There is another interesting article in my local paper today written by Venessa Wong of Bloomberg Businessweek on a recently published report published by Judith Baxter of Ashton University's School of Language & Social Sciences in the U.K. One of her findings is that jokes told by female senior professionals are often perceived as "contrived, defensive or just mean." And, "more than 80% of women's jokes [in the study] were met with silence."
Why? Well, you'll have to read the whole article and maybe even locate the study to get the full scoop.
Still, I would very much like to hear from women in leadership positions to get their perception of whether this study rings true for them; and why or why or not.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Monday, May 28, 2012
Fun Compliments - Wish I'd Thought of These
"You are the HIGH in my NOON, the FLAP in my JACK, the JELLY in my BEAN, the HOP in my SCOTCH, the FORTUNE in my COOKIE, the GRAND in my CANYON, the BEES in my KNEES, the ZIG in my ZAG, the ROCK in my ROLL, the FOX in my TROT, the POW in my WOW, the GEE in my WHIZ."
--H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
--H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
Sunday, May 27, 2012
The Importance of Play
I'd like to share a link with you that appears in the online version of the San Francisco Chronicle.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/05/26/MNN01OLVQ4.DTL
There is much in this article about the importance of play; and those who read this Blog even occasionally will know that I use humor, fun, laughter, play interchangeably. The article makes the case for play in our lives (and that includes work). I'd like to highlight just a couple of points:
"Play is strongly linked to physical and mental health."
"...employees, when given free time even at work, often produce creative ideas that improve their workplaces."
"...playful social interaction is strongly affected by dopamine, endorphins and other neurotransmitters that are also intimately linked to the motivational and pleasurable aspects of food, drugs and sex. The brain regions where positive emotions and motivation originate also mediate play."
(Some of the material cited in this article and post is from Stuart Brown, co-author of Play: How it Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination and Invigorates the Soul.")
As the summer fun season approaches, what are you doing to bring yourself and others the opportunity for fun, fun, fun ('til daddy takes the t-bird away).
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/05/26/MNN01OLVQ4.DTL
There is much in this article about the importance of play; and those who read this Blog even occasionally will know that I use humor, fun, laughter, play interchangeably. The article makes the case for play in our lives (and that includes work). I'd like to highlight just a couple of points:
"Play is strongly linked to physical and mental health."
"...employees, when given free time even at work, often produce creative ideas that improve their workplaces."
"...playful social interaction is strongly affected by dopamine, endorphins and other neurotransmitters that are also intimately linked to the motivational and pleasurable aspects of food, drugs and sex. The brain regions where positive emotions and motivation originate also mediate play."
(Some of the material cited in this article and post is from Stuart Brown, co-author of Play: How it Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination and Invigorates the Soul.")
As the summer fun season approaches, what are you doing to bring yourself and others the opportunity for fun, fun, fun ('til daddy takes the t-bird away).
Friday, April 27, 2012
Fun - Managed/Structured or Natural/Organic?
When I have been referring to fun in these little posts, I have been assuming the organic, spontaneous fun that most of us enjoy every day and in a myriad of contexts - home, work, etc.
But as I read more deeply into the literature, and which was brought out at a recent visit to University of San Francisco, there is a dark side to the fun force. I speak here of organized or, better, managed fun.
Here is a quote from "Benefits and Challenges of Fun in the Workplace" by April Everett from Library Leadership & Management, Volume 25, No 1: "Manufactured fun, that which is imposed or required, may create an environment of cubicle-decorating cynics."
And from Sharon Bolton and Maeve Houlihan's article in Employee Relations, Volume 35, No 6, 2009: "However worthy these ideas (fun at work), their translation into practice might be seen as cynical. Fun - official fun - is the order of the day. (The following citations can be found in full in the bibliography of their article.)
They proceed to quote J. Gordon: "Structured fun is fun for the whimsically impaired; fun with all the fun squeezed out; fun, hold the fun."
And one more cautionary quote they cite from J. Hamilton: "I am here today to speak for the victims. The poor downtrodden employees yearning to go home. The party-pooping, costume-hating working stiffs. Those who dream about letting certain colleagues flop straight to the floor in the trust-building, don't worry we'll catch you exercise."
The point is that while there is considerable literature that tells us that humor in the workplace is a good thing it is important to remember that you cannot make people have fun or participate in fun activities or anything else for that matter. And exercising such caution is imperative in developing a corporate culture that welcomes fun and a natural, organic byproduct of the work environment.
But as I read more deeply into the literature, and which was brought out at a recent visit to University of San Francisco, there is a dark side to the fun force. I speak here of organized or, better, managed fun.
