Leading with Laughter

One of our foundational concepts here at aQuire Training is that our work should be FUN. We've painted some key words on the wall in our conference room - and FUN is among them. Yes, we've got our serious words there: Passion, Integrity, Purpose and Profit.

But several years ago I realized that for all the hours we spend at work - and around our co-workers - if we aren't having FUN, we're missing something real that adds value to our lives. Along the way, I realized that when I'm having fun at work, I'm working harder, being more creative and making other people's lives more enjoyable, too.

I'm not watching the clock, thinking about lunch, or counting the days until my next paycheck.

I'm being much more engaged in my work, and, as a consequence, I'm much more productive, too.

People around me respond in a different way, too. Others stop being territorial about their projects or ideas. Collaboration comes more naturally, as we laugh together and then - seriously - come up with imaginative solutions to challenging problems.

For a project at my church several years ago I researched the effect that laughing together has on building community. The results were amazing to me. When we laugh together, we connect on a level that instantly creates bonds. We lean in toward each other; sometimes we touch each other companionably on the arm, back or shoulder.

When I walked through my assisted living communities and saw caregivers laughing with residents, I saw an extraordinary amount of eye contact, hugging and playfulness occurring. I learned that this was one of my strongest indicators of a team that felt engaged, safe and confident.

They were not working out of fear of their supervisor catching them doing something wrong.

They were not watching the clock; waiting for their next break; their lunch hour; quitting time.

They were acting out the reason they worked in this challenging memory care environment: because they loved their residents.

I could tell they felt empowered and supported by management; safe to express the love and the joy they felt in their hearts.

Clate Mask, CEO of a company called Infusionsoft says this about fun in the workplace:

"After all, adding humor, laughter, and fun into your work environment...

• Helps relieve stress (and happy people tend to be more productive)
• Creates a stronger bond amongst you and your employees
• Has a positive impact on your customers (and attracts more of them)
• Improves the physical health of you and your employees
• Encourages more open and honest communication
• And so much more!"

Jody Urquhart of weLead Online Magazine (www.leadingtoday.org) describes some of the specific benefits of fun in the workplace:

"Laughter releases endorphins (a chemical 10 times more powerful than the pain-relieving drug morphine) into the body with the same exhilarating effect as doing strenuous exercise. Laughing increases oxygen intake, thereby replenishing and invigorating cells. It also increases the pain threshold, boosts immunity, and relieves stress.

"Humor also levels the playing field to create an atmosphere that encourages honest dialogue, open communication, and increased risk taking. Creating more equality in power or control shows people respect and builds pride in their work."

Most useful to me, however, are Ms. Urquhart's "13 Steps to Creating a Fun Workplace, " which we've illustrated with this brief presentation: Is your Staff Suffering from Terminal Seriousness?

She suggests that, as managers, we create an environment where our employees have fun. We don't need to come to work dressed as a clown, but we do need to set the tone that it's OK to laugh and have fun at work. Most of all, though, we need to let our employees be creative - we need to get out of the way so they can bring more fun into the workplace.

As a manager, pay close attention to how you say things to your team, especially those ugly "disciplinary" things. If you hear yourself frequently making threats ("anyone with more than one tardy in the next pay period will be terminated") stop for a minute and think of a way to say that with humor, and in a positive tone. Try something like this: "if you've got someplace more important to be than at work when you're scheduled, we're gonna let you be there all the time! We don't want to get in the way of what you're rather be doing!

Or here's another one: "If you love this place so much you don't want us to pay you, please don't bother to fill out your timecard."

You get the idea.

Now go have some fun today!