Since our last few posts have covered a number of serious and heavy subjects, we thought this one should be a bit lighter, while still providing some useful information.
As the title suggests, let me ask you two questions.
1. Is your organization having fun and enjoying participating as part of the team?
2. If not, what can you do to make the culture and the environment more enjoyable for everyone?
If you’re not having fun and enjoying what you’re doing, chances are that your organization isn’t either, and will be less effective, productive, and successful over the long run. Since you and the team spend most of your waking hours at work, you should enjoy the time that you’re there, otherwise, why bother?
Many articles have been written about this subject, and some have a “formula” to follow in order to improve the organizational culture. But, when you come right down to it, there are a few things that you can do that will make all the difference. Oh, and by the way, I’ll be the first to admit that it took me a long time to learn them, and learn them I did, mostly the hard way.
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Loosen Up
Operations are serious, no doubt, especially when things aren’t going particularly well. However, rarely, if at all, are the issues or decisions that you are facing, life or death (although at times they may feel that way!). Yes, there are times to be serious, and there are times when you can lighten up and keep your team loose. In the long run, this will improve decision making, and the organization as a whole.
- Have Patience
Stuff happens in every organization, maybe in some, more than others. The question is how you deal with it. If you approach the issue/mistake calmly, with a desire to learn for the future, there is a very good chance that it won’t happen again. However, if you’re yelling, and/or looking for someone to blame, you’ll create an atmosphere of fear, and the organization will run scared, trying anything to avoid making a mistake, and/or being taken to task or blamed for that mistake. At the same time, two other things will happen: 1) mistakes will increase because everyone is trying too hard not to make a mistake, and 2) the organization will stop taking “prudent” risks to improve the business because it is afraid of being blamed if something goes wrong.
Note that I’m not suggesting that the organization lower its standards. Quite the contrary, set high standards, be very clear about them, and make sure the organization lives up to them, which leads to my next point.
- Communicate, Communicate, Communicate
Talk with your team about the organization, direction, performance standards and improvement, and what is required to succeed in your market. People want to know where they stand, and why, and you should be communicating that to them, clearly. At the same time, ask for their help in resolving issues and improving performance. Nothing works better than an organization that has active participation and engagement, at all levels, and is moving in the same direction.
By communicating both ways, you’ll find out all sorts of interesting things, including ideas to improve the organization from the people who are actually doing the work. This will make for a much happier and productive organization over time.
- Have Fun
Have fun while you’re there. Organize some fun, inexpensive events that get people involved, and lighten things up. Doing this consistently will improve participation and engagement, and the overall environment of the organization, and becomes infectious over time.
While these things may not seem difficult, they are a challenge to do, and do consistently. However, by doing these things, you’ll have a much happier, effective, committed, and participative organization ready to take on anything. And that’s exactly what you want!
“A business has to be involving, it has to be fun, and it has to exercise your creative instincts.” – Richard Branson
“Find a job you like and you add five days to every week.” – H. Jackson Brown
“If you don’t do it excellently, don’t do it at all. Because if it’s not excellent, it won’t be profitable or fun, and if you’re not in business for fun or profit, what the hell are you doing there?” – Robert Townsend
Related articles
- Leaders Make Fun, Not Stress (leadershipunleashed.typepad.com)
- 6 Ways to Unleash Creativity in the Workplace (worldofinnovations.net)
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