Food Rules! Just ask anyone at your meetings that have food why they’re really there.
Enthusiasm is Contagious. Leadership is Contagious. And how you conduct the events in your role as leader, is also going to be… well.. contagious! Here are a few fun facts to add a bit of humor to your day as well as a bit of spark to your leadership role and the efforts you make with those you lead.
1. When you conduct meetings, remember that food rules and will attract folks, as well as give them something to do if the material is dry. Budget low? Invite a pot luck where others bring in food. Maybe even a food theme? Chocolate meetings anyone?
2. You have voices in your head whether you want to admit or not. Usually it’s about how many are talking and the same is true for all of those you lead. The best way to stop a negative or non helpful voice in your head from droning on, is to tell it “Thank you for sharing” or “Cancel”. Your brain takes directions well, as long as you’re the one in charge.
3. Most of those you lead, and maybe even you, too, do things by habit. Do you drive? Ever driven home on a Friday afternoon and made it all the way home, having NO Idea how you got there and without the influence of any adult beverage? Yep, it’s because you’re driving on auto pilot. What else do you do at work that is on auto pilot and no longer has the benefit of your conscious thought? Hmmm… think about that.
4. If you put the most experienced, veteran team member in the role of teaching or mentoring others, you may be making a mistake. The ones who do it so well they have forgotten the steps, give directions that sound a bit like “Just Do it!” They HAVE forgotten the steps and thus, the ones who just learned it, do it pretty well, but still have to think about it, make much better mentors.
5. Time moves at a snail’s pace when you’re listening to dry material, but moves at lightning speed when your delivering dry material. Always try to keep your perspective on the side of those listening or you’ll likely have team members thinking “SQUIRREL” and mentally checking out, having not heard much of what you said.
Enjoy leadership. It should be fun… and it IS of course, Contagious!
Monica
