WHSA Recap

I attended some wonderful sessions at WHSA and will recap the highlights of my favorites here.

I attended a presentation by Wendy Young, Director of Kidlutions. This presentation covered some topics regarding behavior. If you click on her website, you should be able to get a copy of the WHSA handout there. Here are some of the things that I will be using from this workshop:

• Bug and a Wish--"It bugs me when ___________, I wish ____________."
• Two put ups for every put down
• Mad box (playdough, bubbles, paper, and markers) for a child when he/she is angry.
• Measuring anger with a string.
• Having a an anger thermometer.
  

There were MANY other things that I will try, those were only a few highlights. As I try them, I'll post my results. One of the main points she brought home was putting the solution to a problem in the child's hands. This is something that I do in my classroom, but I'm vowing to do it more.

I also went to a wonderful leadership training that was run by Dr. Tim Nolan from the Center for Leadership Excellence. His presentation was spent doing some reflective practice and was far too short! I will definitely be returning to the provided materials and spend some time in reflection.

I attended another presentation about social/emotional education and addressing behavior. They provided participants with many ideas and suggestions from CSEFEL. There were many ideas that I want to take back to my room and use but the main one that I will be using is the compliment/manners tree. Basically, myself and my teacher assistants will write on a leaf every time we see a child doing something such as helping a friend, giving a compliment, cleaning up their area, etc. I'll read them off during transition time and the child will get to tape his or her leaf up on the tree. At the end of the month, they'll get sent home so parents can see all of the positive things their children are doing. The powerful thing is that one thing must be found for each child. The goal is to catch children doing the right thing.

The final presentation that I want to write about was probably the most profound for me. At one point in time I worked for an Even Start Family Literacy program. I really enjoyed my time working for this now disolved program. The presentation that I participated in covered a program called Families and Schools Together. Much of what I saw there reminded me of the togetherness and support felt in the family literacy program. I'm intersted in learning more about FAST and I am hoping that my current employeer will take interest in starting a FAST program in our area.

WHSA, FISH!, and a few other things

Well, tomorrow is the WHSA conference. I'm not presenting here, just enjoying myself. I look forward to many topics on behavior and leadership! I'll post upon my return.

I wanted to add some information today about the FISH! Philosophy. I'm not going to spend time writing about the WHAT but I do have a neat batch of ideas that I found online regarding the HOW. I found these ideas here. There's lots of great information here and I look forward to trying out lots of ideas at home and work. After all, FISH! isn't just for business. I am going to try one thing in each area, my goal being that slowly FISH! will catch on at work with out me ever saying thing about it.

PLAY

Create a employee bulletin board with pictures, likes, hobbies, family, pets
Have a central area to share good news (births, weddings, promotions, kid's achievements)
Have a joke bulletin board where jokes can be posted
Create a bulletin boards to have fun - any employees can add anything within reason to the board, can be to have fun with someone in company or a national figure or issue, no ridiculing!, no hurtful comments!
Get a Polaroid camera for work. Fill a bulletin board with photos
Photo Day - Baby Photo Contest
Post a cartoon every day. Make someone responsible for different days
Cartoon pictures that may relate (or use cartoon, but make up a new "improved" caption related to subject).
Have an area in which you post photos of staff having fun at work
Display pictures of all the staff - a wall of fame
Bring a camera for funny moments and hang pictures
Roving random photographer

Poke fun at yourself
Tell a funny story about yourself
Require everyone to bring in a joke for a staff meeting and tell at the beginning
Joke around with one another
Tell a "bad" joke to the first person you meet every morning
2 minute joke drill
Share a joke or funny story
Kid around with co-workers - it helps make the day fun and go faster
Tease a resident good naturedly, i.e.,"seen any good looking men lately?"
Come up with a funny story, quote, or comic for each day and share it with everyone
Do a joke chain letter
Morning announcement joke (over loudspeakers)

Have silly days-everyone participate
Do foolish things to make them laugh
Do something silly
Make a spectacle of yourself for the residents amusement
Wear clown noses on busy days
Laugh at yourself - don't take life so seriously
Prank calls to the kitchen from the phone on the loading dock
Practical jokes like: Lock the bathroom door, write women's room only on unisex bathroom, decorate your boss's office at least once a day
Joke and play- have wheelchair races
Answer the phone "Zachery's Pizza" or as some other local business
Put bubble wrap under chairs for feet and entry door mat, so it pops

Start a fun committee to help organize events
Have a team brainstorming session to explore acceptable ways to have fun in your workplace

