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Creating Effective, Lighthearted Workplaces

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Humor in the Workplace John Simmons' BioIt could be said that John Simmons is a serious student of humour, but it would be more accurate to say that he's a jovial educator of the benefits of humour, laughter and lightness.John assists organizations and their employees in meeting their goals and fulfilling their potential through the creation and maintenance of productive, healthy, light-hearted workplaces. John does this by helping employees become more focused, laugh more and approach their tasks with a positive sense of purpose. With simple, effective concepts and concrete ideas, he assists people in succcesfully integrating their work and personal lives. His combination of insight, practicality and humour inspires his audiences to embrace both personal and organizational development.John Simmons is a speaker, author and award winning educator who has been delivering workshops, seminars and keynote addresses since 1989. He is the author of The Power of Humor: Top Ten Ways to Lighten Up Your Workplace (without getting fired!)John taught in public and private schools for over twenty years. He is a member of the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers.John lives in Calgary with his wife Liz. They have two grown children.

Speaking

Humor in the Workplace Humour in the WorkplaceChange, Challenge and Humour (keynote or seminar)Create a high-functioning workplace atmosphere using responsible, appropriate humour to help deal with change in tubulent times. more info...Humour and Sanity in the Workplace (keynote or seminar)Increase job performance and satisfaction by reducing stress through the appropriate use of humour. more info...Laughtership: Using Humour to Build Relationships, Employee Loyalty and Productivity (keynote or seminar)Enhance organizational climate and staff effectiveness by applying the principles and strategies of leading with lightness and laughter. more info...Top Ten Ways to Lighten Up Your Workplace (without getting fired!) (keynote or seminar)Concrete, practical, easily-implemented techniques to help you lighten up and be more effective at work. more info...

Wellness Life Balance Wellness / Life BalanceWork-Life Balance: No PANE*, No Gain (keynote or seminar)Lead a balanced, happier existence through the use of a practical approach tailored to the realities of life in the 21st century more info...A Lighthearted Approach to Wellness (keynote or seminar)Revitalize your life through implemenation of humourous strategies in order to maximize your health. more info...Faster Than the Speed of Life:Technology, Guilt and Wellness (keynote or seminar)Neutralize the effect of technological change which has resulted in increased stress. more info...

Mental Health Mental HealthCelebrate the Champion in You (keynote or seminar)Individuals will recognize their inner strength and unheralded achievements in order to successfully embrace the personal and workplace challenges of the 21st century more info...The True Cost of Mental Illness (keynote)In its many forms, mental illness takes a huge toll on individuals, families and society. John's personal struggle with severe depression has given him a unique perspective on this issue. more info...Adult ADD:The Reality and the Remedies (keynote or seminar)What happens to everyone with Attention Deficit Disorder, both diagnosed and undiagnosed, as they enter adulthood? more info...

HITW - Change Challenge Humor Change, Challenge and Humour (keynote or seminar)Create a high-functioning workplace atmosphere using responsible, appropriate humour to help deal with change in turbulent times.Learn to:Deflect, defuse, and disarm change-related stress with humour.Facilitate mutual support when dealing with the negative emotions that accompany rapid or unexpected change.Create a climate where all staff, regardless of position, cope confidently and effectively with change.Keep a healthy perspective on current and future challenges.Use humour to move the decision making process forward.Choose a constructive attitude toward change.(back)

Change Challenge and Humour.pdf

HITW - Humor Sanity Humour and Sanity in the Workplace (keynote or seminar)Increase job performance and satisfaction by reducing stress through the appropriate use of humour.Learn to:Bring laughter and lightness to your workplace, while increasing productivity.Regain focus and move forward after encounters with difficult people.Reframe negative events to minimize their impact.Practice 'responsible humour'.Use humour to improve client relations.(back)

