"Columbus
did not know where he was going. When he got back, he didn't know where he had
been. And he did it all on borrowed money. There's hope for all of
us."-bumper sticker
TURN
IN THE DIRECTION OF THE SKID.
In the business world, the wheels of change are burning rubber. Due to rapid
changes in technology, and competition, you can't rely upon the status.
Virtually all of us will be between jobs or businesses, perhaps frequently,
during our work lives. We need to continuously recreate and reinvent ourselves
and our skills. It is important to detach our sense of self-worth from
transitional circumstances and maintain perspective on who we are by enhancing our
sense of "self-mirth."
FRISKY
MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES. Bringing
laughter and appropriate play into the workplace is the quickest path to
building camaraderie and teamwork. There are numerous ideas for contests that
can be implemented. A team at one company had everyone bring in photos of
themselves when they were babies, and held a "cutest baby photo"
contest. Another company had a "silly hat" contest, while another
created a "worst hairdo" day. Pick up some wild props at your local
toy store or novelty shop and keep them in your desk. Pull them out when timely
to puncture tension and remind others to lighten up.
CIVIL
UNREST. If your business happens to get its
share of difficult customers, and it is taking a toll on employee morale, you
may want to render a version of what I term the "Worst Customer Story of
the Week Reward." A bank was beset by low morale among the tellers, who
constantly complained about troublesome customers. So every Friday the teller
who had the best (most horrific) story about a difficult customer won a bottle
of champagne. It improved morale and increased customer satisfaction because
tellers were now seeking out those hard-to-please patrons to win the reward.
Customers responded by becoming more civil, as a result of the increased attention,
and talked about it with their family, friends and business associates. As a
result, the bank experienced a marked increase in their new customer base.
LIFE
AFTER DEBT. A lighter touch can increase
business success in the most serious of matters, such as collections. In 1992,
when the country was mired in a recession, I met a man on a cross-country
flight who was the head of a collection agency. I listened to his tales of woe
and frustration over the pile of outstanding accounts. I asked him if he could
show me a copy of the letter his company sends out for collection. It was
typically heavy-handed in substance. I suggested he try forwarding letters with
funny relevant quotes or cartoons. He thought I was crazy, and I wasn't so sure
if I was or not, but we had plenty of flight time left so we brainstormed a few
ideas. As we parted company I doubted he would use any of them, but three
months later I received a surprise call from him, and he was excited. He used
some of the quotes and cartoons; collections increased by 15%!
TECHNO-BABBLE. The incessant relearning that results from changing
technologies can cause your brain's hard drive to crash. I remember when I
upgraded to my current computer with all the bells and whistles. There was so
much to learn it was intimidating, and I approached it with all the confidence
of an amateur prize-fighter stepping into the ring with a heavyweight champ. So
I gave my computer a name-I called it "Schmegegi" (the Yiddish word
for clown). I put little furry creatures on top of it. Create some humor for
yourself by personalizing new equipment, putting your favorite toys, props, or
cartoons on them.
BIZ
LITE. Times have changed. Business used
to be strictly about closing deals; now people talk about "nurturing their
network." It's more like breast-feeding than browbeating. Business has a
softer, more fluid aspect to it, with emphasis on building relationships and
injecting more fun. A recent study shows that almost 80% of all work-related
injuries and illness is stress-related. Companies are starting to acknowledge
the need to "lighten up." Why? It's healthy, and humor can give you
the business!
Terry
Braverman is a Los Angeles based author, professional speaker and trainer. This
article is excerpted from his book, “When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough
Lighten Up!” ranked in the top 5% of sales on amazon.com
Terry Braverman
http://www.frugalmarketing.com/dtb/businesshumor.shtml