How Role-Playing Games Transform Leadership and Culture with Laura Khalil, Founder of Once Upon A Roll

In this episode, we explore how role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons can transform team building, leadership, and organizational culture through immersive, hands-on learning. By using play as a tool, teams can build trust, improve communication, and uncover hidden dynamics that traditional methods often miss. The conversation highlights how experiential learning creates deeper connections, encourages authentic collaboration, and helps individuals develop skills in a low-pressure environment that translates directly into the workplace.

00:00 – Introduction & Laura Khalil background
02:00 – D&D and tabletop games explained
07:00 – Games as a model for team roles & dynamics
12:00 – Using game mechanics in real work (Stars & Wishes) 
16:30 – Why games reveal real personality traits
20:30 – Corporate dysfunction & lack of collaboration
23:00 – Discovery of D&D’s team-building potential
27:00 – Real business impact: building connections across teams
31:30 – Why play is critical for learning & development
35:30 – Leadership, vulnerability & “looking silly”
40:00 – Using games to diagnose team dynamics
45:30 – Breaking hierarchy & titles through gameplay
48:30 – Google study: what makes high-performing teams
50:30 – Where to find Laura & closing thoughts