#30 As The Boss, You Are The Business Barometer
May 29, 2008
As the boss, the business owner, the manager, the partner- whatever position you hold, there is no doubt that the person at the top sets the mood for the culture within an organisation.
Whether you are uptight, stressed out, serious, angry or bored, this feeling will be reflected in those around you. If you don’t care about the business, how can you expect your staff to? For this reason alone, the wellbeing of your business is intrinsically linked to your wellbeing, and your state of mind is a critical component in this process.
#29 Fun Uses Every Sense—Sight, Sound, Touch, Smell And Taste
May 28, 2008
The aim of this section is to introduce a little fun into your business, to lighten it up and help restore a sense of balance, enjoyment and fulfilment at work. Fun, in whatever form it takes, has an amazingly restorative ability. Humour is a very potent weapon in the small business skills arsenal.
#28 The Myth Of Time-Wasting (The Six-Minute Increment)
May 27, 2008
Sometimes it is time well spent simply to stop and have a chat and some social interaction. It builds bonds, reduces stress and encourages people to feel that they are part of a team.
The days of the business ‘overlord’ are long gone; progressive businesses are looking for ways to encourage their staff to be productive in their own way. At long last we realise that people work in different ways. Trying to squeeze everyone into the same mould is an outdated concept.
#27 Remember To Stop, Think And Laugh
May 26, 2008
Often when we get caught up in mayhem, we lose our tempers and our sense of humour. I found myself in this situation many times in the past. And, what was worse, I tended to overreact to situations that really didn’t warrant it. Then, of course, you know that you have overreacted and try to fix the damage- but it’s awkward.
#26 Creating ‘Magnificent Moments’ Every Single Day
May 25, 2008
Every day we are presented with an incredible array of opportunities, and when you own your own business you are often faced with more than your share. These opportunities take many shapes and forms but, sadly, when we are feeling out of control we rarely see them because we are too busy looking inwards, muttering under our breath and feeling sorry for ourselves.
One way to really overcome this feeling is to stop focusing on your woes, on yourself, and spend a few moments focusing on someone else. It is incredibly therapeutic for both you and the other person. The aim here is to create a few ‘magnificent moments’ every single day we are on the planet.
#25 Political Correctness In The World Of Fun
May 24, 2008
This is the only real word of warning in this section and it would be remiss of me not to spell out some of the boundaries we need to take into consideration when it comes to embracing fun in the workplace. Unfortunately, there is nearly always someone who oversteps the mark, so that what is meant as good-spirited humour can sometimes cause offence and very genuine distress to another member of the team.
Many businesses live in fear of litigation and tend to have a blanket approach that ends up meaning no jokes about anything. I think there is a middle road that can be followed without taking the soul out of a business. The most important part of this equation is to make clear to any new members of staff what your policy or views are regarding what can be said and what can’t be said to other members of staff.
#24 The Boomerang Effect Of Being Light-Hearted
May 23, 2008
It’s interesting to see how quickly a smile is returned, a lighthearted comment acknowledged or a laugh answered with a laugh. Remembering to let ourselves be light-hearted is important in the process of overcoming any out-of-balance state we might find ourselves in.
#23 Surround Yourself With The Things That Make You Warm Inside
May 22, 2008
Let me describe my office. I have a big antique desk that was once the stationmaster’s desk at a little country train station. It’s made from silky oak, a magnificent light-coloured timber. I have a large whiteboard with my current projects listed on it, and some philosophical and motivational messages. I have a picture board behind my desk with hundreds of photos of people from around the world that I have collected over the years. I have an abstract picture of Venice painted by a very close friend, as well as countless websites and magazines, work-related and otherwise. A good stereo and an excellent collection of CDs to while away those late working nights (and, of course, I have now embraced the world of iPod). I also have wood carvings from a brief stint in Papua New Guinea, gifts from clients, copies of my previous websites published in different languages, vitamin tablets, a change of clothes-and much more.
#22 Professionalism vs Fun
May 21, 2008
Being considered professional is a goal that the vast majority of business owners strive for, and rightly so. Our customers expect professionalism, and when a business doesn’t deliver, look out. But what exactly is professionalism and what does it mean to be professional?
The reason I ask these questions is that I believe many business owners don’t allow fun into their workplace because they feel it’s unprofessional and their customers won’t like it or that it will somehow diminish their perceptions of the business.
#21 Do You Remember When You Used To Laugh A Lot?
May 20, 2008
Day-to-day pressure builds up over time. One of its most noticeable symptoms is that the amount of laughter in a person’s life tends to drop proportionally as pressure and stress increase. Why we stop laughing is really unclear, but the weight of the world on our shoulders is a heavy burden regardless of where we are in life. The pressures of day-to-day living are as relevant to the high school teenager facing exams as they are to the head of a corporation with 100 000 employees.
We all look sympathetic when the ‘pressure’ of running a large corporation makes the CEO miserable, yet we say that teenagers are being melodramatic when impending exams make them lose their sense of humour. I have to reinforce the fact that all pressure is relevant and important to the person feeling it. There are no universal measures saying that the feelings one person experiences are more important or significant than any other person’s.
Translator
By N2H
