teamwork makes the dream work

Roleplaying games like Dungeons & Dragons are overlooked resources that can bring awareness to diversity, equality, and inclusion, while fostering creative thinking and building better teams

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There are some things you can’t share without ending up liking each other, and knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them.

Dumbeldore to Harry Potter in Harry Potter and Sorcerer's Stone

Kerry M.,
Human Resource Expert

“gamification can lead to an increase in engagement, motivation, fulfilment, and retention."

Nick S.,

Event Coordinator

"these events re-connected our team during the pandemic, built trust, and lowered our stress levels."

Kim C.,

Project Leader

“I got to know my team better than any watercooler would have allowed.”

events hosted by carl bussler

Carl has over 20 years of storytelling and game hosting experience, and also works as a team leader, technology consultant, and product developer for a small business that he's worked with since 1999.

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benefits of participating in these role-playing game sessions

Reduced Team Stress

Effective stress management is just as important to high-performing teams as it is to individuals. Outdoor adventure events like whitewater rafting, obstacle courses, and paintball are excellent ways to reduce stress and build comradery, but not everyone is physically capable, interested, or has the time to travel to such an event.

My virtual games offer a fun alternative that can unite employees from different departments in the same building, on the other side of the country, or around the world.

I've seen employees who were typically reserved and quiet come out of their shell and become routinely active participants, sharing their ideas and opinions.

Enhanced Team Spirit

Team spirit is the attitude employees have that makes them more than just performing assets. Working together towards common goals fosters trust, nurtures loyalty, and from that comes success.

Team meetings and brainstorming sessions in the professional space are great opportunities, but bringing the team together outside the workplace in a space free of consequence and expectations is a shortcut to building a spirited team.

Exercise Creative Problem Solving

Roleplaying game sessions are, at their core, an exercise in collaborative storytelling and problem solving. All the players have a common goal, and there are numerous obstacles that must be overcome to reach that goal.

Examples include rescuing a wizard from their own spell gone awry or recovering secret data from the hard drive of a crashed starship.

Because the scenario exists entirely in the mind, the players need to use creative thinking to bypass the problems and acquire. Everyone's opinion is heard, and they will engage parts of the brain they don't often access. Exercising these problem-solving skills will improve their ability to get to the bottom of complex situations.

reward your employees with a night of creative fun, while forging a high-performance team

Developing a high-performance team may be what initially brought you to this website, but these sessions can also be used as a reward for a job well-done, team or company anniversaries, and a way to commemorate milestones and achievements. If you want a custom-tailored event, use the form below to connect, and we can work together to make sure the event is something your team will not soon forget.

How does this work?

There are two types of events that I host, the one-shot event which comes in a few flavors and durations, and the ongoing campaign. There are benefits to both, but all of these events operate in a similar fashion. First, you and your team will need to choose from the list of adventures. Some will appeal to lovers of the fantasy genre, while others will gravitate to the science-fiction storylines. Once you choose an adventure and pick an open time and date, you'll get an email from me...

1. THE CALL TO ADVENTURE

You will receive an email from me in which I'll introduce myself, share the quick-start rules, and most importantly give them the adventure's introduction. Included will be some handouts they can use to choose what role they will take on game night. These are also available as free downloads on the website.

2. ENTER THE SUPERNATURAL WORLD

On game night, the team members are going to assume the roles of adventurers... such as wizards, rogues, or warriors if they've chosen a fantasy themed adventure, or medics, scientists, or marines if they've chosen a sci-fi themed adventure. I will go over the rules again, read the adventure's introduction, and then we'll proceed to the first narrative obstacle. It's up to the players to determine how these situations are resolved. Every group who plays through these scenarios will tell their own unique story.

3. Return with the Elixir

When the team has reached their goal and defeated the final obstacle, I'll congratulate everyone on a job well done. I'll ask the group to go around and complement each other on something they did well. If this is part of an ongoing campaign of inter-linked adventures, I'll remind them of the next session and wish them a great week at the office.

4. celebration of the heroes

If you've purchased a highlights video, I will provide a link to where you and your team can view and download it.