Theme days e.g. pajama, Hawaiian shirt day
Have a Spirit week- crazy hair day
Wheelchair and walker races
Beach party in January

Happy Unbirthday Week
Have a No Whining Day
Create holidays on non-holidays
NASCAR Day - Dress as your favorite driver
Color for the day - all wear same color to work for unity
Have a resident/employee social
Celebrate not only boss's day, nurses day, etc. but celebrate the first snow day, etc.
Have a Dress Up Day - come to work as a character or costume on Halloween
Hat Day, Dress Up Day, Costume Day
Wear fun clothing, bright colors, fun jewelry on certain days
Say Thank You Day
Do a Good Deed Day
Resident / staff activities - scavenger hunt, wheel chair race, ice cream social, breakfast, supper
Bring in hypnotist, magician, $5 massages, etc
Ice cream social or other activity
Play with water balloons in the summer
Celebrate holidays
Invent a "holiday"
Sponsor a cookout/softball game/swimming activity at a nearby state park
Talent show
Penny wars (winner/loser) must do something like kiss a goat.
Don't be so serious - decorate for holidays (i.e. Halloween)

Do some team building activities
Ice breakers in unit meetings e.g. write a secret about yourself and then guess who it is
Team building exercises once a month- intellectually challenging & physical
Play some new non-competitive games as a team
Monthly, pick a day and have department go somewhere in the afternoon, such as climb a mountain together then go somewhere to eat fattening Italian pasta
Outside activities (bowling, picnics, ball games)
Put together a department scrapbook
Go on a field trip
Contest of some sort...using department teams
Do something for the community as a work team
Enable employees to volunteer on work time at non-profits once a month, quarter or year
Bring department together once a month to share good stories and problems. Keep everyone aware of what is going on in the hospital. No one should be in the dark

Switch roles for one hour
Have a job swap - pick a different job
Change places with our residents-let them be staff and us, the residents
Be someone else for a day - who knows you may like that person - you never know
Reverse days - pick students to run class
Change job responsibilities for a short period of time or job shadow for an understanding of what others do

Have everyone share their most embarrassing moment (if they dare) during a special project, etc.
Let the kid in you come out
Twirl when all fails (per Loretta LaRoche)
Put humorous stuff in the newsletter every week
Act like you just had a large coffee
Dress up your office or space with fun stuff
Put out toys to play with
Play with hula hoops
Have a toy box in work area - with groucho glasses, clown noses, koosh balls, paddle balls
Buy a rubber fish
Keep a squirt gun handy
Build a pyramid out of muffins
Toss a few nerf balls once in a while
Have a anti-stress box with serious and fun things in it - Tylenol, punching bag, big eraser for big mistakes

Dress up funny for the residents on special occasions (Halloween, Picnics)
Wear wild clothes to help start conversations

Answer call lights together. "49 is ringing" "49 is ringing"
Respond with playfulness - let go of worrying "what they will think" and instead find opportunities to surprise people.
Put a face of someone from the dept or hospital on every screen saver in the dept
Send notes between offices as paper airplanes

Play music
Sing-people will either sing with you or laugh-either way you have a brightened a day
Play: Music/entertainment in the cafeteria at times
Don't post the daily menu. Sing it to the residents together.

Make written messages amusing
Change boring routines: wear a funny hat when serving meals
Tie a helium balloon to a resident's wheelchair
Allow a fun environment
Throw candy at my cubby, "mates!"
Greet everyone every morning in your office by standing in front of their desk and bowing
Birthday balloons for everyone, delivered and sing
Model fun
Shock people, wear a wig to work
Do something unexpected (i.e. pull out glasses with a funny nose while going over instructions)
Do something fun at the beginning of each meeting - icebreaker
Raffles - parking spaces, free meal tickets - use money for charity, good causes, purchase hospital equipment
Clown to make rounds to see staff and patients
Have someone act like Miss Disorganized running around on roller skates
Have shift cheer or code phrase to start the day
Start the day with a group cheer!!
Secret pal games: could be done quarterly
Do something unexpected
Leave a goofy message on someone's voice mail
Recess (free time to play, meditate, nap, relax) - non structured time
Entertainment (carnival acts) during lunch/dinner in the cafeteria
Compile a department or hospital wide journal of employee work stories - humorous, thoughtful, emotional (like Chicken Soup books)

Find something to celebrate, even a small thing
Celebrate small "wins" not just big projects
Make a day/week or month a "Celebrate Success" day: Within department, remind ourselves of most recent successes.

MAKE THEIR DAY

Tenth customer gets something special
Find ways to thank customers for their business
Events for customer appreciation
Customer Prize Day - "You are the one millionth customer..."

