It’s nearly Christmas and we’re either going crazy finishing projects before taking holidays or going crazy enjoying lots of end-of-year celebrations! Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, I hope you’re remembering to have some fun.
For me Christmas is a magical time where I amaze the kids with a mystical ability to make things disappear. Things like chocolate nuts, fruit mince pies, baked dinners, pudding, more chocolate nuts…!
Fun is my word for 2023. I decided on it weeks ago after watching a video of Simon Sinek describing a friend in the military who wanted to make a stance in her new leadership position on an overseas posting. Failing miserably to receive any respect, she gave up and decided to just make sure her team enjoyed the rest of their time at their stressful post. Her change in attitude unexpectedly turned around results as her team started to respect and respond to her.
ENJOYMENT HELPS PEOPLE LEARN AND PERFORM
This story got me thinking about how enjoyment helps people both learn and perform. Can you remember back to your school days when the teacher occasionally brought out board games for the students to play? Studies show that while students might not realise they are learning, their test results show that they are.
One of my key aims for the next year is to add more fun into workshops and training, in my interactions with clients, and the systems I develop. Perhaps you can think of some ways you can make your workplace a more enjoyable place to be too. In the meantime, my wish for you is to enjoy the silly season with the people you love.