Humour and Sanity in the Workplace.pdf

HITW - Laughtership Laughtership: Using Humour to Build Relationships,Employee Loyalty and Productivity (keynote or seminar)Enhance organizational climate and staff effectiveness by applying the principles and strategies of leading with lightness and laughter.Learn to:Keep a healthy perspective on current and future challenges.Create a light-hearted atmosphere that results in improved staff performance.Assist your staff in supporting each other effectively.Use humour to move the decision making process forward.Create a climate where all staff, regardless of position, feel valued and important.Make meetings meaningful AND enjoyable.(back)

Laughtership.pdf

HITW - 10 ways lighten up Top Ten Ways to Lighten Up Your Workplace(without getting fired!) (keynote or seminar)Concrete, practical, easily-implemented techniques to help you lighten up and be more effective at work.Learn to:Create a lighthearted, thriving workplace.Generate an atmoshpere of healthy humour.Maintain positive morale in high-pressure times.Dampen the impact of negative news.Apply the 'Top Ten' - without getting fired!(back)

Top Ten Ways - Without Getting Fired!.pdf

WLB - No PANE No Gain Work-Life Balance:No PANE*, No Gain (keynote or seminar)*Planning, Attitude, Nutrition and ExerciseLead a balanced, happier existence through the use of a practical approach tailored to the realities of life in the twenty-first century.Learn to:View life balance as a process rather than a destination.Celebrate the small wellness victories.Deal constructively with challenging events and personal issues using scientifically validated techniques.Use the key to life balance - weekly planning.(back)

Work Life Balance - No PANE No Gain.pdf

WLB - Lighthearted Approach A Lighthearted Approach to Wellness (keynote or seminar)Revitalize your life through implementation of humourous strategies in order to maximize your health.Learn to:Take yourself less seriously. (everyone else does!)Make healthy and enjoyable food choices, beginning with chocolate.Set and achieve goals - if you know where you are going, you might get there.Relax effectively, even if it kills you!(back)

Light Hearted Approach to Wellness.pdf

WLB - Speed of Life Faster Than the Speed of Life:Technology, Guilt and Wellness (keynote or seminar)Neutralize the effects of technological change which have resulted in increased workplace and personal stress.Learn to:Use techniques for creating greater work-life balance.Come to terms with NOT doing it all.Use technology selectively to meet your needs.(back)

Faster than the Speed of Life.pdf

MH - Champion Celebrate the Champion in You (keynote or seminar)Individuals will recognize their inner strength and unheralded achievements in order to successfully embrace the personal and workplace challenges of the twenty-first century.Learn to:Recognize the true champion within you.Recognize your amazing life achievements for what they truly are.Experience laughter, joy and fulfillment in good AND difficult times.Live each day more effectively from a champion's foundation.Help your family, friends and co-workers find their inner champion.Gain insight and hope from life's challenges.(back)

Celebrate the Champion in You.pdf

MH - True Cost The True Cost of Mental Illness (keynote or seminar)In its many forms, mental illness takes a huge toll on individuals, families and society. John's personal struggle with severe depression has given him a unique perspective on this issue.Learn:The staggering cost of mental illness to our society.Canada's shocking failure in providing mental health services.How new perspectives and attitudes toward mental illness are crucial in combating mental illness. Personal and societal strategies for the future. (back)

True Cost Mental Illness.pdf

MH - Adult ADD Adult ADD:The Reality and the Remedies (keynote or seminar)What happens to everyone with Attention Deficit Disorder, both diagnosed and undiagnosed, as they enter adulthood?Learn:The workplace challenges that adults with ADD face.Why career choice is challenging for people with ADD.Workplace adaptations for adults with ADD which increase productivity and job satisfaction.How a certain subcategory of ADD can go virtually unnoticed.How 'co-morbid' factors exponentially increase the impact of ADD. (back)

Adult ADD Reality and Remedies.pdf

Keynotes & Seminars

Humour in the Workplace

Wellness / Life Balance

Mental Health

Videos

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"WOW - a presenter who actually gives you some tools to make a difference in your life. Tools that are not way out there or unattainable, but tools that are easily integrated into your daily life. AND - he is fun!" Carla Rodway Administrative Assistant Lacombe, AB

