07.26.10
Posted in Humor~Business, Humor~Creativity, Humor~Health & Goals, Humor~Inspirational at 4:42 pm by Dr. Trina Hess
I’ve been thinking recently about humor, and why more people don’t think it’s important. Now I know:
Humor is only one part of the equation. And the answer to that equation is ATTITUDE. Attitude is what I call that atmosphere we can generate by using our sense of humor. It’s that light-hearted space where we feel unimpeded. Where we feel free to contribute our ideas, and the place where we do our best work. The environment where we can develop our best selves.
Humor is a big part of that. But so are other things. Like our mind-body connections. Harboring negative attitudes and resentments gradually settles into our physical body. If we don’t acknowledge this facet, no amount of humor will make a lasting impression on our state of mind (and body).
But attitude doesn’t mean we should blithely put a smiley-face on our problems. Doing that can be even more destructive than staying mad! Denial of the neg’s in our life just makes them get bigger, come out in the wrong places, and fester our souls like an acid. Comedian Chonda Pierce talked about her fitting in worn-out and torn Spanx body-shaping wear: “It’s like trying to put the Pillsbury dough back into the can!” Shoving our problems under a smiley mask will just make matters worse.
Look here for more tools to develop not just your sense of humor, but also your ATTITUDE. That over-arching, all-encompassing, omni-present force that shapes our days, rules our lives, and determines our direction.
Permalink
06.30.10
Posted in Humor~Business, Humor~Creativity, Humor~Health & Goals at 4:49 pm by Dr. Trina Hess
Where have all the Junebugs gone?
That’s what I asked myself today. I noticed that today’s Junebugs look different. Strangely smaller than what I remember seeing as a kid. These modern-day Junebugs give us a hint on how even our smallest actions can have repercussions.
I have no idea why today’s Junebugs are smaller. Maybe it’s toxic air. Decimating their habitats. Or their food supply has dwindled.
Whatever the cause, it wasn’t apparent. At least not to me. And maybe not to companies, individuals, or whomever reduced the Junebug’s size.
Our humor actions can have similar effects. Usually they don’t help people lose weight like the Junebug has. If my jokes could do that, I would be a millionaire by now.
It’s in the subtlety. Our humor HAS to have the right intentions.
—Sarcasm is a valid type of humor. Use it in the wrong situation, with the wrong person, and you’ve just committed a Junebug homicide.
—Silly physical comedy has it’s place too. Usually at small children’s birthday parties. Or somewhere on prime time cable TV. But use this type of humor in the wrong group of people and you may lose credibility. Another Junebug homicide.
These are just two examples of how subtle humor is. We have the power, but we need the skills to know HOW to use this incredible force. For good.
For the Junebugs.
Permalink
Posted in Humor~Business, Humor~Creativity, Humor~Health & Goals at 4:41 pm by Dr. Trina Hess
“Your nerves aren’t able to handle a lot right now.”
That was the good news my hand therapist told me.
Then the bad news. If I stay comfortable, and not stretch my limits, the nerves in my hand will freeze up. If I stay at the same level, I’ll lose mobility in my hand.
We can get ossified in our thinking, too. In our risk-taking. Stale and frozen in our opinions.
Humor gets us out of this rut.
Shakes things up.
Keeps us on our toes.
Powers us through stale times.
“Sometimes you have to push through,” the therapist told me.
It feels good to be comfortable. But comfortable can be dangerous if we stay there too long.
Comfort can make us forget what we need to do. Blind us to risks we need to take.
Humor is uncomfortable. It’s risky. It takes guts to go out of your comfort zone and use your sense of humor.
But it’s worth it.
Every time.
Permalink
06.02.10
Posted in Humor~Business, Humor~Health & Goals, Humor~Inspirational, www.yourshiningexample.com at 2:23 pm by Dr. Trina Hess
We all know it’s competitive out there. We have to look out for ourselves, protect our intellectual and actual property. Stay ahead of the competition.
This is great if you don’t mind losing your health, your sanity and several friends. Because no one can keep up that kind of pace for long. And in fact, that kind of pace isn’t effective in the long run.
That’s because it leads us sinkingly into perfectionism. And then the ultimate doom happens—we lose our sense of humor.
