Nicole Raines. What Does Fun and Joy have to do with it?

Summary

Fun and joy in leadership and its impact on performance. 0:07

• • Nicole Raines shares her go-to song for picking herself up, "Golden" by Gil Scott-Heron.
  • According to Dr. Dave, incorporating fun and joy into leadership can improve creativity and performance.

Infusing fun and joy into workplace culture. 3:54

• • Nicole implemented various workplace initiatives to promote fun and joy, such as small icebreakers, a recognition committee, and weekly decompression sessions.
  • Nicole balanced fun and joy with responsibilities by incorporating them into team meetings and organizational structure, ensuring productivity was not compromised.
  • Infuse fun moments into team meetings, listen to feedback, and respect privacy.
  • Nicole advises picking something easy to share for joy metrics and avoiding big, grand things.

Measuring happiness and well-being in the workplace. 10:05

• • Leaders can measure team happiness by tracking connection and growth.
  • Nicole suggests looking inward to understand cultural perceptions of fun and foster a universally joyful environment.
  • Dave agrees, highlighting the importance of sensitivity to cultural perceptions while fostering a positive work environment.

Infusing fun and joy into leadership styles. 14:04

• • Nicole emphasizes the importance of self-reflection and cultural awareness when creating inclusive workplace events.
  • Dave agrees and highlights the need to listen to others' perspectives to develop culturally sensitive fun moments.
  • Nicole suggests leaders acknowledge new activities, start small, and share personal fun to infuse joy into teams.
  • Dave and Nicole discuss incorporating fun and joy in leadership styles, with Nicole sharing personal practices like gratitude and enjoying small pleasures.

Infusing fun and playfulness in leadership and mental health practices. 20:53

• • Nicole shared a memorable anecdote about incorporating fun and creativity into a clinical practice session with a child who experienced trauma, using a poster board with flowers and a butterfly to demonstrate a trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy model.
  • Nicole used a bubble-breathing exercise and balloons to help the child relax and smile during the session, demonstrating the importance of incorporating fun and creativity into clinical practice.
  • Nicole shares an example of infusing fun and light into a complex topic, demonstrating that playfulness can be present in even the most serious situations.
  • Nicole encourages listeners to embrace levity in their work and personal lives, recognizing its importance for more than just making work bearable.