Author of the book “Business” Paul Hawken said it best, “We lead by being human. We don’t take on leadership by being corporate, being professional, or even by being formal.” That’s probably why many of our leaders are taking advantage of one of the least valued human resources available, the ability to laugh and their.
Some managers, however, who have been conditioned to adopt a “never mix business and pleasure” approach are having a hard time accepting the importance of humor. “You aren’t serious?” is the reaction of incredulity to the suggestion of letting it all relax. It’s true. It’s impossible to take your business seriously, or at the very least not if you’re looking at raising morale in your staff or inspiring employees. If you’re looking to stimulate creativity, increase the team, foster open communication, decrease stress levels, lower the rate of employee turnover and absenteeism, Improve trust between managers and employees and provide a dynamic customer experience and increase productivity, then don’t be serious. You shouldn’t be serious because having fun and a sense of humor at work can help a company achieve its objectives.
Fun at work isn’t just about having employees huddled around the water cooler and exchanging lines. A sense of humor involves having a sense of perspective and the ability to see the humor in stressful situations and come up with creative solutions. The art of adding humor is to celebrate work and not minimize it. Also, it’s about mixing comedy with appropriate humor to increase productivity in the workplace.
Here are some “guiding light bulbs” to assist you in managing to make more fun of your workplace.
1. Make Yourself Feel Light.
A lot of us are victims of the horrible condition known as “acute professionalism.” The signs include the appearance of a frown well as increased stress levels and a lack of creativity. The solution is easy to learn to approach your time while working hard. When you make fun of yourself, you display your openness and humanity and inspire others to be the same. In addition, it takes away any ability to make fun of you. According to the writer, Bob Ross reminds us, “Leaders who lack a spirit of humor just like lawnmowers in the cemetery. They’ve got plenty of people around them, but nobody’s paying attention.”
2. Be Sincere.
The dogs know that we’re not sincere; therefore, our employees will be too. If you show up on Monday morning sporting a reformed Robin Williams persona, staff may be skeptical about your efforts to improve the mood in the office. Be yourself. Make sure you share your personal style of humor and only follow what is comfortable for you.
3. Keep it simple and easy.
The most important elements that affect employee morale do not cost much cash or consume an enormous amount of time, and it’s the simple actions that are carried out on a consistent basis that count. Find ways to bring in a touch of humor. For instance, you can put up a humorous bulletin board or create a room for humor (Kodak Eastman and Hewlett Packard have them), include funny quotes in your correspondence, and practice humorous spontaneity (which comedians who stand up will inform you will be your most successful type of comedy).
4. Practice Relevant Humor.
The more you are able to celebrate funny moments that are specific to your office or team, the more significant the jokes are. The relevant, professional humor is an integral part of your corporate culture and can help teams bond through common experiences. Begin to create a file of humor of cartoons, quotes, humorous customer queries, and anecdotes about your company.
5. Make sure you practice safe humor.
Humor is able to dismantle barriers just as easily as it builds walls, so ensure that the type of humor that you employ will be “safe.” Non-sexist, nonracist, religious humor is the norm of the hour. Be aware of instances when humor might make sense. The most secure form of humor? The most secure form of humor is laughing at yourself.
6. Employers who hire for humor.
If you’re looking to brighten your office, then look for those with a spirit. Southwest Airlines, recipient of the “Humor in the Workplace” award, employs people with a sense of humor, no matter if it’s a front-line mechanic or customer service rep, and ensures that each employee fits into their distinctive company culture. Even NASA has stated it is one of the key characteristics of future astronauts is a sense of humor.
7. It’s important to make fun a priority.
It’s easy to accept the notion that we should make more fun of our companies since it’s one of those “feel-good mommy-hood affirmations. There’s only one way to do it.
The problem is that this small matter of life continues to get in the way. If you intend to be serious about your humor, then take it as importance – be sure to incorporate it into the mission of your organization (the slogan of the company Grimes Aerospace based in Columbus, Ohio, is “Growth profits, enjoyment, and profit”) Include entertainment in your top values, provide training on workplace humor, and include it in your goals and work plans and do a thorough evaluation of your work every now and then by asking the basic and crucial inquiry – “are you having fun yet?”
8. You and your employees should grant yourself the right to play . . . And then, move out of the way.
Be aware that as an executive, your employees are looking to you to establish the tone of the workplace. You are in the position to determine if you’re going to become a roadblock on the road to inspiration or be an inspiration for positivity and creativity.