Do a little extra for one person every day
Activities and lots of love
Customer and employee socials
Compliment a customer / patron (and mean it)
Do something special for your customers - unexpectedly
Assist visitors who seem disoriented or lost in your workplace
Create a fun playful attitude with your patients and their families
Involve the residents in activities (chain effect)
Have the customer of the week - someone you pick for a silly reason or an accomplishment and start a bulletin board
If a resident looks sad, give them a hug
Be extra kind if you see someone is having a bad day
Do unexpected things, surprises
Make patients feel like they are noticed, share your love
Go beyond work description (to help customer/co-workers) and show them that you care
Bring fresh flowers from garden for residents - They love it
Give stickers ( I had a good check up) goofy, but maybe adult may like it, kids love stickers.
Laugh more with customers at the front desk, start with a big smile and take it from there
Write them notes or cards I tell the residents that I love them

Sending anonymous notes of appreciation
Leave a happy note for your co-worker
Tell everyone you see during the day, what you appreciate about them or a positive thing about them
Show appreciation for a co-worker
Give co-workers compliments
Get ideas from staff of items they enjoy and would like to receive - comes in handy when recognizing
Tell your boss you appreciate what he/she does for you.
Pass an award around (fish) secretly with a note saying why the person deserves award
Give out 1,000,000 candy bars as a "bonus" for going above and beyond at work
Snickers awards
Say thanks for the smallest thing
Let employees know they are appreciated by taking time to write them notes or doing something special for them
Have a pass around stuffed mascot - awarded by group consensus
Have an appreciation day - Hand out cards to everyone and have them choose a person they appreciate at work and them why and forward cards to common place. Post the results and have silly rewards
Staff appreciation - Managers wash their cars
Acknowledge physicians for their accomplishments
Celebrate people's birthdays by cutting out paper balloons and having everyone write down something that they appreciate about the birthday person
Everyone who works this weekend gets .... movie ticket, gift certificate
Focus on what people do well, and thank them when they do something that is good
Use a physical thing (ex; stuffed animal) and give to a new person each day/week for doing something good or who needs extra support.
Have a secret partner that we could exchange small gifts
Invade a meeting to honor someone who has done something for another area totally unannounced
Make a banner for another department or discipline, tell them how much you appreciate them and hang it up in their area
Surprise one of your co-workers with a cup of coffee, etc

Treat your fellow staff workers well
Be caring to one another
Treat people the way you want to be treated
Do a kind deed for a not so close friend
Always be ready and available to help other workers
Go out of your way to help e.g. someone finish a project
Random acts of kindness
Leave a surprise trinket/chocolate/etc on someone's desk
Ask "Can I help you with something, or do you need any help?" once a day
Do things to make the other person's job easier - everyone benefits
When a co-worker feels down in the dumps, say something to lift their spirits
Be extra kind if you see someone is having a bad day
Lend a hand whether it's your job or not
Giving a flower to the aid, nursing or kitchen staff person
Bring in books you've read, clothes/toys kids have outgrown to share with co-workers
Pick a posy on your way in and present it to the first person you see
Bring flowers

Surprise food, flowers, treats
Trade lunches
Take turns bringing in something for coffee break
Bring a cake to work for no reason
Bring in homemade goodies
Maple syrup / pancake cook-off
Pot lucks once a month
Have lunch together (send out for pizza)
Have a jar of m&m's (or any favorite candy) available for everyone - it's bright, colorful, and gets people talking even if they don't want to!
Have a candy bowl out at all times
Bring in candy to bring cheer
Drink more coffee
Chocolate
Start the day with coffee, donuts or bagels
Make popcorn to share
Make cookies to share with people who come into your office
Team lunches or gatherings to acknowledge work accomplished and individuals' efforts (preferably off site)
Have office parties - quick lunch, picnics, etc
Random acts of kindness - bring in cookies
Picnics
Games after hours for the families BBQ
Run special activities, like pot luck lunches, to help bond staff on a more personal level at work
Plan staff retreats, picnics, parties (or for customers)
Have Pizza Day once a month
Have little goodies to share
Bring popsicles for all-especially on a really hot day
Treats for staff when they don't expect it (candy or ice cream)
Take a peer to lunch just because

BE THERE

Smile more
Smile, knowing someone will appreciate it
Always greet with smile and friendly word/friendly touch

Greet everyone you see
Say "Good Morning"
Stop into someone's office just to say "hi"

Listen to what others have to say
Ask how people really are and LISTEN to the answer!
Don't interrupt
Assure people you heard their concerns by restating that you heard