One of my heroes is Alice Cooper. He has been on the music scene for decades, and continually reinvents himself. How does he do this? He has a great sense of humor. Listen to his Nights with Alice Cooper radio show and you’ll see what I mean. He rolls with the punches, and certainly doesn’t take himself seriously.
A wonderful example of how this operates in his business is his un-competitiveness with the wide array of musicians in his genre. Does he write negative things about them? Does he promote his music as better than theirs? Does he stay on the look-out for what they are doing and try to out-do them? Maybe. But I don’t think so.
Instead, Alice regularly interviews his peers—what other would call his “competitors. Listen to the friendly atmosphere Alice creates by keeping light and staying funny.
What can YOU learn from Alice?
Permalink
05.31.10
Posted in Comedy Around The World, Humor~Business, Humor~Events, Humor~Health & Goals, Humor~In The News, Humor~Inspirational, www.yourshiningexample.com at 4:14 am by Dr. Trina Hess
Today’s Comedy Around the World goes to Athens, Greece. Home of the first ever marathon race, 26.2 miles.
When I signed up to run the race with the Leukemia Society’s Team in Training marathon fund-raising program, I pictured a big party. After all, that year marked the 100th anniversary of the running from Marathon into Athens during the war. The runner died at the end, but that was beside the point. This would be a big party! Lots of excitement! History, athletics, fun!
Was I ever wrong.
That race taught me a lot. From that fiasco I got:
1. A crash-course in perceptions. What was marketed as a majestic event was in reality a tragic disaster. Note to self: The Greek people are not into fitness or—apparently history, either. At least not the kind of history that involves fitness activities. Another note to self: it’s very, very bad to run a marathon in 80+ degree (F) heat with little water, and completely on pavement. Especially when all your training was done on the soft, snow-packed roads of rural Western Pennsylvania.
2. A better way to train. The guest speaker for our pre-race workshop was Jeff Galloway. He gave us his training regimen. I followed it in the next marathon I ran, in Anchorage. It was my most enjoyable marathon ever. If indeed there can be such a thing as an enjoyable marathon.
3. To trust that people will pull together and create a fun or at least a manageable event, even in times of crisis. As those of us in the back-of-the-pack clamored for water in the sweltering heat, sometimes picking up discarded bottles along the road, a funny thing happened. People who had intact bottles of water were sharing it with strangers. Runners noticed the other runners who were distressed and shared their water from their backpacks. Everyone was in pain, but some still found the strength to care for the others left behind. It was an amazing thing to see and a scene I will always remember.
4. What works for one sector, faction, or business may not work for yours. Like I mentioned in 1., the Greek people weren’t all that excited about this race. At least not by the time my fragmented body wandered into the finish area in downtown Athens, which was—ironically enough—in the Olympic stadium. I realized I may have been reliving the death scene that occurred at the end of the original marathon. There was no parade hailing me to the finish line. Instead, I had to wend my way around rush-hour traffic that had smog that was unbearable. I didn’t know which was more dangerous, breathing the smog or holding my breath.
5. Look at all the aspects, all sides of the issue. If I would have done my research, I could have known that Athens would be quiet that day. That I would have to motivate myself, rather than rely on the kindness of Greek strangers. I would have found out the race course, and that it included absolutely no grass or snow or other soft surfaces. I would have known that the water was only rationed according to your own tour group. There’s nothing like seeing an oasis of water bottles and dragging yourself there only to find out that it’s for another charity group, not yours. Had that group been less rigid and inflexible, they would have saved several of us runners from heat exhaustion.
Your “100th Anniversary” celebration is your way of creating a humorous atmosphere. Make sure the celebration that others join is the same one you’ve envisioned. And bring enough water for everyone! to others as you;re picturing it for yourself?
Inflexibility, inefficient facts,
Permalink
05.30.10
Posted in Humor~Business, Humor~Creativity, Humor~Events, Humor~Inspirational at 4:57 pm by Dr. Trina Hess
I’m not talking about the fairy tale, Cinderella. I’m talking about Cinderella’s Janitorial Services. They sponsored a band last night at a Mexican restaurant where I was eating dinner.
A song by Three Dog Night. Wait–that wasn’t the radio, it was LIVE! And in the next room.
I wandered over to see what was happening. Someone told me it was Cinderella’s 10th year in business and they were inviting everyone to the party.
