"Roll" Play Game

Why I turn Training into a Game

Octopi has always been my way of breaking out of the “standard issue” approach to service. In hotels, it’s easy to stay inside the frame: scripts, checklists, and policies. But real service lives beyond the frame. Like an octopus reaching in many directions at once, I wanted my training tools to stretch into something deeper: everyday choices that reveal what we truly value.

In hospitality, everything speaks. A greeting, a delay, a small recovery after a mistake—each moment quietly broadcasts your ethics. At the heart of it all are simple human needs: to be noticed, to be understood, and to be treated with care.

My work has always been about making those ideas practical and memorable, so people don’t just “attend” training—they play with it, test it, and own it.

As a hotel manager, I saw what happens when leaders champion learning instead of delegating it. When leaders show up, participate, and celebrate great service, they send a clear message:

Our people matter. Our guests matter.

In that kind of culture, training isn’t an event; it’s a shared practice. Creative tools and games can spark energy, but without visible leadership support, even the best ideas fade. Frontline employees take their cue from the top—and guests feel the difference in every interaction.

This game grew out of that belief: that service training can be playful and still profoundly serious about what kind of experience you want to create.

The “Roll Play” Game: Big Service Ideas in a 5‑Minute Game

I poured a lot of time and brain power into creating this game. It weaves together almost every service concept I believe in. But the end result is simple on purpose:

• daily service reminders already built in

• four dice

• 5 minutes to play, talk, and learn

That’s it.

Why I Built It

I wanted two things:

1. Colleagues engaged. - Rolling the dice creates endless variations. No one knows what will happen until the dice land, which keeps the energy high and the practice fresh.

2. Leaders fully equipped. - Leaders get everything they need in one place so they can easily fold training into stand‑ups and shift meetings—without building content from scratch.

The goal: help both leaders and colleagues feel more confident connecting with guests and living the standards in real time, not just in a classroom.

Behind the Scenes: What Went into the Game

My aim was to turn corporate training into a living, daily ethos. To do that, I:

• designed the game concept

• customized options by department

• created a hotel‑based service model

• developed seven weekly facilitator guides that rotate through the year

Each weekly guide is a single, two‑sided page. It includes:

• five daily service concepts for stand‑ups

• one weekend wrap‑up

Leaders across the hotel work from the same guide, so everyone is reinforcing the same ideas in their own departments.

A simple departmental game board roster posted in the shift meeting area tracks who has played and who has facilitated. It’s posted in a central area so participation and rotation stay visible and fair.

How “Roll Play” Works (In Real Life)

Roll Play is designed for shift meetings and department huddles. It lives “in a box”:

• the box holds the instructions, game sheet, and dice

• the leader brings the weekly facilitator guide

Before the game: The leader spends a few minutes reviewing the day’s concept from the facilitator guide printed each week.

During the game: A rotation of three colleagues play a short scenario based on the dice roll, then talk about what worked and what could be better.

Objective: Help colleagues practice solving everyday issues with an engaging, empathetic attitude.

The Game Sheet and Roles

Each department has its own game sheet. It includes:

• three factors that shape the guest persona

• universal and departmental ways colleagues can connect and problem‑solve

• simple coaching tips to guide the debrief

There are three roles:

• Guest – defined by the dice (membership status, trip persona, and a personal detail that might only surface through real connection)

• Colleague – their connection or problem‑solving move is also set by the dice

• Coach – observes the interaction and leads a short discussion: Did we connect? What could we try next time?

The Facilitator’s Focus (Leader or Designee)

The facilitator’s job is not to lecture. It’s to:

• Keep the energy high – colleagues mirror the leader’s tone

• Anchor the game to today’s training focus

  • before play: review the monthly theme, weekly move, and daily focus

  • during play: notice when colleagues use key phrases or behaviors

  • wrap‑up: recognize people who brought the concepts to life

• Encourage participation – invite quieter voices in with simple questions:

  • “What do you think?”

  • “What works for you when you need to recover a guest experience?”

• Ask probing questions to deepen insight:

  • “Why do you think that happens?”

  • “What leads you to that conclusion?”

  • “What does everyone else think?”

• Listen actively – be curious, open, and willing to explore new ideas

If it matters to the facilitator, it will matter to the team.

Simple Rules of Play

The game is meant to be light and repeatable:

• the game box lives in every departmental meeting area

• it’s played at each shift meeting or at set times during the day

• leader and colleague participation is tracked on the daily roster

Each round takes about 5 minutes:

1. A leader (or designated facilitator) runs the session.

2. Roles are assigned: Guest, Colleague, Coach.

3. The dice are rolled to create the scenario.

4. Guest and Colleague act it out.

5. Coach and Facilitator guide a quick debrief.

6. The roster is marked to track who played and who coached.

Over the month, leaders watch participation to be sure everyone—leaders and colleagues—gets a turn. Recognition is given to those who consistently demonstrate the weekly ideals, both in the game and on the floor.

Leadership: Where the Real Leverage Lives

When leaders meet as a team, they share:

• what’s working in their departments

• where colleagues are struggling

• tips to keep the game fresh and accountability strong

This is where Roll Play becomes more than a game. It becomes a leadership practice:

• By understanding and practicing these concepts, teams strengthen their service fundamentals.

• By facilitating this training, leaders build mentorship skills and show what it looks like to coach a team to truly deliver.

A Simple Call to Action

If you’re a hotel or hospitality leader, imagine this:

• 5 minutes a day

• Two pairs of dice

• A simple guide in your hand

• And a team that is just a little more confident, empathetic, and guest‑ready after every shift meeting.

That’s the power of turning training into play

Creating something simple to operate - can be complex. If you’d like to explore how a version of Roll Play could work in your hotel—or how to bring more creativity into your service training—reach out. I love helping leaders stretch beyond the frame of “standard training” and build service cultures that feel alive, human, and unforgettable.