Question: I start the day out with a smile. Why can’t I keep it all day long?
Remember Bobby McFerrin’s song “Don’t Worry, Be Happy”? I wonder if you would hear that song playing intermittently during your workday it would bring a smile to your face? Okay-- maybe you have another song that you like better, but my point is that if you set up the right feeling around you, you might stand a better chance of being more productive (while being happy).The picture above was taken while I was teaching in Italy. When I had some spare time, I would walk throughout the city, loving the sights and sounds of what I experienced. Something that caught my attention was the people working around me in that city; they had a big smiles and seemed to be loving what they were doing. It made me wonder if we do that enough in our country and (more importantly) at the companies where we work.If you work in customer service or sales, smiling is a given. However, what if you have a job that’s behind the scenes or not in customer service or sales? Are you smiling on the inside as well as the outside while you work? Try making that your goal for tomorrow. And if you normally smile, put on a bigger smile and really get into what you’re doing. You will likely find yourself producing better work and getting much better results.Whenever I conduct brainstorming sessions at corporations at which I consult, I always try to set up the best learning environment possible. Plenty of light. Music that fits the mood. The right words on the whiteboard that inspire people. If we do it right, they will not only smile and have some fun, but they will interact and contribute and we’ll come up with the very best ideas.One of my best weekend retreats was held here in Florida for a group of executives who came together to learn about leadership. It is my “Team Leader Toolbox” seminar. By the end of the fourth day the leaders did not want to leave. They felt like part of a family-- and the material they produced was inspirational. Many of them said it was the very best retreat they had ever attended.I won’t give away all my secrets of how I did what I did, but I will stress that if you make people happy and create a fun-filled atmosphere, they will surprise themselves.Now, let’s get ready for the week at whatever job you do. Ask yourself these questions:1. How will I have more fun today?2. How can I focus on the big goals that really matter?3. How can I reach out to someone else who doesn’t seem to be having as much fun?4. How can I count my blessings and stop thinking about the negative things that might happen?5. What will I try that is a real stretch and get great results?I think you are now ready for the day. I once read where a few seconds of laughter about seven times per day will add about two years to your life. Go out and make great things happen—with a big smile and having fun.
