Work Doesn't Have to Be So Serious - Have You Laughed Today?

Yes, I know business is serious business (hah, get it?).  You have metrics to make, quotas to hit, competitors gobbling up your profit share, and the economy is wreaking havoc on all of it.  I know it's serious.  And I know your job is tough, stressful, and demanding.  But if you can't laugh during the day at something I have to ask, "What's the point in working so hard if you can't find time to enjoy yourself just a little bit?"  If you can't find any joy in what you do each day, why on earth would you continue to do it.  

I ask this question for two reasons.  The first is for you but then I have to also wonder if you are a "fun hater" at work.  Are your employees afraid to laugh when you are in the office?  Do you think if they are laughing then they can't possibly be working?  Seriously, are you a "fun hater?"  


Just because it's "work" doesn't have to mean you can't have fun.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating everyone put a clown suit or become stand up comedians at work (although that might be interesting).  I love it when both of my children are in the house visiting.  I love it because there is so much joy and laughter.  I can't wait to get home and not only because I want to see my kids but because being around that much happiness makes me happy.  


What if we could feel that way at work?  What if there was so much joy and laughter that it didn't even feel like work.  I have worked in intensive care units where doctors and nurses knew how to laugh in spite of the seriousness that revolved around them.  If people that care for the sick and dying know how to have fun at work, I can guess a lot of you don't have very good excuses for why you can't loosen up a little.  Did you know  laughter is a great stress reliever and has also been shown to heal.  Here is a great article regarding the amazing power of laughter.


http://www.nutritionresearchcenter.org/healthnews/can-laughing-your-ass-off-heal-you/


If laughter has the same physiological effect as exercise, it means we will thing more clearly, problem solve more effectively, have sharper mental clarity, and be more productive.  Hmmm, I'm thinking more laughter in he work place might be a good thing.  


Have you laughed today?

Are We Having Fun Yet?

Life is serious business.  And business is even more serious (if that's even possible).  Do you think anyone really wants to spend 8, 10, or 12 hours a day someplace that's boring, frustrating, and/or the people have no sense of humor whatsoever?  As a leader, when you hear laughter at work, that should be music to your ears.  And as a human being, lie is short, and if you aren't having fun at work, you might want to reconsider your approach to work.  

I never did a day's work in my life. It was all fun.

Thomas A. Edison

Are You Having Fun?

Let's face it, you are the leader.  If you aren't having fun, it's likely nobody else is either.  It kind of reminds me of that saying "when mama's not happy, nobody's happy."  You are responsible for the mood at work just like stay at home moms are largely responsible for the mood in the home.  

A business has to be involving, it has to be fun,

 and it has to exercise your creative instincts.

Richard Branson

Just because you may not be having fun right now doesn't mean you have to switch jobs (although that is one option).  The great thing about life is we can choose to have fun right where we are.  And contrary to popular belief, we can have fun and still be highly productive. Some tips for having more fun:

• Lighten up a little and let others tease you.
• Do something that makes you happy during the day.  I mean really makes you happy.  More like joyous.  
• Laugh at yourself and your own stupid mistakes.
• Take a mental break and focus on a place you've been when you were most at peace.
• Do something for your team members that you know would make them happy.

Sometimes in our quest to make more money, meet the customer's demands, and make our productivity numbers, we lose sight of the human experience.  Don't forget to be human at work too.

Are Your Employees Having Fun?

When it comes to retention of great employees there is a mis-perception that it's all about money.  Throw more money at them and they'll stay.  Yet when you ask people why they are leaving it often has to do with the available opportunities and the environment.  We've all heard that people leave bosses not organizations.  That's not always true but there definitely is some truth to it.  And I don't know about you but I'm much more likely to stay someplace where I enjoy the atmosphere and the people.  


People want to laugh.  People need to laugh.  It's a great stress reliever and it's fun.  And most people are drawn to others that make them laugh.  I'm not suggesting you should allow your people to laugh all day but it may benefit you to create an environment that is fun, enthusiastic, and allows others to enjoy life just a bit.  Wouldn't we all be more interested in getting to work in the morning if we knew we were going to have fun with others while  working?  Hey, they might even want to stay longer! Fun and work no longer have to  be mutually exclusive.  As a matter of fact they shouldn't be.  


And hey if you have been so serious for so long that you don't even know how to have fun at work anymore, ask your employees - I'm sure they will be full of creative solutions for you.


Mari

5 Steps Toward Implementing Change

We all know change is difficult.  Most people do not like change.  Even when people seemingly want a change, there is still a great deal of stress involved in the process.  Fortunately, there are ways to implement change more effectively.  Read on for five steps to help you implement change more effectively.

Bullying people through a change effort may get the job accomplished but at what cost?  We all know change is inevitable yet there are ways to implement change in a humane and considerate way and ways to implement in a not so respectful and considerate way.  I'd like to focus on the positive.  


The first thing you have to remember when implementing change is your employees have not had the time to adjust to the change that you likely have had.  Oftentimes, you have been involved in discussions for months before an actual change is implemented.  As much as you possibly can, provide them time for the change to sink in.  Keep that in mind as you work through the following steps.


1.  Communicate, Communicate, Communicate
Communicating more is always better than not communicating at all.  Tell them everything you possible can.  And tell them when there are things you can't share.  They need to be able to trust you through this change.  If there are things you can't share just tell them so but assure them you will share everything you possibly can.  Plan to communicate more frequently.  Plan to tell them the details of the smallest decisions.  


2.  Be aware of your Non-Verbal Communication.
Remember your employees are reading your Non-Verbal Communication as well as your verbal.  During a change effort, your employees are watching you more closely.  When you come out of a meeting with a pained look on your face, they notice.  And they will make up what you don't share.   Be aware of all the communication you are sharing - both verbally and non-verbally.


3.  Make time for fun during the change.  Change is stressful.  Find ways to have fun at work.  Encourage others to have fun.  This could be team outing or a meeting where you provide goofy awards to people.  Ask the team to come up with ways to have fun at work to help all of you get through the change.  

4.  Celebrate Small Wins.  Whether you are implementing a new computer system or preparing for a reorganization, find ways to celebrate as a team.  Keep the focus on the work to be accomplished and reward the smallest successes.  


5.  Keep people focused on the task.  While implementing change you will likely have several, if not many, people that would rather derail the efforts for whatever reason.  Keep the focus on the tasks to be completed each day instead of on the trials and difficulties of implementing the change.  That doesn't mean you ignore the problems but it does mean you help everyone to focus on what is going well rather than what isn't.  


Following these five steps will help immensely in dealing with the change effort.  What steps have you taken to implement change more successfully?  I would love to hear your ideas.


Mari