Inspiring Workplaces: Why Do You Work?

Published: Wed, 01/14/15

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Humor at Work ISSUE 567 - Jan. 14,  2015
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Why Do You Work?  



The book, Mavericks at Work, by William C. Taylor and Polly LaBarre, shows how a compelling sense of purpose in your work is critical if you want to stay energized.
 
GSD & M, an advertising agency based in Austin, Texas is so committed to the importance of purpose in their business that they have a manager whose job title is the "Chief Purposologist." 
 
Fun-loving airline Southwest Airlines instills a sense of purpose in their employees by reminding them of SWA's central mission: "Giving people the freedom to fly." To help instill this sense of purpose in employees' day to day lives they've built a culture around the theme "Freedom Begins With Me," which they've broken down into eight freedoms that define their culture, including "the freedom to work hard and have fun." 
 
And then there's Whole Foods, which, rather than giving everyone a bad case of the blahs with a "blah blah blah" mission statement, created a "Declaration of Interdependence" - a document they've carefully crafted and updated over the years. The detailed document is meant to inspire everyone around a compelling sense of purpose. What makes it stand out is its honesty. The statement ends with an admission that they don't always live up to their values, and with the aspirational line: "dissatisfaction with the current reality, when compared to what is possible, spurs us towards excellence and towards creating a better person, company and world."    
 
It's a great time to reflect on your sense of purpose at work. Why does your organization matter? Why does it stand out from the herd? And instead of feeling like you HAVE to go into work each day, what compelling sense of purpose will make you WANT to go into work every day? 
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January 20 is coming fast. In fact, it's next week!  If you want some great ideas (and trust me, you do) on building a rocking great culture and teaching your culture to new employees, please join me on the webinar. To register cruise by: Teaching Your Company Culture to New Employees
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    Mike's Fun at Work Tip
 
 
Howdy from Goober Bull! Yes, it's another alter-ego name generator for you to try at your next meeting... or have everyone wear a name tag with their alter ego name for a day. To find your hillbilly name cruise on over to: Hillbilly Alter Ego Name.
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    Quote of the Week
 

"The best ideas come from jokes. Make your thinking as funny as possible." -  legendary ad man David Ogilvy

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    It's a Wacky World

The Chinese government is finally getting serious about a very important issue. Yes, they are cracking down on puns. Puns, they fear, are a potentially subversive form of wordplay that may mislead children and cause mass chaos. (I sure hope they don't find out I once starred in a theatrical production about puns. Yes, it was a play on words.) 
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Culture Webinar
 
January 20, Mike leads a 60-minute webinar called "Teaching Company Culture to New Employees."  For more information and to register, go to: Teaching Company Culture to New Employees
 

Inspiring Workplaces 30-Day Program: The perfect way to kick off a new year! 
Lower stress, spark innovation, boost morale  and create a more fun, passionate workplace that drives outrageous results!  The Humor Advantage 30-Day Program



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mike@mikekerr.com