Svaha: the time between seeing lightning and hearing the thunder
I will be eternally grateful for your great gift of taking in to the fullest extent what it is that I have to offer, living it, and then reflecting it back in terms of the potential experience of others. You have given words to a process that defies words. And you’re constantly in a position to help me continue to hone that, deeper and deeper and more and more resonantly, who I am and what I offer, which is truly invaluable. — Jon Hansen, The Remembering Room, Richmond, Illinois
What you’ve sent me is so darn perfect it hurts! It’s a sheer pleasure to work with someone who writes as beautifully as you do — and in “my” voice. — Ariane Goodwin, Ed.D, smARTist® Telesummit, Millers Falls, Massachusetts
You have a real gift for words. You’re really, really good at it. — Sherry Essig, Priority Ventures Group, Raleigh, North Carolina
You’ve built such integrity of message in your company. I know that’s because it springs forth intrinsically, but you stay so focused at your core! I can’t think of a better way to phrase that laser-beam focus you have. It’s funny, because in someone else, laser-beam focus would be intense, but somehow you manage to make it much more kind and easy. — Jessica Albon, Thrive Your Tribe, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
I’ve never worked with anybody in the way that I’ve worked with you in terms of trusting in your abilities to the level that I have. — Catherine Hajnal PhD, Eight Branches Consulting, Vancouver, Canada ... facilitating and nurturing joyful living
You have an uncanny ability to see through what is being said and surface all the “unsaid” issues. Then you quickly give candid feedback and have a tremendous toolbox to help me move forward through your expert guidance of the right tool.
I have worked with many facilitators/coaches/counselors relating to work and personal situations. Your skills are exemplary and moved me faster than I ever expected. — Jennifer Baker, Fishers, Indiana
You bring both a spiritual perspective and some real-world hard-headedness. — Janet Bailey, Mindful Time Management, San Francisco, California
Brava! I wish I could draw a picture of me — you’d see me in a deep bow to you!
I read your newsletter as soon as it hits my in-box and you’re always right on with your advice. I had to let you know that this issue is particularly brilliant.
I will definitely keep this info — and your contact info — in a secure place.
Thanks so much for sharing your insight and wisdom. — Debbie Rodgers, CGA
Last week, I went to Disneyland for the first time ever. Being fortunate enough to have native guides (two people who play there often, one of whom used to work there), I didn’t do any planning or research — I just showed up and allowed the day to be whatever it wanted to be.
It was an absolute blast — and since I live just an hour away, I’m looking forward to going again soon!
Along with rediscovering my delight in rollercoasters, I found myself considering fun. What are my reactions, and my clients’ and friends’ reactions, to fun, and where does it belong in life? What expectations do we have about fun, and how could we shift those expectations to have more fun?
My conclusion is that for most people, fun is what happens after everything else is done — after all those weighty responsibilities are taken care of. Fun is something we earn. Fun belongs at home; it might happen at work, but it’s not usually what we think of when we look at our career goals.
On the other hand, we know from fields of study such as Positive Psychology and Mihalyi Csikszentmihalyi’s work on the experience of flow that when you’re having fun, you’re much more engaged and much more productive.
Your own experience backs that up. Just think of the last time you enjoyed what you were doing, and how quickly the time passed and how much you got done. Then compare that to the last time you had to force yourself to do something you didn’t want to do.
So in celebration of rollercoasters, summer (or winter for those of you in the southern hemisphere), and just plain life, here’s my invitation to you to have more fun at work — and some practical suggestions to help that happen.
Next Monday morning when you’re dreading getting up and facing another week, set an intention to find something fun in your day — every day. Be curious about how it will show up each day, each hour, each moment.
Curiosity and an intention to have fun will open your eyes to opportunities you wouldn’t otherwise see. New ways to approach old challenges, creative ideas for problem-solving, and inspirations for real leadership — all of these spring from an intention to be curious and have fun.
Whose rule is it, anyway, and why is it a rule?
I’m not talking about ignoring standard operating procedures and workflows. They’re there for a reason; understanding how work moves from one person or area to the next, understanding who needs to know about something, understanding who’s responsible for deadlines and approvals — all of that is crucial to the smooth, functional operation of any organization.
On the other hand, who says you have to have a meeting sitting down — or indoors? Why not go to breakfast with someone instead of going to lunch? What about not using PowerPoint for your next presentation?
Your organization’s rules — and your personal rules — are unique. Think about which ones you can have fun breaking, while remaining careful of stepping on unspoken organizational taboos.
No, no, I don’t mean going to Disneyland instead of going to the office! But within the context of your work, what has real juice for you? What’s exciting? What tasks do you use as a reward for getting other, less-interesting stuff done?
What if you were to focus on those tasks, instead of on all the others that you think you “should” do?
When you focus on the interesting work, other supposedly less-interesting tasks tend to come along for the ride — they get done as a side benefit. But when you focus on the less-interesting work, then you get bogged down in the tedium and funlessness, and progress slows to a crawl.
Some corporate cultures are more social than others, but no matter what the norm is in your organization, it’s fun to find ways to connect.
Within teams, a little social knowledge of your co-workers deepens trust, and with trust, more gets done. It’s that simple. And you’ll have more fun doing it.
You don’t need elaborate team-building events or potluck parties or Happy Hours to create social engagement. Those sorts of things can be great, but it’s the day-to-day opportunity to (for instance) tell a brief personal story at the beginning of a meeting that really builds the frameworks of trust.
And that’s as simple as starting out by saying, “I went to Disneyland for the first time this past week — it was great! Who else has been there? What’s your favorite ride?”
“To love what you do and feel that it matters — how could anything be more fun?” Katharine Graham, 1917-2001, American publisher, CEO, and board chair of the Washington Post.
If you liked this article, you can
sign up to receive my regular newsletter!