Inspiring Workplaces: Jump Starting Change at Work

Published: Wed, 08/17/16

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Humor at Work ISSUE 642 - Aug 17, 2016
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      Jump Starting Change at Work
   
  Having difficulty getting started? Here are a few ideas that can help you jump start change at work and build momentum:
  • Generate a sense of urgency with a 3-in-1 challenge: Have everyone at either an individual or team level commit to making 3 changes, no matter how small, within one month.
  • Block off ten minutes a day to do a power blitz to focus exclusively on whatever it is you're trying to change. 10 minutes - that's it!  Use a stopwatch if you need to. No excuses. Turn it into a daily routine and it will quickly become a habit.
  • Research suggests that having an accountability partner is one of the most effective ways to ensure behaviors are changed, so create an APP for your workplace: an Accountability Partner Program.
  • Don't wait until the end to celebrate! Create a scorecard so you can highlight significant milestones and celebrate the individuals or teams that make the biggest strides.
  • Break it down into a series of milestones and attach a fun reward to each step of the journey.
  • Create some outrageous public bets or dares tied to the change. In 1983, Sam Walton, the late head of Wal-Mart agreed to don a grass skirt and perform a hula dance on Wall Street if Wal-Mart achieved an ambitious profit target. They did, and Walton danced in a grass skirt. So what if your executive team agrees to sing a Celine Dion or Elvis medley once a certain milestone is achieved? Or your safety team does a line dance if your workplace hits their goal for accident-free workdays?
  • Try a "VCR" approach: Create Visual reminders everywhere reminding people of the change you want to make, Communicate relentlessly, and Recognize the successes.      
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    Mike's Fun at Work Tip
 
I've offered many suggestions over the years for fun theme days to celebrate at work, but why not have a theme month - an entire month dedicated to one aspect of your culture, business, or customer service to help people build important habits and get everyone thinking about ways to up their game in a specific area. Theme months can be an effective way to encourage a continuous growth mindset and a simple way to create ongoing traditions that will strengthen your culture or add more fun to your workplace. Generate a list that you can draw upon to keep the tradition going and include some fun ones to remind people to bring their sense of humor to work. For some suggestions, head on over to Theme Month Ideas For Your Workplace.
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    Quote of the Week
 

"We don't laugh because we are happy - we are happy because we laugh." William James
 
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    It's a Wacky World
 
Adding a bit of humor to a sandwich board outside your business is a simple but effective way to get noticed. Here are a few of the sandwich board messages that made us smile on our recent trip to Iceland and Norway: 
  • Money Can't Buy You Happiness, But It Can Buy You Dessert!
  • Coffee is ALWAYS a Good Idea 
  • Two Pizzas For ONLY Double the Price of One Pizza!
  • When In Doubt Drink Coffee
  • Mexican Food So Authentic Donald Trump Would Build a Wall Around It!
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Cost-Savings to Bring Mike in to Speak
Okanagan: "I need to see Mom" special rate on-going!
Toronto: Oct. 21-24
Ottawa: Nov. 7
Vancouver: Dec.1-2
Edmonton: Dec. 5-7
Winnipeg: March 16





More Reading
Mike is quoted in the Forbes article, How to Keep the Entrepreneurial Spirit Alive as Your Company Grows




Humor at Work YouTube Channel
A blast from the past: Employee Motivation Lessons from the Olympics 



 
 
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mike@mikekerr.com