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| Humor at Work |
ISSUE 564 - Dec. 10, 2014 |
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A Corporate Fool Isn't a Foolish Idea
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The former CEO of British Airways Sir Colin Marshall appointed Paul Birch to be an official corporate fool, granting him license to challenge conventional wisdom and create some positive turbulence. Birch helped the
employees approach problems in different ways and highlighted times when the
company was acting, well, foolish. As Birch retells in the book, Willful Blindness, "The jester's
role is to draw attention to things that are going wrong, to stir things up.
You want to build organizations where everyone sees provocation as one of their
essential roles."
It's a fabulous idea, albeit a tad risky. Anyone donning the jester's cap in
the workplace may at times come across as sarcastic, perhaps even subversive, in
their use of humor. But keep in mind that some people are only comfortable
speaking candidly by burying their message in humor. Yes, the humor may be edgy
at times and it may not be the most effective means of making a point. But wise
leaders should recognize the important role workplace jesters play in
communicating important - if not always welcome - messages. If these leaders
are smart, they'll listen for the truth buried in the punch lines. As an old saying
goes, if you want to make a point, tell a story. If you want to make several
points, use humor.
If you can't designate a full time corporate jester, what about a rotating role where someone dons the jester's hat for a month at a time? Or what about assigning an official corporate jester role during meetings - giving someone the latitude to humorously challenge conventional wisdom and play the role of devil's advocate, but with a healthy dose of humor. 
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Mike's Fun at Work Tip |
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This Friday is "Ugly Christmas Sweater" Day, so why not turn it into a wacky theme day for your office? Hold a contest for the ugliest sweater, offer deals to customers who come in wearing ugly sweaters, or turn it into a charity event and encourage people to bring in unwanted sweaters to donate to a local charity. |
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Quote of the Week
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"If you wish to
glimpse inside a human soul and get to know someone, just watch them laugh. If they laugh well they are a good
person." Fyodor Dostoevsky |
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It's a Wacky World |
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Worried about overindulging this holiday season? Relax. A team of researchers from the University of Tokyo have developed special glasses that make any food you pick up appear larger that its actual size. Test subjects ate 9% less when viewing cookies that appeared 50% larger than what they actually were.
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Inspiring Workplaces 30-Day Program
Lower stress, spark innovation, boost morale and create a more fun, passionate workplace that drives outrageous results! Two-minute daily videos sent to your in-box for 30 days - for less than the price of a cup of coffee a day! Team discount rates available: The Humor Advantage 30-Day Program
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Copyright © 2014 Humor at Work. All Rights Reserved.
mike@mikekerr.com
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