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"John's keynote proved to be an outstanding kickoff to Convention 2010! We received excellent feedback from audience members. He addressed the convention theme successfully and was able to relate effectively to the concerns and aspirations of a broad variety of staff. He is an effective, entertaining, well prepared speaker and a masterful storyteller." Sue Wenaas Prof. Development Coord. Calgary Board of Education Calgary, AB

Page 3

"Excellent! Uplifting! Valuable advice! Made my day!" Bonnie Pietrocarlo Web Lead - Triex Project Canadian Pacific Railway Calgary, AB

Page 4

"Very clear and funny! Good advice for tough times in this world." Miriam Mehra Mgr of Organ Placement OneLegacy Tranplant Donor Network Los Angeles, CA

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Simmons 1

A Medley

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Video 2

Lesson Learned

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Humour in a Crisis

Video Clips

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Book John Now!

Power of Humor

Lightness and laughter are mandatory for successful, healthy workplaces. Appropriate humour at work reduces tension and fuels creativity, propelling us to peak performance. Use proven, straightforward ideas from John's Top Ten list to help you and your organization rise to the next level. You will discover: > Who can use humour effectively in various situations. > What the guidelines are for creating healthy, respectful humour. > Where responsiblity lies for fostering workplace humour. > When you can put into practice the ten sure fire ways to add laughter and lightness at work. > Why a lighter, happier workplace is more productive.

Power of Humor

Creating Effective, Light-hearted Workplaces

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***For orders of 10 or more please call for special pricing. 403.208.9581

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Contact John

If you would like to have John speak to your business, organization or association please fill in your contact information and put 'Request a Speaking Date' in the subject line. Be sure to add any important questions or information (ie. phone number, etc.) in the message box. John will get back to you within 2 business days.

John Simmons Consulting 383 Scenic Glen Place NW Calgary, AB Canada T3L 1J5 Ph. 403.208.9581 Fx. 403.208.9586 js_john-simmons.com

Fan Club

Fan 1

"John provided an extraordinary service for us at our 2009 conference. Our originally scheduled keynote speaker was a late cancellation due to an urgent family matter. We were able to contact John while he was in the midst of travelling and delivering workshops in the neighboring province of Manitoba. With less than thirty-six hours notice, he was able to prepare an original keynote speech while fulfilling prior workshop obligations for another client. This is indicative of his ability, professionalism, adaptability and dedication to his clients."

- Lisette Denis B.A., B.Ed., M.Ed., Conference Coordinator

AWASIS Aboriginal Education Conference

Saskatoon, SK

Fan 2

"Seriously funny, wet my pants (almost)."

- Joanne Fuerst

HealthCare Service Excellence Conference

Santa Barbara, CA

"WOW - a presenter who actually gives you some tools to make a difference in your own life. Tools that are not way out there or unattainable, but tools that are easily integrated into your daily life. AND - he is fun!"

- Carla Rodway

Administrative Assistant

Lacombe, AB

"Non-stop laughter and smiles throughout. John presents like he has a degree in education and humour. The lighthearted content brought the staff together in a way I haven't seen."

- Sean Horton

Teacher, Foothills Academy

Calgary, AB

Fan 3

"An excellent 'make-you-think-and-bring-positiveness-to-yourself-and-others-around-you' workshop."

- Barb Fontaine

Administrator, East Central Health Region

Camrose, AB

"Helps me search out the fun (humour) to negative stress to restore productivity in my work."

- Matthew Beuhler RN

Newport Beach, CA

"Excellent, knowledgeable, interacted with participants, captivated the

audience."

- Tammy Ortman

Social Worker, East Central Health Region

Camrose, AB

Fan 4

"John's keynote proved to be an outstanding kickoff to Convention 2010!

We received excellent feedback from audience members. He addressed

the convention theme successfully and was able to relate effectively to the

concerns and aspirations of a broad variety of staff. He is an effective,

entertaining, well-prepared speaker and a master storyteller."

