Be yourself
I have to say that of all the things that could have become my trademark, I did not anticipate that my laughter would serve as such a distinguishing trait. Would you believe me if I told you that I didn’t used to get compliments on my laugh? That phenomenon has only been around for the last few years. It’s not because my laugh has changed or because I was a more serious person before. It’s because I used to hold myself back. At work, in public, around strangers – basically, in any situation that didn’t involve really close friends or family, I would hold myself back.
You see, I was embarrassed. Of my laugh. Silly, huh? But to me I thought it was too loud, too casual, and unprofessional. So at work, I would politely smile or quietly giggle at a joke, but I would never really open up. And that was to my own detriment. Sure, I got along with my co-workers just fine, but we were never close. I’m not one who thinks you need to have a best friend at work or even that you need to like your co-workers to do your job. But by holding my true self back, even if they didn’t consciously know what I was doing, my co-workers felt the wall I had put up and didn’t try to get closer. In fact, it wasn’t until after I had left that company that I really started making friends with some of them because then I felt I could be more relaxed around them.
Once I figured out what I was doing and opened up, the change was noticeable. I was forming better working relationships, people were more willing to seek me out, and I was more effective at work. People felt they knew me. Now, I’m not advocating throwing professionalism out the window. I’m still a big believer in having a work persona. But you can be professional and still be yourself. It can be a tiny line to walk at times but it can be done. And It needs to be. Besides, a few missteps now and again will only make you that much more real in their eyes. So don’t be afraid to laugh.
December 9th, 2009 saat: 10:22 am
Your laugh is one of the best parts of HR Happy Hour. : )
December 9th, 2009 saat: 10:45 am
Kari – Thanks! 🙂
December 9th, 2009 saat: 10:56 am
I see a new tagline – HR Minion: Laugh Loud and Laugh Often!
December 9th, 2009 saat: 2:01 pm
F-k 'em if they can't take a laugh.
December 9th, 2009 saat: 5:33 pm
Lisa – I like it!
Laurie – And this is why I love you!
December 10th, 2009 saat: 1:50 pm
I loved your comments about your laugh. It seems that too often we try to hold back the best parts of ourselves because others might criticize us. We see our biggest strengths as possible liabilities. Thank you for sharing your story and giving others the courage to be themselves.
David Rendall
The Freak Factor Guy
http://www.daverendall.typepad.com
December 12th, 2009 saat: 9:52 am
David – Thanks! 🙂