Caught Laughing on the Job

In 2002, two of my friends recommended that I sign up for a class from Charthouse Learning called the Fish Philosophy. They had been working at southwest airlines for many years and had noticed a significant change in company culture due to encouraged on the job fun.

What is on the job fun? Tag? Hide and seek? Kick the Can? According to the Charthouse Learning website, maybe all of the above! Charthouse Learning introduced Fish Philosophy as a way to encourage speaking to “the kid we all still have inside of us” and bringing it into the workplace appropriately.

According to the Charthouse Learning Website, “People who find ways to incorporate “play” into their daily lives approach their work, responsibilities and challenges with energy and enthusiasm. In fact, some of the best innovations in the world are a result of playing with ideas. And some of the most serious environments can also benefit from a sense of playfulness.”

I took the Fish Philosophy! class with a colleague and realized immediately that Charthouse Learning gets it. Southwest Airlines gets it. What did they get? They both understand that incorporating play into our daily lives offers an environment that is energized, enthusiastic and promotes innovation. But more importantly it makes team members WANT to come to work because it promotes an environment of fun where laughter is the norm.

When was the last time you laughed at work?

Laughter is universal. It is a worldwide language that unites people. In fact, it is highly contagious. Have you noticed how a laugh very often creates a shared laugh?

"To laugh often and much, to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children, to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends, to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others, to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch...to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded!" Emerson

Laughter has amazing effects on the body. It is GOOD for you! laughter in essence is the “magic bullet“ or “uber medicine” — and you don’t need to see a m.d. to get a prescription or pay for it. We all have our own endless supply internal to us—to be used when, how and where we want.

I read somewhere that Laughing has been compared to an ‘internal jogging' because your body gets a complete workout from a good laugh. One site said that, “Laughing is aerobic exercise for your intercostals, diaphragm, abdominal, facial and respiratory muscles because increases muscle flexion and relieves muscular tension.”

Having a sense of humor helps us interpret events that happen in our lives. Humor can lighten up even the tensest of situations. No longer negative, you are able to deal with the obstacle/challenge in front of you.

How do we bring play into the workplace? One of the simplest ways is to be authentic. Another is to simply get to know your team mates and what makes them smile.

Looking forward to catching you all ... Laughing! Thanks for letting me share.
~Stacy