Have Fun At Work

Earlier this year the oldest of my three sons turned 15. We have a standing tradition in my house. On each person’s birthday I wake them up to a blaring rap song entitled It’s Your Birthday. Imagine being awaken from a dead sleep at 5:45am with someone jumping and dancing in the middle of your bed singing along to It’s Your Birthday. Yep, that is what I do each birthday. Oh what fun…at least for me.

Just because we have fun at our house does not mean we lack rules and order. Our kids do their home work, get good grades, and do their chores. It is important that as the leader of my family they get to see me come down from being Dad The Enforcer and enjoy me being silly and having fun.

In the same way you as a leader can create a fun and exciting culture by letting your team see you have fun. I do not mean showing up to work dancing down the hallways. Although, now I think about it; it may not be a bad idea!!! Great leaders look for ways to build a culture where their team has fun working hard. Here are a couple of ideas to help you create a fun culture.

• Make a commitment to yourself to have fun at work( your team will follow your lead)

• Create opportunities for your team to interact outside of a work assignment

• Have an 1-2 hour ice cream social this summer

• Take your team out to lunch or dinner to celebrate completion of a project

• Have a talent or karaoke competition

• Celebrate the opening of a sports season with Wear Your Favorite Team’s Jersey Day

The more opportunities you provide for your team to learn and have fun with each other outside of work projects the more fun they will have with work projects. Your team will learn more about each other and build personal bonds that will help them to work better as a team.