Inspiring Workplaces: You've GOT to Start Meetings Like This!

Published: Wed, 11/07/18

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Humor at Work ISSUE 750 - Nov. 7, 2018
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      You've GOT to Start Meetings Like This!
   
  A study examined the differences between opening meetings with a positive statement vs. a negative  statement. When meetings opened with a positive statement the discussions were more constructive, people listened better, and they were more likely to reach a consensus. When meetings opened with a negative statement - you guessed it -  people tended to be more argumentative and it was more difficult to reach a consensus.

So whether you're meeting one-on-one with someone, meeting virtually, or sitting down for your weekly team meeting, take the time to put your best foot forward. A simple way to do this is to open with a positive question of all the participants, such as: 
  • Who would you like to give a shout out to?
  • What's the best thing that has happened to you since we last met?
  • What have you done recently that you are most proud of?
  • What's the funniest thing that has happened to you since we last met?
  • What have you done for fun lately?
  • What's the #1 thing you are most looking forward to?
  • Do you like pineapple on your pizza? (Please see below)
On a change of topic...are there any managers, recruiters, or corporate trainers who'd be willing to offer up a testimonial quote for my soon-to-be-released-into-the-wild book, Hire, Inspire, and Fuel Their Fire: How to Recruit, Onboard, and Train New Employees to Live Your Culture Out Loud. I'll send a preview e-version to the first five who respond! 
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    Mike's Fun at Work Tip
 
Create a fun term or phrase that serves as a shorthand reminder of what your culture is striving to be at its very best - something that can be used as a rallying cry or reminder for everyone. For example, the vocational rehabilitation organization Agilec refers to their culture as a "Mullet Culture - Serious in the front; party in the back!"
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    Quote of the Week
 

“Culture is everything a company does that helps it become the very-best-version-of-itself."  Matthew Kelly, The Culture Solution
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    It's a Wacky World
 
According to a recent Abacus Data survey, 25% of Canadians consider it "blasphemy" to put pineapple on pizza. And yes, despite its Canadian origins (Hawaiian pizza was invented in 1962 by Ontario pizzeria owner Sam Panopoulos), 28% of Canadians said they'd find it difficult to be friends with a Hawaiian pizza fan, some going so far as to call it a "deal-breaker"! 
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