- Sue Wenass

Professional Development Coordinator

Calgary Board of Education Staff Association

Calgary, AB

"Very clear and funny - good advice for tough times in this world."

- Miriam Mehra

Manager of Organ Placement

OneLegacy Transplant Donor Network

Los Angeles, CA

Fan 5

"I enjoyed every second of the presentation - I laughed more than 15 times! It was a very inspiring perspective and has helped to recharge me."

- Nanvit Dosanjh,

Kindergarten Teacher

"Shows us you can still have fun at work and get your work done.

It helps with the stress of the day."

- Evelyn Read

Housekeeping, East Central Health Region

"John is not only a great speaker, he is more than that. He is a

'Great Teacher'."

-Monica Villamizar

Informational Technologist

Calgary, AB.

Fan 6 Client List Associations and AgenciesUnited Way of CalgaryCorporateCalgary Women’s Imaging CentreCanadian Pacific RailwayPCL Constructors, Inc.Suncor EnergyEducationAlberni District Teachers Union B.C Teachers for Peace and Global EducationBoundary School Division Calgary Board of Education Support Staff Association Canadian Rockies School DivisionCanadian Union of Public Employees Teacher AssistantsCentral Okanagan Teachers AssociationCowichan District Teachers’ UnionFoothills AcademyGrande Yellowhead School DivisionGreater Edmonton Teachers’ ConventionHowe Sound TeachersMighty Peace Teachers’ ConventionMount Royal CollegeNorth Central Teachers’ ConventionNorth Vancouver Teachers’ AssociationNorthwest Regional Learning Consortium Northern Area Teachers’ ConventionPeace River North Teachers’ AssociationPrince George District Teachers’ AssociationRevelstoke District Teachers’ Association Southeastern Saskatchewan Teachers’ ConventionSouthwest Teachers’ ConventionTraditional Learning Centre, Calgary Board of EducationWest Central Teachers’ Convention West Virginia Association of Middle SchoolsWetaskiwin Regional School Division GovernmentAlberta Department of Children’s ServicesAlberta Department of JusticeCity of AirdrieCity of CalgaryEdmonton Employee Development ConferenceHealth CareCalgary Health RegionCypress Health RegionEast Central Health RegionHealthcare Service Excellence ConferencePeace Country Health RegionPrairie North Health Region
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Client List

Resources

Articles Articles HumourFinding Humour With Your Elderly ParentsHandling Daily Annoyances with HumourWellnessComing Soon

Self Rating Scale My Humour Quotient Self-Rating ScaleAward yourself 0 to 5 points for each category, 0 being the lowest score, 5 being the highest. Maximum score is 100 (which is perfection, so don’t expect it!).Points Qualities _____ I have an active comic eye. I see humour around me, even when I’m alone. I see the humour and absurdities in everyday life._____ I have an expressive face._____ I am silly sometimes._____ I like to play with words/puns/rhymes._____ I have expressive or funny body language and/or gestures._____ I laugh easily._____ I mimic accents/sounds effects/animal noises._____ I do impressions of friends or celebrities._____ I have trouble being serious at times._____ I engage in literal humour. (If someone says, “Drop everything!” I just might do it.)_____ I smile often and easily._____ People tell me I have sparkling/twinkling/mischievous eyes._____ I enjoy comedy combined with music (musical comedy, Weird Al Yankovic, etc.)_____ My sense of humour is healthy, constructive, playful and inclusive – not cynical and negative._____ I use sarcasm in moderation._____ I can laugh at myself, my mishaps and errors._____ I enjoy others’ humour and laughter._____ I am known as witty (quick or ready to see or express amusing relationships or insights)._____ Others would describe me as having a good or sense of humour._____ I think preschoolers are funny._____ TOTAL SCOREIf you score 90 -100 You have a potential career as a comedian or comic writer! 80 –- 90 You are a very funny person. 60 –- 79 Good sense of humour; there’s room to grow, if you like (humour is a skill and can be learned). 50 - 59 Need a humour tune-up (humour night school) 49 or less You take life way too seriously. Life is too serious to be taken seriously.Copyright 2010 by John Simmons

