No manager ever says, "Let's make our company a boring place to work." Yet, many do exactly that. To instill more fun and excitement into work, design jobs so they feel more like games. This means providing a sharply focused, urgent goal and a very tight deadline. Set up autonomous teams and encourage them to experiment. Even long-term goals can be broken into smaller game-like chunks. Think 10 or 15 weeks instead of 6 months of a year. For each goal, ask a team to plan an approach and carry it out. The whole effort should encourage creativity. Most importantly, take note of and celebrate successes along the way.
Source: Harvard Business Review - Today's Management Tip was adapted from "Make the Job a Game" by Robert H. Schaffer.