Too bad no one is having as much fun as they did in the past, especially at work!! I have great memories of having fun on the job; here is just one example.
I opened a branch of a large real estate company where I used to live in California, near my home. This came in handy as I raised my children a lot by telephone. This office was filled with new agents as experienced agents did not want to work in this geographical location nor at a new office for a first-time manager.
All newbie agents were referred to me, by many of the best in the business. These established realtors trusted me although some real estate people were wary of another real estate company entering into their !! territory. This new company was growing rapidly and I had somewhat of a lock on this geo-location as I had successfully sold real estate there for a few years.
The office was typical of most real estate offices and included a large conference room.
This large conference room was supposed to be my office. One of the many things that did not work for me was I would be separated from the agents by glass windows and a door.
No way. These new agents needed me there, with them, in order to help them in their daily work, if nothing else but to be available to them.
So off I went and I decided the glassed-in room will perform as double duty: as a conference room and a champagne room.
I decided we had to have fun and that fun would bring in the sales and profits. We had weekly parties; I know, no one does that anymore, certainly in real estate but fun was high on my list. It still is.
I decided that if people had more fun, they would feel better; if they felt better, they would have greater success.
On Monday mornings, before the start of the day, we would have dance lessons. Yes, dance lessons. We would be led by our receptionist/admin/secretary using what she had learned over the prior weekend when she was out having fun…his of course is before all the political and health dramas came our way.
It sounds different and it was. Eventually, other agents from other non-competing and competing offices showed up for a taste of fun. Why not as the door was always open.
And then we had Champagne Tuesdays. Champagne and Pizza, provided by me and held in the conference room.
My area managers and owners were prone to make surprise visits and the agents asked what would happen if they showed up on a Tuesday?
I said they would be invited to join us and they did. All was well and you know why? Because this office was in profit from Day One! Profits from hard work and fun! Imagine!
I functioned as a Manager yet I was a Leader as well. Who knew this was to be my first foray into leadership.
Alas, as time went by, one agent needed to be fired and I had to do the firing – my first one!
As I was told, I hired her, I had to fire her. One can learn a lot from firing someone, no matter where or who you are.
I did my job, we all made money, most were happy and satisfied and the company continued on to become what it is now, a global presence where the owners made loads of money. You are most welcome!
This was one step on my path to leadership. I stayed for a few months and moved forward into construction.
And we had fun there as well.
So, you get what I’m saying, right?
Fun is vital to success and if you add fun as an ingredient, you will help others succeed as well.
If you want to talk about fun and other deliciousness, go here.
Joanne Victoria
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