Humour Assessment.pdf

Links LinksHumour-related siteswww.satirewire.com Satire Wire –- off the wall political humourwww.businessfundamentals.com Office toys, promotional products and free activitieswww.discoverfun.com Learn how adults can bring fun back into their lives.www.theonion.com American news satire organizationwww.humorproject.com The positive power of humourwww.aath.org Association for Applied Therapeutic Humorwww.davebarry.com Hilarious American humouristwww.signspotting.com Funny and absurd signs from around the worldDo an internet search for “Clean Jokes” and it will suggest a number of sitesWellness-related siteswww.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-guide-aliment/index-eng.php Canada’'s Food Guidewww.mypyramid.gov U.S.A. Food Guidewww.colganinstitute.com Dr. Michael Colgan, world leading researcher, nutritionist and anti-aging authority; cutting edgewww.mindfuleatingbook.com Rediscover a healthy and joyful relationship with foodwww.mindlesseating.org Why we eat more than we think we dowww.chopra.com Deepak Chopra’'s website - emotional and spiritual health and wellnesswww.cnn.com/toxicamerica Helpful information on pesticides in our food

Elderly Parents Finding Humour With Your Elderly ParentsQ. What do a harp and an elderly parent have in common?A. They are both unforgiving and difficult to get in and out of cars.My dearly beloved mother passed away at the age of 88 in February. While I admired and respected her courage, strength, and devotion to family, at times she left me scratching my head because of some of the decisions she made in her later years. While my mother was of sound mind until the very end of her life, I was sometimes frustrated because of what I perceived as illogical decisions that went as far as jeopardizing her health and safety. To deal with the frustration, I resorted to laughter and humourous perspective, quite often using the harp-parent riddle above. Humour is a gift to us in difficult times and situations; it’s easy to laugh when times are good, but more important to laugh when times are tough. Regardless of the faith or world view from which you operate, it’s difficult to argue against using humour to help us through life’s challenges. Finding humour is likely an evolutionary adaptation to help us deal with emotional pain and stress. It makes sense. Think of the laughter mingled with tears and grief when we celebrate and mourn the loss of a loved one.The key concept is finding humour. Don’t wait for it to find you. Emergency room personnel, paramedics, police and firefighters make dark “jokes” in situations which, heard out of context by non-participants, would cause many to recoil in horror or disgust. However, it is not meant for our ears. It is a coping mechanism that allows them to keep their sanity and continue to function in unimaginably awful circumstances.If you accept this concept, then nothing is out of bounds when poking fun. Many situations have no inherent humour in them, but finding and using humour is often the best way to cope and even thrive in these circumstances. When we use humour to make fun of a situation, an illness or any unpleasant aspect of life, it loses its power over us and helps us move forward. The key distinction is poking fun at the challenge, not the person facing the challenge. The one exception is making fun of yourself. If you have the problem, by all means poke fun at your reactions or how you tend to handle things. So, do laugh about your parent’s odd habits and strange decisions. It’s the best thing you can do for yourself - and it will help you to serve them better. By the way, did I tell you the one about the elderly parent who refused to replace her dead thirty-five year old refrigerator because she couldn’t find one for the same price?Copyright 2010 by John SimmonsAnyone wishing to reprint this article please contact the author at403.208.9581

