Laughter is music to my ears when I walk through one of our clubs. I love to hear laughter among the Club Physical Team and among members. Laughter is as powerfully positive for your mental health as it is for the culture of a team. You can do your work with a serious demeaner, or you can slip through the day in good humour, contributing to other’s lives. Laughter builds team culture. And as for business performance, ‘culture’ eats strategy for breakfast’ says business educator Peter Drucker.
On Monday Tina and I attended a lecture by Auckland’s Dr Elizabeth Berryman who experienced the opposite to a positive culture a few years ago. As a young doctor she experienced workplace bullying from a senior surgeon. This led to extreme anxiety, lack of confidence and insomnia. But Dr Berryman is a fighter and managed to pull herself out of the situation. On later reflection she realised there was an unmet need in our society to provide a solution for those who feel cornered with their backs are to the wall. Dr Berryman says that there are three major components of psychological safety in your workplace.
- Culture is key. Show your team that they are valued. Ask open-ended questions. Share your own vulnerability. And frame mistakes or problems as ‘learning opportunities’
- Wellbeing. Encourage healthy lifestyle practices.
- Productivity and creativity are propelled when the above is happening.
I hope that YOU continue to hear plenty of laughter when you visit Club Physical. Meanwhile, Dr Berryman has created a way forward should any feel that they are ‘cornered’ in the workplace.
Pictured – Te Atatu Team take dinner out at Westgate
