My Thoughts

Work is serious business.  Well, at least that’s what we’re told.  In my career history I’ve been asked, “Don’t you take this job seriously?”  I’ve been told, “Act like a professional.”  I’ve been asked by certain clients in my past to use “more sophisticated language” when I write their literature.  I had one guy tell me, “I want readers to think I’m smart.”   Of course, I couldn’t help but comment, “I’m not THAT good at writing.”  And, let’s just say, that fella doesn’t care for me too much…even though he continued to hire me.

But, let’s face it, there is a fine line when it comes to humor in the workplace.  But, does that mean we have to become something we’re not—seriously straight-laced and starchy grumps?

I’m going to assume that anyone who makes it past my home page of this web site has a sense of humor.  So, it’s not like I’m going to offend anyone here by saying, “Loosen up cranky pants. The ultimate goal is to make life more enjoyable.”

And, if you’re in agreement, I can actually lay some credentials on the line here…so you can convince your stodgy boss to have some fun (or at least allow you to have some fun) at work.  A brilliant new book exists for your reading pleasure.  It’s called The Levity Effect: Why it Pays to Lighten Up.

I interviewed Adrian Gostick and Scott Christopher, the authors a few weeks back.  And, I’m still having serious fun passing on the news to all my stick-in-the-mud acquaintances.   Paul, lighten up dude.  Sheryl, put a smile on your face.  And Tony, Phyllis from accounting is not spreading rumors about your foot fungus—you’re spilling the beans by gossiping about her.

Folks…the point of life and work is to enjoy the process. And, if stats are proving that people who are fun, make more, build better relationships, and get promoted faster than their cohorts, then we all should start listening.

Buy the book.  Read it.  Have more fun.  And, reap the benefits.  www.levityeffect.com

Sometimes I feel a little pompous about spewing all my random thoughts into the world.

Should I?

I mean, who am I to share my thought, ideas, and opinions?

Must we accomplish something of great significance before we allow someone else to hear our voice? Or, is the opposite true…will our voices, if heard, allow us to accomplish something of great significance?

I was talking to Stedman Graham not too long ago. He was talking about the significance of finding your voice. “Todd, you have a voice. Have you ever considered how many people hear it?”

I thought about that question. I had never considered what it really means to have a voice. Sure, I reach a lot of people through my magazines, and a growing number through my book. But, a voice carries much further than any public forum. What does my voice or words of encouragement do for my children? Am I a role model? And, to whom? What about my friends and coworkers? What about my role as a consumer? As an employee? As a registered voter? As a tax payer? All of these will listen when I speak.

Realistically, the only person who doesn’t hear anything I say is my lovely wife (I think that’s in the contract somewhere…and I don’t blame her…I’ve got way to many silly ideas for her to pay attention to everything. Plus, she’s witness to some of my dumbest ideas…keep reading and look for my blog about the Frozen Potato Incident).

Okay…done with that tangent…back to the seriousness…

Who’s hearing what I have to say? And, do they care only if you’ve achieved a status of importance, or will they listen simply because you’ve got something good to offer the world and you’re speaking—out loud? The point is, if we all took inventory of the people who hear our voice—and because they hear our voice, they may change their perception of possibility, and then lend their voice to inspire that same possibility in others—we’d realize that we all have the power to influence a lot of people.So, who am I? And, who’s hearing my voice?Nobody, unless I’m talking. Make some noise. We all might be surprised at who listens.

Oh, and by the way, there is cure for heart disease…who’s listening?www.thecureforheartdisease.net

 I read an advance copy of Mark Sanborn’s new book, The Encore Effect.  Actually, I interviewed him and wrote an article about the book that will appear in the next issue of Go Jobing magazine.Look for the book.  Buy it.  Read it.  Mr. Sanborn, with a very simple concept, has had my wheels turning non-stop…thinking about everything I do in life…and how each action impacts the people and the world around me…I don’t want to spill the beans before…well, let’s just say that scientists have proven that the 5 second rule (you know, when you drop food on the floor) is a fallacy.   It turns out, if you drop food on the floor, if it will become contaminated, the contamination happens instantly.  So, I won’t spill the beans……just buy the book.  It’s an easy read that will change your life, career, and relationships for the better.

I enjoy company and product slogans—the nutshell that’s supposed to summarize everything.

I’ve encountered two slogans in my life that have been so powerfully accurate that they make me smile.

#1–The Complex Slogan:  I interviewed a gentleman for a writing position at an advertising agency once who had written a slogan for himself.  He was the type of candidate that was educationally over-qualified, and experientially under-qualified.  His personality was dry.  His jokes were abrupt.  His use of the English language was cumbersome.  Basically, when he wrote, his intent was to make the wording as complicated as possible—assuming that big words meant smarter sentences.  What was his slogan?  “Out of this world solutions for down to earth problems.”  Perfect.  He makes even the slightest task, complicated.

#2–The Simple Slogan:  I can’t help this next one.  A few years ago a friend of mine introduced me to a spice blend that is so unbelievably delicious that I add it to just about anything.  And, oddly enough, it tastes different no matter what you sprinkle it on.  It’s fantastic!  I highly recommend it—because the slogan is soooo true that it will blow your mind.  The product is:  Tony Chachere Original Creole Seasoning.  What’s the slogan?  “Great on Everything”  Look for it at your grocery store.  Or check it out online at: www.cajunspice.com

What’s the point?  Both entities understood their nut in the nutshell.  And, when people, companies, and products truly understand themselves, they find their place of greatest impact.  Tony Chachere found his way into my kitchen.  And, that poor, cumbersome, candidate surely found another job at an organization that actually appreciated his…dare I call them abilities?

Quiting, as a concept, has a negative connotation.

But, is there a time to be a quitter?

Supposedly there’s a right way to quit a job—an unwritten standard that people seem to follow, because if they don’t the employer will be angry with them. Yet, when an employer “quits” working with the employee, they very rarely provide a two week notice. In fact, typically, most employers will call the unsuspecting “departing” into their office on a Friday afternoon. Oops, there goes a joyful weekend.

Quitting bad habits is good thing—because bad habits are unhealthy. But, then again, stress is unhealthy too—so why are people that quit “stressful jobs” deemed “failures”. “They couldn’t handle it,” companies will say. But, what if we said that about smokers? “What, you can’t handle a little cancer?”

What about kids who quit piano lessons? Are they failures? Did we expect them to ride it out forever?

What do we expect people to do forever? The only contracts we have against quiting are marriage contracts. And, quite frankly, the percentage of people who quit is quite high. Are all these people failures?

What’s my point? Well, simply stated, we’ve all quit something before in our lives. I quit the hockey team when I was kid after one day. I quit fighting competitively in the martial arts after eight years. I’ve quit numerous jobs. And, I’ve quit playing the drums.

Am I a quitter? Yes. We all are. Am I a failure for quitting? No. Sometimes being a quitter is the best thing you can do for yourself. Quiting allows people to move forward from bad situations and habits. And, it allows people to move to the next level of success from good situations. I’ve quit great jobs before—simply because it was time to grow. Quiting is the one thing that leads to starting. For the most part, years ago, I quit watching television at night so I could write. I quit eating french fries and glazed donuts. I quit being unhealthy and started being healthy.

Hey, we all have the opportunity to change the world around us. But, let’s face it, starting something new typically means quiting something old.

Maybe, if we quit being scared of being called quitters, we’d be further along in our quest than we ever imagined. Then again, we couldquit dreaming about how to make the world a better place and just stick with the status quo.