I had never heard of Cinderella’s Janitorial Services. I don’t know exactly what they sell or where they are. But will I check them out? Definitely!
Cinderella’s taught me a lot that night, about business: We should be—
1. surprising! It’s not every day that you hear live music at dinner.
2. interesting and intriguing! I was curious about the music and so I asked questions.
3. out-of-the-ordinary! I would expect a janitorial service to give out free paper towels or something. Not to host a live band (which was great, by the way. I think they were called, Fear No Evil).
4. inviting! The guests and the Cinderella employees invited me to the party.
5. fun! Above all, Cinderella’s created a fun atmosphere that made me associate good things with their company.
What could Cinderella show YOU about business?
Permalink
05.26.10
Posted in Humor~Business, Humor~Events at 12:41 pm by Dr. Trina Hess
My friend Joanne Quinn-Smith, aka, the TechnoGrannyTM and host of PositivelyPittsburghLiveTM is a cheerleader for business in Pittsburgh. Now it’s her turn to shine! Her show, PositivelyPittsburghLiveTM Talkcast (PPL Talkcast) was named a Finalist today in the Media Talkcast, Blog, and Website category in The 2010 American Business Awards.
More than 2,700 entries from organizations of all sizes and in virtually every industry were submitted for consideration in more than 40 categories, including Most Innovative Company of the Year, Management Team of the Year, Best New Product or Service of the Year, Corporate Social Responsibility Program of the Year, and Corporate Environmental Responsibility Program of the Year. PositivelyPittsburghLiveTM Talkcast is competing as a finalist in the Web, Talkcast, and Blog category for Media.
The American Business Awards are the nation’s premier business awards program. All organizations operating in the U.S.A. are eligible to submit entries,public and private, for-profit and non-profit, large and small.
This year’s Stevie Award winners will be announced during the annual gala on Monday, June 21 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City. More than six-hundred executives from across the U.S.A. are expected to attend. The event will benefit Oceana (http://oceana.org), the largest international organization focused on ocean conservation. The ceremonies will be broadcast on radio nationwide by the Business TalkRadio Network. As one of the finalists, the creative staff of PositivelyPittsburghLiveTM Talkcast will be attending and also covering the event and spread the good news about Pittsburgh. PositivelyPittsburghTM Radio and TV goes to New York City.
In 2007, Joanne Quinn-Smith, aka, the TechnoGrannyTM and host of PositivelyPittsburghLiveTM Talkcast created an internet radio Talkcast which has evolved into a total product, the Positively Pittsburgh Live Alliance which includes
PositivelyPittsburghLiveTM Talkcast, PPL Blog, PositivePittsburghersTM Networking site and PPLMag.com. As a result of this unique first to market Community Talkcast, blog, networking site and online community magazine, she was awarded the 2009 National Small Business Administration Journalist of the Year Award. She became the first person to be honored for this award who totally used Social/New Media.
PositivelyPittsburghLiveMagazine.com is a syndicated Pittsburgh internet radio and TV network with accumulated national and international listeners of over 200,000. The goal of PositivelyPittsburghLiveTM (PPL) is to disseminate only GOOD NEWS about Pittsburgh, often topics that are missed by major media outlets. In this mission of the PPL Talkcast, Good News Reporter, Joanne Quinn-Smith has interviewed over 800 Positive Pittsburghers representing the best news about Pittsburgh.
Details about The American Business Awards and the list of Finalists in all categories are available at www.stevieawards.com/aba. Final judging will continue thru May 28, 2010.
Listen to all of the syndicated Pittsburgh internet radio shows at:
http://pplmag.com
About PositivelyPittsburghLiveTM Talkcast and Alliance]
If you are tired of the negative news and would like to hear only the good news, PositivelyPittsburghLiveMagazine.com is in its second year. Positively PittsburghLiveMagazine.com is a Pittsburgh Online Community Magazine complete with calendar and forum and also a Pittsburgh Internet Radio and TV Network. So check out the Positive News for, about and by Pittsburghers, the Positive Trendsetter for Good News about Pittsburgh!
