Making Work Fun Again Carolyn Chapman, Field Director Accounts Management -- Memphis Nancy Session, Field Director Accounts Management -- Kansas City 41 st AIM-IRS Annual Business Meeting and Training Seminar

2 Why Do We W ork? If we define work chiefly in terms of money-making, we lose the possibility of understanding the deeper dimensions of work, the meaning of work and the many ways it can nourish us; Spiritually Spiritually Psychologically Psychologically Emotionally Emotionally Physically, Physically, Economically Economically “The way we imagine our lives is the way we will go on living our lives.” – James Hillman To find meaningful work, you need to know what work means to you… To find meaningful work, you need to know what work means to you…

3 Fun Has Different Definitions  recreation or fun is the expenditure of time in a manner designed for therapeutic refreshment of one’s body or mind  activities that are enjoyable or amusing  playfulness; a disposition to find (or make) causes for amusement What does fun mean to you?

4 Should Work Be Fun? Having fun at work lends itself to many benefits: Increases Productivity Increases Productivity Increases Moral Increases Moral Attracts Talented Employees Attracts Talented Employees Reduces Turnover Costs Reduces Turnover Costs Facilitates Communication Facilitates Communication Stimulates Creativity Stimulates Creativity Relieves Stress Relieves Stress

5 Business vs People  We all have jobs to do but remember there is not Business without people.  Businesses exists only among people and for people.  Employees make the business People are loyal to people….not companies…

6 Be Present By playing we can resurrect our sense of creativity and remember how it feels to enjoy what we do…  Leisure activities have become work-like.  Leisure activities have become work-like.  We have turned play into work, when we should be turning our work into play.  We have turned play into work, when we should be turning our work into play. “Play enables us to rearrange our capacities and our very identity so that they can be used in unforeseen ways” – Stephen Nachmanovitch – Stephen Nachmanovitch Remember to play…

7

8 Be Vulnerable The things that cause us to lose track of time are those things that connect us to a sense of the eternal in our lives and gives us a sense of meaning.  Let go of the control  Give yourself permission to have fun  Get lost in something  Don’t be a clock watcher  Don’t be a clock watcher What did you do as a child that caused you to forget time? There lies the myth to live by.” — Joseph Campbell The feeling of getting lost in an activity is exhilarating and refreshing…

9

10 Be Authentic When you are able to admit and give room to the little callings of each day, it becomes easier to hear and enact the larger calling of your life. It is essential to stay true to what you like It is essential to stay true to what you like Learn to say “yes” to what you like and “no” to what you don’t like. Learn to say “yes” to what you like and “no” to what you don’t like. Learn to love what you love Learn to love what you love Stay true to you… “Just trust yourself, then you will know how to live.” – Goethe

11

12 Be Accepting  Explore subjects and activities that catch your attention  Passion is born of experience, not just theory  Volunteer  Volunteer  Take classes  Take classes  Experiment  Experiment “If we all did the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves.” – Thomas Edison Keep an open mind to new ideas and positive change…

13

14 Be Useful The fundamental principle of servant leadership is that one is a servant first and leader second. There are 10 characteristics closely related to servant leadership. Servant Leadership…  Listening  Empathy  Healing  Awareness  Persuasion  Conceptualization  Foresight  Stewardship  Commitment to Growth of People  Building Community  Building Community

15

16 Having Fun Working at the IRS…

17 More Work Fun!