We are in a war against Adultitis.
And putting googly eyes on inanimate objects, decorating your cube for Halloween, and making ugly cakes for co-workers are some of the weapons we have on our side.
Too bad some people prefer keeping them locked away.
I spoke at a conference for 9-1-1 dispatchers recently. Afterwards, a woman told me about what a drag it is working at her dispatch center. “It didn’t used to be that way,” she said sadly. “We used to keep toys at our work stations and had a lot of fun decorating our offices for every holiday. But our new boss doesn’t allow it. He thinks we should be more serious. It’s really affected the morale of our whole team, and even officers who stop in ask where our decorations went.”
Stories like this make me sad and angry all at once. Stories like this remind me why burnout is so rampant in today’s workforce. It is possible to LOVE what you do but DISLIKE where you work, and burnout happens when people work in an environment with low job satisfaction and a feeling of powerlessness.
Burnout can be easily resolved.
But it requires leaders who see the power in bringing fun in to the workplace and are smart enough to understand that having a little fun in no way diminishes the seriousness in which one takes his or her responsibility.
I can’t imagine many more serious occupations than a 9-1-1 dispatcher. On a regular basis, they hear screams of terror and horrible tales of human suffering. And with great professionalism and compassion, they listen and they offer help. To think that anyone can survive — let alone thrive — in an environment like this without a little fun and humor is just plain idiotic.
I’ll admit, sometimes I feel inadequate for suggesting some of the ideas that I do in my talks. They are as silly as they are simple. I imagine the people with crossed arms wondering, “Who paid this guy to tell us THIS?”
Too many leaders see something like decorating an office as a frivolous waste of time. Even if they acknowledge a morale problem, they refuse to believe that such simple solutions can be be effective. And that’s where they’re wrong. We human beings worship complexity, but the truth is that the simplest solutions are often the ones that work best.
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.
The benefits of humor do seem too good to be true. And yet conversations like the one I had with that 9-1-1 dispatcher leave me ever more convinced that if we really want to win this serious war against Adultitis, we need to get serious about having fun.
Your turn: What’s your favorite way to have fun at work?
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Brandy says
10/6/2013 at 9:36 amBeing a preschool teacher, I get to spend my day helping children play, but sometimes the teachers need to play too. Friday is a day without children & out time to plan for the next week. And usually out day for play. Last Friday we went “fishing”. We used the fishing poles meant for the children to play with outside, however we were in a classroom trying to knock stuff off the shelf, see who could cast the farthest, and not get tangled with another line. It was the most fun we’d had as a group in a long time. The best part was the adults(aka our bosses) were already gone for the day. We definitely escaped adulthood for an hour that day.
Jackie Ward says
10/6/2013 at 12:58 pmThe timing of this post is right on. I am a Adminiatrator of a child care center & my biggest challenge is creating climate of synchronicity. I am training my team on Wednesday evening ( October 9) on the FISH philosophy . This philosophy is from the book FISH by Stephen Lundin. The concept is based from a fish market in Seatle. Think of their daily job of ice, smelly fish & cold hard work. They create a culture based on four elements; Be There, Choose Your Attitude, Play, & Make Their Day. This book is a easy read & truly an inspiration to any workplace culture. Take a moment to check out the FISH video on Thefishphilosophy.com. You will not be disappointed. Happy fishing!
Emily Smith says
10/6/2013 at 1:21 pmI work at a Spanish immersion elementary school. My job as secretary and nurses aide is very serious. On Dr. Seuss’ birthday, I dress us as Thing 2 (from the “Cat in the Hat”). We have 3 people named Emily (although one is spelled Emilie) and we are Thing One, Thing 2 and Thing 3. It is fun to see the staff and student’s eyes light up with humor.
Lory says
10/6/2013 at 3:49 pmOn occasion I will blow ‘catch-able’ bubbles. They can last for weeks if left undisturbed. ;)
Lindabug says
10/6/2013 at 10:57 pmOne of my staff members & I put googly eyes on the computer mouses, computers, clocks, etc one night before April Fools Day. For some strange reason everyone thought our boss had done it! Finally we had to talk hard to convince them it was us before they called my supervisor at HQ. Can’t really say why they thought that because we two would never have guessed that person would do something that was so fun. Funniest thing was we had the best time setting it all up, probably more fun than the others did finding those shaky eyes everywhere.
My guess would be the 911 manager never enjoys a laugh at his own expense. It is an uptight, dull person who can’t laugh at his self sometime. You are right – no one could use the light-hearted breaks more than those people.
Jason says
10/28/2013 at 2:55 pmGreat stuff, guys!