The Hump Day Humor-Gram,  October 31, 2007    Issue Number 236
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1. What Mask are You Wearing Tomorrow? 

It’s Halloween today, a good excuse to be a bit goofy
and dress up. Your customers will love it (and I dare say,
increasingly expect it!), and it’s a great way to be silly.
In fact, have you noticed how much a person can change
when they put on a mask or wear something silly? I’ve seen
very introverted people come totally out of their shell
once they’ve donned a goofy mask. 

But what about tomorrow? What mask will you wear to work 
tomorrow? You see, I think a lot of us wear masks 
every day to work – “professional masks” that hide the 
real us. And these are the truly SCARY workplaces kids! 
Too many workplaces still foster a culture where people 
feel they need to put on a false front or a fake persona 
to succeed. Yet, we know that the most successful, 
inspiring and creative workplaces do just the opposite. 
They create a culture where people remove their masks and 
are encouraged to be completely themselves. When people are 
given permission to be themselves, they feel less 
stressed, more motivated and creativity thrives.  
And if you’re in sales or customer service, removing the 
masks helps you connect with people, build trust 
and stand out from the herd. 
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2. Mike's Fun at Work Tip  

If you want to give yourself and/or others a laugh to start
the work day with, then leave a fun welcome greeting on
your co-worker’s voice mails: a short joke, funny quote, 
little song, or a wacky thought of the day. You can even leave
one on your OWN voice mail message if you’re feeling goofy
to give yourself a smile once you’ve arrived at the office! 
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3. Quote of the Week 

"It's important to have a collegial, supportive, yeasty, zany, 
laughter-filled environment where folks support each other."  
- management “guru” Tom Peters 
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4. It's a Wacky, Wacky, World  

Here’s a real life warning label on a life-saving 
device: WARNING: This IS NOT a Life Saving Device! 
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Copyright Michael Kerr, 2007. mike@mikekerr.com  www.mikekerr.com