Inspiring Workplaces: Putting Groundhog Day to Work For You

Published: Wed, 02/02/22

Humor at Work

ISSUE 906 - Feb. 2, 2022


		Putting Groundhog Day to Work For You

	Happy Groundhog Day! If you're a fan of the movie, then you'll recognize that many of us have been observing Groundhog Day for almost two years now. There can, however, be an upside to doing some of the same things day after day. If you want to change a behavior, then turning it into a routine or ritual so it becomes a daily habit will help you succeed. On that note, I love the advice that comedian Jerry Seinfeld gives to aspiring comedians. Seinfeld is known for his prolific output. The secret to his success that he passes along to new comedians is simply this (I'm paraphrasing here, but it captures the gist): "Every day I write new jokes. Every single day. I have a large wall calendar highly visible in my office and once I've written new jokes I put a large black "X" on that date. Once you see a chain of unbroken X's accumulate, it becomes incredibly motivating. At that point you only have one job: "Don't break the chain." I love the simplicity of that focus: "Don't break the chain." If you have a new behavior you or your team is trying to implement on a consistent basis, why not implement a similar system and make it your mission to simply not break the chain?

		Mike's Fun at Work Tip

Create a "Survivor" inspired ritual where team members pass a tiki torch from person to person (you can use a symbolic one in virtual meetings) as each person recounts what they did to survive a horrible customer experience situation, either in their current position or in a former job. What lessons did they learn? What could they have done differently? And how did they manage to survive the ordeal? Keep it upbeat and fun so people are more likely to open up and be honest about what happened so everyone can learn from the shared experiences.
		Quote of the Week
“The easiest way to have more humor in your life is not to try to be funny – instead, just look for moments to laugh.” Former Twitter CEO Dick Costolo

		Funny Business

Here's a word that I'm sure will come in handy for you from time to time: "spuddle." It's a 17th century term meaning: To work ineffectively; to be extremely busy whilst achieving absolutely nothing. And, of course, one who spuddles is a spuddler!

Wanted: Audiences in Need of Inspiration! Respond to this email to find out how Michael can help inspire your team with an idea-packed, humor-filled presentation! “You were the hit of the conference. Most of the participants rated you as the best presenter of the conference.” Karen Bossin, Shoppers Drug Mart

Who Wouldn't Want a Jerk-Free Workplace? Order two copies of my book, The Jerk-Free Workplace: How You Can Take the Lead to Create a Happier, More Inspiring Workplace, for only double the price of one copy! Or, if you want to make a real difference in your workplace, order a copy for your entire team or organization, as so many of my clients have already done. For details on how you can save (for real) on bulk orders, please respond to this email!

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