Find Your Inner Llama !!

We’re all building up to the Christmas and Holiday season this time of year. There seems to be an even greater emphasis on the need for generosity after all that has occurred during 2020. I think that is great and have those same feelings to reach out to lift others up. Yes, the holidays will look different this year than they have in the past. That seems to be the overall theme for the entire year. The world has changed. I don’t think it’s a matter of yearning for a rebound or a return to life as we knew it either.

We all have a choice as we enter a new year. We can move forward or remain stagnant. I choose to move forward. I’m not sure what lies ahead and I’m not a person who makes resolutions. I am not naive either. Challenges are sure to continue to occur in 2021 personally, professionally and as a society. I hope you don’t get discouraged, and I have a suggestion that just might work.

Find your inner llama !!

You may wonder what that means. Let me explain. Several years ago a dear friend of mine, Trish McFarlane, and I were catching up on a phone call and we started making up stories about HR and llamas. There was no rhyme or reason for it, but we laughed every time we mentioned them. It stuck with me and I’ve been a proponent of HR Llamas ever since.

The main reminder of the llamas for me is that they bring a smile to my face and overall joy !! In fact, others have embraced this symbol and have sent me llamas to add to my collection. They share that they appreciate me giving them something to rally around. I’ve received several of them as gifts over the years with incredibly touching stories from people. My wife and I were out at Lowe’s recently and walking through the Christmas decorations section when she saw this massive inflatable llama. She quipped, “I suppose we’re going to get that for our yard.” I was stunned, and then it was purchased !!

Here’s our new llama !!

Every night as dusk arrives, you can hear the soft whirr of a motor as our new llama majestically fills with air and rises from the ground. A light comes on to shine out and break away the darkness. Our neighbors have already stopped by to say how they love the new addition to our decorations. They say it makes them smile every night !!

It’s easier to show grace, generosity, and joy during the holidays. It seems like our hearts soften for about thirty days. Then, we slip back into a pattern that is not so joyful. People all around us are yearning for ways for everyday life to be positive. We should do all we can to not regress. That is why I want you to find your inner llama – whatever that is. It doesn’t have to be a llama. Find what works for you and reminds you to share encouragement, laughter, and joy year-round !! It works. It’s needed. It’s time.

I Love to Laugh !!

How often are you around little kids?  I would have to say that I’m not around them nearly often enough !!  Little kids “get it” when it comes to life.  They see everything around them as something worth looking at, taking time for, and experiencing.  They will do this for their entire day and think that it’s normal.  When adults step in to squelch their innate sense of joy and exploration, kids respond with some of the most confused facial expressions possible.

One characteristic that I truly enjoy is hearing children laugh.  It’s infectious.  They see things that most of us consider mundane or irrelevant, and just flat lose their mind.  It’s fantastic !!  When a child loses themselves completely in laughter, anyone who is near them will be affected . . . in a good way.  They usually bust out in raucous laughter themselves.

I have to confess.  I’m a laugher.  It’s a loud, belly laugh more often than not. I make sure to laugh every day.  Every day.  It’s not like I put in a planner or on my To-Do lists. There are just too many things that happen every day that deserve laughter and joy.  You never know what it will be, but you will miss it if you’re not looking for it.

Laughter QuoteI wish more HR people would bring laughter and joy to what they do !! When I get together with my peers, and we can peel back the frustrations of the job, we have more laughs than not.  The question is – how can you incorporate more laughter in your workplace?  The first thing to do is to take on the philosophy that Charlie Chaplin followed (see the picture).

If you thought that your entire day would be wasted if you didn’t laugh, I bet you’d laugh more often !!  There are countless studies that show the healing power of laughter and how it reduces stress.  If that’s not enough of an incentive, it also clears the cobwebs and allows you to look at something with a fresh perspective.  Any feelings of angst just disappear.

Secondly, you have to take on the Mary Poppins approach where Ed Wynn proudly sings, “I love to laugh, loud and long and clear !!”  Laughing out loud is essential.  We are way too reserved as HR pros in the workplace.  We keep to ourselves and don’t feel that we can express ourselves.  That’s truly a shame because we have an opportunity to bring life and excitement to our people, our workplace and our culture.  If you chose to look at HR with this perspective, would it change your outlook as to what you do?

This week, stop the grousing and start the chuckling !!  Something so simple can be something extremely profound.  Look for the laughter.  I know I will !!

Have You Played Lately ??

I have !!  Man, the past few weeks have been full of FUN !! And, I work in HR !!  How cool is that?

We had our Christmas Party for our store Managers at Star Lanes at Newport on the Levee.  There was bowling, eating and billiards surrounded by tons of laughter and stories.  It was very casual and loads of fun !!

I also had the privilege of speaking at the chapter meeting of the Greater Cincinnati HR Association (GCHRA) and the event sold out !! Yikes !!  The presentation was on Leadership through HR, and I had a blast.  Lots of laughter, stories and food !!

Then, this weekend I went to the National Museum of the US Air Force on the Wright Patterson Air Force Base with my Boy Scout Troop.  We went through the miles of planes and years of history on a scavenger hunt, took in an IMAX movie and even got to tour through past Air Force One planes.  The boys (and certain adults) let their imaginations run wild and pretend we were fighter pilots.  We all picked our favorite planes that we just HAD to have !!  Again, more laughing, fun and memories.

The ironic thing during all of these activities . . . no one got hurt.  No one was upset.  No one was negative.

It made me start to reflect about what we do in HR.  Is it fun?  Do we allow people to play?  Or, are our processes more important than people?

How about our Associations, Conferences and gatherings?  Fun ?? Parts of them are, but there are also a myriad of rules and structures with good intentions, but limit people from enjoying themselves.

Why is this?  Is someone playing at work, or having fun that threatening?  I’ve said this before. Do you know what happens to kids when they grow up?  They become our employees !!

This week start a new practice before people make silly New Year’s Resolutions that they will strive to break vs. keep.

Have fun at work !!  Quit looking for others to engage you.  Be engaged first yourself !!  Fun is different for all of us, but look around at your company’s culture and see if it fosters creativity or compliance – innovation or conformity.

I plan to play more and more and pull others along with me. Let’s see who’s more productive in the end !!