Positively Pittsburgh LiveTM internet radio talkcast features the weekly PositivelyPittsburhTM News, the Roving Pittsburgher ReportTM and the Steeltown HeroTM Spotlite
PositivelyPittsburghLive Alliance
All at: http://pplmag.com
PositivelyPittsburghLive Talkcast
PosiitvelyPittsburghLive Blog Show Notes, News
PositivelyPittsburghLiveMagazine.com
PositivePittsburghers Social Networking Site: http://positivepittsburghers.com
PositivePittsburghers LinkedIn Group
Follow PositivelyPittsburgh at https://twitter.com/pospittsburgh
About The Stevie Awards
Stevie Awards are conferred in four programs: The American Business Awards, The International Business Awards, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, and the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about The Stevie Awards at www.stevieawards.com.
Permalink
05.24.10
Posted in Humor~Business, Humor~Social Media, Humor~Technology, www.yourshiningexample.com at 12:54 pm by Dr. Trina Hess
“Lighten Up.” That was one of Mashable’s 4 Tips for B2B Marketing on Facebook
When you inject some humor and levity into your social media,
—you connect.
—you give a face and personality to your company.
—you create a fun community.
—you create an inviting atmosphere.
—you win.
What’s YOUR Facebook fan, like, or regular page? Message me and I’ll join YOU!
Permalink
05.20.10
Posted in Humor~Business, Humor~Research, www.yourshiningexample.com at 1:34 pm by Dr. Trina Hess
Did you read the Business News article
“What Chief Executives Really Want”? Think it’s employees showing up every day? Knowledge? Obedience? Think again. Of something funny.
“CEOs identify ‘creativity’ as the most important leadership competency for the successful enterprise of the future. Why is this?
Global complexity. And business leaders’ lack of confidence that they can deal with it.
Worldwide, business leaders are saying, “success requires fresh thinking and continuous innovation at all levels of the organization.”
Customers are computer savvy. They are connected.
But not to the company or its products.
Companies need to scramble to figure out how to attract these unherded cats.
So how does HUMOR help in this situation?
1. Humor is all about disruption. The element of surprise is WHY we laugh. The joke throws us off our usual path. Lets us see things in a different way. When we laugh about something, our stress level goes down. Our ideas become clearer and more prolific. We can CREATE.
2. A humorous work environment is fun. That means more motivation to continue to create. That means permission to go against the status quo. That’s a vicseral cycle that means victorious sales.
3. A humorous work environment promotes creativity. My vision is that workplaces that want to promote and encourage humor must also promote a humorous workplace. Not just a ‘creative’ space. The two cannot exist without each other. They ARE each other.
What are YOU doing to make your workplace more creative?
www.yourshiningexample.com
Permalink
05.18.10
Posted in Humor~Business, Humor~Health & Goals, Humor~Social Media at 1:03 pm by Dr. Trina Hess
Just read a post in
Mashable’s newsletter about how social media is influencing how other countries’ peoples view the United States.
Bridging “the last three feet” is what Edward R. Murrow strategized. He said that international exchange depends on personal contact, “one person talking to another.” The U.S. government has taken hold of this “Three Feet” strategy and used it to its advantage.
Whether you agree with the government’s viewpoint or not, you can’t escape the fact that their social media strategy works.
“The U.S. seems much friendlier than I thought and more accessible,” someone tweeted in response to a post by Elizabeth Tradeau of the U.S. Embassy in Pretoria South Africa. Not only that, but the America is fun now. We’re known for offering education and resources, being free with our information and even asking other’s opinions.
If the United States government—the biggest most unwieldy elephant wrapped in red tape that we can find in our country—can turn all agile and hip: then why can’t every business in the U.S. adopt this strategy??
What would embracing social media do for your company?
It would lead you into the paths of HUMOR.
1. Openness. Your people, your customers, and the general public can approach you without fear. Sure, they’ll give you their 2 cents. But they will also give you vital and valuable information that YOU can use to improve your business.
2. Productivity. All the information, opinions and comments that your openness attracts—you can use it to drive your business into the next competitive stage.
3. Fun. People will see your business as a pleasant, joyful place to work. And to do business with. When you get people excited about you, you gain free sales teams.
Permalink
« Previous entries
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=ce99d535-e158-40bd-a2bf-5eb5a81b8015)
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=8d501c82-7606-4e58-8034-12d6ffd236b6)
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=dde0c595-99ae-49b0-9875-e7802fd578b3)
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=de642b03-2534-4417-ad15-bc898e96ad80)
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=292a9d80-1cb1-401b-bbce-0a73849d3fe0)