Here is a quote from "Benefits and Challenges of Fun in the Workplace" by April Everett from Library Leadership & Management, Volume 25, No 1: "Manufactured fun, that which is imposed or required, may create an environment of cubicle-decorating cynics."
And from Sharon Bolton and Maeve Houlihan's article in Employee Relations, Volume 35, No 6, 2009: "However worthy these ideas (fun at work), their translation into practice might be seen as cynical. Fun - official fun - is the order of the day. (The following citations can be found in full in the bibliography of their article.)
They proceed to quote J. Gordon: "Structured fun is fun for the whimsically impaired; fun with all the fun squeezed out; fun, hold the fun."
And one more cautionary quote they cite from J. Hamilton: "I am here today to speak for the victims. The poor downtrodden employees yearning to go home. The party-pooping, costume-hating working stiffs. Those who dream about letting certain colleagues flop straight to the floor in the trust-building, don't worry we'll catch you exercise."
The point is that while there is considerable literature that tells us that humor in the workplace is a good thing it is important to remember that you cannot make people have fun or participate in fun activities or anything else for that matter. And exercising such caution is imperative in developing a corporate culture that welcomes fun and a natural, organic byproduct of the work environment.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
45 Fun Ideas from USF
45 Fun Ideas from USF
4/19/12
Buzzword Bingo
Library Prom (3)
Bay Cruise
Visit pin ball museum
Attend a baseball game
“Potomac” boat cruise
Whale watching
Movie Night
Flash mob (3)
Campus architecture tour
Slippers/pajama night
Themed clothes day (2)
Samba/Conga on April 1
Flying kites
Bike riding
Petting zoo (3)
Stacks hide n seek
Prank: rearrange shelves at some other library
Tyrone mask day
Plant/flower day
Horseback riding
Switching job roles
30” humorous clip
Unplug day (no wired technology)
2 truths and a lie
Smoothie bar
Scavenger hunt
Party on the roof/bar on the roof
No quiet zone for 15”
Staff party at wax museum
Dance lessons
Dance-off contest
Roller skating in the library
Shuffleboard in the library
Close library on Monday and Friday
4 hour work days
Departmental novel
Baby picture day
Dunk the Dean and/or the Library Leadership Team
Corporate naps
Cartoons at Noon
DJ day
Staff retreat in Hawaii or Paris
Staff dress like student day
Talk show(s) on TV in library lobby
Happy Birthday, Shakespeare
Although there is competing historical evidence surrounding the birth of one William Shakespeare, there seems to be consenses that it was on April 23, 1564.
And, although there continue to be scholars who debate whether Mr Shakespeare actually was the author of such boffo hits as Macbeth, Julius Caesar, Romeo and Juliet, As You Like It and all those Henrys and Richards, I've yet to hear or read anything to convince me against him.
So, what are you doing to celebrate the Bard's birthday? Maybe a contest to see who can name all the Shakespeare plays (no smart phones, IPADs, computers, etc. allowed!). How about a trivia contest on some one of his plays? Hamlet might be good. Or perhaps just sit and read some of the most glorious prose/poetry ever written.
Or, maybe you can find a recording of the Reduced Shakespeare Company performing all of Shakespeare's plays in about an hour and a half! (http://www.reducedshakespeare.com/)
In any event, this could be a good time to "Brush Up Your Shakespeare." (http://www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/kissmekate/brushupyourshakespeare.htm)
And, although there continue to be scholars who debate whether Mr Shakespeare actually was the author of such boffo hits as Macbeth, Julius Caesar, Romeo and Juliet, As You Like It and all those Henrys and Richards, I've yet to hear or read anything to convince me against him.
So, what are you doing to celebrate the Bard's birthday? Maybe a contest to see who can name all the Shakespeare plays (no smart phones, IPADs, computers, etc. allowed!). How about a trivia contest on some one of his plays? Hamlet might be good. Or perhaps just sit and read some of the most glorious prose/poetry ever written.
Or, maybe you can find a recording of the Reduced Shakespeare Company performing all of Shakespeare's plays in about an hour and a half! (http://www.reducedshakespeare.com/)
In any event, this could be a good time to "Brush Up Your Shakespeare." (http://www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/kissmekate/brushupyourshakespeare.htm)
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Play Ball - 6 novels about baseball
I found this post of 6 excellent baseball novels available on bookriot.com. I was disappointed that neither The Southpaw or Bang the Drum Slowly (both by Mark Harris) were incliuded. What baseball novels would be on your list?
http://bookriot.com/2012/04/05/top-six-baseball-novels/
In the meantime, how about setting up a nerf or whiffle ball baseball league at your place of employment?
Batter up!
http://bookriot.com/2012/04/05/top-six-baseball-novels/
In the meantime, how about setting up a nerf or whiffle ball baseball league at your place of employment?
Batter up!
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