Have you felt like working with some people could suck the life and the fun out of your day?
It is hard to deliver the goods if electricity is in the air and everyone is uptight so this morning I went to glean a few things on the value of Humor at Work.
Let’s start with Having Fun at Work by Anna Farmery, an interview with Leigh Anne Jasheway- Bryant who introduces herself this way: " I have an M.P.H. degree which is either stands for masters of public health or mistress of public humor. In lieu of actually getting a real job, I consult with organizations (and disorganizations) on how to manage stress, change, and conflict through laughter. My mission, if I decide to accept it, is to help the world become healthier and more sane through laughter."
She also wrote ‘Bedtime stories for dogs" (shown here).
On a more scholarly note, Knowledge at Wharton asks Do Positive and Negative Attitudes Drive Performance? In this piece Sigal Barsade says that "We engage in emotional contagion" and "Emotions travel from person to person like a virus."
Maybe we should use traffic signs such as a Stop when someone is starting to drive you nuts or killing the fun. Using the 3 colors of a Traffic Light could also be a reminder, a cue.
Tension and lack of humor is I guess a symptom of a deteriorating workplace. Burnout could be a factor.
Someone might have to be told to get off their horse and go home and read a story to your dog or take a vacation.
Unstress and Smile stories: Wear your slippers to work for ‘Stress Down Day’