6 Ways To Be A Successful Team Member (#6)

Last night I was at a Professional Development meeting. A small group of us were laughing, being a little raucous, and acting....well let's just say, a bit childish - and this time I didn't start the antics.

A woman walked over to us and said "I want to come join this group. You all seem to be having fun." I took a moment to look around at all the uptightness (I know it may not be a word; so what) and pretentiousness; the ones who were there to impress. I chuckled inside.

Which takes me to #6 on our 6 Ways To Be A Successful Team Member

6. Be Playful and Fun
Now let's not confuse being a jerk and acting like an idiot with playful and fun. More often than not being playful and fun is about being who you are, and not putting this charade on in front of others. People want to see the real you; what makes you laugh; what gets you excited. A few ideas:

1. Live in a moment
2. Spend some time with kids; even if you don't have any. Go rent some.
3. Wear a fun tie, accessory or hat
4. Take a Recess
5. Stop worrying about what others think
6. Pay close attention to #5 (post from two days ago)
7. Organize a short impromptu "field trip" for your colleagues - like a trip to the ice cream store. Buy everyone a cone - of your flavor choice of course!

People are attracted to playful and fun people. They not only reduce the stress and chaos in our lives; they usually make even the most tedious team objectives a bit more bearable. Try it. Mimic someone. Get a mentor.

Well. that's the 6. Pretty simple, right? Now here is the task................

Take the 6 Ways To Be A Successful Team Member and have a fun candid discussion with your team members about which ones have been violated. Do it playfully of course.