It’s trusting people and being open or flexible enough to let them experiment, play, or have fun (and giving them the time to do this). So yes people having fun when they are creatively playing is the end result but you need the right cultural values within the company to allow this fun to happen in the first place. If those values or traits aren’t there (i.e. open, trusting, flexible), it’s very unlikely that the fun will occur in the first place.

And “flow” is an excellent word to use. It implies no impediment or obstacles. I think Kathy Sierra’s post on “Don’t ask employees to be passionate about the company!” fits in with this perfectly. The company needs to support and assist the employees not impede or hinder them in their work. In effect, it should create an environment that cultivates a person’s passion to blossom.

Perhaps you need all 3 + a commitment to users?

Though I understand what you are intending to say, I’d have to disagree that the first two of the three common corporate qualities, which you outlined, have any useful meaning — remember, web pages describing founder’s views (and their own stated views) about the culture of a company are often PR statements and may not have any basis in reality. Furthermore, “fun” products or corporate environments don’t need a “fun” web page filled with casual language — this is not a requirement and I don’t find any actual evidence of such in my own experience with corporate lawyers or outsourced web page designers.

Though, your third point hits a big giant bullseye! I would utterly agree that companies with staff who enjoy using their own product do, in fact, produce a superior product. Ever wonder why Grand Ma’s pies are so great? It’s simple: Grand Ma really, truly loves making them (even if it is for the direct intention of making pies people will love)!

But I would not agree that a corporate climate which is simply “Fun” produces products which are, in turn, full of “Mojo” (or Fun or anything else). I’ve worked with plenty of wild, party animals who were utterly clueless when it came to understanding what customers wanted. Without empathy and understanding of customer needs, even product created in funnest of environments are doomed to fail, regardless of the PR efforts used to convince customers to turn over their money.

Your third point is the one to focus on: “they enjoy using their own products”. I can state from direct experience, having started two companies and joining various others during their start-up period, that if staff don’t enjoy the (software) product being created, no amount of corporate fun will give it “Mojo”.

Ideally, “Mojo” isn’t the best word to use here