Give undivided attention/focus
Be attentive 100% to every customer - make them feel important

Do your best knowing that it will be appreciated
Be dependable
Strive to give 100%
Do your best while you are here
Make the most of present moment with a person

Ask customers about something they enjoy and build a relationship with them
Engage in meaningful conversation
Get to know your co-workers at more than a superficial level

Everyone needs human touch-hug and touch residents
See each person as God sees them-special
A touch, a pat on the back, a hug, smile
Enjoy the person you are with
Find out about someone's hobby
Be interested in people's lives
Be glad to see people
Care about employees lives outside of work
Learn from mistakes
Be supportive when someone has an idea
Be true to yourself
Notice when someone is down
Pay attention to who you're with no matter how much is on your mind
Ask the residents about their day - talk to them about the old times, the weather - something that brings back memories, smiles & tears
Ask customers about themselves. Find out what they want to talk about
Genuinely take an interest in what people are saying
Spend a few moments to meet a new co-worker - learn their name and position
Take few moments to find your balance, emotional and mental center

Do no harm
Answer phone promptly - return messages and e-mails
Remember that you can make a difference without realizing it at the moment

CHOOSE YOUR ATTITUDE

Count your blessings not your troubles
Be grateful every day!!!
Take a few moments before starting work and reflect on the things you are grateful for
Write down why you love your job
Take time to celebrate your successes
Remember each day is a blessing share the joy of life with those around you
Feel lucky to have a great job, home, etc.

Choose a positive attitude and let it be contagious
Accept responsibility for your attitude
Don't let circumstances or others set your attitude
Start each day fresh - Don't give past struggles continued power over your life
Do not carry over a bad day to the next day
Wake up each morning and make a decision to be happy that day
Have a positive attitude regardless of how your day is going
Actively choose to have a good day, regardless of those around you
Don't let others set your attitude
Think about difficulties as a way of strengthening your character, an opportunity for growth

Enjoy the moment - Appreciate life and its rewards
Look for the humor in situations and life
Find the humor in situations as well as the seriousness
Place a humor section in everyone's job description, where you are expected to enjoy yourself at work
Don't take life too seriously - No one has ever come out of it alive!
Don't take things personally
Find the silver lining in a bad situation - Turn a negative into a positive
Choose to be happy and tell someone about it
Choose to see other people as important and affected by your attitude
Don't sweat the small stuff

Don't participate in group griping
Stop complaining and blaming others for your problems
Do not grumble even if you feel like it
Stop complaining (do something about it)
Distance your self from others with a bad attitude or be willing to invest the time and energy into learning why those people have a negative attitude and in helping them change it
Avoid making negative comments to both customers and co-workers

Don't gossip or spread gossip

Keep the big picture in mind - it makes the day-to-day struggles easier
Make it your job to cheer up fellow employees everyday
Make an effort to be more patient with others

Make negative tasks fun, do them as a team, make games out of them
Make the best out of every situation possible
Never buy into their down attitude - acknowledge it but turn it around
Make an ordeal an event. (Turn a difficult task into a group party!)
Take a negative situation in stride

Inspirational signs, posters, and quotes from people we know
Quotes for encouragement
Happy photos on walls
Make sure the environment is bright and cheerful
Put positive notes on your desk for yourself & others to read
Start with your workspace: What does it look like? How can it be more fun? inviting?

Start each morning with a prayer and ask for God's help and patience
Psych yourself up before walking in the door
Positive thought for the day
If you are doing something that you don't like, dress up first so that people compliment you and you feel better
Look for the good in everything, because there is good in all of us
Talk positively
Be upbeat. Don't act like you are down about something. Everyone has a "hook" in their life, they are trying to cope with.
Set an example-with a positive spirit/attitude
Come to work with a positive attitude (there are always people in worse situations)

Do something to lighten your day
Try to help yourself and others see the humor in everything around them
Evaluate your actions and reactions - are you choosing the attitude you want?
Walk in another's shoes, yours is not the only job that may have problems
Honor your work

Throw some fish if you start your day with an attitude
Treat yourself special every day - go first class with little things
Make it your job to cheer up fellow employees everyday
Think of something nice about everyone you encounter every day

Accept the fact that things are going to go wrong once in a while
Take a break (go for a walk) when you feel you are getting frustrated
Take a mental health day when needed
Have a mental health moment - where you stop what you are doing, relax, take a deep breath, do some stretches, clear your brain of any obsessive thoughts and refocus. Then get back to work you slacker!
Expect the best from a situation or circumstance - be an optimist
Remember difficult circumstances don't last forever - This too shall pass!