Daily Annoyances How To Handle Life's Daily Annoyances Through HumourI was asked once by a magazine writer about how to instantly go from a state of anger or extreme frustration to side-splitting laughter. She might well have asked me for the winning numbers on the next fifty million dollar lottery. Lightening up and laughing out loud when you have already reached the boiling point is extremely difficult to achieve and not really necessary. Lightening up and smiling or having an inner or outer chuckle is an effective tool for breaking out of self-imposed stress responses which can result in a rise in blood pressure, a racing heart, and the production of harmful stress hormones in your body, none of which contribute to good health. Let’'s face it, being stuck in a bank lineup is not a big deal compared to being a soldier in the midst of battle. You don’'t have to be side-splittingly funny, a challenge at the best of times, to calm your mind and body. Simply find something to put the situation in perspective or distract you to break the fight-or-flight response. Peter Ustinov, the late British actor, raconteur, playwright and United Nations Ambassador for Children said, "“Humour is a funny way of being serious.”" Implied here is the notion that we can take a situation with nothing inherently funny about it and create, or “manufacture” humour.Humour is, among other things, a skill. It’'s important to recognize this and be willing to develop the ability to deal with daily irritations in ways that help rather than hinder the situation. If we have some personal resources or skills to use when addressing difficult situations, we can feel more confident and in control thus reducing the impact of the potentially stressful situation.Here are several possible responses based on a situation that most of us have experienced:Scenario: You're in a lineup at the bank and it is moving at a snail’'s pace. You need to get out of there in order to return to work on time.Verbal ways of lightening up:1. Ask yourself the question, "“What can I find that’'s humourous about this situation, even if it’s only for a few moments.”" "“What’'s funny about being stuck in a long bank line?”"“"The longer I'’m here, the more my creditors have to wait for my money."”2. “"My problem is…, but on the bright side...…”"e.g. “"My problem is I am stuck in a long bank line. But on the bright side, I bet all these people around me wish they were as good looking as me.”"3. Use a “punchy perspective.” A punchy perspective is an invented or borrowed phrase, either matter-of-fact or assertive, which helps put things back in perspective:“"I’'m stuck in a lineup at the bank and I’'m not happy! I guess some days you’'re the bug and some days you’re the windshield.”"4. Exaggeration –(a classic comedic strategy)“"I'’m stuck in a lineup at the bank. I’'ve been here so long the dog has died, my wife has left me and my car is currently being towed away."”“"Perhaps I'’ll lead the lineup in a calming rendition of ‘Kumbaya’.”"5. Understatement –- the flip side of exaggeration e.g. "“Well, I guess I’'m not going to be elected president of the Effective Daily Planning and Time Management Club.”"6. How would a totally different person view this? Pretend you are someone else:A five year old:“"This is boring. This better be the ice cream lineup."”An 80 year old: "“Things better get moving or I'’ll wind up late for my funeral."”A national news correspondent:"“This is your roving correspondent reporting from the world'’s slowest moving bank lineup.”"7. Make up your own cliché based on an existing one:“"Life'’s hard… and then you die of starvation standing in a bank lineup."”"“Behind every successful man …stands about fifty other people who are also growing old.”"8. Comment on the situation (possibly to yourself, quietly), as if it was not happening to you. “"Hmmm, aggravating."”“"Are we having fun yet?"”Using propsCarry a foam clown nose in your pocket. Just put it on. Things will begin to happen! (If you’re really an extrovert, you can shout out, “"Hey, you bankers can’'t treat us like we’re a bunch of clowns... …wait a minute.”")Off the wallLook up in the sky and point. Keep staring up and pointing occasionally. See how many people wind up staring with you. None of the above are likely to win you a comedy writing award. But remember, that’'s not the point! It'’s simply to calm you down and prevent you from making a mountain out of a molehill. In that same vein, feel free to use a funny line or phrase from a friend, a relative or a comedian. Some of these strategies may seem uncomfortable or phony at first, but if you try them and practice you will find that your negative responses to daily stressors will be reduced - and you might make a few other people smile too!While it’'s easy to laugh when times are good, it is more important to find humour when times are challenging or when daily annoyances start to assume too much importance in our lives. Choose to lighten up, smile, have an inner chuckle or laugh out loud. It’'s better for your health and happiness in the short and long term. Copyright 2010 by John SimmonsAnyone wishing to reprint this article please contact the author at 403. 208.9581

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