Humor at Work: Anticipating Needs Key to Great Service and Innovation

Published: Wed, 01/22/14

Humor at Work

ISSUE 522 - JAN 22, 2014


			Anticipating Needs Key to Great Service and Innovation

	How is it that iPhone's virtual assistant Siri has a better sense of humor than some people I've worked with? When I ask her, "How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?" her responses (among many) include: - "42? That can't be right." - "I imagine that groundhogs would prefer a different question for a change." - "Well, since a 'woodchuck' is really a groundhog, the correct question would be: How many pounds in a groundhog's mound when a groundhog pounds hog mounds?" Not only does this demonstrate that some computers really do have a better sense of humor than some humanoids, it's also a clever example of how a company can slip some humor into unexpected locations or situations. If you want to surprise your customers, think about opportunities where you can sneak some humor their way unexpectedly. The second point this illustrates is that clearly some very smart programmers anticipated that goofballs like me would ask Siri this question. Being able to anticipate the needs of your customers, partners, employees or boss before they even know they have them is a hallmark of truly inspiring service and inspiring leadership. And real innovation is about anticipating the future needs and wants of your customers and anticipating challenges and opportunities headed your way. And in case the non-Siri-ous folks are curious, Siri's response to "Who's on first?" is "Correct." Brilliant. Although she could use some coaching with her comedic timing.

		Mike's Fun at Work Tip

Five ways to make sure your meetings start on time (one of the top meeting pet peeves in surveys): 1. Have an arrival time ten minutes before the official start. This gives people time to grab a coffee and catch up socially. 2. Kick off the meeting with a fun ritual that is so darn fun people won't want to miss it! Because it's just so darn fun! 3. Do a door prize draw for something small, like a free coffee, at the very start. 4. Assign a penalty for late arrivals - a dollar in the social/charity fund OR let it be known they have to sing a Celine Dion song OR they have to provide the food for the next meeting. 5. Do what they do at Semler Industries and lock the door (and yup, even if it's the CEO who is late, the meeting goes on without him).
		Quote of the Week

"Never wear a baseball cap backwards to a job interview unless you are applying for a job as an umpire." Dan Zevin
		It's a Wacky World

I thought I'd remind you that today, January 22, is Answer Your Cat's Question Day, January 23 is Measure Your Feet Day and January 24 is Talk Like a Grizzled Prospector Day and Belly Laugh Day - a good day to remember that, as Fred Allen says, "If you suppress laughter, it goes right to the hips." Speaking of...researchers at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee calculated that if you belly laugh 10 to 15 minutes a day you could burn up to 50 calories a day and lose 4.4 pounds a year! Now that's worth laughing over.

Cost Savings to Book Mike

Kelowna/Penticton: Special "need to see Mom" discounted rates all year

Toronto: February 27

Frankfurt, Germany, London, England, & Bahrain: March 20-22; April 1-4

Vancouver: April 10-12

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Inspiring Reading

Stand up economist Yoram Bauman proves that any topic can benefit from an injection of humor. A Stand Up Economist Walks Into a Bar...

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