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| Humor at Work |
ISSUE 569 - Jan. 28, 2015 |
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Huddle Up!
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One of the most effective and efficient things any team can do to improve their communication is to commit to daily huddles. Yes, daily. I'm not talking about formal meetings in the BORED-room, but quick, standing huddles that allow everyone to check in.
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts are legendary for their daily huddles, where VPs review how to fix the previous day's fumbles and look at how they can offer special service to returning guests or VIPs.
Nurses Next Door hold 7-minute huddles every day at 10:54 a.m., where they review stats, goals and issues. And an afternoon huddle reviews how the day went.
1-800-Got-Junk? daily huddles involving up to 200 employees are motivational and operational in focus. Their 7-minute huddles are built in a room designed specifically for huddling. The huddles are lead on a rotating basis by trained "huddle masters." They begin each huddle with a good news item, they announce three critical operation numbers, review one department's activities, identify one thing the company could do better, and end by giving a positive shout out to one employee. The huddles help everyone stay informed and strengthen their culture.
The IT consulting company Citizant holds daily huddles where everyone presents their top priority for the day in 8-15 seconds. The fast-paced huddles cut down on e-mails and help people commit to their goals.
Four quick huddle tips: No chairs allowed; stick to a regular time so they become a tradition; start at an unusual time so people understand that every minute matters; commit to a certain (short) length.
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Mike's Fun at Work Tip |
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The Fly By Night Club in Anchorage, Alaska features a nightly show called the Whale Fat Follies. As a way to interact with their audiences in an offbeat way, the leader of the follies asks the audience to take photos of themselves with a can of Spam (Alaska is the second highest per capita consumer of Spam in the U.S.) in front of famous landmarks and send the photos back to the club for use in their shows and to decorate the walls of the club.
Why not do a similar thing with your products? Encourage people to take offbeat photos, or even short videos, starring one of your products. If you don't have traditional products, then use a t-shirt, bag or baseball cap featuring your logo. Encourage people to post them on Twitter or Instagram with a relevant hashtag or send them directly to you. Turn it into a contest by offering prizes for the most unusual or creative photos or videos. It's a simple way to encourage customers (or employees) to expand your marketing reach, become ambassadors for your business, and interact with your products in a fun way. |
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Quote of the Week
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"Pompous people mistrust humor
because at some level they know they can't survive very long in such an
atmosphere!" John Cleese
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It's a Wacky World |
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February is right around the snowdrift, so here's a sneak preview of some of the offbeat theme days headed your way:
February 1: Spunky Old Broads Day
February 2: Groundhog Day and Play Your Ukulele Day
February 6: Working Naked Day (really, really casual Friday?)
February 8: Laugh and Grow Rich Day
February 13: Blame Someone Else Day
February 18: Cow Milked While Flying in an Airplane Day
February 23: Curling is Cool Day
February 26: Chili Day
February 28: International Sword Swallowers Day
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Cost-Savings to Re-energize Your Workplace Culture
Mike REALLY needs to see his Mom, so we're offering an outrageously great deal for any talks booked in Kelowna or Penticton, BC between now and March 15.
Other locations:
Halifax, March 23
Ontario, May 27 or 28.
Toronto, June 24 or 26.
Inspiring Workplaces 30-Day Program:
A daily dose of ideas and inspiration that will help your workplace deliver outrageous results! A two-minute video narrated by Mike and delivered to your email inbox daily, all for less than the cost of a cup of coffee a day. Lower stress, spark innovation, boost morale and create a more fun, passionate workplace that drives results! The Humor Advantage 30-Day Program
(Team discounted rates also available!)
Inspiring Reading
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Copyright © 2015 Humor at Work. All Rights Reserved.
mike@mikekerr.com
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