher‑education institutions are increasingly aware that mid‑career researchers face a unique set of pressures—balancing grant delivery, team management, and institutional service without the dedicated mentorship pipelines reserved for early‑stage scholars. This gap often translates into lower job satisfaction, stalled promotions, and attrition, threatening the continuity of research expertise. By recognizing mid‑career as a critical juncture, universities can protect talent pipelines and sustain innovative output, aligning faculty development with broader strategic goals.

The HSS programme at Queen Mary reimagines traditional mentoring by embedding play into leadership development. Workshops invited participants to sketch career journeys, construct paper towers without verbal cues, and engage in sensory shoe‑observation drills, all designed to surface hidden motivations and collaborative dynamics. These low‑stakes, high‑engagement activities bypass the anxiety of KPI‑centric discussions, encouraging authentic dialogue about identity, aspirations, and work‑life integration. Participants reported a shift from metric obsession toward relational networking, suggesting that playful formats can unlock deeper reflective capacity.

The success of this initiative signals a scalable blueprint for other universities. Embedding playful learning spaces—whether through dedicated physical rooms or structured activities—can complement formal training, fostering a culture that values creativity, risk‑taking, and collective problem‑solving. As academic leadership models evolve to meet complex, interdisciplinary challenges, institutions that integrate play into mentorship will likely see stronger research cultures, higher retention rates, and more resilient leadership pipelines. Policymakers and senior administrators should therefore consider allocating resources to design, test, and institutionalise playful mentorship frameworks across faculties.