What do business leaders think about this?
CEOs and leadership experts are taking this seriously. Kemmons Wilson, Jr. of the founding family of the Holiday Inns said, “The responsibility of incorporating “fun” into an organization is as important a trait for a CEO to possess as is strategic planning. Having fun is a quality of success. The impact of having fun “together” is paramount to a family, a neighborhood, a church, a business, and a community. It may seem like a little thing, but it can make a BIG difference...Live, Laugh and Love.”
Howard Putnam, another former CEO of Southwest Airlines states: "Successful organizations have a clear vision where they are headed. They understand what business they are really in. And most importantly they develop a culture that supports the vision and business, just as Southwest Airlines did. We hired employees with attitudes that contained a humor and fun component and developed their skills. “
And Ken Blanchard, Chief Spiritual Officer of the Ken Blanchard Companies and co-author of The One Minute Manager, said this: “Both the United States and the world at large are in one of the greatest economic crises that any of us can remember. It has been largely brought on, I believe, more by fear than by facts. There are two things that can drive out fear. The first is faith and the belief in a better way of doing things…The second thing that will drive out fear…is fun...fun is not synonymous with games. It means a lot of things. It is about ownership and creativity, celebration and recognition. It's about doing the right things in the right way with the right people for the right purpose, and doing more of that each day. It's about letting people find ways to feel pride and have fun with not only the things integral to their jobs and organizations, but also the things they should be celebrating in their lives.
What are some guidelines for using fun at work?
We give ten in the book – we use them with our clients to insure that fun leads to productivity. Fun activities should:
1. Make people smile (at a minimum) and laugh (if at all possible).
2. Positively and publicly remind people of their value to the organization and to each other.
3. Be inexpensive to develop, easily prepared, and able to be implemented within time and space limitations.
4. Uplift people’s spirits in ways that make them feel good about being part of this organization (e.g., not embarrass, belittle, or offend anyone in or outside of the organization).
5. Be as inclusive as possible, while respecting the right of anyone to opt out without censure, ridicule, pressure, or criticism.
6. Not detract from anyone’s ability to safely, professionally, or efficiently perform his or her job responsibilities.
7. Contribute to, and support, the organization’s culture and core values.
8. Be done on a frequent basis, encompassing both planned and spontaneous events.
9. Be planned and implemented largely by employees (not be a top-down program).
10. Produce organizational results that are desirable, identifiable, and measurable.
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