The word work is a fearsome word for some people.
Depending on your company culture or the environment of the business you work in, going to work can be painful. This can be the same for owners and employees. Having the wrong people in the wrong jobs or the right people working with difficult people can be stressful for everyone.
In order to ensure that your company is a place that people enjoy working, and your customers enjoy patronizing, there are certain things that need to happen. As a leader you need to set the example. If you are gossiping about staff members or customers, if you are rude, impatient, angry, or if you put up with injustice in the workplace either from co-workers or customers, your staff will do the same. Creating an environment and culture in the workplace that is healthy and conducive to getting work done starts with you and your expectations of that environment.
In order to do this we need to start with our attitude. We have a choice when it comes to how we think and act and it comes down to making the choice to be positive. Without this attitude and the encouragement of positivity in the workplace, our business becomes sick. Who wants to work when the boss and everyone around him are negative?
Putting on a positive attitude each and every day sets an example for your employees and those around you and goes a long ways to making your business somewhere where people naturally want to be. This means that you will have an easier time attracting great staff and wonderful customers.
Just think about how much more enjoyable work would be if you were committed to making it fun. Your day would go faster, the people around you would be laughing more. Your customers would get in on the feeling and want to have fun with you.
Fun doesn't mean goofing off on the job or crude jokes. Fun means enjoying what you are doing and having a laugh at things that go right and go wrong. Think about the funnest person you know. Try to incorporate a little bit of that into your business. Perhaps you want to hire them!
Imagine what your business would be like if everyone there took the time to try to make someone's day. It's those little things that count, taking a few minutes extra for your customer, doing something nice for someone who is down. Going that extra mile. Try it this week and see what happens. One little thing every day.
Living in the present moment and being present to those people who you interact with in your business or at your job can make a huge difference for you and your business. Spending time when that person who needs your advice drops into your office instead of thinking what you should be doing next. Taking the time to really engage with your customer can mean a lot for your customer and you will get meaning out of it too.
Work doesn't have to be a feared word. If you want to create an environment where your staff leap out of bed ready to see what is going to happen next at work you can do it. Making your business full of energy and excitement might take some change and change takes effort but by taking small steps today in the right direction you will get there.
A great book on this topic is called Fish by Stephen Lundin which describes the Pike Place Fish Market in Seattle which is world famous for having fun and making work entertaining for both customers and staff. Why not make your business famous by having fun?
Dave Fuller, MBA, is a certified professional Business Coach and can be reached at [email protected] or by phone at 250-617-7417
