THOUGHTS ON LEADERSHIP #2 - HAVE FUN.

Who wants to go to work every day and not smile, laugh, have some fun? Do you want to go anywhere, your church, work, school, be with your friends and have it be so serious that you can't smile or be perceived as having any fun at all? That's just not a good way to get the most out of people. So just have some fun.
 
In the work environment specifically, let your team have some fun in their circle. Let them laugh. Let them enjoy life.

I've observed that as a leader you must distance yourself from the team at times. Leadership can be a lonely place but that doesn't mean you can't let them have some fun without you. It's important that you realize you are part of the team, and their emotional health is vital to success.

Join in the fun occasionally. If they need a bowling day, take them bowling. Go to lunch occasionally with no pretext, no agenda, no nothing, and just talk and laugh. It's amazing what you can learn about people when you are in a casual setting. You will find that some people on your team are all about fun, some that are more focused. And yes, there will also be some who won't have any fun unless you prompt them!

In the office setting, my day usually starts with "making the rounds." Checking in on everyone, seeing how they are doing (remember the Be Kind Episode?) then settle in. I am typically very focused until the afternoon then I tend to get a little chattier, a little more social, walking around, talking to people. Everybody has a peak focus time, but the bottom line is: Have Fun. It doesn't matter if you're the COO, President, or another Senior Leader. It doesn't mean you can't have some fun.