Workplayce

- - - | written by Jason on 10/1/2017 | - - -

One Way To Keep Your Team Energized During Football Season

"Jump Around" by Jason Kotecki. Acrylic on canvas. Original available here. This painting was inspired by a tradition that Badger fans have at University of Wisconsin football games. Between the third and fourth quarters, the song “Jump Around” is boomed through the loudspeakers and all of the red-clad fans do exactly that. It reminded me of those old electronic football games in which tiny plastic athletes buzzed around on an green metal field. Readers of a certain age will know exactly what I’m talking about, and this painting will bring back all sorts of memories. For the of you …

- - - | written by Jason on 9/17/2017 | - - -

A Practical Guide to Mixing Business and Pleasure

"Monkey Business" by Jason Kotecki. Oil on canvas. Original is sold. Prints available here. "He’s all business.” “Let’s get down to business.” “It’s not personal, it’s just business.” Business is usually regarded as serious stuff. Too bad, because it doesn’t have to be. Some people seem to think that when it comes to business, you can’t have fun and be successful at the same time. Which is the dumbest thing ever. Leaders who see the power in bringing fun to the workplace are smart enough to understand that having a little fun in no way diminishes the seriousness in which one …

- - - | written by Jason on 9/3/2017 | - - -

What To Do When All The Leaders Stink

For the past seven years, I have had the privilege of doing a program on life balance with young leaders in the field of civil engineering. We talk a lot about the different demands that come from balancing an upwardly mobile career path with a family and other relationships. A lot of venting takes place about the "old guard” and how out of touch some of the senior parters are at some firms. It’s always a fascinating discussion that I enjoy facilitating. Leadership is an interesting thing. The leaders of your country, your boss, and those people on the school board might all very well be …

- - - | written by Jason on 7/30/2017 | - - -

The Upside of Nonsense

"Invasion" by Jason Kotecki. Oil on canvas. 20x20 inches.Original and prints available here. I love macarons. I only had my first one a few years ago, but it was love at first bite. Not only am I always on the lookout for ways to get them in my belly, but I decided it was time to get them into some paintings. They’re so cute and colorful, after all, and perhaps keeping myself busy painting them would help distract me enough to keep me from eating them. I like the whimsy that comes from playing with scale; making something smaller or bigger than it would be in real life. Perhaps this …

- - - | written by Jason on 5/28/2017 | - - -

The Power of Turning Things Upside Down

Whenever I draw a portrait, I always do something that my wife thinks is weird. After I get the major shapes and outlines blocked in, I turn my reference photos and artwork upside down. Then I keep drawing. The reason I do this I because inevitably, during the course of a portrait, I get to a point where something seems "off." Because I think I know what a nose is "supposed" to look like, I get lazy, and draw what I "know," not what I see. Turning my paper upside down tricks my brain into forgetting this is a "nose" so I can see it for what it really is: areas of shape and form. In order …

- - - | written by Jason on 5/21/2017 | - - -

What I Learned From Charles Ingalls (This Week)

Our family loves watching Little House on the Prairie. As a homeschoolers, it has been a great way to discuss some pretty big topics with our kids, like alcoholism, racism, bullying, and more. (Confession: I want to be Charles Ingalls when I grow up!) We just finished season four. In the final two episodes (which TV Guide put on its 100 Greatest Episodes of All Time list), the big railroad companies were flexing their muscle to gain more power, engaging in questionable tactics that were putting farmers in rural areas out of business. Walnut Grove, the town where the Ingalls family lived, was …

- - - | written by Jason on 5/14/2017 | - - -

Dealing with Bees (and People Who Have Adultitis)

The other day in the car, our family was talking about bee stings. My daughter Lucy shared her personal strategy: "When I'm around a bee, I just try to stay out of the way." A good strategy for dealing with bees. It occurred to me that it’s a pretty good strategy for dealing with people who have Adultitis, too. A child life specialist came up to me after a speaking engagement in Connecticut. She wanted to know how to deal with people that have Adultitis. She gave an example of putting together a fun themed sports day for the hospital, and being disappointed that so many …

- - - | written by Jason on 4/23/2017 | - - -

Improving Workplace Culture: 3 Ideas Adultitis Doesn’t Want You To Know About

Perhaps a fog of negativity has settled in at work. Maybe everyone’s on a hair trigger and trust in each other is at an all-time low. No matter what the details look like, when Adultitis has infiltrated the culture of a workplace, it may seem like the only viable option is to initiate a scorched Earth firing campaign and start from scratch with a new team of fresh, happy faces. Maybe it is. Or maybe you could experiment with one of these three ideas first. Mr. Potato Head Goes on Tour. Get a Mr. (or Mrs.) Potato Head. Write a simple but heartfelt note to an employee or co-worker, put …

- - - | written by Jason on 4/16/2017 | - - -

The Practical Side of Playing Make Believe

Sometimes playing "make believe" is the most practical thing you can do. Remember The Land of Make Believe, made famous by Mr. Rogers? Let’s go there for a quick trip: Pretend you just won the lottery. Power Ball. After paying taxes, you now have $150 million in the bank. Sweet. Now what? What would you do next? What's your ideal life? How would you spend your days? Where would you spend them? And with whom? Go ahead, don’t be shy or limited by what’s “practical.” Shoot for the moon. We're in the Land of Make Believe, remember? Would your life look any different than it does …

- - - | written by Jason on 4/9/2017 | - - -

A Tale of Two Blue Shoes

At three years old going on twenty-two with pink hair and arms wrapped in tattoos, my daughter Virginia keeps us on our toes. A few weeks ago, she decided she wanted to wear two different shoes. To church. To her credit, they were both blue. The logic was sound. She dug one shoe out of the closet, but failed to find the match, so she grabbed another nearby shoe and put that on. Problem solved. Kim and I appraised the situation and looked at each other. Ginny appeared determined. A fight to conform to a more standard footwear choice would likely ensue. Not that we're pushovers, …

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