Giggle While You Work

Some interesting suggestions are being offered to executives trying to put more fun into the workplace. Self-proclaimed experts claim that uplifting colour schemes or the right blend of music will brighten the mood. Others argue that the trick is to provide stress-relieving toys: Yo-Yos, Tinker Toys, Slinky's, Silly Putty, and Nerf balls are among the more popular. A few companies have been talked into setting up miniature golf courses or corporate croquet or installing popcorn machines. Some have agreed to play a more dangerous game in which dartboards are set up with evil bosses and colleagues as targets.   

My purpose is not to knock these recommendations; if they work, that's great. I've never worked in a situation where Nerf balls and Frisbees were a part of the scene, but I have found that simple, less structured approaches can make the workday much more enjoyable. 

I love the techniques employed by a former co-worker, Alison, who works in a department that can be very stressful at times. Alison has developed a couple of strategies that bring relief when it's really needed. She created finger puppets, cute little guys who speak in funny voices to make jokes out of tense situations. They're so silly that people can't help but laugh. Alison's other plan is to call a 10-minute Barry White music break, during which she cranks up the volume on some of the crooner's greatest hits. While singing along with "Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe," she and her co-workers are happily distracted. With either approach, the desired effect is achieved: the tension is reduced, and the employees are able to look at the situation rationally. Isn't that what it's all about? By creating a diversion like this, you give yourself permission to laugh, and you break the negative pattern.

If you're thinking this is all a bit silly, listen to what Warren Buffet has to say on the topic. The second richest man in the world behind Bill Gates, Buffet has developed a tradition of playing his ukulele at the start of board meetings, while singing along in a voice that sounds a lot like Jimmy Stewart. The fact he isn't necessarily on key doesn't bother him. Buffet says he never minds looking ridiculous, especially when he is buying shares. It all seems to validate the belief that you can be serious about your job without being solemn about it.

John Cleese has been making people laugh most of his life, from Monty Python skits to "A Fish Called Wanda," and he has become extremely successful as the producer of training films. Cleese is very serious about using humour to get the point across. He says, "People all over the world are screwing up in the same ways. When we can laugh about it, we can admit what we're doing is wrong and correct it." The same principle can be applied in the writing of an e-mail or memo, or in chairing a meeting. Humor acts like the Trojan horse, getting us past the initial defences that frequently appear in the form of ruffled emotions. 

That brings us back to the consultants. Many of them agree that morale starts to increase when people give themselves permission to laugh. Whether it's through use of puppets, music, toys or jokes on the bulletin board, this light-hearted approach flies in the face of the established belief that people who are enjoying themselves can't be working diligently. Senior management can often be the hardest to convince until they see the figures that prove an undeniable relationship between strong morale and high productivity. We also have to keep in mind that managers are being stretched to the limit in many cases, so they need relief too.

What we all need to understand is that it's O.K. to take your job seriously, as long as you take yourself lightly.