28 Mar A Culture of Fun

Yep… that was me, store Manager. Nope… not dressed for Halloween, just recognizing someone else’s awesomeness.

When I was a store Manager I always had the belief that when I hired an employee we had a 2-part agreement.

First. Fair trade of labor for wage. As the person responsible for the orientation my expectations were explained from the minute you were hired. Usually a couple of hours of paperwork explained in detail, followed by a tour of our store, warehouse and lumberyard and an introduction to as many employees as possible. First days and first impressions are important.

Second. Work hard and have fun! You supply the work and I’ll do my best to ensure we all have fun… and we did.

In a leadership role, one of the hurdles to overcome is the fear of being yourself, or better yet, being one of the employees. Many times when people are hired in a leadership role, they suddenly forget what it was like to come to work and have fun. They feel that as a leader they now have to straighten up, follow the rules, cross the t’s and dot those i’s.

To some extent, you do. There is no denying as you progress up the ladder that you have more responsibilities and you will be seen in a brighter light, but you also have to remember to pick your spots and have those moments where your employees can see you are human, just like them.

This photo was one of many celebrations in our store. On this day we were announcing our annual customer service winner. A prestigious award for one lucky person as it meant a trip to Montreal with a guest, some spending money, and a spectacular formal dinner and dance with the chance to win many other great prizes.

The award was the first at our store, so it had to be memorable, hence the company jersey, the awesome corporate flag as a cape, and of course, the costume would not be complete without the tights. I presented the award to our Paint Sales lady. A woman with an incredible sense of humor, an infectious laugh and a personality that made her, hands down, a customer favorite.

Blasting air horns, we celebrated on the sales floor with our employees and customers. Balloons, a monster cake and some gag gifts including some frilly “fruit of the loom’s” were all part of the celebration. It was a lot of fun. I am sure she remembered the day she won as much as the trip itself. Was I nervous? Of course. Was I embarrassed? A little. Was it memorable and did everyone laugh and enjoy themselves? Absolutely!

I would like to take credit for the idea, but I can’t, because originally another person wore that cape in the same parking lot several years earlier. Instead of a speedo he wore roller skates (as rumor has it, possibly a skirt) and owning up to a promise he made, he roller skated with his cape through the parking lot. That person was the owner’s son, who would eventually move on to be the General Manager of the company. As he progressed up the ladder he also took the opportunity to have fun.

That culture of fun would bleed through our corporate office right down to our stores and sometimes beyond. Fun was in our battle cry at our annual “road shows” and Manager meetings. Sometimes it got people in a little bit of trouble, but the exchange for the memories that became stories of legend were all worth it.

So, new leaders, unless you are running a morgue, insert some fun into your workplace. Don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone. You have a responsibility to make your work place enjoyable. In a culture of fun, people will laugh more, work harder, stay later and refer their friends. Before you know it, those long shifts that your employees thought would never end will become the moments they hope they’ll never forget.