Having a laugh

Crouchy, crabby, grumpy, bear with a sore head. Ring any bells, could this be your boss at work, your team leader, your safety leader, your coach?

Well if it is, this might be time to get off the bus and look for something else. Now I am not saying that you have to like your boss, but it helps, but you do need to respect them. If respect is lost then it's game over.

However, all is not lost all you have to do is laugh, laugh, laugh.

For many productivity-minded leaders, they pay people to get stuff done, not to joke around. However, if you’re a laughter-killing leader your stern-faced seriousness potentially could be making your team less effective and less creative.

Recent research findings on why people laugh and how cracking up affects our brains. The basic message is crystal clear: people who laugh together feel comfortable together, and this relaxed state is the perfect environment for creativity to thrive. Hope you are taking this in team leaders.

“Laughter is a subconscious signal that we’re in a state of relaxation and safety,” So when we are laughing as a group together it may suggest that our protective guard is down. This matters because there’s research to suggest that when our brains are relaxed, we can achieve free idea association, which can lead to creativity,

Other studies have shown that showing people stand-up comedy before asking them to do tricky puzzles helps them experience more flashes of inspiration, which allows them to correctly solve up to 20 percent more problems. Other research confirms what you’ve probably already observed in real-life — laughter kills stress and bonds people together.

Taken together the message for leaders is crystal clear: laughter isn’t just likely to make your workday more enjoyable, it will also make it more productive and creative.

So all you leaders out there instead of giving your employees the stink-eye when you catch them cracking up over something silly, you should probably smile along.

So the challenge to all you leaders out their please promote a laughter-friendly environment.” What about socialising more as well, that brings a greater bond with all the team members. I mentioned the social piece in my last story and don't underestimate this piece for team bonding, it's IMPORTANT.

Finally, it should be noted that if your team leaders know and trust their team, you needn’t shy away from a bit of banter.

Thanks for reading.

Eddie